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

Gero, 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 Gero surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gero in America

Gero is the 19053rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gero surname appeared 1,429 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 Gero.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gero 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 Gero

The surname GERO is believed to have originated in Germany, with its earliest known records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old German word "gēr," which means "spear" or "javelin." This suggests that the name may have originally been bestowed upon someone who was skilled in the use of spears or javelins, possibly a warrior or soldier.

In the medieval period, the name GERO appeared in various German chronicles and records, including the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Gero, a German count and margrave who lived from around 900 to 976 AD. He served as the Margrave of the Saxon Ostmark (later known as the March of Meissen) and played a significant role in defending the eastern borders of the Holy Roman Empire against Slavic invasions.

Another notable historical figure with the surname GERO was Johann Gero, a German theologian and reformer who lived from 1519 to 1572. He was a prominent Lutheran minister and played a role in the Protestant Reformation in Germany.

In the 16th century, the name GERO appeared in the form "Gehrau" in the town of Gehrau, located in what is now the state of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. This suggests that the name may have evolved into a place name during this period.

As the GERO surname spread across Germany and other parts of Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Gero, Gehrau, Gerau, and Gerow. One notable bearer of a variant spelling was Johann Gerau, a German composer and organist who lived from 1624 to 1684.

In the 19th century, the GERO surname found its way to other parts of the world through emigration. For example, George Gero was a German-American sculptor who lived from 1826 to 1887 and is known for his work on the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Throughout history, the surname GERO has been associated with various occupations and professions, including warriors, soldiers, theologians, musicians, and artists. While the name may have originated from a specific occupation or locality, it has since become a widespread surname found in many countries around the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gero

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

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

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

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