2000
#12,277
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,323
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.86
Rare Last name
Gerson
A patronymic surname derived from the given name Gershon, meaning "exile" or "sojourner" in Hebrew.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,853 Americans carry the last name Gerson. That puts it at #11,991 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.83 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 120,138 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gerson 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
2.9K
1 in 120,138
Census rank
#11,991
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,488 bearers of the surname Gerson in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.83 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11991st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gerson, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.6%. The next largest groups are Black (6.1%) and Hispanic (5.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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The earliest recorded instances of the name GERSON can be traced back to medieval Germany, where it appeared in various historical documents, such as tax records and property deeds.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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gerson
Among Census respondents with the surname Gerson, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.6%. The next largest groups are Black (6.1%) and Hispanic (5.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Gerson 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 Gerson surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.6% · 2,055
- Black or African American6.1% · 152
- Hispanic or Latino5.3% · 133
- Two or more races3.6% · 90
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.1% · 53
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gerson
Gerson 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
#12,670
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,439
+116 bearers (+5.0%)
Per 100,000 0.83
Rank movement Down 393 places
2020
#11,991
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,488
+49 bearers (+2.0%)
Per 100,000 0.83
Rank movement Up 679 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,277 | 2,323 | 0.86 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,670 | 2,439 | 0.83 | +116 bearers (+5.0%) | Down 393 places |
| 2020 | #11,991 | 2,488 | 0.83 | +49 bearers (+2.0%) | Up 679 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 Gerson 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 | #12,670 | #11,991 | 5.4% |
| Count | 2,439 | 2,488 | 2.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.83 | 0.83 | 0.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gerson bearers went from 2,439 to 2,488 (+2.0% change). The surname moved up 679 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,670 to #11,991.
FAQ
Gerson surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gerson?
Name Census estimates that about 2,853 living Americans carry the surname Gerson. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 120,138 residents.
How common is Gerson?
Gerson ranks #11,991 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.83 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,488 people with the surname Gerson. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,853), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.83 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.83 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Gerson.
Has Gerson become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gerson went from 2,439 recorded bearers to 2,488. That is an increase of 49 (+2.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #12,670 to #11,991.
What does the Census say about the background of Gerson?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gerson, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.6%. The next largest groups are Black (6.1%) and Hispanic (5.3%). 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 Gerson in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.6% (2,055 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gerson appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.6%), Black (6.1%), Hispanic (5.3%). 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 Gerson (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 Gerson mean?
A patronymic surname derived from the given name Gershon, meaning "exile" or "sojourner" in Hebrew. 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 Gerson (0.83 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 share the surname Gerson?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.