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

Gerth, 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 Gerth surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gerth in America

Gerth is the 15015th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gerth surname appeared 1,967 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 Gerth.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gerth 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 Gerth

The surname GERTH is of German origin, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "gart," meaning "enclosure" or "garden," suggesting that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who lived near or worked in enclosed gardens or cultivated lands.

One of the earliest known references to the name GERTH can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from the Middle Ages, where it appears as "Gerte" in the year 1191. This suggests that the name may have been more commonly spelled with an "e" at the end during its early usage.

In the 13th century, the name GERTH appeared in various records across Germany, including the Traditiones et Antiquitates Fuldenses, a chronicle of the Fulda Abbey in modern-day Hesse. This indicates that the name was well-established in various regions of the country during this period.

One of the earliest notable individuals bearing the surname GERTH was Hans Gerth (c. 1455-1525), a German painter and woodcarver active in Nuremberg during the Renaissance era. His works can still be found in museums and churches throughout Germany.

Another prominent figure with the GERTH surname was Johann Baptist Gerth (1662-1726), a German Baroque composer and organist who served as Kapellmeister at the court of the Prince-Bishop of Constance.

In the 19th century, the name GERTH gained recognition through the works of the German philosopher and sociologist Hans Gerth (1908-1979), who collaborated with Max Weber and played a significant role in introducing Weber's ideas to the English-speaking world.

Other notable individuals with the GERTH surname include Karl Gerth (1846-1923), a German politician and journalist who served as a member of the Reichstag, and Ursula Gerth (1914-2010), a German artist and sculptor known for her abstract works.

While the surname GERTH has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and has been adapted to various linguistic and cultural contexts, reflecting the rich history and diversity of this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gerth

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

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

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

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