Explore the Family Name Gross
The meaning of Gross
1. German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname for a big man, from Middle High German grōz ‘large, corpulent’, German gross. This surname is also established in some other parts of Europe, most notably in France (Alsace and Lorraine). In Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Croatia it is also found (in Slovenia almost exclusively) in the Slavicized form Gros (see also 3 below). The Jewish name has been Hebraicized as Gadol. 2. English: descriptive nickname for a big man, from Middle English gros, grosse, groce ’large; heavy’, also meaning ‘simple, plain’, from Old French gros ‘big, fat’ (from Latin grossus ‘thick’), a word of ancient Germanic origin, thus etymologically the same word as in 1 above. 3. Germanized or Americanized form of Slovenian, Polish, Croatian or other Slavic Gros, itself of German origin (see 1 above).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Gross in the United States?
Based on the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Gross has seen a slight decrease over the ten year period between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Gross was ranked as the 387th most popular surname in the United States but slipped to the 440th position by 2010, marking a decline of 13.7%. However, the actual count of people with this last name slightly increased by 0.29%, rising from 74285 in 2000 to 74503 in 2010. The proportion per 100k also declined by 8.28, from 27.54 to 25.26.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #387 | #440 | -13.7% |
| Count | 74,285 | 74,503 | 0.29% |
| Proportion per 100k | 27.54 | 25.26 | -8.28% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Gross
In terms of ethnic identity, the Gross surname has been associated with different ethnicities according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. Predominantly, the majority of individuals with the Gross surname identified as White, although this group saw a slight decline of 2.01% from 86.61% in 2000 to 84.87% in 2010. There was a notable increase within the Hispanic ethnicity, from 1.67% in 2000 to 2.45% in 2010, which represents a rise of 46.71%. Similarly, the percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native also increased, albeit less dramatically.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 86.61% | 84.87% | -2.01% |
| Black | 9.85% | 10.34% | 4.97% |
| Hispanic | 1.67% | 2.45% | 46.71% |
| Two or More Races | 1.15% | 1.48% | 28.7% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.41% | 0.52% | 26.83% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.31% | 0.34% | 9.68% |
Gross ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Gross is British & Irish, which comprises 32.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (28.8%) and Ashkenazi Jewish (17.2%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Nigerian.
Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe
| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 32.2% |
| French & German | 28.8% |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 17.2% |
| Other | 21.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Gross
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Gross have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 67.40% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 67.40% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 67.20% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 66.70% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 66.70% |
What Gross haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Gross is R-U152, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-U152 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L2 and R-M167, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Schneider, Hoffman, Wagner, Klein, Becker, Miller, Kramer, Fisher, Schmidt, Meyer.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Gross surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Gross have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Gross" Surname 44.0%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Gross" Surname 24.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Gross" Surname 19.8%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Gross" Surname 18.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Gross?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Gross are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition