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

Gerson, 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 Gerson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gerson in America

Gerson is the 12670th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gerson surname appeared 2,439 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 Gerson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gerson 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 Gerson

The surname GERSON has its origins in the German language and is believed to have emerged around the 12th century in the region of Germany. It is derived from the old German word "Gere," which means "spear" or "javelin," and "sohn," meaning "son." Together, the name translates to "son of the spearman" or "son of the warrior."

The earliest recorded instances of the name GERSON can be traced back to medieval Germany, where it appeared in various historical documents, such as tax records and property deeds. One notable reference is found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical records from the 13th century, where the name is spelled as "Ghersone."

In the 14th century, variations of the name GERSON began to appear in other parts of Europe, including France and England. In France, the name was sometimes spelled as "Gerson" or "Gersonius," and it was associated with the renowned theologian and reformer Jean Gerson (1363-1429), who played a significant role in the Council of Constance.

Another notable figure with the surname GERSON was the German philosopher and theologian Johannes Gerson (1419-1501), who was a leading figure in the Devotio Moderna movement and served as the chancellor of the University of Paris.

In England, the name GERSON is believed to have been introduced by German immigrants and was sometimes anglicized as "Garson" or "Garrison." One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in England can be found in the tax records of 1524, where a "John Gerson" is listed as a resident of Oxfordshire.

Other notable individuals with the surname GERSON include the German painter and engraver Hans Gerson (1539-1625), who was known for his religious and allegorical works, and the American author and playwright Nora Gerson (1920-2011), who wrote several plays and novels exploring Jewish themes.

Throughout history, the surname GERSON has been associated with various professions, including warriors, theologians, scholars, artists, and writers, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bear this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gerson

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

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

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

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