2000
#57,406
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 332
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.12
Rare Last name
Gebre
A surname of Amharic origin meaning "servant" or "slave."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,424 Americans carry the last name Gebre. That puts it at #21,445 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.42 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 240,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gebre 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 240,698
Census rank
#21,445
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,242 bearers of the surname Gebre in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.42 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 21445th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gebre, the largest self-reported group is Black at 95.7%. The next largest groups are White (2.5%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gebre
The surname GEBRE is believed to have originated in Ethiopia, where it has been used for centuries. It is derived from the Amharic word "gebre," meaning "servant" or "slave." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to individuals who were servants or slaves in the region.
One of the earliest known references to the GEBRE surname can be found in the Fetha Negest, an ancient Ethiopian legal code dating back to the 15th century. The name appears in various records and manuscripts from that time period, indicating its widespread use among the population.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Gebre Mesqel lived in the region of Shewa, now part of central Ethiopia. He was a prominent religious leader and scholar known for his contributions to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
The GEBRE surname has also been associated with several historical place names in Ethiopia. For example, the town of Gebre Guracha, located in the Oromia Region, likely derives its name from individuals bearing the GEBRE surname who once lived or settled in the area.
Another notable individual with the GEBRE surname was Gebre Mikael, a 17th-century Ethiopian painter and illustrator renowned for his religious artwork and manuscripts. His works have been preserved in various monasteries and churches throughout the country.
In the 19th century, Gebre Giyorgis was a prominent Ethiopian general and military leader who played a significant role in the Zemene Mesafint, a period of decentralized rule and conflict in the country. He was known for his strategic military campaigns and his efforts to unify the region under a central authority.
The GEBRE surname has also been linked to several other historical figures, such as Gebre Hiwot, a 19th-century Ethiopian philosopher and scholar, and Gebre Selassie, a 20th-century Ethiopian nobleman and diplomat who served as the country's representative to various international organizations.
Overall, the surname GEBRE has a rich history rooted in the cultural and linguistic traditions of Ethiopia. Its continued use and presence in historical records and literature highlight its importance and significance within the region's heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gebre
Among Census respondents with the surname Gebre, the largest self-reported group is Black at 95.7%. The next largest groups are White (2.5%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Gebre 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 Gebre surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American95.7% · 1,189
- White2.5% · 31
- Two or more races1.3% · 16
- Hispanic or Latino0.2% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gebre
Gebre 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
#30,825
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 755
+423 bearers (+127.4%)
Per 100,000 0.26
Rank movement Up 26,581 places
2020
#21,445
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,242
+487 bearers (+64.5%)
Per 100,000 0.42
Rank movement Up 9,380 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #57,406 | 332 | 0.12 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #30,825 | 755 | 0.26 | +423 bearers (+127.4%) | Up 26,581 places |
| 2020 | #21,445 | 1,242 | 0.42 | +487 bearers (+64.5%) | Up 9,380 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 Gebre 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 | #30,825 | #21,445 | 30.4% |
| Count | 755 | 1,242 | 64.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.26 | 0.42 | 59.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gebre bearers went from 755 to 1,242 (+64.5% change). The surname moved up 9,380 positions in the national ranking, going from #30,825 to #21,445.
FAQ
Gebre surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gebre?
Name Census estimates that about 1,424 living Americans carry the surname Gebre. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 240,698 residents.
How common is Gebre?
Gebre ranks #21,445 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.42 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 1,242 people with the surname Gebre. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,424), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.42 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.42 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 Gebre.
Has Gebre become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gebre went from 755 recorded bearers to 1,242. That is an increase of 487 (+64.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #30,825 to #21,445.
What does the Census say about the background of Gebre?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gebre, the largest self-reported group is Black at 95.7%. The next largest groups are White (2.5%) and Two or More Races (1.3%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Gebre in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.7% (1,189 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gebre appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (95.7%), White (2.5%), Two or More Races (1.3%). 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 Gebre (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 Gebre mean?
A surname of Amharic origin meaning "servant" or "slave." 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 Gebre (0.42 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 common is the surname Gebre?
If you just want to know how many people are called Gebre, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.