Find out how popular the last name Gaab is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Gaab.

Gaab, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Gaab surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gaab in America

Gaab is the 75069th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gaab surname appeared 257 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Gaab.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gaab to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Gaab

The surname GAAB is believed to have originated in Germany, specifically in the region of Bavaria, sometime around the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the German word "Gabe," which means "gift" or "endowment." This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who was considered a gift or a blessing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname GAAB can be found in a document from the town of Ingolstadt, dated 1287. The document mentions a person named Johannes Gaab, who was a landowner in the area. Additionally, there are records of a family named Gaab living in the town of Augsburg in the late 15th century.

In the 16th century, the name GAAB appeared in various church records and legal documents across southern Germany. One notable individual from this time period was Hans Gaab, a merchant who lived in the city of Nuremberg from 1520 to 1585.

As the centuries progressed, the GAAB surname spread to other parts of Germany and beyond. In the 17th century, there are records of a family named Gaab living in the town of Eppingen, which is located in the state of Baden-Württemberg.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname GAAB who achieved some level of prominence was Johann Georg Gaab, a German philosopher and theologian who lived from 1717 to 1796. He was born in the town of Bietigheim and later became a professor at the University of Tübingen.

Another notable person with the GAAB surname was Karl Gaab, a German painter who lived from 1854 to 1939. He was born in the city of Stuttgart and is known for his landscape paintings, particularly those depicting scenes from the Black Forest region.

In the 20th century, the GAAB surname continued to be found across various parts of Germany, as well as in other countries where German immigrants had settled. One example is Friedrich Gaab, a German-American engineer who lived from 1885 to 1956 and played a significant role in the development of automotive technology in the United States.

While the surname GAAB is not as common as some other German names, it has a rich history that can be traced back several centuries. The name's connection to the concept of a "gift" or "endowment" has likely contributed to its enduring presence over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gaab

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Gaab.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Gaab was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Gaab has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Gaab was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Gaab, please contact us.

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