2010
#121,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 142
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Gebrehiwet
A surname originating from Ethiopia meaning "servant of the light".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 273 Americans carry the last name Gebrehiwet. That puts it at #84,785 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,255,510 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gebrehiwet 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
273
1 in 1,255,510
Census rank
#84,785
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
238
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 238 bearers of the surname Gebrehiwet in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 84785th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gebrehiwet, the largest self-reported group is Black at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and White (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gebrehiwet
The surname GEBREHIWET has its origins in Eritrea, a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the Tigrinya language, which is spoken by the Tigrinya people who constitute the majority ethnic group in Eritrea.
GEBREHIWET is a compound name, formed by combining two words from the Tigrinya language. The first part, "Gebre," is a title or honorific that translates to "servant" or "follower," while "Hiwet" means "life" or "existence." Together, the name can be interpreted as "servant of life" or "follower of existence."
One of the earliest known references to the name GEBREHIWET can be found in the historical records of the Medri Bahri, a former province of Eritrea. These records, dating back to the 15th century, mention a prominent figure named GEBREHIWET who played a significant role in the region's affairs during that time.
In the 16th century, a renowned scholar and religious leader named GEBREHIWET Abba emerged from the monastic community in Eritrea. He authored several influential works on theology and philosophy, which are still studied and revered within the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
During the 17th century, a notable figure named GEBREHIWET Bairu gained recognition as a skilled military commander and strategist. He is credited with leading successful campaigns against invading forces, ultimately contributing to the preservation of Eritrean sovereignty.
In the 19th century, GEBREHIWET Andu was a prominent merchant and trader who established trade routes and facilitated the exchange of goods between Eritrea and neighboring regions. His entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen helped promote economic growth and prosperity in the region.
Another notable individual with the surname GEBREHIWET was Abba GEBREHIWET, a respected religious leader and scholar who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He played a crucial role in preserving and promoting the cultural heritage and traditions of the Tigrinya people through his teachings and writings.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the surname GEBREHIWET throughout history. The name has remained a significant part of Eritrean culture and identity, reflecting the rich heritage and traditions of the Tigrinya people.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gebrehiwet
Among Census respondents with the surname Gebrehiwet, the largest self-reported group is Black at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and White (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Gebrehiwet 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 Gebrehiwet surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American92.9% · 221
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 7
- White2.1% · 5
- Two or more races1.7% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gebrehiwet
Gebrehiwet appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#84,785
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 238
+96 bearers (+67.6%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Up 36,805 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #121,590 | 142 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #84,785 | 238 | 0.08 | +96 bearers (+67.6%) | Up 36,805 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 Gebrehiwet 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 | #121,590 | #84,785 | 30.3% |
| Count | 142 | 238 | 67.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.08 | 59.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gebrehiwet bearers went from 142 to 238 (+67.6% change). The surname moved up 36,805 positions in the national ranking, going from #121,590 to #84,785.
FAQ
Gebrehiwet surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gebrehiwet?
Name Census estimates that about 273 living Americans carry the surname Gebrehiwet. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,255,510 residents.
How common is Gebrehiwet?
Gebrehiwet ranks #84,785 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.08 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 238 people with the surname Gebrehiwet. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (273), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.08 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 Gebrehiwet.
Has Gebrehiwet become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gebrehiwet went from 142 recorded bearers to 238. That is an increase of 96 (+67.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #121,590 to #84,785.
What does the Census say about the background of Gebrehiwet?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gebrehiwet, the largest self-reported group is Black at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.9%) and White (2.1%). 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 Gebrehiwet in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (221 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gebrehiwet appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (92.9%), Hispanic (2.9%), White (2.1%). 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 Gebrehiwet (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 Gebrehiwet mean?
A surname originating from Ethiopia meaning "servant of the light". 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 Gebrehiwet (0.08 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 Gebrehiwet?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.