Explore the Family Name Gene
The meaning of Gene
1. Native American (Navajo): possibly an adoption of the English personal name Gene (short form of Eugene) as a surname. Alternatively, from an American English shortened and altered form of a Navajo personal name based on the word łizhin ‘black’, such as Tó Łizhiní (see Blackwater), or on the related name of the Navajo clan Tsi’naajinii (see Tsinnijinnie). 2. French: from a medieval personal name, Latin Genesius, from Greek gennēsios ‘well-born; legitimate’. 3. Possibly an Americanized form of German Jene, a derivative of the personal name Johannes. Some characteristic forenames: French Francois.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Gene in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data on surname popularity, the surname "Gene" saw a decrease in prevalence between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, "Gene" was ranked 39,176th most common surname, but by 2010 it had fallen to 44,034th, marking a -12.4% change. The count of people with the surname also decreased from 529 to 489 during this period, a reduction of 7.56%. This suggests that the proportion per 100k people dropped by 15%, moving from 0.2 in 2000 to 0.17 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #39,176 | #44,034 | -12.4% |
| Count | 529 | 489 | -7.56% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.2 | 0.17 | -15% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Gene
The Decennial U.S. Census data also reveals some interesting shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the name "Gene". The percentage of people of Asian/Pacific Islander ancestry with this surname increased significantly, up by 69.21% from 3.02% in 2000 to 5.11% in 2010. Meanwhile, those identifying as two or more races reduced drastically by 77.55%. White individuals with the surname declined by 20.34%, but there was an increase in Black individuals using the surname, rising from 16.82% to 23.93%. The Hispanic population showed little change (-0.88%), while American Indian and Alaskan Native representation with this surname saw a marginal increase of 1.85%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 42.16% | 42.94% | 1.85% |
| Black | 16.82% | 23.93% | 42.27% |
| White | 27.98% | 22.29% | -20.34% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 3.02% | 5.11% | 69.21% |
| Hispanic | 4.54% | 4.5% | -0.88% |
| Two or More Races | 5.48% | 1.23% | -77.55% |