2000
#84,310
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 207
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.08
Very Rare Last name
Gaffigan
A name of Irish origin meaning "the offspring of the little stammerer".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 284 Americans carry the last name Gaffigan. That puts it at #82,069 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,206,881 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gaffigan surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
284
1 in 1,206,881
Census rank
#82,069
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
248
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 248 bearers of the surname Gaffigan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 82069th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gaffigan, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%) and Hispanic (1.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gaffigan
The surname Gaffigan originated in Ireland, with its roots traced back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic personal name "Gafacan," which means "little stammerer" or "little mocker." The name is believed to have originated in County Donegal, located in the northern part of Ireland.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Gaffigan surname can be found in the "Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns," a collection of official documents from the 16th and 17th centuries. In these records, the name is spelled as "Gaffigan" and appears as early as the year 1582.
In the 17th century, the Gaffigan family was prominent in County Donegal, particularly in the parish of Glencolumbkille. The name is associated with several place names in the area, such as Gaffigan's Hill and Gaffigan's Townland.
The Gaffigan surname has been carried by notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was John Gaffigan, a merchant who lived in Dublin during the late 16th century. In the 18th century, James Gaffigan served as a member of the Irish Parliament, representing the borough of Dungannon.
Another significant figure was Reverend Patrick Gaffigan, a Catholic priest who lived in the 19th century. He was born in County Donegal in 1815 and played an important role in the establishment of several churches and schools in the region.
During the 19th century, many Gaffigans emigrated from Ireland to other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia. One notable individual was Michael Gaffigan, an Irish immigrant who settled in New York City in the 1850s and became a successful businessman.
In more recent times, the Gaffigan name has been carried by the American comedian and actor Jim Gaffigan, who was born in 1966 in Elgin, Illinois. He is known for his observational comedy and has appeared in numerous television shows and films.
The Gaffigan surname has a rich history that spans several centuries and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life. Despite its Irish origins, the name has spread across the globe, leaving a lasting mark on the cultural and historical tapestry of many regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gaffigan
Among Census respondents with the surname Gaffigan, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%) and Hispanic (1.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Gaffigan bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Gaffigan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.4% · 234
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.0% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino1.6% · 4
- Black or African American1.2% · 3
- Two or more races0.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gaffigan
Gaffigan appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#80,926
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 234
+27 bearers (+13.0%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Up 3,384 places
2020
#82,069
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 248
+14 bearers (+6.0%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Down 1,143 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #84,310 | 207 | 0.08 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #80,926 | 234 | 0.08 | +27 bearers (+13.0%) | Up 3,384 places |
| 2020 | #82,069 | 248 | 0.08 | +14 bearers (+6.0%) | Down 1,143 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Gaffigan surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #80,926 | #82,069 | -1.4% |
| Count | 234 | 248 | 6.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.08 | 0.08 | 3.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gaffigan bearers went from 234 to 248 (+6.0% change). The surname moved down 1,143 positions in the national ranking, going from #80,926 to #82,069.
FAQ
Gaffigan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gaffigan?
Name Census estimates that about 284 living Americans carry the surname Gaffigan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,206,881 residents.
How common is Gaffigan?
Gaffigan ranks #82,069 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 248 people with the surname Gaffigan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (284), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.08 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Gaffigan.
Has Gaffigan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gaffigan went from 234 recorded bearers to 248. That is an increase of 14 (+6.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #80,926 to #82,069.
What does the Census say about the background of Gaffigan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gaffigan, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.4%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%) and Hispanic (1.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Gaffigan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.4% (234 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gaffigan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%), Hispanic (1.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Gaffigan (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Gaffigan mean?
A name of Irish origin meaning "the offspring of the little stammerer". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Gaffigan (0.08 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Gaffigan?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the surname Gaffigan at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.