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

Gerace, 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 Gerace surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gerace in America

Gerace is the 13474th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gerace surname appeared 2,258 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 Gerace.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gerace 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 Gerace

The surname Gerace has its origins in Italy, specifically in the southern region of Calabria. It is believed to have derived from the name of the town of Gerace, located in the province of Reggio Calabria. The town's name itself is of Greek origin, stemming from the ancient Greek word "Gerakia," which means "place of the hawks."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Gerace can be traced back to the 11th century, when it appeared in various medieval records and documents from the region. One notable mention is found in the "Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis," a collection of historical documents from the Monastery of Cava dei Tirreni, which includes references to individuals with the surname Gerace.

During the Middle Ages, the Gerace family held significant influence and power in the area surrounding the town of Gerace. Historical records suggest that members of the family were involved in local governance and played a role in the region's political and cultural affairs.

One notable figure from the Gerace family was Tommaso Gerace, a renowned scholar and philosopher who lived in the 13th century. He was known for his contributions to the fields of logic and metaphysics, and his works were widely studied and referenced by other scholars of his time.

In the 15th century, another member of the Gerace family, Giovanni Gerace, gained recognition as a skilled architect and engineer. He was responsible for the design and construction of several notable buildings and structures in the region, including the Church of San Giorgio in Gerace.

Fast-forwarding to the 19th century, the Gerace surname gained further prominence with the birth of Antonio Gerace (1819-1892), a prominent Italian politician and statesman. He served as a member of the Italian Parliament and held various ministerial positions in the government of the Kingdom of Italy.

Other notable individuals with the surname Gerace include Vincenzo Gerace (1768-1837), an Italian painter and artist known for his religious works and frescoes adorning churches throughout Calabria, and Domenico Gerace (1879-1949), a celebrated Italian composer and conductor who contributed significantly to the development of classical music in the early 20th century.

While the surname Gerace is most commonly associated with its Italian roots, over time, it has spread to other parts of the world through immigration and diaspora. However, the historical records and notable figures mentioned above highlight the rich heritage and significance of this surname within the context of Italian history and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gerace

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

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

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

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