2010
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Jeri
An uncommon surname possibly derived from the English place name of Jarrow in Tyne and Wear.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 119 Americans carry the last name Jeri. That puts it at #153,590 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,880,289 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Jeri 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
119
1 in 2,880,289
Census rank
#153,590
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
104
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 104 bearers of the surname Jeri in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 153590th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Jeri, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 83.7%. The next largest groups are White (8.7%) and Black (6.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Jeri
The surname JERI has its origins in India, specifically in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. It is believed to have emerged sometime around the 9th or 10th century CE. The name is derived from the Tamil word "jeri," which means "to win" or "victory."
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname JERI can be found in the Tanjore inscriptions, a collection of ancient stone inscriptions from the Chola dynasty that ruled over parts of southern India between the 9th and 13th centuries. These inscriptions document various administrative records, land grants, and other historical events.
The name JERI was often associated with individuals who had achieved notable victories or successes in various fields, such as military campaigns, scholarly pursuits, or artistic endeavors. As such, it was a prestigious surname that carried connotations of triumph and accomplishment.
In the 12th century, a renowned Tamil scholar and poet named Jeri Saravanaperumal (c. 1145-1215) gained prominence for his literary works, including the epic poem "Ramayana Kalambakam." His contributions to Tamil literature and the popularity of his writings likely helped to further establish the JERI surname within the region.
Another notable individual with the JERI surname was Jeri Thinnappa Mudaliar (c. 1590-1670), a prominent merchant and philanthropist during the Nayak dynasty in Tamil Nadu. He was responsible for funding the construction of several temples and educational institutions, leaving a lasting legacy in the region.
In the 18th century, Jeri Vijaya Raghunatha Tondaiman (1711-1773) was a influential ruler of the Pudukottai princely state in southern India. He is credited with expanding the territory and fortifying the defenses of his kingdom, earning him a reputation as a skilled military strategist and leader.
The JERI surname has also been associated with various place names and older spellings of place names in Tamil Nadu. For example, the town of Jerinallur (formerly spelled as Jerinalloor or Jerinallur) is believed to have derived its name from individuals bearing the JERI surname who may have been among its earliest settlers or landowners.
While the JERI surname has its roots in southern India, over time, it has spread to other parts of the country and even to other countries through migration and diaspora communities. However, its origins and historical significance can be traced back to the rich cultural heritage of Tamil Nadu.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Jeri
Among Census respondents with the surname Jeri, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 83.7%. The next largest groups are White (8.7%) and Black (6.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Jeri 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 Jeri surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino83.7% · 87
- White8.7% · 9
- Black or African American6.7% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Jeri
Jeri 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
#153,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
+4 bearers (+4.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 7,385 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #153,590 | 104 | 0.03 | +4 bearers (+4.0%) | Up 7,385 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 Jeri 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 | #160,975 | #153,590 | 4.6% |
| Count | 100 | 104 | 4.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 16.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Jeri bearers went from 100 to 104 (+4.0% change). The surname moved up 7,385 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #153,590.
FAQ
Jeri surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Jeri?
Name Census estimates that about 119 living Americans carry the surname Jeri. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,880,289 residents.
How common is Jeri?
Jeri ranks #153,590 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 104 people with the surname Jeri. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (119), 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 Jeri.
Has Jeri become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Jeri went from 100 recorded bearers to 104. That is an increase of 4 (+4.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #153,590.
What does the Census say about the background of Jeri?
Among Census respondents with the surname Jeri, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 83.7%. The next largest groups are White (8.7%) and Black (6.7%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Jeri in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.7% (87 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Jeri appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (83.7%), White (8.7%), Black (6.7%). 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 Jeri (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 Jeri mean?
An uncommon surname possibly derived from the English place name of Jarrow in Tyne and Wear. 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 Jeri (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 share the surname Jeri?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.