2000
#115,489
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 140
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Gebremeskel
An Amharic surname indicating the bearer is of Ethiopian descent.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 625 Americans carry the last name Gebremeskel. That puts it at #42,786 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.18 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 548,407 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gebremeskel 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
625
1 in 548,407
Census rank
#42,786
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
545
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 545 bearers of the surname Gebremeskel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.18 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 42786th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gebremeskel, the largest self-reported group is Black at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and White (1.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gebremeskel
The surname GEBREMESKEL is of Ethiopian origin and dates back several centuries. It is derived from the Amharic language, which is the national language of Ethiopia. The name is a combination of two words, "Gebre" meaning "servant" or "worshipper," and "Meskel" referring to the Meskel festival, which is an important religious celebration in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
The earliest recorded instances of the name GEBREMESKEL can be traced back to the 15th century, when it appeared in various historical documents and records from the medieval Solomonic dynasty of Ethiopia. During this era, the name was closely associated with the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and was often given to individuals who were deeply involved in religious activities or had a strong devotion to their faith.
One notable historical figure with the surname GEBREMESKEL was Gebremeskel Haymanot, a 16th-century Ethiopian monk and scholar who was revered for his spiritual wisdom and teachings. He is credited with establishing several monasteries and contributing to the preservation of Ethiopian religious literature and traditions.
In the 17th century, the name GEBREMESKEL gained recognition through the works of Gebremeskel Yohannes, a renowned Ethiopian philosopher and writer. His writings on ethics, theology, and social commentary were highly influential during his time and continue to be studied by scholars today.
Another prominent individual with this surname was Gebremeskel Wolde-Maskal, who lived in the 19th century. He was a renowned Ethiopian military leader and strategist, known for his role in defending the country against foreign invasions and preserving Ethiopia's independence.
In the 20th century, Gebremeskel Gebru was a respected Ethiopian diplomat and politician who served as the country's ambassador to several nations, including the United States and the Soviet Union. He played a crucial role in strengthening Ethiopia's international relations and promoting its interests on the global stage.
The surname GEBREMESKEL continues to be widely used in Ethiopia today, carrying a rich cultural and historical significance. It serves as a reminder of the country's deep-rooted religious traditions and the contributions made by individuals bearing this name throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gebremeskel
Among Census respondents with the surname Gebremeskel, the largest self-reported group is Black at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and White (1.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Gebremeskel 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 Gebremeskel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American95.0% · 518
- Two or more races2.8% · 15
- White1.5% · 8
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino0.2% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gebremeskel
Gebremeskel 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
#65,593
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 302
+162 bearers (+115.7%)
Per 100,000 0.10
Rank movement Up 49,896 places
2020
#42,786
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 545
+243 bearers (+80.5%)
Per 100,000 0.18
Rank movement Up 22,807 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #115,489 | 140 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #65,593 | 302 | 0.10 | +162 bearers (+115.7%) | Up 49,896 places |
| 2020 | #42,786 | 545 | 0.18 | +243 bearers (+80.5%) | Up 22,807 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 Gebremeskel 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 | #65,593 | #42,786 | 34.8% |
| Count | 302 | 545 | 80.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.10 | 0.18 | 82.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gebremeskel bearers went from 302 to 545 (+80.5% change). The surname moved up 22,807 positions in the national ranking, going from #65,593 to #42,786.
FAQ
Gebremeskel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gebremeskel?
Name Census estimates that about 625 living Americans carry the surname Gebremeskel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 548,407 residents.
How common is Gebremeskel?
Gebremeskel ranks #42,786 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.18 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 545 people with the surname Gebremeskel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (625), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.18 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.18 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 Gebremeskel.
Has Gebremeskel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gebremeskel went from 302 recorded bearers to 545. That is an increase of 243 (+80.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #65,593 to #42,786.
What does the Census say about the background of Gebremeskel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gebremeskel, the largest self-reported group is Black at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) 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 Gebremeskel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.0% (518 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gebremeskel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (95.0%), Two or More Races (2.8%), 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 Gebremeskel (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 Gebremeskel mean?
An Amharic surname indicating the bearer is of Ethiopian descent. 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 Gebremeskel (0.18 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 Gebremeskel?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.