2000
#11,910
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,407
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.89
Rare Last name
Gerardi
Italian occupational surname referring to a guard or watchman, derived from the Germanic word "gard" meaning "enclosure" or "protection."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,699 Americans carry the last name Gerardi. That puts it at #12,564 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.79 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 126,993 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gerardi 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
2.7K
1 in 126,993
Census rank
#12,564
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,354 bearers of the surname Gerardi in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.79 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12564th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gerardi, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.3%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gerardi
The surname Gerardi is of Italian origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period. The name is derived from the personal name Gerard, which was widespread in Italy during the Middle Ages. This name is thought to originate from the Germanic elements "gair" (spear) and "hard" (hardy or brave), suggesting a connection to warriors or valiant individuals.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Gerardi can be found in the historic Florentine Republic during the 13th century. The name appears in various municipal records and chronicles, indicating its presence among the noble families and influential citizens of the time.
In the 14th century, a notable figure named Giovanni Gerardi (c. 1300-1370) achieved recognition as a prominent jurist and legal scholar in the city of Bologna. His treatises on Roman law and jurisprudence were widely studied and cited throughout Europe.
The Gerardi name also has ties to the papal states and the Catholic Church. In the 16th century, Cardinal Gaspare Gerardi (1518-1587) served as a papal legate and was involved in several important ecclesiastical councils and negotiations during the Counter-Reformation era.
Another notable individual bearing the Gerardi surname was Antonio Gerardi (1589-1668), a renowned architect and sculptor from the Italian city of Siena. His works, including the magnificent façade of the Siena Cathedral, are considered masterpieces of Baroque architecture and are still celebrated today.
In the realm of literature, the Italian poet and playwright Gian Battista Gerardi (1637-1712) left a lasting legacy with his satirical works and comedies that provided social commentary on the Italian society of his time.
Towards the end of the 18th century, a prominent military figure named Girolamo Gerardi (1766-1828) rose to prominence during the Napoleonic Wars. He served as a general in the Italian forces and played a crucial role in several notable battles, earning him recognition and honors for his bravery and strategic prowess.
These are just a few examples of individuals bearing the Gerardi surname who have left their mark on history, reflecting the rich heritage and diverse contributions associated with this Italian name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gerardi
Among Census respondents with the surname Gerardi, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.3%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Gerardi 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 Gerardi surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.1% · 2,122
- Hispanic or Latino6.3% · 148
- Two or more races2.1% · 49
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 20
- Black or African American0.4% · 10
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gerardi
Gerardi 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
#11,420
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,759
+352 bearers (+14.6%)
Per 100,000 0.94
Rank movement Up 490 places
2020
#12,564
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,354
-405 bearers (-14.7%)
Per 100,000 0.79
Rank movement Down 1,144 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,910 | 2,407 | 0.89 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,420 | 2,759 | 0.94 | +352 bearers (+14.6%) | Up 490 places |
| 2020 | #12,564 | 2,354 | 0.79 | -405 bearers (-14.7%) | Down 1,144 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 Gerardi 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 | #11,420 | #12,564 | -10.0% |
| Count | 2,759 | 2,354 | -14.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.94 | 0.79 | -16.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gerardi bearers went from 2,759 to 2,354 (-14.7% change). The surname moved down 1,144 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,420 to #12,564.
FAQ
Gerardi surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gerardi?
Name Census estimates that about 2,699 living Americans carry the surname Gerardi. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 126,993 residents.
How common is Gerardi?
Gerardi ranks #12,564 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.79 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,354 people with the surname Gerardi. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,699), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.79 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.79 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Gerardi.
Has Gerardi become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gerardi went from 2,759 recorded bearers to 2,354. That is a decrease of 405 (-14.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #11,420 to #12,564.
What does the Census say about the background of Gerardi?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gerardi, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.3%) and Two or More Races (2.1%). 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 Gerardi in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.1% (2,122 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gerardi appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.1%), Hispanic (6.3%), Two or More Races (2.1%). 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 Gerardi (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 Gerardi mean?
Italian occupational surname referring to a guard or watchman, derived from the Germanic word "gard" meaning "enclosure" or "protection." 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 Gerardi (0.79 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 Gerardi?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.