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

Giesken, 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 Giesken surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Giesken in America

Giesken is the 104602nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Giesken surname appeared 171 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 Giesken.

We can also compare 2010 data for Giesken 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 Giesken

The surname GIESKEN is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the northern regions of Germany, particularly around the areas of Lower Saxony and Westphalia.

One of the earliest documented references to the name GIESKEN dates back to the late 13th century, where it appeared as "Giseken" in a medieval manuscript from the town of Lüneburg. This spelling variation suggests a connection to the Old German word "gis," meaning "hostage" or "pledge."

In the 14th century, records from the city of Bremen mention a merchant named Henneke Giesken, who traded goods along the Weser River. This indicates that the GIESKEN name was already well-established in the region during this time period.

The GIESKEN name is also found in historical documents from the 16th century, such as the tax records of the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg. One notable individual from this era was Hans Giesken, a prominent landowner and farmer who lived in the village of Stederdorf near Peine.

As the name spread throughout northern Germany, it underwent various spelling variations, including Giesecke, Giesken, and Giesecken. These variations often reflected local dialects and regional customs.

In the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the GIESKEN name was Johann Giesken, a Lutheran theologian and author born in Hanover in 1620. His treatises on religious topics were widely read and influential during the Protestant Reformation.

Another historically significant individual with the GIESKEN surname was Friedrich Giesken, a German military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars. Born in 1782 in Celle, he rose through the ranks and participated in several major battles before retiring in 1820.

As the name spread beyond Germany, it also found its way to other parts of Europe and eventually to other continents through emigration. In the 19th century, for instance, records show a family with the surname GIESKEN settling in the Netherlands, where the name was adapted to the Dutch spelling "Gieskens."

While the GIESKEN surname may not be as common as some other German names, it has left its mark on history through the contributions of individuals who bore this distinctive and long-standing surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Giesken

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

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 Giesken 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 Giesken 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 Giesken was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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