2000
#129,619
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Gnehm
A German surname derived from the German word "Nehm," meaning "to take."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Gnehm. 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 Gnehm 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 Gnehm 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 Gnehm, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gnehm
The surname GNEHM has its origins in the German-speaking regions of central Europe, dating back to the late medieval period around the 14th century. It is believed to be a locative name, derived from a specific place or geographic feature, although the exact location has been lost to history.
One theory suggests that the name GNEHM may have evolved from an older Germanic word "gnehm," which means "favorable" or "agreeable." This could indicate that the name was initially associated with a pleasant or desirable place, perhaps a fertile valley or a prosperous village.
Early records mentioning individuals bearing the GNEHM surname are scarce, but there are references to a family by this name in the chronicles of the Duchy of Bavaria in the 15th century. These documents detail disputes over land ownership and taxation, suggesting that the GNEHM family held a significant status within their local community.
The earliest recorded individual with the GNEHM surname is Hans GNEHM, born around 1420 in the town of Bamberg, in present-day Bavaria, Germany. He was a respected craftsman and member of the local guild of woodworkers.
Another notable figure in the history of the GNEHM name is Katharina GNEHM, born in 1512 in the village of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, in the Franconian region of Germany. She was a prominent figure in the local Lutheran church and is believed to have played a role in the spread of Protestant teachings during the Reformation.
In the 17th century, the GNEHM surname gained prominence in the city of Augsburg, where a family of merchants and bankers bearing this name established themselves as prominent citizens. One of the most successful members was Johann GNEHM (1632-1701), whose trading ventures and financial acumen brought him great wealth and influence.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, individuals with the GNEHM surname began to spread across various regions of Germany, as well as neighboring countries such as Austria and Switzerland. Notable figures from this period include the composer and organist Josef GNEHM (1788-1862), who was born in the town of Speyer and gained renown for his sacred music compositions.
As the centuries passed, the GNEHM surname continued to be carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including scholars, artists, and professionals. Today, while not a particularly common name, it remains a part of the rich tapestry of German and central European heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gnehm
Among Census respondents with the surname Gnehm, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Gnehm 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 Gnehm surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.0% · 114
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 4
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gnehm
Gnehm 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
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
-5 bearers (-4.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,530 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+4 bearers (+3.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,100 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #129,619 | 121 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.1%) | Down 13,530 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.4%) | Up 1,100 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 Gnehm 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 | #143,149 | #142,049 | 0.8% |
| Count | 116 | 120 | 3.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gnehm bearers went from 116 to 120 (+3.4% change). The surname moved up 1,100 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #142,049.
FAQ
Gnehm surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gnehm?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Gnehm. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Gnehm?
Gnehm 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 Gnehm. 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 Gnehm.
Has Gnehm become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gnehm went from 116 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 4 (+3.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #143,149 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Gnehm?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gnehm, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (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 Gnehm in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.0% (114 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gnehm appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.0%), Hispanic (3.3%), Two or More Races (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 Gnehm (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 Gnehm mean?
A German surname derived from the German word "Nehm," meaning "to take." 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 Gnehm (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 last name Gnehm?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how common the surname Gnehm is at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.