Explore the Family Name Gerlach
The meaning of Gerlach
German and Dutch: from the personal name Gerlach, composed of the ancient Germanic elements gēr, gār ‘spear’ + lach, a cognate of Old High German leich ‘sport, play’. Compare Garlick, Garlock, and Carlock. History: One of the first American Gerlachs was the Palatine German Johann (John) Christian Gerlach, who arrived in the Hudson River Pitch, NY, in 1710. His surname was respelled to Garlick, Garlock, and Carlock. Some characteristic forenames: German Kurt, Dieter, Juergen, Otto, Erwin, Hans, Horst, Klaus, Alois, Eberhard, Franz, Frederich.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Gerlach in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname 'Gerlach' saw a slight drop in popularity from 2000 to 2010. The surname was ranked 4,536th in the year 2000 and dropped to 4,784th in 2010, marking a change of -5.47%. Despite this drop in rank, the count of individuals with the 'Gerlach' surname actually increased from 7,181 to 7,394 during the same period, indicating a growth of 2.97%. However, the proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 decreased by -5.64%, from 2.66 to 2.51.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,536 | #4,784 | -5.47% |
| Count | 7,181 | 7,394 | 2.97% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.66 | 2.51 | -5.64% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Gerlach
When it comes to ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some changes between 2000 and 2010 for those carrying the surname 'Gerlach'. The largest ethnic group, Whites, saw a slight decrease from 96.92% to 95.54%. The Hispanic population marked the greatest increase, from 1.38% to 2.34%, showing a significant growth of 69.57%. Similarly, the Black population also increased from 0.08% to 0.19%, representing a change of 137.50%. Both Asian/Pacific Islander and Two or more races groups showed an increase in their proportions, while the percentage of American Indian and Alaskan Native fell from 0.36% to 0.30%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.92% | 95.54% | -1.42% |
| Hispanic | 1.38% | 2.34% | 69.57% |
| Two or More Races | 0.81% | 1.05% | 29.63% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.45% | 0.58% | 28.89% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.36% | 0.3% | -16.67% |
| Black | 0.08% | 0.19% | 137.5% |
Gerlach ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Gerlach is French & German, which comprises 42.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (35.0%) and Eastern European (7.5%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Korean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 42.6% |
| British & Irish | 35.0% |
| Eastern European | 7.5% |
| Other | 14.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Gerlach
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Gerlach have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 76.00% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 76.00% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 76.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 76.00% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 76.00% |
What Gerlach haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Gerlach is I-S17250, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup I-S17250 is descended from haplogroup I-M170. Other common haplogroups include R-P311 and I-Z60, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Henning, Muller, Miller, Schmitt, Weber, Christiansen, Mills, Freeman, Meier, Wagner.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Gerlach surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins I-M170Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Gerlach have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Gerlach" Surname 51.5%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Gerlach" Surname 28.8%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Gerlach" Surname 24.0%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Gerlach" Surname 12.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Gerlach?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Gerlach are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition