2000
#79,115
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 224
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.08
Very Rare Last name
Gebremedhin
An Ethiopian surname meaning "servant of grace."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 941 Americans carry the last name Gebremedhin. That puts it at #30,466 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.27 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 364,245 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gebremedhin 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
941
1 in 364,245
Census rank
#30,466
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
821
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 821 bearers of the surname Gebremedhin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.27 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 30466th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gebremedhin, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.1%. The next largest groups are White (1.6%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gebremedhin
The surname GEBREMEDHIN originates from Ethiopia, with its roots dating back to the 14th century. It is derived from the Ge'ez language, which was widely spoken in the Eritrean and Ethiopian regions during that period. The name is a combination of two words: "Gebre," meaning "servant" or "follower," and "Medhin," which translates to "savior" or "redeemer."
This surname holds a strong connection to the ancient Ethiopic Christian traditions. It is believed that individuals with this name were closely associated with religious institutions or held positions within the church hierarchy. The earliest known record of the GEBREMEDHIN surname appears in a 15th-century manuscript detailing the lineage of prominent ecclesiastical figures in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
One of the earliest documented individuals bearing the GEBREMEDHIN surname was Abba Gebremedhin, a renowned Ethiopian monk and scholar who lived in the late 15th century. He was revered for his extensive knowledge of theology and his contributions to the preservation of ancient religious texts.
During the 16th century, the GEBREMEDHIN name gained prominence with the rise of Gebremedhin Wolde Rufael, a prominent Ethiopian noble and military leader. He played a crucial role in the defense of the Kingdom of Ethiopia against foreign invasions and is celebrated for his bravery and strategic prowess.
In the 19th century, Gebremedhin Welde Tsadik, an influential Ethiopian diplomat and statesman, left a lasting legacy. He was instrumental in establishing diplomatic relations between Ethiopia and various European nations, paving the way for increased international cooperation and cultural exchange.
Another notable figure was Gebremedhin Araya, a renowned Ethiopian poet and writer who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His works, which explored themes of love, spirituality, and national identity, have left an indelible mark on the literary landscape of Ethiopia.
Gebremedhin Zewde, a prominent educator and advocate for women's rights, was a pioneer in her field during the early 20th century. She established several schools and educational initiatives, empowering generations of Ethiopian women to pursue education and personal growth.
While the GEBREMEDHIN surname has its roots in ancient Ethiopia, it has since spread across the globe, carried by individuals of Ethiopian descent who have made significant contributions in various fields, including academia, arts, and civil society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gebremedhin
Among Census respondents with the surname Gebremedhin, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.1%. The next largest groups are White (1.6%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Gebremedhin 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 Gebremedhin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American96.1% · 789
- White1.6% · 13
- Two or more races1.0% · 8
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gebremedhin
Gebremedhin 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
#48,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 436
+212 bearers (+94.6%)
Per 100,000 0.15
Rank movement Up 30,679 places
2020
#30,466
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 821
+385 bearers (+88.3%)
Per 100,000 0.27
Rank movement Up 17,970 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #79,115 | 224 | 0.08 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #48,436 | 436 | 0.15 | +212 bearers (+94.6%) | Up 30,679 places |
| 2020 | #30,466 | 821 | 0.27 | +385 bearers (+88.3%) | Up 17,970 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 Gebremedhin 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 | #48,436 | #30,466 | 37.1% |
| Count | 436 | 821 | 88.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.15 | 0.27 | 83.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gebremedhin bearers went from 436 to 821 (+88.3% change). The surname moved up 17,970 positions in the national ranking, going from #48,436 to #30,466.
FAQ
Gebremedhin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gebremedhin?
Name Census estimates that about 941 living Americans carry the surname Gebremedhin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 364,245 residents.
How common is Gebremedhin?
Gebremedhin ranks #30,466 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.27 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 821 people with the surname Gebremedhin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (941), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.27 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.27 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 Gebremedhin.
Has Gebremedhin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gebremedhin went from 436 recorded bearers to 821. That is an increase of 385 (+88.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #48,436 to #30,466.
What does the Census say about the background of Gebremedhin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gebremedhin, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.1%. The next largest groups are White (1.6%) and Two or More Races (1.0%). 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 Gebremedhin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.1% (789 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gebremedhin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (96.1%), White (1.6%), Two or More Races (1.0%). 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 Gebremedhin (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 Gebremedhin mean?
An Ethiopian surname meaning "servant of grace." 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 Gebremedhin (0.27 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 have the surname Gebremedhin?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.