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

Gailes, 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 Gailes surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gailes in America

Gailes is the 82317th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gailes surname appeared 229 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 Gailes.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gailes 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 Gailes

The surname GAILES is believed to have originated in Scotland. It is thought to be a locational name derived from the Gailes area of Ayrshire, a county on the west coast of Scotland. The name may have derived from the Old English word "gal" meaning "woods" or "copses."

One of the earliest recorded references to the name dates back to the 13th century, where it appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296. This was a record of Scottish landowners and nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during the Scottish Wars of Independence.

In the 16th century, the name GAILES appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which were financial records kept by the Scottish government. This suggests the name was associated with families of some wealth or status during this period.

One notable bearer of the GAILES surname was John Gailes, a Scottish minister and theologian who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was a prominent figure in the Church of Scotland and served as a minister in various parishes.

Another individual of note was Robert Gailes, a Scottish soldier who fought in the English Civil War in the mid-17th century. He served as a captain in the Parliamentarian forces and was involved in several battles against the Royalists.

In the 18th century, the name GAILES is found in records related to the parish of Ardrossan, which is located near the Gailes area of Ayrshire. This suggests the name may have originated from or been closely associated with this particular locality.

One significant bearer of the GAILES surname from this period was William Gailes (1727-1798), a Scottish merchant and landowner who owned estates in Ayrshire. He was also a member of the prestigious Society of Writers to the Signet in Edinburgh.

Another individual of note was James Gailes (1763-1841), a Scottish surgeon and author who wrote several medical treatises and served as a surgeon in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars.

While the GAILES surname is relatively uncommon, it has a long and rich history that can be traced back to medieval Scotland and is closely associated with the Ayrshire region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gailes

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

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

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

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