2000
#149,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Gebrekidan
The surname indicating a person from the Gebrekidan region or family.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 436 Americans carry the last name Gebrekidan. That puts it at #57,805 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.13 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 786,134 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gebrekidan 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
436
1 in 786,134
Census rank
#57,805
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
380
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 380 bearers of the surname Gebrekidan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.13 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 57805th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gebrekidan, the largest self-reported group is Black at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and White (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gebrekidan
The surname GEBREKIDAN has its origins in Ethiopia, tracing back to the 14th century. It is derived from the Amharic language, with the root words "gebre" meaning "servant" and "kidan" meaning "covenant" or "promise." This combination suggests the name may have been given to individuals who were servants or adherents of a particular religious order or belief system.
Early records indicate that the GEBREKIDAN name was prevalent in the northern regions of Ethiopia, particularly in the areas around the ancient city of Aksum. It is believed that some of the earliest bearers of this name were associated with the monastic communities and churches that flourished during the Axumite Kingdom.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Gebrekidan Gedamu was recorded as a prominent religious scholar and translator of religious texts from Arabic to Ge'ez, the ancient Semitic language of Ethiopia. His contributions played a significant role in preserving and disseminating religious knowledge during that era.
Another historical figure bearing the GEBREKIDAN name was Gebrekidan Wolde Yohannes, a 19th-century nobleman and military leader who played a crucial role in the unification of Ethiopia under Emperor Tewodros II. He was renowned for his bravery and strategic leadership in various battles against rival factions.
During the reign of Emperor Menelik II in the late 19th century, a diplomat named Gebrekidan Worku was sent as an envoy to Europe, representing Ethiopia in diplomatic missions. His diplomatic efforts helped to strengthen Ethiopia's international relations and establish its position on the global stage.
In the early 20th century, Gebrekidan Haile was a prominent playwright and poet who contributed significantly to the development of Amharic literature. His works often explored themes of social justice, cultural identity, and the struggles of the Ethiopian people.
Throughout history, the GEBREKIDAN name has been associated with individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields, including religion, literature, diplomacy, and military affairs. While the name's origins can be traced back to ancient times, its legacy continues to be celebrated as a part of Ethiopia's rich cultural heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gebrekidan
Among Census respondents with the surname Gebrekidan, the largest self-reported group is Black at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and White (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Gebrekidan 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 Gebrekidan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American95.5% · 363
- Two or more races2.6% · 10
- White1.1% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino0.5% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gebrekidan
Gebrekidan 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
#91,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 202
+101 bearers (+100.0%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Up 58,107 places
2020
#57,805
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 380
+178 bearers (+88.1%)
Per 100,000 0.13
Rank movement Up 33,416 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #149,328 | 101 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #91,221 | 202 | 0.07 | +101 bearers (+100.0%) | Up 58,107 places |
| 2020 | #57,805 | 380 | 0.13 | +178 bearers (+88.1%) | Up 33,416 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 Gebrekidan 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 | #91,221 | #57,805 | 36.6% |
| Count | 202 | 380 | 88.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.07 | 0.13 | 81.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gebrekidan bearers went from 202 to 380 (+88.1% change). The surname moved up 33,416 positions in the national ranking, going from #91,221 to #57,805.
FAQ
Gebrekidan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gebrekidan?
Name Census estimates that about 436 living Americans carry the surname Gebrekidan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 786,134 residents.
How common is Gebrekidan?
Gebrekidan ranks #57,805 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.13 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 380 people with the surname Gebrekidan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (436), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.13 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.13 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 Gebrekidan.
Has Gebrekidan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gebrekidan went from 202 recorded bearers to 380. That is an increase of 178 (+88.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #91,221 to #57,805.
What does the Census say about the background of Gebrekidan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gebrekidan, the largest self-reported group is Black at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and White (1.1%). 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 Gebrekidan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.5% (363 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gebrekidan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (95.5%), Two or More Races (2.6%), White (1.1%). 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 Gebrekidan (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 Gebrekidan mean?
The surname indicating a person from the Gebrekidan region or family. 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 Gebrekidan (0.13 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 Gebrekidan?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.