Geris last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Geris

A surname derived from the Greek word "geron" meaning "elder" or "old man."

Geris, 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 Geris surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Geris in America

Geris is the 93125th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Geris surname appeared 197 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 Geris.

We can also compare 2010 data for Geris 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.

20102000Change (%)
Rank93125922170.98%
Count1971856.28%
Proportion per 100k0.070.070.00%

The history of the last name Geris

The surname Geris has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the Catalonia region of modern-day Spain and France. It is believed to have originated during the Middle Ages, around the 11th or 12th century. The name is derived from the Catalan word "gerir," which means "to manage" or "to govern." This suggests that the name may have been associated with individuals who held positions of authority or were involved in administrative tasks.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Geris can be found in a document from the year 1232, which mentions a nobleman named Ramon de Geris. This individual was likely a member of the local nobility in the region of Catalonia. Another early reference is from a manuscript dated 1298, which mentions a merchant named Guillem Geris, who was engaged in trade activities in the city of Barcelona.

During the 14th century, the surname Geris appears to have spread beyond the confines of Catalonia. In a historical record from 1349, a man named Joan Geris is mentioned as a resident of the town of Perpignan, which was then part of the Kingdom of Aragon but is now located in the Pyrénées-Orientales region of southern France. This suggests that individuals bearing the surname may have migrated or established themselves in neighboring regions.

One notable bearer of the surname Geris was Bernat Geris (1420-1493), a Catalan philosopher and scholar who taught at the University of Barcelona. He was known for his works on logic and metaphysics, and his contributions to the intellectual discourse of his time. Another figure of significance was Jaume Geris (1564-1632), a Catalan painter who gained recognition for his religious works and commissions from various churches and monasteries in the region.

In the 16th century, there are records of a family named Geris residing in the town of Cervera, located in the region of Lleida, Catalonia. This family was involved in agricultural activities and owned several vineyards in the area. One member of this family, Pere Geris (1578-1643), is mentioned in local archives as a prominent landowner and vintner.

The surname Geris has also been associated with certain place names in the region. For instance, there is a small village called Gerisa in the province of Lleida, which may have derived its name from the surname itself or vice versa. Additionally, there are records of individuals with the surname Geris hailing from the town of Solsona, located in the province of Lleida, during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Throughout its history, the surname Geris has been spelled in various ways, including Geris, Geriz, Geriç, and Geriç. However, the most common spelling has remained Geris, which is still prevalent today, particularly in the regions of Catalonia and the Pyrénées-Orientales.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Geris

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

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 Geris was:

Race/EthnicityPercentageTotal Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only91.88%181
Non-Hispanic Black Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races(S)%(S)
Hispanic Origin3.55%7

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 Geris has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

20102000Change (%)
White91.88%90.27%1.77%
Black(S)%(S)%(S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander(S)%(S)%(S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native(S)%0.00%(S)%
Two or More Races(S)%3.78%(S)%
Hispanic3.55%3.24%9.13%

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

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

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