Explore the Family Name Gell
The meaning of Gell
1. English (northern): from Middle English Gelle, a pet form of the personal name Gerard. Gerard in Middle English was indistinguishable from Gerald, of which Gelle was a syncopated form. 2. English: occasionally, a variant of Gill, from a pet form of the personal name Jelion or Gillian. These are Middle English versions of Julian, found mainly as a female name, occasionally as a male name. 3. Manx: variant of Gill, a shortened form of Gaelic Mac Gille, meaning ‘son of the lad (i.e. servant)’. 4. German (mainly Bavaria): nickname for someone with fair hair, from Bavarian German gêl ‘yellow’ (see Gelb 2). 5. Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): nickname for a man with red hair, from Yiddish gel ‘red-headed’ (from Middle High German gel ‘yellow’).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Gell in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Gell has seen a considerable decline between 2000 and 2010. The rank of this surname dropped from 32,417 in 2000 to 41,959 in 2010, indicating a decrease of 29.44%. The count of individuals with this surname also decreased from 669 in 2000 to 518 in 2010, marking a decline of 22.57%. In terms of proportion per 100,000, the data shows a drop from 0.25 in 2000 to 0.18 in 2010, accounting for a 28% decrease.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #32,417 | #41,959 | -29.44% |
| Count | 669 | 518 | -22.57% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.25 | 0.18 | -28% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Gell
The ethnicity breakdown for the Gell surname, as per the Decennial U.S. Census, indicates that there was no change for Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native identities between 2000 and 2010. However, there was a slight increase of 10.48% in people identifying as two or more races, increasing from 1.05% in 2000 to 1.16% in 2010. People of white ethnicity remained relatively constant at about 78%. The most significant change was noted in the Hispanic identity, growing by 40.83%, up from 13.3% in 2000 to 18.73% in 2010. Conversely, those identifying as Black saw a dramatic decrease of 75.48%, declining from 6.28% in 2000 to 1.54% in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 78.33% | 78.19% | -0.18% |
| Hispanic | 13.3% | 18.73% | 40.83% |
| Black | 6.28% | 1.54% | -75.48% |
| Two or More Races | 1.05% | 1.16% | 10.48% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |