2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Gelarden
A surname derived from a medieval surname meaning "dweller near the yew tree wood".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Gelarden. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gelarden 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Gelarden in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gelarden, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gelarden
The surname Gelarden is of English origin, with its roots dating back to the late 16th century. The name is believed to have originated from the village of Gildersome, located in the West Riding of Yorkshire. This place name is derived from the Old English words "gyldan" meaning "to gild" and "holm" meaning "a hill or rising ground."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gelarden can be found in the Parish Registers of Batley, Yorkshire, from the year 1587. A person named John Gelarden is mentioned in these records. It is also worth noting that the surname appeared in various spellings during the 16th and 17th centuries, such as Gyldersome, Gildersham, and Gildardyn.
In the late 17th century, the Gelarden family had established themselves in the nearby town of Leeds. A notable figure from this time was William Gelarden, a merchant and landowner born in 1652. He played a significant role in the local economy and served as a councilman for the town.
As the Gelarden family continued to spread across England, they left their mark in various regions. One prominent individual was Sir Thomas Gelarden, born in 1729 in Gloucestershire. He was a successful industrialist and philanthropist, known for his contributions to the local community and his support for education initiatives.
Another noteworthy figure was Elizabeth Gelarden, born in 1801 in Lincolnshire. She was a pioneering educator and author, publishing several books on teaching methods and childhood education. Her work had a significant impact on the educational landscape of the time.
In the 19th century, the name Gelarden gained recognition in the field of literature. John Gelarden, born in 1832 in Yorkshire, was a acclaimed poet and playwright. His works often explored themes of nature and the human condition, earning him critical acclaim during his lifetime.
Throughout its history, the surname Gelarden has been associated with various professions and achievements, from business and industry to education and the arts. While the name may have originated in a small Yorkshire village, it has since spread across England and beyond, leaving an indelible mark on the country's cultural and historical tapestry.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gelarden
Among Census respondents with the surname Gelarden, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Gelarden 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 Gelarden surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White99.1% · 105
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gelarden
Gelarden 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
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+9 bearers (+8.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 190 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-7 bearers (-6.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,138 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.7%) | Down 190 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-6.2%) | Down 6,138 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 Gelarden 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 | #146,201 | #152,339 | -4.2% |
| Count | 113 | 106 | -6.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gelarden bearers went from 113 to 106 (-6.2% change). The surname moved down 6,138 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #152,339.
FAQ
Gelarden surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gelarden?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Gelarden. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Gelarden?
Gelarden ranks #152,339 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 106 people with the surname Gelarden. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Gelarden.
Has Gelarden become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gelarden went from 113 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 7 (-6.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #146,201 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Gelarden?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gelarden, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (0.9%). 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 Gelarden in the 2020 Census, accounting for 99.1% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gelarden appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (99.1%), Two or More Races (0.9%). 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 Gelarden (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 Gelarden mean?
A surname derived from a medieval surname meaning "dweller near the yew tree wood". 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 Gelarden (0.04 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 Gelarden?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.