2000
#3,434
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,534
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.53
Uncommon Last name
Gagne
French occupational surname referring to a farmer or agricultural worker, derived from Old French "gaaignier" meaning "to cultivate."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 10,446 Americans carry the last name Gagne. That puts it at #3,802 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 32,812 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gagne 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
10K
1 in 32,812
Census rank
#3,802
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
9.1K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 9,109 bearers of the surname Gagne in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3802nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gagne, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gagne
The surname GAGNE is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "gagner," meaning "to gain" or "to earn." It is believed to have originated in the region of Normandy, France, during the Middle Ages.
The earliest known recorded instance of the surname GAGNE dates back to the 13th century, appearing in various medieval documents and records from Normandy. It is likely that the name was initially given as a descriptive surname to individuals who were particularly skilled or successful in their trades or professions, hence the association with the word "gagner."
One notable historical reference to the surname GAGNE can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholders and their possessions commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears in the records as a variant spelling, such as "Gagnon" or "Gagnard."
In the 14th century, a prominent figure bearing the surname GAGNE was Jacques Gagne (c. 1320-1390), a renowned merchant and landowner from the town of Rouen, Normandy. Records indicate that he was a respected member of the local community and played a significant role in the region's economic affairs.
Another notable individual with the surname GAGNE was Pierre Gagne (1505-1572), a French Catholic priest and scholar who served as the rector of the University of Paris during the mid-16th century. He was known for his writings on theology and his contributions to the intellectual discourse of the time.
During the 17th century, the surname GAGNE was also associated with the settlement of New France (present-day Canada). One of the earliest settlers bearing this name was Jean Gagne (1625-1695), who arrived in Quebec in 1648 and went on to establish a successful farming community in the region.
In more recent history, the surname GAGNE has been carried by several notable figures, such as Maurice Gagne (1892-1963), a Canadian politician and lawyer who served as a member of the House of Commons of Canada, and Yvon Gagne (1934-2008), a renowned French Canadian singer and actor who gained popularity in the 1960s and 1970s.
Throughout its history, the surname GAGNE has also been associated with various place names and locations, particularly in France and Canada. For example, the town of Gagné in Quebec, Canada, is named after an early settler with the surname GAGNE who established a homestead in the area.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gagne
Among Census respondents with the surname Gagne, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Gagne 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 Gagne surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.5% · 8,423
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 285
- Two or more races3.0% · 271
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 69
- Black or African American0.4% · 37
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 24
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gagne
Gagne 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
#3,727
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,507
-27 bearers (-0.3%)
Per 100,000 3.22
Rank movement Down 293 places
2020
#3,802
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,109
-398 bearers (-4.2%)
Per 100,000 3.05
Rank movement Down 75 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,434 | 9,534 | 3.53 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,727 | 9,507 | 3.22 | -27 bearers (-0.3%) | Down 293 places |
| 2020 | #3,802 | 9,109 | 3.05 | -398 bearers (-4.2%) | Down 75 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 Gagne 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 | #3,727 | #3,802 | -2.0% |
| Count | 9,507 | 9,109 | -4.2% |
| Per 100K | 3.22 | 3.05 | -5.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gagne bearers went from 9,507 to 9,109 (-4.2% change). The surname moved down 75 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,727 to #3,802.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Gagne
FAQ
Gagne surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gagne?
Name Census estimates that about 10,446 living Americans carry the surname Gagne. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 32,812 residents.
How common is Gagne?
Gagne ranks #3,802 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.05 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 9,109 people with the surname Gagne. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (10,446), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.05 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Gagne.
Has Gagne become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gagne went from 9,507 recorded bearers to 9,109. That is a decrease of 398 (-4.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,727 to #3,802.
What does the Census say about the background of Gagne?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gagne, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Two or More Races (3.0%). 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 Gagne in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.5% (8,423 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gagne appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.5%), Hispanic (3.1%), Two or More Races (3.0%). 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 Gagne (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 Gagne mean?
French occupational surname referring to a farmer or agricultural worker, derived from Old French "gaaignier" meaning "to cultivate." 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 Gagne (3.05 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 have the surname Gagne?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.