2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Gerzon
An Ashkenazic Jewish surname possibly deriving from the place name Gerzno in Poland.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 132 Americans carry the last name Gerzon. That puts it at #145,757 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,596,624 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gerzon 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
132
1 in 2,596,624
Census rank
#145,757
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
115
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 115 bearers of the surname Gerzon in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145757th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gerzon, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.2%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (5.2%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gerzon
The surname Gerzon has its origins in the German language and is believed to have originated in the region of Bavaria during the late medieval period, around the 14th or 15th century. It is derived from the German word "Gerste," which means "barley," suggesting that the name may have been an occupational surname associated with the cultivation or trade of barley.
In the early records, the name appeared with various spellings, such as Gerzon, Gerson, Gerssen, and Gerzohn, indicating regional variations in pronunciation and spelling practices. One of the earliest documented mentions of the name can be found in the Bavarian town records from the 16th century, where a certain Johann Gerzon was listed as a landowner and barley farmer.
The name Gerzon is not widely known to have appeared in significant historical manuscripts or records, although it is possible that some mentions exist in local archives or parish records from the regions where it originated. However, there are a few notable individuals who bore this surname throughout history.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Gerzon was Hans Gerzon, a prominent merchant from Nuremberg, who lived during the late 15th century and was involved in the thriving trade routes of the Hanseatic League. Another Gerzon of note was Johann Gerzon, a Lutheran theologian and scholar who lived in the 16th century and authored several treatises on religious matters.
In the 17th century, a certain Peter Gerzon gained recognition as a skilled clockmaker and watchmaker in the town of Augsburg, contributing to the region's renowned tradition of fine craftsmanship. Around the same period, a man named Christoph Gerzon was documented as a respected brewer in the city of Munich, carrying on the traditional association with the barley trade.
Moving into the 19th century, a notable figure with the surname Gerzon was Karl Gerzon, a German artist and painter who specialized in landscapes and is known for his depictions of the Bavarian countryside. He lived from 1821 to 1898 and his works can be found in various art galleries and museums across Germany.
While the surname Gerzon may not be as widely known as some other German surnames, it has a rich history rooted in the agricultural and trade traditions of Bavaria, with various individuals bearing the name contributing to various fields over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gerzon
Among Census respondents with the surname Gerzon, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.2%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (5.2%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Gerzon 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 Gerzon surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.2% · 98
- Asian and Pacific Islander5.2% · 6
- Two or more races4.3% · 5
- Black or African American3.5% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gerzon
Gerzon 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
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,999 places
2020
#145,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+10 bearers (+9.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 9,150 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 9,999 places |
| 2020 | #145,757 | 115 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+9.5%) | Up 9,150 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 Gerzon 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 | #154,907 | #145,757 | 5.9% |
| Count | 105 | 115 | 9.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gerzon bearers went from 105 to 115 (+9.5% change). The surname moved up 9,150 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #145,757.
FAQ
Gerzon surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gerzon?
Name Census estimates that about 132 living Americans carry the surname Gerzon. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,596,624 residents.
How common is Gerzon?
Gerzon ranks #145,757 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 115 people with the surname Gerzon. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (132), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Gerzon.
Has Gerzon become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gerzon went from 105 recorded bearers to 115. That is an increase of 10 (+9.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #145,757.
What does the Census say about the background of Gerzon?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gerzon, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.2%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (5.2%) and Two or More Races (4.3%). 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 Gerzon in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.2% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gerzon appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.2%), Asian/Pacific Islander (5.2%), Two or More Races (4.3%). 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 Gerzon (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 Gerzon mean?
An Ashkenazic Jewish surname possibly deriving from the place name Gerzno in Poland. 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 Gerzon (0.04 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 Gerzon?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Gerzon on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.