2000
#147,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Gnandt
An anglicized German surname possibly derived from a place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Gnandt. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gnandt 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Gnandt in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gnandt, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gnandt
The surname GNANDT is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the regions of Bavaria and Saxony during the 15th and 16th centuries. It is believed to have derived from the German word "gnade," which means "grace" or "mercy." This suggests that the name may have originally been given to individuals who were regarded as gracious or merciful.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the GNANDT surname can be found in the Kirchenbücher (church records) of the town of Nürnberg in Bavaria, dated around 1520. These records mention a certain Hans Gnandt, a wealthy merchant who was involved in the local textile trade. Another notable early reference is from the Matrikelamt (registry office) of Leipzig in Saxony, where a Johannes Gnandt is listed as a student at the prestigious university in 1587.
During the 17th century, the GNANDT name began to spread across various regions of Germany, with several families settling in the areas around Dresden, Frankfurt, and Cologne. One prominent individual from this era was Gottfried Gnandt, a renowned clockmaker born in Freiberg, Saxony, in 1618. His intricate and innovative timepieces were highly sought after by the nobility and wealthy merchants of the time.
As the centuries progressed, the GNANDT surname continued to be associated with various professions and occupations. In the late 18th century, a certain Wilhelm Gnandt (1751-1823) from Hannover gained fame as a skilled architect and builder, responsible for the design and construction of several notable churches and public buildings in northern Germany.
Another notable figure was Maria Gnandt (1807-1872), a respected educator and author from Berlin. Her works on childhood development and teaching methods were widely influential in shaping educational practices of the time. She was also known for her advocacy of women's rights and equality in education.
In the 20th century, one of the most prominent individuals with the GNANDT surname was Hans-Joachim Gnandt (1912-1998), a German diplomat and political scientist. He served as the West German ambassador to various countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, and played a significant role in shaping post-war diplomatic relations.
While the GNANDT surname may not be among the most common in modern times, its rich history and diverse range of notable individuals have left an indelible mark on the cultural and intellectual landscape of Germany over the past several centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gnandt
Among Census respondents with the surname Gnandt, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Gnandt 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 Gnandt surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.9% · 112
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gnandt
Gnandt 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
#141,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+15 bearers (+14.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,955 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,371 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #147,095 | 103 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | +15 bearers (+14.6%) | Up 5,955 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 2,371 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 Gnandt 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 | #141,140 | #143,511 | -1.7% |
| Count | 118 | 118 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gnandt bearers went from 118 to 118 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 2,371 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #143,511.
FAQ
Gnandt surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gnandt?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Gnandt. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Gnandt?
Gnandt ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Gnandt. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Gnandt.
Has Gnandt become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gnandt went from 118 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #141,140 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Gnandt?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gnandt, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%). 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 Gnandt in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.9% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gnandt appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.9%), Hispanic (2.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%). 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 Gnandt (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 Gnandt mean?
An anglicized German surname possibly derived from a place name. 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 Gnandt (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 Gnandt?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.