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

Gingerich, 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 Gingerich surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gingerich in America

Gingerich is the 3894th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gingerich surname appeared 9,117 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Gingerich.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gingerich 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 Gingerich

The surname Gingerich has its roots in the German language and is believed to have originated in the region of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, during the late medieval period. It is derived from the German words "ginger" and "bach," suggesting that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a "ginger creek" or a stream with reddish-colored water.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Gingerich name can be found in the town records of Horb am Neckar, a town located in the Black Forest region of Baden-Württemberg, dating back to the 16th century. The earliest known spelling variations of the name include Gingerich, Gingerbach, and Gingersbach.

Although the Gingerich surname does not appear in the renowned Domesday Book, a significant historical record compiled in 1086 for much of England and parts of Wales, it is noteworthy that the name has a long-standing presence in the German-speaking regions of Europe.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Gingerich surname. One such figure is Johann Gingerich (1616-1697), a prominent farmer and landowner from the town of Horb am Neckar, who played a significant role in the local community during the 17th century.

Another notable bearer of the Gingerich name was Maria Gingerich (1782-1856), a respected midwife and healer from the village of Oberriexingen, near Stuttgart. Her knowledge of traditional remedies and her compassionate care for the villagers earned her a reputation that extended far beyond her local community.

In the 19th century, Jakob Gingerich (1825-1897) gained recognition as a skilled clockmaker and watchmaker in the town of Freudenstadt, located in the Black Forest region. His intricate timepieces were highly sought after and showcased his exceptional craftsmanship.

Crossing the Atlantic, one of the earliest known Gingerich immigrants to North America was Hans Gingerich (1745-1823), who arrived in Pennsylvania in the late 18th century, fleeing religious persecution in Europe. He and his family were among the first Amish settlers in the region, and their descendants played a significant role in the development of Amish communities across North America.

In more recent times, Martin Gingerich (1916-2008) was a prominent educator and historian from Ohio, who dedicated his life to preserving and documenting the rich cultural heritage of the Amish and Mennonite communities in the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gingerich

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!