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

Gaer, 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 Gaer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gaer in America

Gaer is the 91221st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gaer surname appeared 202 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 Gaer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gaer 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 Gaer

The surname GAER is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "gara," which means "corner" or "triangle," suggesting that the name may have been initially associated with someone residing near a triangular plot of land or at the corner of a village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the GAER surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, dated 1327, where a certain John le Gare is mentioned. This spelling variation reflects the evolution of the name over time, as it gradually transformed into its modern form.

During the 15th century, the GAER surname appeared in several historical documents, including the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1449, which referenced a William Gare. Additionally, the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1673 for Oxfordshire recorded a Thomas Gayer, potentially a variant spelling of the same surname.

Notably, the GAER name has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure was Sir John Gaer (1515-1586), a prominent English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1570. Another was Thomas Gayer (1635-1707), an English composer and organist who held positions at the Chapel Royal and St. Paul's Cathedral during the 17th century.

In the literary realm, the surname GAER has been borne by authors such as Caroline Gayer (1779-1852), an English novelist known for her work "The Puzzling Cap," published in 1823. Additionally, Henry Stuart Gager (1870-1923), an American botanist and educator, made significant contributions to the field of plant physiology during his tenure at the University of Missouri.

The name GAER has also been carried by notable figures in other fields, such as John Gaer (1879-1954), an American baseball player who played for the Philadelphia Phillies in the early 20th century, and Sir George Gayer (1888-1967), a British military officer who served in both World Wars and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.

While the GAER surname may not be among the most common in modern times, its rich history and diverse associations across various disciplines and eras highlight its enduring legacy and the fascinating stories it has to tell.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gaer

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

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

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

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