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

Gerak, 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 Gerak surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gerak in America

Gerak is the 117480th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gerak surname appeared 148 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 Gerak.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gerak 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 Gerak

The surname GERAK has its origins in Poland, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old Polish word "gerak," which means "swift" or "agile." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone who was known for their speed or nimbleness.

In the 17th century, the name GERAK appeared in several historical documents and records from the Masovian region of Poland. One notable mention is found in the parish registers of the town of Płock, where a certain Jan GERAK is listed as a landowner and farmer in the year 1632.

During the 18th century, the GERAK surname began to spread beyond the confines of Masovia and was found in various parts of central and eastern Poland. A prominent figure bearing this name was Stanisław GERAK, a military officer who fought in the Polish-Russian War of 1792. He was born in 1765 and died in 1820.

As the 19th century dawned, the GERAK family maintained a strong presence in the Polish countryside. In 1837, a village named Gerakówka, which translates to "village of the Geraks," was recorded in the administrative records of the Lublin region. This suggests that the GERAK surname had become well-established in certain areas and was associated with specific localities.

One of the most notable individuals with the GERAK surname was Wojciech GERAK, a renowned Polish painter who lived from 1815 to 1892. He was known for his landscapes and genre scenes, and his works can be found in several prestigious art galleries in Poland and abroad.

Another prominent figure bearing the GERAK name was Kazimierz GERAK, a Polish writer and journalist who was born in 1878 and died in 1944. He was an influential figure in the literary circles of Warsaw and contributed to numerous publications during his lifetime.

As the 20th century progressed, the GERAK surname continued to be found throughout Poland, with several individuals achieving recognition in various fields, such as academia, business, and the arts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gerak

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

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

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

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