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

Gelb, 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 Gelb surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gelb in America

Gelb is the 18572nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gelb surname appeared 1,485 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Gelb.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gelb 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 Gelb

The surname Gelb has its origins in Germany, with records dating back to the 17th century. It is derived from the German word "gelb," meaning "yellow," which likely referred to someone with yellow-colored hair or a pale complexion. The name may have also been used as a descriptive identifier for someone who lived near a yellow-colored building or landmark.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Gelb surname can be found in the church records of Saxony from the late 1600s. During this period, the name was sometimes spelled as "Gelbe" or "Gelber," reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions.

In the 18th century, a notable figure with the Gelb surname was Johann Friedrich Gelb (1712-1786), a German philosopher and theologian who wrote extensively on the relationship between reason and faith. His works influenced the development of Enlightenment thought in Central Europe.

Another historical figure with the Gelb name was Friedrich Gelb (1827-1901), a German architect known for his contributions to the revival of Gothic architecture in Germany. He was responsible for the design of several prominent churches and public buildings in cities like Berlin and Dresden.

In the 19th century, the Gelb surname also gained prominence in the United States, where it was brought by German immigrants. One notable American with this surname was David Gelb (1846-1910), a successful businessman and philanthropist who founded the Gelb Institute for the Study of Hebrew Language and Literature in New York City.

As the Gelb family spread across Europe and North America, variations in spelling and pronunciation emerged, including Gelbe, Gelber, and Gelbmann. Some of these variations were influenced by local place names, such as the town of Gelbensande in Germany, which may have given rise to the surname Gelbensander.

Throughout history, the Gelb surname has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, including scholars, artists, businesspeople, and community leaders. While not as widely recognized as some other German surnames, Gelb has left its mark on the cultural and intellectual landscape of both Europe and North America.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gelb

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

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 Gelb 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 Gelb 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 Gelb was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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