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

Gaiters, 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 Gaiters surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gaiters in America

Gaiters is the 96799th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gaiters surname appeared 188 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 Gaiters.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gaiters 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 Gaiters

The surname "Gaiters" is believed to have originated in England, dating back to the 14th century. It is derived from the Old English word "gæters," which referred to leg coverings or gaiters worn by soldiers and travelers to protect their legs from mud and brambles.

In medieval England, surnames often originated from occupations or trades. It is likely that the Gaiters surname was initially given to someone who made or sold gaiters, or perhaps to someone who was known for wearing these leg coverings.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Gaiters surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Shropshire from 1377, which mention a John Gayters. The name is also found in various church records and tax rolls from the 14th and 15th centuries, with spellings such as Gaitres, Gaiters, and Gayters.

During the Tudor period, the Gaiters surname appeared in several notable historical records. In 1548, a William Gaiters was listed among the freeholders of Gloucestershire. Additionally, a Thomas Gaiters was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in 1558.

In the 17th century, the Gaiters surname spread to various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Lincolnshire. Notable individuals from this period include John Gaiters (1602-1678), a merchant from Bristol, and Robert Gaiters (1624-1693), a clergyman and author from Oxfordshire.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, several individuals with the Gaiters surname achieved prominence. One notable figure was Sir Edward Gaiters (1768-1842), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. Another was William Gaiters (1805-1879), a renowned English architect and sculptor who designed several churches and public buildings in London.

Other notable individuals with the Gaiters surname include:

• Mary Gaiters (1820-1895), a pioneering English educator and advocate for women's rights.
• Henry Gaiters (1840-1912), a British explorer and naturalist who conducted expeditions in Africa and South America.
• Arthur Gaiters (1865-1939), a celebrated English writer and poet known for his works on rural life.

While the Gaiters surname has its roots in medieval England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand, carried by descendants of English immigrants.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gaiters

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!