2000
#67,936
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 271
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.10
Rare Last name
Gebremariam
An Ethiopian surname meaning "servant of Mary" or "servant of the Virgin Mary".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,281 Americans carry the last name Gebremariam. That puts it at #23,455 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.37 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 267,568 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gebremariam 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
1.3K
1 in 267,568
Census rank
#23,455
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,117 bearers of the surname Gebremariam in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.37 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 23455th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gebremariam, the largest self-reported group is Black at 95.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and White (1.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gebremariam
The surname GEBREMARIAM has its origins in Ethiopia, dating back several centuries. It is derived from the Amharic language, which is the official language of Ethiopia. The name is a combination of two words, "Gebre" and "Mariam," with "Gebre" meaning "servant" and "Mariam" being the name of the Virgin Mary.
This surname is believed to have first emerged among the Christian Orthodox communities in Ethiopia, where it was common to incorporate religious elements into personal names. The earliest known records of the name GEBREMARIAM can be traced back to the 16th century, during the reign of the Solomonic Dynasty in Ethiopia.
One of the earliest documented individuals with this surname was Gebremariam Gebremeskel, a renowned scholar and cleric who lived in the 17th century. He was known for his contribution to the preservation of ancient Ethiopian manuscripts and his work in promoting education.
In the 18th century, a prominent figure named Gebremariam Woldegiorgis rose to prominence as a military leader and advisor to the Ethiopian Emperor. He played a significant role in the political and military affairs of the time.
During the 19th century, the name GEBREMARIAM gained further recognition with the birth of Gebremariam Gebreegziabher, a respected diplomat and statesman who served as the Ethiopian ambassador to several European countries.
Another notable figure was Gebremariam Gebremichael, a scholar and linguist who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was instrumental in the development of the modern Amharic writing system and contributed significantly to the preservation of Ethiopian literature.
In the 20th century, Gebremariam Haile, a renowned artist and painter, gained international acclaim for his unique depictions of Ethiopian culture and landscapes. His works are celebrated for their vibrant colors and intricate details.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the surname GEBREMARIAM throughout history, showcasing its deep roots in Ethiopian culture and the significant contributions made by those who bear this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gebremariam
Among Census respondents with the surname Gebremariam, the largest self-reported group is Black at 95.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and White (1.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Gebremariam 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 Gebremariam surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American95.1% · 1,062
- Two or more races2.7% · 30
- White1.5% · 17
- Hispanic or Latino0.4% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.2% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gebremariam
Gebremariam 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
#38,214
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 580
+309 bearers (+114.0%)
Per 100,000 0.20
Rank movement Up 29,722 places
2020
#23,455
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,117
+537 bearers (+92.6%)
Per 100,000 0.37
Rank movement Up 14,759 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #67,936 | 271 | 0.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #38,214 | 580 | 0.20 | +309 bearers (+114.0%) | Up 29,722 places |
| 2020 | #23,455 | 1,117 | 0.37 | +537 bearers (+92.6%) | Up 14,759 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 Gebremariam 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 | #38,214 | #23,455 | 38.6% |
| Count | 580 | 1,117 | 92.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.20 | 0.37 | 86.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gebremariam bearers went from 580 to 1,117 (+92.6% change). The surname moved up 14,759 positions in the national ranking, going from #38,214 to #23,455.
FAQ
Gebremariam surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gebremariam?
Name Census estimates that about 1,281 living Americans carry the surname Gebremariam. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 267,568 residents.
How common is Gebremariam?
Gebremariam ranks #23,455 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.37 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 1,117 people with the surname Gebremariam. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,281), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.37 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.37 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 Gebremariam.
Has Gebremariam become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gebremariam went from 580 recorded bearers to 1,117. That is an increase of 537 (+92.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #38,214 to #23,455.
What does the Census say about the background of Gebremariam?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gebremariam, the largest self-reported group is Black at 95.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and White (1.5%). 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 Gebremariam in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.1% (1,062 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gebremariam appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (95.1%), Two or More Races (2.7%), White (1.5%). 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 Gebremariam (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 Gebremariam mean?
An Ethiopian surname meaning "servant of Mary" or "servant of the Virgin Mary". 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 Gebremariam (0.37 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 people share the surname Gebremariam?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.