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

Gacad, 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 Gacad surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gacad in America

Gacad is the 130610th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gacad surname appeared 130 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 Gacad.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gacad 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 Gacad

The surname GACAD is believed to have originated in the Somali region of Africa, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Somali word "gacan," which means "hand" or "arm," suggesting a connection to an occupation or skill related to manual labor or craftsmanship.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the GACAD surname can be found in the chronicles of the Ajuran Sultanate, a medieval Somali empire that flourished from the 13th to the 17th century. The name appears in a document detailing the skilled artisans and craftsmen who contributed to the construction of the famous Mosque of Kilwa Kisiwani, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in present-day Tanzania.

During the 16th century, a renowned poet and scholar named Ahmed Gacad Hadrawi gained recognition for his contributions to Somali literature and Islamic studies. Born in the Hadrawi region of Somalia in 1512, he is considered one of the most influential figures in the preservation and promotion of Somali culture and language.

In the 18th century, the GACAD surname was associated with a prominent family of traders and merchants based in the coastal city of Berbera, which served as a hub for commerce along the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The family's influence extended across the region, and they played a significant role in facilitating trade between the Somali territories and the Arabian Peninsula.

Another notable figure bearing the GACAD surname was Mohamoud Gacad, a Somali military leader and politician who played a crucial role in the resistance against Italian colonial rule in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in 1876, he led several successful campaigns against the Italian forces and was eventually captured and exiled to Italy, where he died in 1936.

In more recent times, the GACAD surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including academics, artists, and public figures. One such individual was Abdirahman Gacad, a renowned Somali writer and playwright who contributed significantly to the development of modern Somali literature. Born in 1927, his works explored themes of identity, culture, and the challenges faced by Somali society during a period of significant political and social upheaval.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gacad

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

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 Gacad 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 Gacad 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 Gacad was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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