Explore the Family Name Class
The meaning of Class
1. Scottish (of Dutch origin; Caithness): from an altered form of Dutch Claas, a pet form of the personal name Nik(o)laas (see Klaas). 2. German: variant of Klass. History: The Caithness surname derives from the forename of Claus or Claas Cornelius, a Dutchman who is believed to have come from the islands of Voorne-Putten (South Holland). Family lore says that he was shipwrecked on the Caithness coast in about 1810–1814. In June 1815, he married a local woman, Janet Sutherland. Their eldest child was christened Cornelius Cornelius in 1816, but in the 1841 census he was registered as Cornelius Claas, a fisherman in the port of Lybster (Caithness), noted for its herring fishing. The memorial stone for his death in 1847 names him Cornelius Class. In the later 1800s many of the Classes emigrated from Caithness, Peter Class setting up as a fish merchant in Lincolnshire, England, and other members of the family migrating to the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Angel, Jose, Ramon, Edgardo, Manuel, Rafael, Adela, Altagracia, Ana, Beatriz, Confesora, Jorge.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Class in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname 'Class' has seen an increase in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, 'Class' ranked 13,943 in terms of popularity but jumped to a rank of 13,053 in 2010, showing a growth of 6.38 percent. The count also increased significantly during this period, going from 1,985 to 2,352, indicating a rise of 18.49 percent. The proportion per 100k people also saw a gradual increase from 0.74 to 0.8, marking an 8.11 percent change.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #13,943 | #13,053 | 6.38% |
| Count | 1,985 | 2,352 | 18.49% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.74 | 0.8 | 8.11% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Class
The ethnic identity associated with the surname 'Class' has experienced some changes as per the data from the Decennial U.S. Census. From 2000 to 2010, there was no recorded Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native heritage. The percentage of individuals identifying as two or more races saw a significant increase from 0.45 to 0.64, showing a 42.22 percent change. A small decrease was observed in the White ethnicity, dropping from 58.59 percent to 53.74 percent. Hispanic representation grew by 12.39 percent, becoming the second most common ethnicity after White for those bearing the 'Class' surname. There was a slight decrease in the Black ethnicity, down from 1.91 percent to 1.83 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 58.59% | 53.74% | -8.28% |
| Hispanic | 38.59% | 43.37% | 12.39% |
| Black | 1.91% | 1.83% | -4.19% |
| Two or More Races | 0.45% | 0.64% | 42.22% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |