Find out how popular the last name Jerde is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Jerde.

Jerde, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Jerde surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Jerde in America

Jerde is the 39212th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Jerde surname appeared 561 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Jerde.

We can also compare 2010 data for Jerde to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Jerde

The surname Jerde is of German origin, with roots dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the Low German word "jerde," meaning a rod or a switch. This suggests that the name may have been initially assigned as an occupational surname for someone who worked with rods or switches, perhaps a thatcher or basket maker.

The earliest recorded instances of the Jerde surname can be traced back to the regions of Lower Saxony and Westphalia in northwestern Germany. Historical records from these areas show variations in the spelling, such as Jerde, Gerde, and Gehrde, reflecting the regional dialects and linguistic variations of the time.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the baptismal records of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hanover, dated 1589, which mentions a certain Hans Jerde. Additionally, the Jerde name appeared in the tax records of the city of Bremen in the early 17th century.

While the Jerde surname is not particularly widespread, it has been associated with a few notable individuals throughout history. Among them is Johann Jerde (1701-1776), a German Lutheran theologian and author from Saxony-Anhalt, known for his work on biblical exegesis and religious education.

Another prominent figure was Friedrich Jerde (1822-1895), a German-American civil engineer and architect who played a crucial role in the development of early Chicago infrastructure, designing several notable bridges and structures in the city.

In the realm of literature, Hedwig Jerde (1876-1952) was a German novelist and playwright from Hamburg, renowned for her works exploring social and feminist themes in the early 20th century.

The name Jerde also surfaced in the world of fine arts with the celebrated German painter and printmaker, Max Jerde (1880-1964), whose works were highly influenced by the Expressionist movement and are part of notable collections across Europe.

Lastly, Johann Jerde (1887-1968), a German-American engineer and entrepreneur, made significant contributions to the development of early aviation technology, holding several patents for aircraft designs and components.

While not a widely distributed surname, the Jerde name has left its mark in various fields throughout history, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of those who bore this distinctive German moniker.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Jerde

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Jerde.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Jerde was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Jerde has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Jerde was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Jerde, please contact us.

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