2000
#14,966
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,812
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.67
Rare Last name
Gibbens
Derived from the medieval personal name Gibbon, a diminutive of Gib, a short form of Gilbert.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,139 Americans carry the last name Gibbens. That puts it at #15,174 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.62 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 160,240 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gibbens 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Gibbens with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.1K
1 in 160,240
Census rank
#15,174
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,865 bearers of the surname Gibbens in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.62 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15174th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gibbens, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.7%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gibbens
The surname Gibbens has its origins in England, emerging during the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place name that has since fallen out of use or been changed over time. One potential source is the Old English word "gibb," which means "a ridge" or "a hill," suggesting that the name may have originated from an area characterized by such geographical features.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Gibbens can be traced back to the 13th century, with mentions found in various historical documents and records from that era. One notable example is the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which documented landholders and their properties across various counties in England.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, where a William Gibbens was listed as a taxpayer in 1327. This record provides evidence of the name's presence and usage during that time period.
As the name spread and evolved, variations in spelling emerged, such as Gibens, Gibbins, and Gibbons. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of scribes who recorded the name in official documents.
One noteworthy individual bearing the Gibbens surname was John Gibbens, a merchant and landowner who lived in the 16th century. Historical records indicate that he owned substantial properties in the county of Gloucestershire, solidifying the family's presence in the region.
Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas Gibbens, a renowned lawyer and judge who lived during the reign of King James I in the early 17th century. He served as a Justice of the King's Bench and played a significant role in shaping the legal system of his time.
In the 18th century, the Gibbens name gained further recognition with the birth of William Gibbens (1702-1785), a prominent clergyman and scholar who held the position of Canon of Salisbury Cathedral. His contributions to religious and academic discourse during that era were notable.
As the centuries progressed, the Gibbens family continued to leave their mark in various fields. One such individual was Elizabeth Gibbens (1828-1901), a celebrated author and poet whose works gained widespread acclaim during the Victorian era.
The final historical figure worth mentioning is Sir Arthur Gibbens (1867-1939), a distinguished military officer who served in the British Army during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He played a crucial role in several notable campaigns and was highly decorated for his service and leadership.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gibbens
Among Census respondents with the surname Gibbens, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.7%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Gibbens 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 Gibbens surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.8% · 1,619
- Hispanic or Latino4.7% · 88
- Two or more races4.3% · 80
- Black or African American2.0% · 37
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 21
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1% · 20
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gibbens
Gibbens 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
#15,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,938
+126 bearers (+7.0%)
Per 100,000 0.66
Rank movement Down 235 places
2020
#15,174
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,865
-73 bearers (-3.8%)
Per 100,000 0.62
Rank movement Up 27 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #14,966 | 1,812 | 0.67 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #15,201 | 1,938 | 0.66 | +126 bearers (+7.0%) | Down 235 places |
| 2020 | #15,174 | 1,865 | 0.62 | -73 bearers (-3.8%) | Up 27 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 Gibbens 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 | #15,201 | #15,174 | 0.2% |
| Count | 1,938 | 1,865 | -3.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.66 | 0.62 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gibbens bearers went from 1,938 to 1,865 (-3.8% change). The surname moved up 27 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,201 to #15,174.
FAQ
Gibbens surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gibbens?
Name Census estimates that about 2,139 living Americans carry the surname Gibbens. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 160,240 residents.
How common is Gibbens?
Gibbens ranks #15,174 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.62 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,865 people with the surname Gibbens. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,139), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.62 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.62 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Gibbens.
Has Gibbens become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gibbens went from 1,938 recorded bearers to 1,865. That is a decrease of 73 (-3.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #15,201 to #15,174.
What does the Census say about the background of Gibbens?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gibbens, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.7%) 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 Gibbens in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.8% (1,619 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gibbens appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.8%), Hispanic (4.7%), 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 Gibbens (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 Gibbens mean?
Derived from the medieval personal name Gibbon, a diminutive of Gib, a short form of Gilbert. 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 Gibbens (0.62 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 have the surname Gibbens?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.