2000
#124,872
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Gambling
A surname derived from the English word "gambling," suggesting ancestors associated with games of chance or gambling activities.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Gambling. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gambling 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Gambling with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Gambling in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gambling, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Hispanic (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gambling
The surname "GAMBLING" is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "gamen," meaning game or sport, and possibly referring to someone who was involved in some form of gaming or entertainment.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire in 1273, where a "Robertus Gamelyn" is mentioned. This spelling variation likely stems from the Old English root and provides insight into the name's evolution over time.
In the 14th century, the surname appears in various records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, which lists a "Johannes Gamelyn." This entry lends further evidence to the name's connection with gaming or recreational activities during that period.
The Gambling surname is also linked to several place names in England, such as Gamblingay in Cambridgeshire and Gamblesby in Cumbria. These locations may have played a role in the name's origin or provided a basis for its adoption by local residents.
Notably, the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the Gambling surname. However, this does not preclude the possibility of the name existing in some form during that time.
Throughout history, several prominent individuals have borne the Gambling surname. One such figure is William Gambling (1623-1684), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of St. James Clerkenwell in London.
Another notable bearer of the name is Charles Gambling (1806-1896), a British author and journalist who wrote extensively on chess and other intellectual pursuits.
In the 19th century, John Gambling (1829-1892) made his mark as a pioneering civil engineer, contributing to the construction of several notable bridges and railway lines in England.
More recently, John Gambling (1950-2020), a radio personality and broadcaster, carried on the family legacy, hosting popular shows in New York City for over two decades.
Additionally, the name has been associated with the fictional character James Gambling, a detective featured in several novels by British author Margery Allingham (1904-1966).
These examples showcase the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals who have carried the Gambling surname throughout history, reflecting its enduring presence in various spheres of society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gambling
Among Census respondents with the surname Gambling, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Hispanic (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Gambling 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 Gambling surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.9% · 99
- Two or more races5.9% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 5
- Black or African American2.5% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.5% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gambling
Gambling 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
#133,048
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,176 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-9 bearers (-7.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,463 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,872 | 127 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,048 | 127 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 8,176 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.1%) | Down 10,463 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 Gambling 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 | #133,048 | #143,511 | -7.9% |
| Count | 127 | 118 | -7.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gambling bearers went from 127 to 118 (-7.1% change). The surname moved down 10,463 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,048 to #143,511.
FAQ
Gambling surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gambling?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Gambling. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Gambling?
Gambling ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Gambling. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Gambling.
Has Gambling become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gambling went from 127 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 9 (-7.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,048 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Gambling?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gambling, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Hispanic (4.2%). 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 Gambling in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.9% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gambling appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.9%), Two or More Races (5.9%), Hispanic (4.2%). 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 Gambling (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 Gambling mean?
A surname derived from the English word "gambling," suggesting ancestors associated with games of chance or gambling activities. 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 Gambling (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 Gambling?
Want to know how many Americans have the surname Gambling? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.