Explore the Family Name Kies
The meaning of Kies
1. German: from Middle High German kis ‘gravel, low grade iron ore’, hence probably a topographic name for someone living on land characterized by coarse sand and pebbles or a metonymic occupational name for an iron smelter. 2. Dutch: nickname for someone who was very chaste or behaved refined, from kies ‘delicate, refined’, kuis ‘chaste, pure’. 3. Dutch: metonymic occupational name for a dentist, for someone who healed and pulled sore teeth, from kies ‘molar’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Kies in the United States?
According to the data provided by the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Kies has experienced a slight decrease over the decade from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Kies ranked 17,001 in popularity and increased to 17,691 in 2010, marking a decline of 4.06%. Despite this drop in rank, the count of individuals bearing the surname Kies actually grew from 1,540 to 1,586, an increase of 2.99%. However, when considering this growth in context with the general U.S. population, the proportion per 100,000 people decreased by 5.26%, indicating that the surname did not keep pace with overall population growth.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #17,001 | #17,691 | -4.06% |
| Count | 1,540 | 1,586 | 2.99% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.57 | 0.54 | -5.26% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Kies
In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census indicates changes within different groups. The number of individuals identifying as White with the surname Kies decreased slightly by 1.78% from 2000 to 2010. Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander also saw a significant reduction of 38.46%. Conversely, there was a notable increase among those identifying as Hispanic, rising by an impressive 127.21%. The percentage of people with the surname Kies identifying as two or more races also rose by 18.79%. There was no change detected in the Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native categories. Notably, it is important to consider that some data may be suppressed for privacy, which can impact the full understanding of these shifts in ethnic identity.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.97% | 94.26% | -1.78% |
| Hispanic | 1.36% | 3.09% | 127.21% |
| Two or More Races | 1.49% | 1.77% | 18.79% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.52% | 0.32% | -38.46% |
| Black | 0.65% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |