Find out how popular the last name Geer is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Geer.

Geer, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Geer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Geer in America

Geer is the 4074th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Geer surname appeared 8,717 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Geer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Geer to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Geer

The surname Geer has its origins in the Low Countries, specifically in the regions of present-day Belgium and the Netherlands. It is believed to have emerged in the late Middle Ages, around the 13th or 14th century.

One theory suggests that the name Geer is derived from the Old Dutch word "ghere," which means "spear" or "javelin." This could indicate that the original bearers of this surname may have been soldiers, hunters, or individuals associated with weapons or warfare.

Another possibility is that the name Geer is related to the Dutch word "geer," which refers to a triangular piece of land or a wedge-shaped field. This could suggest that the name was initially used to identify someone who lived near or owned such a triangular plot of land.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Geer can be traced back to the 14th century in various Dutch and Flemish records. For example, a man named Jan Gheer was mentioned in a document from the city of Bruges in 1375.

In the 15th century, the surname Geer appears in the records of the Duchy of Brabant, which was part of the Low Countries at that time. A notable figure from this period was Hendrik Geer (c. 1440-1510), a wealthy merchant and alderman from the city of Antwerp.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Geer spread to other parts of Europe, particularly to Germany and England, as a result of migration and trade. One notable Englishman with this surname was Sir Edward Geer (1570-1648), a successful merchant and philanthropist from London.

In the 18th century, the Geer surname gained recognition in the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances was Gerrit Geer, who was born in New York in 1725 and served as a lieutenant in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

Another significant figure was Ambrose Geer (1783-1869), an American inventor and industrialist from Connecticut. He is credited with developing the first successful water-proof hat, which became widely popular in the early 19th century.

The 19th century saw the surname Geer flourish in various parts of Europe and North America. One notable bearer was Edmond Geer (1849-1923), a Belgian artist and painter who was known for his landscapes and genre scenes depicting rural life in Flanders.

In the literary world, Cornelia Geer (1875-1966) was an American writer and poet who gained recognition for her works exploring themes of nature, love, and spirituality.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Geer

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Geer.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Geer was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Geer has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Geer was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Geer, please contact us.

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