2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Ghersi
Possibly derived from the Italian word "ghiro" meaning dormouse or squirrel.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 200 Americans carry the last name Ghersi. That puts it at #108,494 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,713,772 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ghersi 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
200
1 in 1,713,772
Census rank
#108,494
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
174
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 174 bearers of the surname Ghersi in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 108494th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ghersi, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 62.6%. The next largest groups are White (35.1%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ghersi
The surname GHERSI has its origins in Italy, tracing back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "gherra," meaning "war" or "battle," suggesting a possible connection to a warrior or soldier from that era.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name GHERSI can be found in the historical records of the Piedmont region in northwestern Italy, where it appears as early as the 13th century. The name may have initially been associated with a specific location or village within the region.
During the Renaissance period, the name GHERSI gained prominence in the city of Genoa, where several notable individuals bore this surname. One such figure was Antonio GHERSI (1538-1612), a renowned writer and poet who authored several works that were widely circulated during his lifetime.
In the 17th century, the GHERSI family migrated to the neighboring island of Corsica, where they established themselves as influential landowners and merchants. One notable member of this branch was Giacomo GHERSI (1670-1738), a successful trader who amassed considerable wealth and influence in the region.
As the GHERSI name spread across Italy and beyond, it underwent various spelling variations, including GHERSY, GHERSIE, and GHERSIO. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and local pronunciations.
Another notable figure with the GHERSI surname was Maria GHERSI (1792-1872), a prominent philanthropist from Naples who founded several charitable organizations dedicated to assisting the poor and underprivileged in her community.
In the late 19th century, Giuseppe GHERSI (1850-1920) made a name for himself as a skilled architect and engineer, contributing to the design and construction of several iconic buildings in Rome and other Italian cities.
Throughout history, the GHERSI surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, scholars, merchants, and professionals, leaving their mark on the cultural and intellectual fabric of Italy and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ghersi
Among Census respondents with the surname Ghersi, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 62.6%. The next largest groups are White (35.1%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Ghersi 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 Ghersi surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino62.6% · 109
- White35.1% · 61
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 1
- Two or more races0.6% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ghersi
Ghersi 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
#133,048
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
+22 bearers (+21.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 11,860 places
2020
#108,494
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 174
+47 bearers (+37.0%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 24,554 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 | #133,048 | 127 | 0.04 | +22 bearers (+21.0%) | Up 11,860 places |
| 2020 | #108,494 | 174 | 0.06 | +47 bearers (+37.0%) | Up 24,554 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 Ghersi 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 | #133,048 | #108,494 | 18.5% |
| Count | 127 | 174 | 37.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.06 | 45.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ghersi bearers went from 127 to 174 (+37.0% change). The surname moved up 24,554 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,048 to #108,494.
FAQ
Ghersi surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ghersi?
Name Census estimates that about 200 living Americans carry the surname Ghersi. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,713,772 residents.
How common is Ghersi?
Ghersi ranks #108,494 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 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 174 people with the surname Ghersi. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (200), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 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 Ghersi.
Has Ghersi become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ghersi went from 127 recorded bearers to 174. That is an increase of 47 (+37.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #133,048 to #108,494.
What does the Census say about the background of Ghersi?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ghersi, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 62.6%. The next largest groups are White (35.1%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.1%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Ghersi in the 2020 Census, accounting for 62.6% (109 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ghersi appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (62.6%), White (35.1%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.1%). 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 Ghersi (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 Ghersi mean?
Possibly derived from the Italian word "ghiro" meaning dormouse or squirrel. 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 Ghersi (0.06 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 Americans have the surname Ghersi?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.