2000
#8,891
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,386
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.26
Rare Last name
Geis
A German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) surname derived from a short form of the given name Geisel or Geiserich.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,687 Americans carry the last name Geis. That puts it at #9,653 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 92,963 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Geis 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
3.7K
1 in 92,963
Census rank
#9,653
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,215 bearers of the surname Geis in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9653rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Geis, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Geis
The surname GEIS is believed to have originated in Germany, with roots that can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "geis," which means "goat" or "goatherd." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who worked as a goatherd or lived in an area known for its abundance of goats.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name GEIS can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of historical documents from the Duchy of Silesia, which dates back to the 13th century. In this collection, the name appears as "Geyss," a variation of the modern spelling.
During the 14th century, the name GEIS was also mentioned in the Regesta Imperii, a series of documents related to the Holy Roman Empire. This reference suggests that individuals bearing this surname may have held positions of importance or influence within the empire.
In the 16th century, a notable figure with the surname GEIS was Matthias Geis (1515-1585), a German theologian and Lutheran reformer. He was a prominent figure in the Reformation movement and played a significant role in shaping the religious landscape of his time.
Another historical figure associated with the name GEIS was Johann Geis (1640-1704), a German composer and organist who lived during the Baroque period. He is known for his contributions to sacred and instrumental music, particularly his organ works.
In the 19th century, Johann Baptist von Geis (1813-1887) was a German Catholic priest and theologian. He held influential positions within the Church and was known for his writings on theological subjects.
The surname GEIS has also been linked to various place names throughout Germany, such as Geiselbach, Geislingen, and Geismar. These places may have served as the origins for families bearing this surname or may have been named after individuals with the surname GEIS.
While the surname GEIS is predominantly associated with Germany, it has also been found in other parts of Europe, suggesting that individuals bearing this name may have migrated or immigrated to different regions over time.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Geis
Among Census respondents with the surname Geis, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Geis 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 Geis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.6% · 3,010
- Two or more races2.6% · 83
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 76
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 25
- Black or African American0.4% · 14
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Geis
Geis 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
#9,692
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,347
-39 bearers (-1.2%)
Per 100,000 1.13
Rank movement Down 801 places
2020
#9,653
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,215
-132 bearers (-3.9%)
Per 100,000 1.08
Rank movement Up 39 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,891 | 3,386 | 1.26 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,692 | 3,347 | 1.13 | -39 bearers (-1.2%) | Down 801 places |
| 2020 | #9,653 | 3,215 | 1.08 | -132 bearers (-3.9%) | Up 39 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 Geis 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 | #9,692 | #9,653 | 0.4% |
| Count | 3,347 | 3,215 | -3.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.13 | 1.08 | -4.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Geis bearers went from 3,347 to 3,215 (-3.9% change). The surname moved up 39 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,692 to #9,653.
FAQ
Geis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Geis?
Name Census estimates that about 3,687 living Americans carry the surname Geis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 92,963 residents.
How common is Geis?
Geis ranks #9,653 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.08 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 3,215 people with the surname Geis. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,687), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.08 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 Geis.
Has Geis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Geis went from 3,347 recorded bearers to 3,215. That is a decrease of 132 (-3.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,692 to #9,653.
What does the Census say about the background of Geis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Geis, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and Hispanic (2.4%). 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 Geis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.6% (3,010 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Geis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.6%), Two or More Races (2.6%), Hispanic (2.4%). 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 Geis (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 Geis mean?
A German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) surname derived from a short form of the given name Geisel or Geiserich. 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 Geis (1.08 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 Geis?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.