2000
#73,154
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 247
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.09
Very Rare Last name
Gydesen
A surname derived from a Danish place name, possibly meaning "son of Gyde".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 260 Americans carry the last name Gydesen. That puts it at #87,947 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,318,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gydesen 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
260
1 in 1,318,286
Census rank
#87,947
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
227
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 227 bearers of the surname Gydesen in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 87947th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gydesen, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gydesen
The surname GYDESEN is of Danish origin, originating in the medieval period. It is derived from the personal name Gyde, which was a common name in Denmark during that time. The suffix "-sen" indicates that it was a patronymic surname, meaning "son of Gyde."
The earliest recorded instances of the GYDESEN surname can be found in Danish census records and church registers from the late 15th century. The name was particularly prevalent in the regions of Jutland and Zealand, where it is believed to have originated.
One notable historical reference to the GYDESEN name can be found in the Danish Rigsarkivet (National Archives), which contains records of a wealthy merchant family from Ribe named GYDESEN. These records date back to the 16th century and provide insight into the family's business dealings and social status.
In the 17th century, a prominent figure with the surname GYDESEN was Hans GYDESEN (1590-1654), a Danish theologian and bishop of Viborg. He played a significant role in the Danish Reformation and was known for his sermons and writings on religious matters.
Another notable GYDESEN was Niels GYDESEN (1701-1778), a Danish painter and etcher who is best known for his landscapes and genre scenes. His works can be found in various museums and private collections throughout Denmark.
During the 18th century, the GYDESEN surname gained recognition in the field of maritime navigation. Jens GYDESEN (1736-1811) was a Danish naval officer and cartographer who made significant contributions to the mapping of the Danish coastline and the Baltic Sea region.
In the 19th century, the GYDESEN name was associated with academia and education. Henrik GYDESEN (1821-1892) was a prominent Danish philologist and professor at the University of Copenhagen. He is renowned for his work on Old Norse literature and Norse mythology.
Another notable figure from this period was Ingrid GYDESEN (1856-1932), a Danish women's rights activist and educator. She was a pioneer in the field of women's education and played a crucial role in establishing several schools and educational institutions for girls in Denmark.
These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname GYDESEN who have left their mark on Danish history and culture throughout the centuries. The name continues to be prevalent in Denmark and serves as a reminder of the country's rich heritage and traditions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gydesen
Among Census respondents with the surname Gydesen, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
The bar chart below shows how Gydesen 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 Gydesen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White100.0% · 227
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gydesen
Gydesen 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
#71,886
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 271
+24 bearers (+9.7%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Up 1,268 places
2020
#87,947
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 227
-44 bearers (-16.2%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Down 16,061 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #73,154 | 247 | 0.09 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #71,886 | 271 | 0.09 | +24 bearers (+9.7%) | Up 1,268 places |
| 2020 | #87,947 | 227 | 0.08 | -44 bearers (-16.2%) | Down 16,061 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 Gydesen 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 | #71,886 | #87,947 | -22.3% |
| Count | 271 | 227 | -16.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.09 | 0.08 | -15.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gydesen bearers went from 271 to 227 (-16.2% change). The surname moved down 16,061 positions in the national ranking, going from #71,886 to #87,947.
FAQ
Gydesen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gydesen?
Name Census estimates that about 260 living Americans carry the surname Gydesen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,318,286 residents.
How common is Gydesen?
Gydesen ranks #87,947 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.08 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 227 people with the surname Gydesen. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (260), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.08 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 Gydesen.
Has Gydesen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gydesen went from 271 recorded bearers to 227. That is a decrease of 44 (-16.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #71,886 to #87,947.
What does the Census say about the background of Gydesen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gydesen, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%. 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 Gydesen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 100.0% (227 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gydesen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (100.0%). 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 Gydesen (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 Gydesen mean?
A surname derived from a Danish place name, possibly meaning "son of Gyde". 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 Gydesen (0.08 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 are called Gydesen?
Find out how many people have the surname Gydesen on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.