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

Geren, 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 Geren surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Geren in America

Geren is the 14681st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Geren surname appeared 2,026 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 Geren.

We can also compare 2010 data for Geren 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 Geren

The surname Geren is believed to have originated in Germany, with roots dating back to the medieval period. Its earliest recorded spelling was "Geren," derived from the Old German word "gēr," meaning "spear" or "javelin." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive surname for someone skilled in wielding a spear, perhaps a soldier or hunter.

In the 13th century, the name Geren appeared in various records and manuscripts, including the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony. One notable mention was a reference to a "Johannes Geren" in a land transaction from 1287.

The name Geren has also been linked to certain place names, such as the village of Geringswalde in Saxony, Germany. It is possible that some individuals adopted the surname based on their place of origin or residence.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Geren was Heinrich Geren, a landowner and merchant who lived in the late 15th century in the town of Erfurt, located in present-day Thuringia, Germany.

In the 16th century, the name Geren appeared in various records, including the baptismal records of St. Peter's Church in Erfurt, where a "Johannes Geren" was mentioned in 1542. During this time period, the spelling of the name varied, with forms such as "Gerren" and "Gehren" also being used.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the surname Geren. One such person was Friedrich Geren (1801-1878), a German philosopher and author who wrote extensively on ethics and moral philosophy. Another was Otto Geren (1857-1925), a prominent German industrialist and entrepreneur who founded the Geren Steel Company in Dortmund.

In the 19th century, the name Geren also appeared in the United States, likely due to immigration from Germany. One notable American with this surname was William Geren (1825-1909), a Civil War veteran and businessman from Missouri.

While the surname Geren is not as common as some other German surnames, it has a rich history and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Geren

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

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

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

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