2010
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Gezahegn
An Amharic surname possibly meaning "was present" or "was seen".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 225 Americans carry the last name Gezahegn. That puts it at #98,894 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,523,353 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gezahegn 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
225
1 in 1,523,353
Census rank
#98,894
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
196
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 196 bearers of the surname Gezahegn in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 98894th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gezahegn, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.5%) and White (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gezahegn
The surname GEZAHEGN originates from Ethiopia, tracing its roots back to the early medieval period. It is derived from the Amharic language, with "Geza" meaning "priest" and "hegn" meaning "covenant" or "promise." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who held religious positions or had strong spiritual connections.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name GEZAHEGN can be found in the Kebre Negest, an ancient manuscript dating back to the 14th century. This text, which chronicles the history and traditions of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, mentions several individuals bearing this surname, indicating its widespread usage during that time.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Gezahegn Woldeselassie played a significant role in the cultural and religious affairs of the Solomonic dynasty. He was a prominent scholar and theologian who contributed to the preservation and dissemination of Ethiopian literature and theological teachings.
During the 18th century, the GEZAHEGN surname gained further prominence when Gezahegn Arega, a skilled diplomat and advisor, served at the court of Emperor Iyasu II. His diplomatic efforts and expertise in negotiating treaties with neighboring kingdoms earned him a respected reputation.
Another influential figure bearing the GEZAHEGN surname was Gezahegn Berhe, a 19th-century military leader and strategist. He played a crucial role in several campaigns against invading forces, earning recognition for his bravery and tactical acumen on the battlefield.
In the realm of literature, Gezahegn Yohannes, a 20th-century author and poet, made significant contributions to the preservation and promotion of Ethiopian cultural heritage through his writings. His works, which celebrated the rich traditions and historical narratives of the country, have become cherished treasures of Ethiopian literature.
Throughout its history, the GEZAHEGN surname has been associated with various regions and localities within Ethiopia, such as the provinces of Gondar, Tigray, and Shewa. It has also been linked to several place names, including the town of Gezahegn in the Semien Gondar Zone, which may have derived its name from individuals bearing this surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gezahegn
Among Census respondents with the surname Gezahegn, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.5%) and White (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Gezahegn 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 Gezahegn surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American96.9% · 190
- Hispanic or Latino1.5% · 3
- White1.0% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gezahegn
Gezahegn appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#98,894
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 196
+96 bearers (+96.0%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Up 62,081 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #98,894 | 196 | 0.07 | +96 bearers (+96.0%) | Up 62,081 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 Gezahegn 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 | #160,975 | #98,894 | 38.6% |
| Count | 100 | 196 | 96.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.07 | 118.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gezahegn bearers went from 100 to 196 (+96.0% change). The surname moved up 62,081 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #98,894.
FAQ
Gezahegn surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gezahegn?
Name Census estimates that about 225 living Americans carry the surname Gezahegn. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,523,353 residents.
How common is Gezahegn?
Gezahegn ranks #98,894 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.07 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 196 people with the surname Gezahegn. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (225), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.07 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.07 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 Gezahegn.
Has Gezahegn become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gezahegn went from 100 recorded bearers to 196. That is an increase of 96 (+96.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #98,894.
What does the Census say about the background of Gezahegn?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gezahegn, the largest self-reported group is Black at 96.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.5%) and White (1.0%). 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 Gezahegn in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.9% (190 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gezahegn appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (96.9%), Hispanic (1.5%), White (1.0%). 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 Gezahegn (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 Gezahegn mean?
An Amharic surname possibly meaning "was present" or "was seen". 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 Gezahegn (0.07 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 Gezahegn?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Gezahegn, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.