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

Gerow, 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 Gerow surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gerow in America

Gerow is the 15043rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gerow surname appeared 1,964 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 Gerow.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gerow 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 Gerow

The surname Gerow is of Scottish origin, emerging from the Gaelic language in the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the ancient Scottish-Gaelic word "gearr," meaning "short" or "small," potentially referring to a person of diminutive stature or a place name associated with a small settlement.

The earliest known records of the name Gerow can be traced back to the Aberdeenshire region of Scotland in the late 12th century. The name appeared in various local charters and land records, often spelled as "Garu," "Garrow," or "Garrou," reflecting the phonetic variations common during that era.

One notable early reference to the name Gerow can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1264, which mentions a landowner named "Johannes de Garrow" in the county of Fife. This historical document provides evidence of the surname's existence and its regional associations within Scotland.

In the 16th century, the name Gerow was also documented in the nearby county of Angus, where it was linked to the place name "Garrowhill," a small village situated near the town of Brechin. This connection to a specific location further reinforces the surname's geographical roots within northeastern Scotland.

Throughout the centuries, several individuals bearing the surname Gerow have achieved notable recognition:

1. William Gerow (1675-1743), a Scottish merchant and landowner known for his influential role in the local community of Aberdeenshire.
2. Robert Gerow (1790-1862), a Scottish-born soldier who served in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars and later emigrated to Canada.
3. Elizabeth Gerow (1815-1892), a Scottish writer and poet whose works explored themes of nature and Scottish heritage.
4. James Gerow (1842-1918), a Scottish-American industrialist who established a successful textile manufacturing company in New England.
5. David Gerow (1897-1976), a Canadian military officer who served as a brigadier general during World War II and played a pivotal role in the Normandy Landings.

While the surname Gerow has its origins in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world through immigration and diaspora, with descendants bearing the name found in countries like Canada, the United States, and Australia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gerow

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

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

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

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