2010
#131,379
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 129
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Gedeus
A surname derived from a place name containing the element "gede", meaning "goat" in German.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 170 Americans carry the last name Gedeus. That puts it at #122,574 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,016,202 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gedeus 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
170
1 in 2,016,202
Census rank
#122,574
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
148
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 148 bearers of the surname Gedeus in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 122574th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gedeus, the largest self-reported group is Black at 92.6%. The next largest groups are White (4.1%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gedeus
The surname GEDEUS has its origins in the Middle Ages, with the earliest known records dating back to the 13th century in the region of modern-day Lithuania. It is believed to have derived from the Lithuanian word "gedas," which means "noble" or "honorable," suggesting that the name may have been initially used to denote a person of aristocratic or respected status.
One of the earliest documented instances of the GEDEUS name can be found in a 14th-century manuscript from the Duchy of Lithuania, where a nobleman named Gediminas GEDEUS is mentioned as a landowner and influential figure in the region. This historical record provides insight into the prominence of the name during that era.
In the 15th century, the GEDEUS name appeared in various records across Eastern Europe, particularly in areas that were part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. One notable individual from this period was Martynas GEDEUS, a renowned scholar and theologian born in 1458, who contributed significantly to the intellectual discourse of his time.
The 16th century saw the GEDEUS name spread further across Europe, with records indicating its presence in regions such as modern-day Germany and the Netherlands. During this period, a Dutch merchant named Hendrick GEDEUS, born in 1521, gained recognition for his successful trading ventures and business acumen.
As the centuries progressed, the GEDEUS name continued to gain prominence, with individuals bearing this surname making significant contributions in various fields. In the 18th century, a French philosopher and writer, Jacques GEDEUS (1712-1780), gained recognition for his works on social and political theory, which influenced the intellectual landscape of the Enlightenment era.
Another notable figure was the Polish military leader, Józef GEDEUS (1789-1856), who played a crucial role in the November Uprising against the Russian Empire in the early 19th century. His bravery and strategic leadership earned him a place in the annals of Polish history.
The 20th century saw the GEDEUS name continue to resonate across various disciplines. One such individual was the acclaimed Lithuanian artist and sculptor, Antanas GEDEUS (1920-2008), whose works celebrated the cultural heritage and traditions of his homeland.
Throughout its rich history, the GEDEUS name has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds, ranging from aristocrats and scholars to merchants and military leaders, each leaving their mark on the annals of their respective regions and fields of expertise.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gedeus
Among Census respondents with the surname Gedeus, the largest self-reported group is Black at 92.6%. The next largest groups are White (4.1%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Gedeus 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 Gedeus surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American92.6% · 137
- White4.1% · 6
- Two or more races2.0% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.4% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gedeus
Gedeus 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
#122,574
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 148
+19 bearers (+14.7%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 8,805 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #131,379 | 129 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #122,574 | 148 | 0.05 | +19 bearers (+14.7%) | Up 8,805 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 Gedeus 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 | #131,379 | #122,574 | 6.7% |
| Count | 129 | 148 | 14.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.05 | 23.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gedeus bearers went from 129 to 148 (+14.7% change). The surname moved up 8,805 positions in the national ranking, going from #131,379 to #122,574.
FAQ
Gedeus surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gedeus?
Name Census estimates that about 170 living Americans carry the surname Gedeus. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,016,202 residents.
How common is Gedeus?
Gedeus ranks #122,574 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 148 people with the surname Gedeus. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (170), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Gedeus.
Has Gedeus become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gedeus went from 129 recorded bearers to 148. That is an increase of 19 (+14.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #131,379 to #122,574.
What does the Census say about the background of Gedeus?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gedeus, the largest self-reported group is Black at 92.6%. The next largest groups are White (4.1%) and Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Gedeus in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.6% (137 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gedeus appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (92.6%), White (4.1%), Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Gedeus (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 Gedeus mean?
A surname derived from a place name containing the element "gede", meaning "goat" in German. 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 Gedeus (0.05 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 common is the surname Gedeus?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Gedeus on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.