Explore the Family Name Geer
The meaning of Geer
1. English (Kent and Sussex): variant of Gear. 2. German: from a personal name derived from gēr, gār ‘spear’ (see Gerhardt). 3. Dutch (Van der Geer and Van de Geer): topographic name from geer ‘triangular piece of land’. Compare Degeer.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Geer in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Geer has seen some fluctuations between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the rank was 3834 with a count of 8509 individuals. Fast forward to 2010, the rank decreased slightly to 4074 while the count increased by 2.44% to 8717 individuals. This indicates that there are more people named Geer in the country, but the name is less popular overall when comparing to other surnames. The proportion per 100k also saw a decrease of 6.03%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,834 | #4,074 | -6.26% |
| Count | 8,509 | 8,717 | 2.44% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.15 | 2.96 | -6.03% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Geer
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census shows that the majority of individuals with the surname Geer identify as White, at 89.63% in 2000 and 88.24% in 2010, showing a slight decrease. The next largest ethnic identity group is Black with 5.98% in 2000, growing to 6.21% in 2010. The fastest-growing ethnic identity among the Geers between 2000 and 2010 was Asian/Pacific Islander, which doubled from 0.49% to 0.98%. Those identifying as Hispanic also saw significant growth from 1.82% to 2.40%. The American Indian and Alaskan Native category, however, experienced a minor decrease of 4.17% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 89.63% | 88.24% | -1.55% |
| Black | 5.98% | 6.21% | 3.85% |
| Hispanic | 1.82% | 2.4% | 31.87% |
| Two or More Races | 1.59% | 1.72% | 8.18% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.49% | 0.98% | 100% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.48% | 0.46% | -4.17% |
Geer ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Geer is British & Irish, which comprises 53.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (26.0%) and Scandinavian (4.7%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 53.2% |
| French & German | 26.0% |
| Scandinavian | 4.7% |
| Other | 16.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Geer
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Geer have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 87.60% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 87.60% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 87.10% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 87.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 87.10% |
What Geer haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Geer is R-A874, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-A874 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include E-M123 and R-M405, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Olmstead, Olmsted, Mclemore, Seger, Buckland, Walters, Brunelle, Reddick, Welch, Newman.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Geer surname are: H1, H3, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Geer have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Geer" Surname 44.3%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Geer" Surname 23.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Geer" Surname 22.7%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Geer" Surname 15.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Geer?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Geer are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition