Explore the Family Name Geronimo

The meaning of Geronimo

Spanish (Gerónimo) and Italian: from the personal name Spanish Gerónimo, Italian Geronimo, from Greek Hierōnymos (see Hieronymus). Compare Jeronimo. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Alfredo, Carlito, Jose, Roberto, Rolando, Angel, Gerardo, Javier, Jesus, Leopoldo, Luz, Tomas. Italian Antonio, Romeo, Vito, Fausto, Gilda, Jovencio, Leonardo.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Geronimo in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Geronimo has significantly increased over the past decade. In 2000, it ranked 12,558 in terms of prevalence, but by 2010, it had risen to a ranking of 9,449, marking an improvement of nearly 25%. The count, which represents the number of people with this surname, also increased from 2,263 in 2000 to 3,443 in 2010, a boost of more than 52%. The name's proportion per 100k likewise saw a notable surge of about 39% during this period.

20002010Change
Rank#12,558#9,44924.76%
Count2,2633,44352.14%
Proportion per 100k0.841.1739.29%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Geronimo

When examining the ethnic identity associated with the surname Geronimo, we see shifts between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander decreased slightly by 12%, while those claiming two or more races experienced a decline of approximately 35%. The White demographic decreased roughly 31%, and the American Indian and Alaskan Native group dropped by around 13%. However, the Hispanic demographic expanded by almost 17%, becoming the majority ethnicity associated with the surname. There was also a small increase within the Black community, growing by about 53%, albeit off a small base.

20002010Change
Hispanic48.96%57.25%16.93%
Asian/Pacific Islander35.66%31.34%-12.11%
White10.74%7.46%-30.54%
American Indian and Alaskan Native1.9%1.66%-12.63%
Two or More Races2.17%1.42%-34.56%
Black0.57%0.87%52.63%