2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Gerla
A surname derived from a Germanic personal name meaning "spear".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Gerla. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gerla 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
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Gerla in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gerla, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.1%) and Two or More Races (6.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gerla
The surname "GERLA" originated in Italy, specifically in the northern regions of Lombardy and Veneto. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "gerla," which refers to a type of wicker basket or pannier used for carrying goods on the back or on pack animals. This connection suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals involved in trades or professions that required the use of such baskets, such as farmers, merchants, or porters.
The earliest recorded instances of the name "GERLA" can be traced back to the late 13th century, appearing in various historical documents and records from that time period. One notable mention is found in the "Estimo della città di Verona" (Tax Register of the City of Verona) from 1296, which lists several individuals with the surname "GERLA" among the city's residents.
In the 14th century, the name "GERLA" appears in the "Codice Diplomatico Veronese" (Diplomatic Code of Verona), a collection of historical documents and charters related to the city of Verona. This suggests that the name was well-established in the region during that period.
Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname "GERLA." One such person was Giovanni Battista Gerla (1537-1601), an Italian architect and engineer from Verona who was responsible for the design and construction of several important buildings and fortifications in the city.
Another prominent figure was Giulio Cesare Gerla (1658-1728), an Italian painter from Verona who was known for his religious and mythological works. His paintings can be found in various churches and galleries throughout Italy.
In the 19th century, Giuseppe Gerla (1805-1876) gained recognition as an Italian politician and statesman. He served as a member of the Italian Parliament and was instrumental in the unification of Italy during the Risorgimento period.
A more recent historical figure was Carlo Gerla (1913-1996), an Italian-American engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of radar technology during World War II and the early years of the space program.
The surname "GERLA" has also been associated with various places and geographical locations in Italy, particularly in the regions of Lombardy and Veneto. For example, there are towns and villages such as Gerla di Lesmo (in the province of Monza and Brianza) and Gerla di Sotto (in the province of Verona), which may have derived their names from the presence of families with the surname "GERLA" in those areas.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gerla
Among Census respondents with the surname Gerla, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.1%) and Two or More Races (6.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Gerla 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 Gerla surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.2% · 96
- Hispanic or Latino6.1% · 7
- Two or more races6.1% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gerla
Gerla 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
+10 bearers (+10.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,041 places
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+4 bearers (+3.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,900 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+10.0%) | Up 1,041 places |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.6%) | Up 2,900 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 Gerla 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 | #146,495 | 1.9% |
| Count | 110 | 114 | 3.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gerla bearers went from 110 to 114 (+3.6% change). The surname moved up 2,900 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #146,495.
FAQ
Gerla surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gerla?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Gerla. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Gerla?
Gerla ranks #146,495 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 114 people with the surname Gerla. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Gerla.
Has Gerla become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gerla went from 110 recorded bearers to 114. That is an increase of 4 (+3.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #149,395 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Gerla?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gerla, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.1%) and Two or More Races (6.1%). 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 Gerla in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.2% (96 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gerla appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.2%), Hispanic (6.1%), Two or More Races (6.1%). 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 Gerla (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 Gerla mean?
A surname derived from a Germanic personal name meaning "spear". 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 Gerla (0.04 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 last name Gerla?
See how many people have the last name Gerla on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.