2000
#20,023
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,240
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.46
Rare Last name
Greb
A variant spelling of a surname derived from a topographic term denoting an inhabitant near a ditch or trench.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,375 Americans carry the last name Greb. That puts it at #22,081 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.40 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 249,276 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Greb surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
1.4K
1 in 249,276
Census rank
#22,081
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,199 bearers of the surname Greb in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.40 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 22081st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Greb, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.0%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Greb
The surname GREB is believed to have originated in the region of Germany, specifically in the area around the town of Grebenstein in the state of Hesse. The name is thought to have derived from the Old German word "greba," which means "gorge" or "ravine," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived near or worked in such a geographical feature.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the GREB name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of medieval documents from the region of Saxony, where a certain "Henricus Grebin" is mentioned in a record dated 1292. This suggests that variations of the name, such as "Grebin," were in use as early as the 13th century.
In the 15th century, a notable figure named Johannes GREB (1420-1491) was a prominent theologian and rector at the University of Leipzig. His works on scholastic philosophy and theology were influential during the Renaissance period.
During the 16th century, the GREB name appears in various municipal records and church registers across central Germany, indicating its spread throughout the region. One notable individual from this time was Hans GREB (1547-1611), a master stonemason who was involved in the construction of several important buildings in the city of Nuremberg.
In the 17th century, a family of GREBs from the town of Grebenstein gained prominence as wealthy landowners and merchants. Johann Friedrich GREB (1622-1701) was a successful businessman and philanthropist who donated funds to establish a school and a hospital in his hometown.
As the GREB name spread throughout Germany and beyond, it also underwent various spelling variations, such as "Gräb," "Graeb," and "Grebe." One notable figure with a similar spelling was Wilhelm Grebe (1786-1846), a German composer and violinist who was a contemporary of Ludwig van Beethoven.
While the GREB surname is not as common as some other German names, it has left its mark on history through individuals who made significant contributions in various fields, from academia and theology to architecture and commerce.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Greb
Among Census respondents with the surname Greb, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.0%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Greb bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Greb surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.0% · 1,115
- Two or more races3.0% · 36
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 29
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 12
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 4
- Black or African American0.3% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Greb
Greb appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#22,131
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,168
-72 bearers (-5.8%)
Per 100,000 0.40
Rank movement Down 2,108 places
2020
#22,081
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,199
+31 bearers (+2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.40
Rank movement Up 50 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #20,023 | 1,240 | 0.46 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #22,131 | 1,168 | 0.40 | -72 bearers (-5.8%) | Down 2,108 places |
| 2020 | #22,081 | 1,199 | 0.40 | +31 bearers (+2.7%) | Up 50 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Greb surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #22,131 | #22,081 | 0.2% |
| Count | 1,168 | 1,199 | 2.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.40 | 0.40 | 0.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Greb bearers went from 1,168 to 1,199 (+2.7% change). The surname moved up 50 positions in the national ranking, going from #22,131 to #22,081.
FAQ
Greb surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Greb?
Name Census estimates that about 1,375 living Americans carry the surname Greb. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 249,276 residents.
How common is Greb?
Greb ranks #22,081 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.40 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,199 people with the surname Greb. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,375), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.4 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.40 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Greb.
Has Greb become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Greb went from 1,168 recorded bearers to 1,199. That is an increase of 31 (+2.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #22,131 to #22,081.
What does the Census say about the background of Greb?
Among Census respondents with the surname Greb, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.0%) and Hispanic (2.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Greb in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.0% (1,115 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Greb appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.0%), Two or More Races (3.0%), Hispanic (2.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Greb (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Greb mean?
A variant spelling of a surname derived from a topographic term denoting an inhabitant near a ditch or trench. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Greb (0.40 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Greb?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.