Find out how popular the last name Gier is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Gier.

Gier, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Gier surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gier in America

Gier is the 19955th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gier surname appeared 1,344 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Gier.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gier to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Gier

The surname GIER originated in Germany during the late Middle Ages, around the 14th or 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "gier," meaning "greed" or "desire," possibly referring to someone with a greedy or avaricious nature. Alternatively, it may have stemmed from a place name or occupation related to hunting or fishing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the GIER surname can be found in the Bavarian region of Germany, where it appeared in various medieval records and documents. Some researchers suggest that the name may have originated in the town of Gier, located near Nuremberg.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the GIER surname was Hans Gier (1490-1558), a German painter and printmaker who worked in Nuremberg and is known for his woodcuts and engravings depicting religious and mythological scenes.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Johann Gier (1538-1592), a German Protestant theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the spread of Lutheranism in the region of Saxony.

During the 17th century, the GIER surname appeared in various records across different German states, including Bavaria, Saxony, and Prussia. Some variations in spelling, such as Gyr, Gyer, and Gyre, were also documented during this period.

In the 18th century, Georg Friedrich Gier (1728-1797) was a German philosopher and educator who wrote extensively on moral philosophy and ethics. His works, including "Grundsätze der Sittenlehre" (Principles of Moral Philosophy), were widely studied and influential in his time.

Another notable figure was Johann Christoph Gier (1763-1834), a German composer and organist who was highly regarded for his sacred music compositions and organ works. He served as the court organist in Bayreuth and was known for his exceptional improvisation skills.

As the GIER surname spread across Europe, it also found its way to other countries, including France, where variations like Guier and Guière were recorded in historical documents and records.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gier

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Gier.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Gier was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Gier has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Gier was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Gier, please contact us.

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