2010
#106,096
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 168
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Gemeda
A surname derived from the Germanic elements "gem" (precious stone) and "eda" (rich, wealthy).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 341 Americans carry the last name Gemeda. That puts it at #70,918 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.10 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,005,145 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gemeda 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
341
1 in 1,005,145
Census rank
#70,918
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
297
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 297 bearers of the surname Gemeda in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.10 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 70918th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gemeda, the largest self-reported group is Black at 99.3%. The next largest groups are White (0.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gemeda
The surname Gemeda has its origins in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia, with records indicating its presence as early as the 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the ancient Ge'ez language, which was the liturgical language used in the region during that time period. The root word "Gemeda" is thought to have meant "one who is steadfast" or "one who is resolute."
In the 16th century, a prominent Ethiopian nobleman named Gemeda Gebru was recorded as having served in the court of Emperor Galawdewos. Gebru's descendants continued to carry the Gemeda surname, leading to its spread throughout the Tigray region and beyond.
One of the earliest documented references to the Gemeda name can be found in a manuscript from the Debre Damo monastery, which dates back to the late 17th century. This manuscript, written by a scribe named Gebremeskel Gemeda, provides valuable insights into the religious and cultural practices of the time.
During the 18th century, Abuna Petros Gemeda, born in 1720, rose to prominence as a respected religious leader and scholar within the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. His teachings and writings had a significant influence on the theological discourse of the era.
In the 19th century, a notable figure named Menelik Gemeda, born in 1845, played a crucial role in the military campaigns of Emperor Yohannes IV. Menelik Gemeda's bravery and strategic acumen earned him recognition and respect among his contemporaries.
Another prominent individual with the Gemeda surname was Haile Gebresellassie Gemeda, born in 1892, who served as a high-ranking official in the imperial court of Emperor Haile Selassie. His dedication and loyalty to the emperor were widely acknowledged during his lifetime.
While the Gemeda surname has its roots in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, its bearers have since spread across the country and to various parts of the world, carrying with them the legacy of their unique cultural heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gemeda
Among Census respondents with the surname Gemeda, the largest self-reported group is Black at 99.3%. The next largest groups are White (0.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Gemeda 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 Gemeda surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American99.3% · 295
- White0.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gemeda
Gemeda appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#70,918
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 297
+129 bearers (+76.8%)
Per 100,000 0.10
Rank movement Up 35,178 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #106,096 | 168 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #70,918 | 297 | 0.10 | +129 bearers (+76.8%) | Up 35,178 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 Gemeda 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 | #106,096 | #70,918 | 33.2% |
| Count | 168 | 297 | 76.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.10 | 65.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gemeda bearers went from 168 to 297 (+76.8% change). The surname moved up 35,178 positions in the national ranking, going from #106,096 to #70,918.
FAQ
Gemeda surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gemeda?
Name Census estimates that about 341 living Americans carry the surname Gemeda. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,005,145 residents.
How common is Gemeda?
Gemeda ranks #70,918 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.10 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 297 people with the surname Gemeda. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (341), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.10 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 Gemeda.
Has Gemeda become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gemeda went from 168 recorded bearers to 297. That is an increase of 129 (+76.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #106,096 to #70,918.
What does the Census say about the background of Gemeda?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gemeda, the largest self-reported group is Black at 99.3%. The next largest groups are White (0.7%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Gemeda in the 2020 Census, accounting for 99.3% (295 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gemeda appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (99.3%), White (0.7%). 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 Gemeda (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 Gemeda mean?
A surname derived from the Germanic elements "gem" (precious stone) and "eda" (rich, wealthy). 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 Gemeda (0.10 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 common is the surname Gemeda?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Gemeda on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.