2000
#149,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Geistweidt
A surname derived from German words meaning "wide spirit" or "broad ghost".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Geistweidt. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Geistweidt 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
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Geistweidt in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Geistweidt, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Geistweidt
The surname "GEISTWEIDT" has its origins in Germany, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the German words "Geist" (meaning "spirit" or "mind") and "Weidt" (meaning "field" or "meadow"). This combination suggests that the name may have originally referred to a person who lived or worked in a spiritual or contemplative field or meadow.
The earliest known records of the name "GEISTWEIDT" can be traced to the region of Bavaria in southern Germany. In the 1500s, there are mentions of the name in local church records and land registries. One notable example is Johann Geistweidt, born in 1548 in the town of Amberg, who was a respected scholar and theologian.
As the name spread across Germany and neighboring regions, variations in spelling emerged, including "Geisteweidt," "Geistweyt," and "Geysteweyt." These variants reflect the regional differences in language and pronunciation at the time.
One of the earliest documented individuals with the name "GEISTWEIDT" was Hans Geistweidt, born in 1612 in the town of Nürnberg. He was a prominent merchant and trader, whose business ventures took him across Europe. His descendants continued to carry the name throughout the 17th and 18th centuries.
Another notable figure was Maria Geistweidt, born in 1723 in the city of Munich. She was a renowned artist and painter, known for her intricate portraits and landscapes. Her works were highly sought after by nobility and wealthy patrons of the era.
In the 19th century, the name "GEISTWEIDT" gained prominence with the rise of Heinrich Geistweidt, born in 1832 in the town of Augsburg. He was a pioneering engineer and inventor, credited with several groundbreaking innovations in the field of textile machinery. His legacy lived on through his children and grandchildren, many of whom pursued careers in engineering and science.
As the 20th century dawned, the name "GEISTWEIDT" continued to be carried by notable individuals, such as Karl Geistweidt, born in 1901 in Berlin. He was a respected lawyer and legal scholar, whose work on constitutional law and civil rights made a significant impact in Germany during the turbulent times of the early 20th century.
Throughout its history, the surname "GEISTWEIDT" has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, merchants, engineers, and legal professionals. While the name's origins can be traced back to medieval Germany, its legacy has extended across regions and generations, reflecting the diverse contributions of those who carried it.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Geistweidt
Among Census respondents with the surname Geistweidt, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Geistweidt 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 Geistweidt surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White99.0% · 102
- Hispanic or Latino1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Geistweidt
Geistweidt 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
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
-1 bearers (-1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 11,647 places
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
+3 bearers (+3.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 6,793 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #149,328 | 101 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | -1 bearers (-1.0%) | Down 11,647 places |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | +3 bearers (+3.0%) | Up 6,793 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 Geistweidt 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 | #160,975 | #154,182 | 4.2% |
| Count | 100 | 103 | 3.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 14.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Geistweidt bearers went from 100 to 103 (+3.0% change). The surname moved up 6,793 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #154,182.
FAQ
Geistweidt surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Geistweidt?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Geistweidt. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Geistweidt?
Geistweidt ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 103 people with the surname Geistweidt. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Geistweidt.
Has Geistweidt become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Geistweidt went from 100 recorded bearers to 103. That is an increase of 3 (+3.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Geistweidt?
Among Census respondents with the surname Geistweidt, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.0%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Geistweidt in the 2020 Census, accounting for 99.0% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Geistweidt appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (99.0%), Hispanic (1.0%). 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 Geistweidt (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 Geistweidt mean?
A surname derived from German words meaning "wide spirit" or "broad ghost". 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 Geistweidt (0.03 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 are called Geistweidt?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Geistweidt on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.