2010
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Gradishar
A surname perhaps deriving from a Croatian placename relating to a hill or mound.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 112 Americans carry the last name Gradishar. That puts it at #156,269 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,060,307 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gradishar 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
112
1 in 3,060,307
Census rank
#156,269
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
98
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 98 bearers of the surname Gradishar in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156269th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gradishar, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.1%) and Black (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gradishar
The surname Gradishar is of Slovenian origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period in what is now Slovenia. The name is derived from the Slovene word "gradišče," which translates to "small castle" or "fortified settlement." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name may have lived in or near such fortified structures.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Urbarium of the Carinthian possessions of the Bamberg Cathedral from the 13th century, where a certain "Gradischar" is mentioned as a tenant farmer. This historical record provides valuable insight into the antiquity of the surname and its regional association with the Carinthian region, which encompasses parts of modern-day Slovenia and Austria.
In the 15th century, a notable figure named Jakob Gradishar is recorded as a magistrate in the city of Klagenfurt, located in present-day Austria. His position of authority within the civic administration further solidifies the presence of the Gradishar name in this region during that time period.
During the 16th century, the name appears in various church records and municipal documents across Slovenia and neighboring areas, suggesting the gradual spread and establishment of the Gradishar family in different localities. One such example is the birth record of Andrej Gradishar in the village of Bled in 1542.
In the 18th century, a distinguished individual named Janez Gradishar (1712-1783) gained recognition as a prominent scholar and theologian. He authored several influential works on religious studies and served as a professor at the University of Ljubljana, further elevating the profile of the Gradishar name within academic circles.
Another noteworthy bearer of the surname was Matija Gradishar (1821-1892), a Slovenian painter and artist who contributed significantly to the development of Slovenian art during the 19th century. His works are housed in several prestigious museums and art galleries across Slovenia and beyond, serving as a testament to his artistic legacy.
Throughout history, the Gradishar surname has maintained a strong presence in Slovenia and neighboring regions, with various individuals bearing the name making notable contributions to various fields, including academia, arts, and civic administration. While the exact origins of the name may be shrouded in the mists of time, its enduring legacy serves as a reminder of the rich cultural heritage and history of the Slovenian people.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gradishar
Among Census respondents with the surname Gradishar, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.1%) and Black (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Gradishar 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 Gradishar surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.8% · 89
- Hispanic or Latino5.1% · 5
- Black or African American3.1% · 3
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gradishar
Gradishar 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
#156,269
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 98
-4 bearers (-3.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 2,163 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #156,269 | 98 | 0.03 | -4 bearers (-3.9%) | Up 2,163 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 Gradishar 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 | #158,432 | #156,269 | 1.4% |
| Count | 102 | 98 | -3.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 9.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gradishar bearers went from 102 to 98 (-3.9% change). The surname moved up 2,163 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #156,269.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Gradishar
FAQ
Gradishar surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gradishar?
Name Census estimates that about 112 living Americans carry the surname Gradishar. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,060,307 residents.
How common is Gradishar?
Gradishar ranks #156,269 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 98 people with the surname Gradishar. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (112), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Gradishar.
Has Gradishar become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gradishar went from 102 recorded bearers to 98. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #156,269.
What does the Census say about the background of Gradishar?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gradishar, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.1%) and Black (3.1%). 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 Gradishar in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.8% (89 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gradishar appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.8%), Hispanic (5.1%), Black (3.1%). 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 Gradishar (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 Gradishar mean?
A surname perhaps deriving from a Croatian placename relating to a hill or mound. 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 Gradishar (0.03 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 Gradishar?
Find out how many people have the last name Gradishar on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.