Find out how popular the last name Garr is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Garr.

Garr, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Garr surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Garr in America

Garr is the 10197th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Garr surname appeared 3,160 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Garr.

We can also compare 2010 data for Garr to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Garr

The surname GARR has its origins in Germany, where it is believed to have emerged in the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century. It is derived from the Old German word "gar," which means "spear" or "lance," suggesting that the name may have originally been an occupational name for someone who made or used spears or lances.

During the medieval period, the GARR surname was found primarily in the northern regions of Germany, particularly in areas like Saxony and Westphalia. Some early variations of the spelling included Garr, Garre, and Gahr, reflecting the regional dialects and linguistic differences of that time.

One of the earliest recorded references to the GARR name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from the region of Saxony, dating back to the 13th century. This document mentions a certain "Henricus Garre," indicating the presence of the name in that area during that period.

In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the GARR surname was Johannes Garr, a German clergyman and scholar who lived from 1415 to 1482. He served as a professor at the University of Erfurt and was known for his works on theology and philosophy.

Another historical figure with the GARR surname was Hans Garr, a 16th-century German craftsman and woodcarver who was active in the city of Nuremberg. His intricate woodcarvings adorned many churches and buildings in the region, and his work is still admired today for its artistic and technical mastery.

Moving into the 17th century, a prominent individual with the GARR surname was Johann Garr, a German jurist and legal scholar who lived from 1605 to 1677. He served as a judge in the city of Leipzig and wrote several influential treatises on German law and legal principles.

In the 18th century, the GARR surname was associated with the German botanist and naturalist Johann Christoph Garr, who lived from 1725 to 1788. He made significant contributions to the study of plant life and is particularly known for his extensive work on the flora of Germany.

Throughout its history, the GARR surname has also been linked to various place names in Germany, such as the town of Garhausen, which likely derived its name from the Old German word "gar," similar to the origin of the surname itself.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Garr

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Garr.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Garr was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Garr has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Garr was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Garr, please contact us.

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