Explore the Family Name Gens
The meaning of Gens
1. German: variant of Jens. 2. Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): artificial name from Polish gęś ‘goose’. 3. Galician: habitational name from a place called Os Xens, in A Coruña province, Galicia (Spain).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Gens in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Gens has seen minor fluctuations between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Gens was ranked as the 39,240th most popular surname in the United States, while in 2010, it dropped slightly to the 40,800th position, marking a decrease of approximately 4%. However, the total count of individuals bearing this surname experienced a slight increase from 528 in 2000 to 535 in 2010, indicating a growth rate of about 1.33%. The proportion of Gens per 100,000 people decreased by 10% over the same timeframe.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #39,240 | #40,800 | -3.98% |
| Count | 528 | 535 | 1.33% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.2 | 0.18 | -10% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Gens
Moving to the ethnic identity associated with the Gens surname, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that the majority of individuals with this last name identified as White in both 2000 and 2010, although there was a small decrease in this group from 96.02% to 93.27%. There were no holders of the Gens surname who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year. Interestingly, there was a significant increase in the percentage of individuals identifying as Hispanic, from 2.08% in 2000 to 4.11% in 2010. Furthermore, in 2010, a small portion (2.06%) identified with two or more races, a category not represented in 2000. Lastly, those identifying as Black decreased from 0.95% in 2000 to none in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.02% | 93.27% | -2.86% |
| Hispanic | 2.08% | 4.11% | 97.6% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 2.06% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0.95% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |