2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Geramita
A surname of Italian origin, likely derived from the Italian word "geranio" meaning "geranium."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Geramita. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Geramita 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
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Geramita in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Geramita, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Geramita
The surname Geramita has its origins in Italy, specifically from the southern region of Sicily. It dates back to the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is believed to have derived from the Greek word "geramatas," meaning "elder" or "respected person."
In its earliest forms, the name was spelled as "Geramita" or "Geramidas." These variations were likely influenced by the Greek language's influence in Sicily during the Byzantine era. The name may have been initially given to individuals who held positions of authority or were held in high regard within their communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in a document from the city of Palermo, dated around 1250. This document mentions a certain "Stefano Geramita," who was a landowner and prominent figure in the area.
The name Geramita is also associated with the town of Geraci Siculo, located in the province of Palermo. This town's name is derived from the Greek word "gerakion," meaning "falcon." It's possible that the surname Geramita may have originated from this place name or had some connection to individuals from this region.
In the 14th century, a notable figure named Guglielmo Geramita (born around 1310) was a prominent scholar and philosopher from Palermo. He wrote several treatises on logic and metaphysics, contributing to the intellectual discourse of his time.
During the Renaissance period, a family by the name of Geramita was known for their involvement in the arts and literature. Antonio Geramita (1480-1552) was a well-respected poet and playwright from Messina, whose works were widely appreciated in the literary circles of the time.
Another significant individual was Girolamo Geramita (1570-1638), a renowned architect and engineer from Palermo. He was responsible for the design and construction of several notable buildings and structures in Sicily, including churches and fortifications.
In the 18th century, Giuseppe Geramita (1710-1782) was a respected lawyer and judge who served in the courts of Palermo. His contributions to the legal system and his reputation for fairness and integrity were widely acknowledged during his lifetime.
While the surname Geramita may have originated from a specific region or town in Sicily, it eventually spread to other parts of Italy and beyond, as individuals with this name migrated and established themselves in new locations over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Geramita
Among Census respondents with the surname Geramita, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Geramita 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 Geramita surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.1% · 92
- Hispanic or Latino6.9% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Geramita
Geramita appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+2 bearers (+1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,607 places
2020
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-9 bearers (-8.2%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 5,875 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #141,788 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.9%) | Down 7,607 places |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | -9 bearers (-8.2%) | Down 5,875 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 Geramita 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 | #149,395 | #155,270 | -3.9% |
| Count | 110 | 101 | -8.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -15.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Geramita bearers went from 110 to 101 (-8.2% change). The surname moved down 5,875 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #155,270.
FAQ
Geramita surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Geramita?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Geramita. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Geramita?
Geramita ranks #155,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 101 people with the surname Geramita. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Geramita.
Has Geramita become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Geramita went from 110 recorded bearers to 101. That is a decrease of 9 (-8.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #149,395 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Geramita?
Among Census respondents with the surname Geramita, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Geramita in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.1% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Geramita appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.1%), Hispanic (6.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%). 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 Geramita (2000, 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 Geramita mean?
A surname of Italian origin, likely derived from the Italian word "geranio" meaning "geranium." 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 Geramita (0.03 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 many Americans have the surname Geramita?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.