2000
#97,384
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 173
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Gerek
A Turkish surname potentially derived from the Turkish word "gerek" meaning "necessary" or "required".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 181 Americans carry the last name Gerek. That puts it at #116,774 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,893,670 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gerek 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
181
1 in 1,893,670
Census rank
#116,774
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
158
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 158 bearers of the surname Gerek in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 116774th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gerek, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gerek
The surname GEREK originated in Turkey and can be traced back to the 15th century. It is derived from the Turkish word "gerek," which means "necessary" or "required." This suggests that the name may have been given to individuals who held important or necessary roles within their communities.
One of the earliest records of the GEREK surname can be found in the Ottoman archives, where it appears in a document dated 1487. This document mentions a certain Hasan GEREK, who was a prominent merchant and landowner in the region of Anatolia.
During the Ottoman Empire, the GEREK name was particularly prevalent in the regions of Ankara and Konya. It is believed that some members of the family may have been involved in the production of textiles or other crafts, as these industries were thriving in those areas at the time.
In the 16th century, there are mentions of a scholar named Mustafa GEREK, who was known for his contributions to the field of Islamic jurisprudence. He authored several works on Islamic law and was highly respected among his contemporaries.
Another notable figure with the GEREK surname was Mehmet GEREK, a military commander who lived in the 17th century. He played a significant role in the Ottoman campaigns against the Habsburgs and was renowned for his strategic acumen on the battlefield.
Moving into the 19th century, the GEREK name gained prominence in the literary circles of Istanbul. Fatma GEREK, born in 1825, was a celebrated poet and writer whose works explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition. Her poetry was widely admired and contributed to the cultural renaissance of the time.
In more recent history, Ahmet GEREK (1902-1978) was a prominent politician and diplomat who served as the Turkish ambassador to several countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom. He played a crucial role in strengthening Turkey's international relations during the mid-20th century.
While the GEREK surname has its roots in Turkey, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the rich tapestry of Turkish history and heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gerek
Among Census respondents with the surname Gerek, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
The bar chart below shows how Gerek 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 Gerek surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White100.0% · 158
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gerek
Gerek 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
#102,197
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 176
+3 bearers (+1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 4,813 places
2020
#116,774
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 158
-18 bearers (-10.2%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 14,577 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #97,384 | 173 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #102,197 | 176 | 0.06 | +3 bearers (+1.7%) | Down 4,813 places |
| 2020 | #116,774 | 158 | 0.05 | -18 bearers (-10.2%) | Down 14,577 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 Gerek 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 | #102,197 | #116,774 | -14.3% |
| Count | 176 | 158 | -10.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.05 | -11.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gerek bearers went from 176 to 158 (-10.2% change). The surname moved down 14,577 positions in the national ranking, going from #102,197 to #116,774.
FAQ
Gerek surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gerek?
Name Census estimates that about 181 living Americans carry the surname Gerek. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,893,670 residents.
How common is Gerek?
Gerek ranks #116,774 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 158 people with the surname Gerek. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (181), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Gerek.
Has Gerek become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gerek went from 176 recorded bearers to 158. That is a decrease of 18 (-10.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #102,197 to #116,774.
What does the Census say about the background of Gerek?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gerek, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%. 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 Gerek in the 2020 Census, accounting for 100.0% (158 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gerek appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (100.0%). 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 Gerek (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 Gerek mean?
A Turkish surname potentially derived from the Turkish word "gerek" meaning "necessary" or "required". 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 Gerek (0.05 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 people have the surname Gerek?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.