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

Gerrity, 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 Gerrity surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gerrity in America

Gerrity is the 16203rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gerrity surname appeared 1,782 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 Gerrity.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gerrity 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 Gerrity

The surname Gerrity is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name "O'Gairbhith," meaning "the descendant of Gairbhith." The name Gairbhith itself is composed of the elements "garb," meaning "rough" or "rude," and "fith," meaning "poet" or "seer." This suggests that the original bearer of the name may have been a rough or uncouth poet or seer.

The name first appeared in historical records in County Mayo, Ireland, where the O'Gairbhith family held territories in the medieval period. One of the earliest known references to the name is found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions an O'Gairbhith chieftain in the 13th century.

Over time, the name evolved from its original Gaelic form, with various spellings emerging, such as O'Garvey, Garvey, and eventually Gerrity. This evolution was likely influenced by the anglicization of Irish names that occurred during the English conquest of Ireland.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Gerrity was John Gerrity, born around 1620 in County Mayo. He was a prominent landowner and supporter of the Irish Confederacy during the Irish Confederate Wars of the 1640s.

Another notable figure was Bridget Gerrity (1766-1845), a renowned Irish traditional singer and storyteller from County Mayo. Her repertoire of songs and tales helped preserve the rich oral tradition of the region.

In the 19th century, a significant number of Gerritys emigrated from Ireland to various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand, due to the Great Famine and other economic and political factors.

One prominent member of the Gerrity family was Michael Gerrity (1835-1913), an Irish-American businessman and politician. Born in County Mayo, he emigrated to the United States and became a successful real estate developer in New York City. He also served as a member of the New York State Assembly.

Another notable individual was James Gerrity (1875-1954), a Canadian educator and author. Born in Ontario to Irish immigrant parents, he became a respected teacher and principal, and wrote several books on education and philosophy.

Although not as prominent as some other Irish surnames, the Gerrity name has a rich history deeply rooted in Ireland's past, with various branches of the family leaving their mark in different parts of the world over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gerrity

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

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

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

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