2000
#13,554
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,055
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.76
Rare Last name
Gehman
A German occupational surname derived from the Middle High German word "gëu," meaning "district" or "region," likely referring to a regional administrator or leader.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,758 Americans carry the last name Gehman. That puts it at #12,335 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.80 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 124,276 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gehman 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
2.8K
1 in 124,276
Census rank
#12,335
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,405 bearers of the surname Gehman in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.80 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12335th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gehman, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.9%) and Hispanic (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gehman
The surname "GEHMAN" is believed to have originated in Germany, dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the German word "Gehmann," which means "a villager" or "a peasant." The name likely originated in rural areas of Germany where agriculture and farming were prevalent occupations.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "GEHMAN" can be found in the records of the Palatinate region of Germany, which was a significant source of German immigration to North America in the 18th century. The Palatinate region was known for its rich farmland and agricultural communities, which aligns with the meaning of the name.
In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, many German families, including those with the surname "GEHMAN," immigrated to Pennsylvania in search of religious freedom and economic opportunities. The first recorded "GEHMAN" in America was Hans Gehman, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732.
One notable figure with the surname "GEHMAN" was Jacob Gehman (1750-1832), a Mennonite minister and farmer in Pennsylvania. He played a significant role in the Mennonite community and was known for his leadership and dedication to his faith.
Another prominent individual with this surname was John Gehman (1823-1904), a renowned horticulturist and nurseryman in Pennsylvania. He introduced several new varieties of fruits and played a pivotal role in the development of the nursery industry in the region.
In the early 20th century, Abram Gehman (1875-1953) was a notable educator and author from Pennsylvania. He wrote several books on education and was a strong advocate for improving the quality of education in rural areas.
The surname "GEHMAN" can also be found in historical records from other parts of Europe, such as the Netherlands and Switzerland, where it may have been spelled slightly differently, such as "Gehmann" or "Gehrmann."
Overall, the surname "GEHMAN" has a rich history rooted in German agricultural communities, and its bearers have made significant contributions in various fields, including religion, horticulture, and education, throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gehman
Among Census respondents with the surname Gehman, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.9%) and Hispanic (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Gehman 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 Gehman surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.5% · 2,297
- Two or more races1.9% · 46
- Hispanic or Latino1.2% · 28
- Black or African American0.7% · 16
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 10
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gehman
Gehman 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
#13,545
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,238
+183 bearers (+8.9%)
Per 100,000 0.76
Rank movement Up 9 places
2020
#12,335
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,405
+167 bearers (+7.5%)
Per 100,000 0.80
Rank movement Up 1,210 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,554 | 2,055 | 0.76 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,545 | 2,238 | 0.76 | +183 bearers (+8.9%) | Up 9 places |
| 2020 | #12,335 | 2,405 | 0.80 | +167 bearers (+7.5%) | Up 1,210 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 Gehman 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 | #13,545 | #12,335 | 8.9% |
| Count | 2,238 | 2,405 | 7.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.76 | 0.80 | 5.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gehman bearers went from 2,238 to 2,405 (+7.5% change). The surname moved up 1,210 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,545 to #12,335.
FAQ
Gehman surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gehman?
Name Census estimates that about 2,758 living Americans carry the surname Gehman. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 124,276 residents.
How common is Gehman?
Gehman ranks #12,335 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.80 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,405 people with the surname Gehman. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,758), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.8 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.80 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Gehman.
Has Gehman become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gehman went from 2,238 recorded bearers to 2,405. That is an increase of 167 (+7.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #13,545 to #12,335.
What does the Census say about the background of Gehman?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gehman, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.9%) and Hispanic (1.2%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Gehman in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.5% (2,297 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gehman appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.5%), Two or More Races (1.9%), Hispanic (1.2%). 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 Gehman (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 Gehman mean?
A German occupational surname derived from the Middle High German word "gëu," meaning "district" or "region," likely referring to a regional administrator or leader. 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 Gehman (0.80 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 Gehman?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.