2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Ginevan
A person from Geneva, Switzerland, or a resident of that city.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Ginevan. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ginevan 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Ginevan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ginevan, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ginevan
The surname GINEVAN is believed to have originated in France, specifically in the region of Savoy, during the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "ginevan," which referred to a person from the city of Geneva.
The earliest known record of the name GINEVAN can be found in a 14th-century document from the town of Annecy, where a certain Jean GINEVAN is mentioned as a local landowner. This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptor for individuals who hailed from the city of Geneva and settled in neighboring areas.
In the 15th century, the name GINEVAN appeared in several ecclesiastical records from the Diocese of Geneva, indicating that some members of the family may have been part of the local clergy. One notable example is Frère Pierre GINEVAN, a monk who lived in the Abbey of Saint-Claude in the Jura Mountains between 1428 and 1496.
As the name spread across Europe, various spelling variations emerged, such as GINEVANT, GENEVEN, and GENEVOIS. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and regional pronunciation differences.
During the 16th century, the GINEVAN name gained prominence in Geneva itself, with several notable individuals bearing the surname. One such figure was Étienne GINEVAN (1512-1582), a prominent Genevan merchant and banker who played a significant role in the city's economic development during the Protestant Reformation.
Another noteworthy individual was Marie GINEVAN (1548-1612), a Genevan noblewoman known for her patronage of the arts and her support for the city's cultural institutions. Her legacy includes the GINEVAN Gallery, a renowned art collection that she bequeathed to the city.
In the 17th century, the GINEVAN name spread further across Europe, with members of the family settling in various countries. One notable example is Jean-Baptiste GINEVAN (1632-1706), a French military officer who served under King Louis XIV and participated in numerous campaigns during the Nine Years' War.
As the name continued to disperse, it also found its way to other parts of the world. In the 19th century, a branch of the GINEVAN family established itself in the United States, with records showing a William GINEVAN (1812-1887) settling in Pennsylvania and later moving west to California during the Gold Rush era.
Throughout history, the GINEVAN surname has been associated with a wide range of professions and accomplishments, from merchants and bankers to military officers, artists, and clergy members. While its origins can be traced back to the city of Geneva, the name has undoubtedly left its mark across various regions and cultures.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ginevan
Among Census respondents with the surname Ginevan, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Ginevan 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 Ginevan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.0% · 114
- Two or more races4.2% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ginevan
Ginevan 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
#142,108
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+9 bearers (+8.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 320 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+3 bearers (+2.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 59 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #141,788 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #142,108 | 117 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.3%) | Down 320 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.6%) | Up 59 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 Ginevan 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 | #142,108 | #142,049 | 0.0% |
| Count | 117 | 120 | 2.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ginevan bearers went from 117 to 120 (+2.6% change). The surname moved up 59 positions in the national ranking, going from #142,108 to #142,049.
FAQ
Ginevan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ginevan?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Ginevan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Ginevan?
Ginevan ranks #142,049 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 120 people with the surname Ginevan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), 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 Ginevan.
Has Ginevan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ginevan went from 117 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 3 (+2.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #142,108 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Ginevan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ginevan, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%). 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 Ginevan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.0% (114 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ginevan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.0%), Two or More Races (4.2%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%). 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 Ginevan (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 Ginevan mean?
A person from Geneva, Switzerland, or a resident of that city. 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 Ginevan (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 share the surname Ginevan?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.