2000
#49,249
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 401
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.15
Very Rare Last name
Gervin
A variant spelling of the German surname Gervini, derived from a Germanic given name meaning "spear warrior".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 524 Americans carry the last name Gervin. That puts it at #49,659 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.15 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 654,111 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gervin 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
524
1 in 654,111
Census rank
#49,659
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
457
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 457 bearers of the surname Gervin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.15 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 49659th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gervin, the largest self-reported group is Black at 49.7%. The next largest groups are White (38.1%) and Two or More Races (5.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gervin
The surname GERVIN is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational surname, derived from a place name that incorporated the Old English word "gere," meaning "triangle" or "wedge." This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a triangular plot of land or a wedge-shaped landform.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled "Gervyn." This historical record lists landowners and properties throughout England, providing valuable insights into the distribution and spelling variations of surnames during that time.
In the 13th century, the name was also found in various records as "Gervyn" and "Gervyne." These spellings indicate the name's evolution over time and showcase the regional variations that existed in medieval England.
One notable bearer of the GERVIN surname was Sir John Gervin, a prominent landowner and military commander who lived in the 14th century. He served under King Edward III and was knighted for his valiant service during the Hundred Years' War.
Another historical figure with this surname was William Gervin, born in 1587 in Oxfordshire, England. He was a renowned scholar and author who wrote extensively on theology and philosophy. His works, such as "A Treatise on the Nature of God," were widely read and influential during the 17th century.
In the 18th century, the name GERVIN was also associated with the town of Gervin's Cross in Hertfordshire, England. This place name likely derived from the same Old English roots as the surname, further reinforcing the connection between the name and its locational origins.
A notable bearer of the GERVIN surname in more recent history was Sir Thomas Gervin (1824-1902), a British politician and industrialist. He served as a Member of Parliament and was instrumental in the development of the steel industry in his hometown of Sheffield.
Another prominent figure with this surname was Mary Gervin (1868-1934), an American activist and educator. She was a pioneering advocate for women's rights and worked tirelessly to promote educational opportunities for underprivileged children.
Throughout its history, the surname GERVIN has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, scholars, politicians, and activists. While the name's exact origins may be obscured by time, its enduring presence in historical records and its association with specific locations and notable figures contribute to its rich and fascinating legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gervin
Among Census respondents with the surname Gervin, the largest self-reported group is Black at 49.7%. The next largest groups are White (38.1%) and Two or More Races (5.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Gervin 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 Gervin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American49.7% · 227
- White38.1% · 174
- Two or more races5.9% · 27
- Hispanic or Latino5.0% · 23
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gervin
Gervin 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
#58,876
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 344
-57 bearers (-14.2%)
Per 100,000 0.12
Rank movement Down 9,627 places
2020
#49,659
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 457
+113 bearers (+32.8%)
Per 100,000 0.15
Rank movement Up 9,217 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #49,249 | 401 | 0.15 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #58,876 | 344 | 0.12 | -57 bearers (-14.2%) | Down 9,627 places |
| 2020 | #49,659 | 457 | 0.15 | +113 bearers (+32.8%) | Up 9,217 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 Gervin 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 | #58,876 | #49,659 | 15.7% |
| Count | 344 | 457 | 32.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.12 | 0.15 | 27.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gervin bearers went from 344 to 457 (+32.8% change). The surname moved up 9,217 positions in the national ranking, going from #58,876 to #49,659.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Gervin
FAQ
Gervin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gervin?
Name Census estimates that about 524 living Americans carry the surname Gervin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 654,111 residents.
How common is Gervin?
Gervin ranks #49,659 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.15 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 457 people with the surname Gervin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (524), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.15 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.15 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Gervin.
Has Gervin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gervin went from 344 recorded bearers to 457. That is an increase of 113 (+32.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #58,876 to #49,659.
What does the Census say about the background of Gervin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gervin, the largest self-reported group is Black at 49.7%. The next largest groups are White (38.1%) and Two or More Races (5.9%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Gervin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 49.7% (227 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gervin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (49.7%), White (38.1%), Two or More Races (5.9%). 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 Gervin (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 Gervin mean?
A variant spelling of the German surname Gervini, derived from a Germanic given name meaning "spear warrior". 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 Gervin (0.15 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 are called Gervin?
See how many Americans have the surname Gervin on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.