2010
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Gilead
A surname with biblical origins, often associated with the region of Gilead mentioned in the Old Testament.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Gilead. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gilead 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Gilead in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gilead, the largest self-reported group is Black at 54.5%. The next largest groups are White (30.6%) and Hispanic (8.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gilead
The surname Gilead is believed to have originated in the Middle East, specifically in the region of ancient Palestine. It is derived from the Hebrew word "Gilead," which refers to a mountainous region situated east of the Jordan River. The name can be traced back to biblical times, with references found in the Old Testament.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gilead appears in the Book of Genesis, where it is mentioned as the land given to the sons of Manasseh. The region was known for its fertile land and abundant resources, particularly the production of balm, a valuable medicinal substance derived from local plants.
In the Book of Judges, the name Gilead is associated with Jephthah, a renowned judge and military leader who led the Israelites to victory against the Ammonites around 1100 BCE. The biblical narrative portrays Gilead as a region of significance, where battles were fought and important events took place.
During the Middle Ages, the name Gilead was likely carried by crusaders and pilgrims who traveled to the Holy Land. These individuals may have adopted the name as a way to commemorate their journey or connection to the biblical region.
One notable figure with the surname Gilead was Sir Samuel Gilead (1600-1658), an English merchant and explorer who made significant contributions to the establishment of trade routes in the Middle East and Asia. His travels and business ventures helped shape the early modern era of global commerce.
Another prominent individual was John Gilead (1765-1842), a Scottish minister and theologian known for his influential sermons and writings on Christian doctrine. He played a pivotal role in the religious landscape of 19th-century Scotland.
In the realm of literature, the name Gilead gained prominence through the works of American novelist Marilynne Robinson, particularly in her acclaimed novel "Gilead," published in 2004. The book explores themes of faith, family, and the complexities of human relationships, set against the backdrop of a fictional town named Gilead.
Throughout history, the surname Gilead has been associated with individuals from various backgrounds, including religious leaders, merchants, and literary figures. While the name has its roots in the Middle East, it has transcended geographical boundaries and taken on diverse cultural meanings over time.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gilead
Among Census respondents with the surname Gilead, the largest self-reported group is Black at 54.5%. The next largest groups are White (30.6%) and Hispanic (8.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Gilead 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 Gilead surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American54.5% · 66
- White30.6% · 37
- Hispanic or Latino8.3% · 10
- Two or more races5.0% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gilead
Gilead 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
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+12 bearers (+11.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 9,143 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | +12 bearers (+11.0%) | Up 9,143 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 Gilead 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 | #150,452 | #141,309 | 6.1% |
| Count | 109 | 121 | 11.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gilead bearers went from 109 to 121 (+11.0% change). The surname moved up 9,143 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #141,309.
FAQ
Gilead surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gilead?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Gilead. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Gilead?
Gilead ranks #141,309 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 121 people with the surname Gilead. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Gilead.
Has Gilead become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gilead went from 109 recorded bearers to 121. That is an increase of 12 (+11.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #150,452 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Gilead?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gilead, the largest self-reported group is Black at 54.5%. The next largest groups are White (30.6%) and Hispanic (8.3%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Gilead in the 2020 Census, accounting for 54.5% (66 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gilead appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (54.5%), White (30.6%), Hispanic (8.3%). 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 Gilead (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 Gilead mean?
A surname with biblical origins, often associated with the region of Gilead mentioned in the Old Testament. 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 Gilead (0.04 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 Gilead?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.