Explore the Family Name Geng
The meaning of Geng
1. South German: nickname for a fit, vigorous person, from Middle High German genge. 2. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 耿, meaning ‘bright’ or ‘upright’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the placename Geng (邢, sharing the same pronunciation with 耿 in ancient Chinese), the name of one of the capital cities (in present-day Wenxian in Henan province) during the reign of Zu Yi, the 14th king in the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). During the reign of Pan Geng, the 20th king in the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC), the capital was moved to Bo (in present-day Shanqiu in Henan province). The nobles who still resided in the original capital adopted Geng (耿) as their surname. (ii) from Geng (耿), the name of a state (located in present-day Hejin in Shanxi province) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC), which was annexed by the state of Jin. Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Jing, Lei, Xin, Yan, Dong Hong, Fu, Jia, Li, Lifeng, Liping, Mei, Ming Hui.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Geng in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Geng has seen an increase in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Geng was ranked as the 29,447th most popular surname, but by 2010 it had risen to the 22,450th place, indicating a significant rise in popularity of 23.76 percent. The number of individuals with the Geng surname also saw a substantial increase during this period, jumping from 756 in 2000 to 1,146 in 2010, marking a 51.59 percent increase. Correspondingly, the proportion of people with the Geng surname per 100,000 population increased by 39.29 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #29,447 | #22,450 | 23.76% |
| Count | 756 | 1,146 | 51.59% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.28 | 0.39 | 39.29% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Geng
Looking at the ethnicity breakdown for the surname Geng, again based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, we see some interesting shifts between 2000 and 2010. Most notably, there was a significant increase in the percentage of Asian/Pacific Islanders with this surname, rising from 54.76 percent to 70.24 percent. At the same time, the percentage of Whites bearing the Geng surname decreased from 39.68 percent to 25.04 percent. The Black population with the Geng surname wasn't recorded in 2000 but appeared at 1.4 percent in 2010. The proportion of Hispanics with the surname slightly reduced, while the percentage of those identifying as two or more races fell sharply from 1.72 percent to 0.44 percent. The count for American Indian and Alaskan Native remained steady throughout the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 54.76% | 70.24% | 28.27% |
| White | 39.68% | 25.04% | -36.9% |
| Hispanic | 3.04% | 2.88% | -5.26% |
| Black | 0% | 1.4% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 1.72% | 0.44% | -74.42% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |