Explore the Family Name Gelin

The meaning of Gelin

1. French (also Gélin): from Old French gelin ‘chicken’, possibly a nickname for a fearful person or a metonymic occupational name for a poultry breeder. Alternatively, a variant of Geslin, from the ancient Germanic personal name Giselo, from gisal ‘hostage’. This surname is also common in Haiti and is found in Germany as well. 2. Swedish: ornamental name from an unexplained first element + the adjectival suffix -in, a derivative of Latin -in(i)us ‘relating to’. 3. Jewish (from Belarus and Ukraine): variant of Gelles. Some characteristic forenames: French Gabrielle, Jacques, Jean Robert, Pierre, Rodolphe, Sauveur, Serge, Stephane, Yves, Yvon. German Fritz, Hans, Hermann. Jewish Moisey, Naum.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Gelin in the United States?

According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Gelin has increased between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 26,672nd in terms of frequency, but by 2010, it had risen to 22,246th, marking a change of 16.59%. The number of people bearing this surname also rose from 859 in 2000 to 1,159 in 2010, an increase of 34.92%. Consequently, the proportion of individuals with this surname per 100k people also increased by 21.87%.

20002010Change
Rank#26,672#22,24616.59%
Count8591,15934.92%
Proportion per 100k0.320.3921.87%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Gelin

When analyzing the ethnic identity associated with the surname Gelin based on the Decennial U.S. Census, we see shifts over the decade. From 2000 to 2010, there was no recorded change in the Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native categories. The percentage of individuals identifying as two or more races decreased by 73.65%, while those identifying as white decreased by 30.31%. Meanwhile, the Hispanic category saw a significant increase of 154.29%. The largest group, however, remained those who identified as Black, which increased from 66.47% in 2000 to 78.52% in 2010, marking a growth of 18.13%.

20002010Change
Black66.47%78.52%18.13%
White23.52%16.39%-30.31%
Hispanic1.05%2.67%154.29%
Two or More Races8.5%2.24%-73.65%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%