2000
#129,619
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Gagich
Armenian surname derived from the occupation of a stone cutter or mason.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Gagich. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gagich 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Gagich in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gagich, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gagich
The surname Gagich is of Croatian origin, originating in the Dalmatian region of Croatia in the late 15th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old Croatian word "gagica," which means "seafarer" or "sailor," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name may have been involved in maritime activities along the Adriatic coast.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Gagich surname can be found in the archives of the Republic of Ragusa (modern-day Dubrovnik), where a certain Ivan Gagich is mentioned in a document dated 1492. This document referred to him as a merchant involved in trade between Ragusa and the Italian city-states.
In the 16th century, the Gagich family is known to have lived in the town of Trogir, which was then under the rule of the Venetian Republic. A notable member of this family was Petar Gagich (1525-1601), a Catholic priest and scholar who authored several religious treatises and was known for his efforts in promoting education in the region.
Another prominent figure bearing the Gagich surname was Nikola Gagich (1680-1744), a military commander who served in the Venetian army during the wars against the Ottoman Empire. He is credited with leading several successful campaigns in the Dalmatian hinterland and is celebrated for his bravery and strategic acumen.
In the 19th century, the Gagich family is recorded as having settled in the coastal town of Makarska, where they were involved in maritime trade and fishing. One of the most renowned members of this branch was Marko Gagich (1842-1912), a sea captain and navigator who was widely respected for his expertise in navigating the treacherous waters of the Adriatic.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many individuals bearing the Gagich surname emigrated from Croatia to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia. Among the notable figures in this diaspora was Ivan Gagich (1885-1957), a Croatian-American artist and painter who was celebrated for his depictions of life in California's Salinas Valley.
While the Gagich surname may not be as widely known as some others, it has a rich history deeply rooted in the maritime traditions of the Dalmatian coast, with bearers of this name having made significant contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gagich
Among Census respondents with the surname Gagich, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Gagich 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 Gagich surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.3% · 100
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.8% · 3
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gagich
Gagich 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
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
-6 bearers (-5.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 14,522 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-9 bearers (-7.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,198 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #129,619 | 121 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.0%) | Down 14,522 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.8%) | Down 8,198 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 Gagich 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 | #144,141 | #152,339 | -5.7% |
| Count | 115 | 106 | -7.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gagich bearers went from 115 to 106 (-7.8% change). The surname moved down 8,198 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #152,339.
FAQ
Gagich surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gagich?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Gagich. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Gagich?
Gagich ranks #152,339 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 106 people with the surname Gagich. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Gagich.
Has Gagich become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gagich went from 115 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 9 (-7.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Gagich?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gagich, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Gagich in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.3% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gagich appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.3%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.8%), Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Gagich (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 Gagich mean?
Armenian surname derived from the occupation of a stone cutter or mason. 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 Gagich (0.04 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 many people are called Gagich?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the surname Gagich at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.