Explore the Family Name Ess
The meaning of Ess
1. North German: topographic name for someone living on or owning land that was waterlogged or partly surrounded by water, from Middle Low German es ‘swamp, water’. 2. Swiss German: from the topographic name Ess ‘grazing area, pasture’. 3. Swiss German: from a vernacular short form of the personal name Oswald. 4. American shortened form of Dutch Van Ess.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ess in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Ess" decreased slightly between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 39,499 in popularity and this rank fell to 41,579 by 2010, a decrease of approximately 5.27%. The count of individuals with this last name also saw a negligible drop from 524 in 2000 to 523 in 2010, a change of -0.19%. Furthermore, for every 100,000 people, there were about 0.19 individuals named Ess in 2000, dropping to 0.18 by 2010, reflecting a similar decline of about 5.26%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #39,499 | #41,579 | -5.27% |
| Count | 524 | 523 | -0.19% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.19 | 0.18 | -5.26% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ess
In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows some shifts within the decade. The percentage of those identified as Asian/Pacific Islander with the surname "Ess" went from 1.72% in 2000 to none reported in 2010. Individuals with this surname identifying as two or more ethnicities appeared in 2010, making up 2.68%, where there were no instances recorded prior in 2000. Those identified as white remained fairly constant at 91.03% in 2000, only decreasing to 91.01% by 2010. There was no change among those identified as Hispanic, remaining at 1.72% for both years. However, there was a significant decrease among those identified as Black, falling from 3.82% in 2000 down to 2.29% in 2010, a drop of 40.05%. There were no records for American Indian and Alaskan Natives for either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 91.03% | 91.01% | -0.02% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 2.68% | 0% |
| Black | 3.82% | 2.29% | -40.05% |
| Hispanic | 1.72% | 1.72% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.72% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |