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Gries Family History

Gries Name Meaning

South German: topographic name for someone who lived in a sandy place from Middle High German griez ‘sand pebble’. Perhaps also a shortened form of German Griese . German: habitational name from any of the places called Gries.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Ries, Kries, Pries, Grieser, Grieb, Grill, Bries, Fries, Gier, Gies

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Gries family from?

You can see how Gries families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gries family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gries families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 9 Gries families living in Ontario. This was about 50% of all the recorded Gries's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Gries families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gries surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Gries ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gries. 22% of Gries men worked as a Laborer and 13% of Gries women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gries were Clerk and Cook. .

View Census Data for Gries | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    22%
  • Farmer
    19%
  • Operator
    7%
  • Clerk
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    13%
  • Stenographer
    9%
  • Seamstress
    8%
  • Cook
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Gries family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 9,000 census records available for the last name Gries. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gries census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Gries

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Gries. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Gries immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Gries. For the veterans among your Gries ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gries military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gries family history

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What is the average Gries lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Gries life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Gries in 1944 was 31, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gries

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