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

Gene, 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 Gene surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gene in America

Gene is the 44034th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gene surname appeared 489 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Gene.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gene 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 Gene

The surname GENE is believed to have originated in France, specifically in the region of Languedoc. It is thought to have derived from the Old French word "gène," which means "torture" or "suffering." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who had endured hardship or persecution.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname GENE can be found in the Domesday Book, a medieval census commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry lists a person named Radulfus Gene, living in the county of Oxfordshire, England.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various medieval records from the Languedoc region of France, often spelled as "Gène" or "Genne." One notable individual was Guilhem Gène, a merchant from the city of Montpellier, who was mentioned in a trade agreement dated 1276.

During the 16th century, the surname GENE spread throughout France and into neighboring regions. A prominent figure was Jean Gene, a French mathematician and astronomer born in 1588 in Dijon, known for his contributions to the development of logarithms and celestial navigation.

In the 17th century, the name GENE appeared in various historical documents from the British Isles. One notable example is Sir Francis Gene, an English courtier and diplomat who served under King Charles I and was born in 1603.

Another significant individual with the surname GENE was Marie-Joseph Gene, a French artist and engraver born in 1764 in Paris. He is renowned for his etchings and engravings depicting scenes from French history and mythology.

As the name GENE spread across Europe and beyond, it also took on various regional spellings and variations, such as Gené, Genen, and Geni. One notable example is Johann Geni, a German composer and organist born in 1679 in Erfurt, known for his contributions to the development of the Lutheran church music tradition.

Throughout history, the surname GENE has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, reflecting the widespread adoption and adaptation of this name across different cultures and regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gene

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

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

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

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