2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Gwerder
Swiss variant of the German occupational name referring to a sword maker or sword seller.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Gwerder. 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 Gwerder 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 Gwerder 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 Gwerder, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gwerder
The surname GWERDER originates from Switzerland, specifically the German-speaking regions. It likely emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 13th or 14th century. GWERDER is believed to be derived from the Old High German word "gerwer," which means "tanner" or "leather worker." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname were involved in the leather trade or tanning profession.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the GWERDER surname can be found in the "Öffnungsbücher" (Opening Books) of the Swiss city of Bern, dating back to the late 15th century. These were records documenting the admission of new citizens into the city. The name appeared in various spellings, such as "Gerber," "Gerwer," and "Gerwere," reflecting the evolution of the name over time.
In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the GWERDER surname was Hans Gwerder, a renowned goldsmith and engraver from Zurich. His intricate metalwork and engravings adorned various churches and buildings in the city. Born in 1525, Hans Gwerder's craftsmanship was highly sought after and celebrated during his lifetime.
Another prominent individual with the GWERDER surname was Johann Gwerder, a Swiss painter and sculptor from the 17th century. Born in 1639 in Bern, Johann Gwerder's works adorned several churches and public buildings throughout Switzerland. His most famous pieces were the intricate wood carvings and altarpieces that he created for the Bern Minster and the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Solothurn.
In the 18th century, the GWERDER name gained recognition through Jakob Gwerder, a renowned Swiss politician and diplomat. Born in 1717 in Zurich, Jakob Gwerder served as a representative of the Swiss Confederacy in various diplomatic missions across Europe. He played a crucial role in negotiating treaties and maintaining peaceful relations between Switzerland and other nations.
Moving into the 19th century, the GWERDER surname was carried by Franz Gwerder, a prominent Swiss architect and engineer. Born in 1812 in Bern, Franz Gwerder was responsible for the design and construction of several iconic buildings and bridges in Switzerland, including the Kirchenfeld Bridge in Bern and the Swiss Federal Palace in Bern, which houses the Swiss Federal Assembly.
Throughout its history, the GWERDER surname has been associated with various professions, including tanners, leather workers, goldsmiths, artists, politicians, and architects. While the name originated in Switzerland, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and intermarriage. However, its roots can be traced back to the German-speaking regions of Switzerland, where it emerged as a testament to the skilled craftsmanship and professional pursuits of its earliest bearers.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gwerder
Among Census respondents with the surname Gwerder, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Gwerder 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 Gwerder surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.3% · 112
- Hispanic or Latino5.8% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gwerder
Gwerder 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
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+12 bearers (+11.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,560 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,821 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 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | +12 bearers (+11.1%) | Up 2,560 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 2,821 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 Gwerder 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 | #139,228 | #142,049 | -2.0% |
| Count | 120 | 120 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gwerder bearers went from 120 to 120 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 2,821 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #142,049.
FAQ
Gwerder surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gwerder?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Gwerder. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Gwerder?
Gwerder 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 Gwerder. 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 Gwerder.
Has Gwerder become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gwerder went from 120 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Gwerder?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gwerder, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (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 Gwerder in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.3% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gwerder appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.3%), Hispanic (5.8%), American Indian/Alaska Native (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 Gwerder (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 Gwerder mean?
Swiss variant of the German occupational name referring to a sword maker or sword seller. 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 Gwerder (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 Americans have the surname Gwerder?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.