Gamewell last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Gamewell

An occupational surname derived from the words "game" and "well", possibly referring to a gamekeeper or sportsman.

Gamewell, 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 Gamewell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gamewell in America

Gamewell is the 154907th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gamewell surname appeared 105 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 Gamewell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gamewell 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.

20102000Change (%)
Rank1549071428198.12%
Count105107-1.89%
Proportion per 100k0.040.040.00%

The history of the last name Gamewell

The surname Gamewell has its origins in England, tracing back to the late medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "gamen" and "well," which together translate to "game well" or "spring of enjoyment." This name likely originated as a topographic name, referring to a specific location associated with a spring or well where games or festivities were held.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gamewell can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the late 13th century, where it appears as "Gamwell." This early spelling variation suggests that the name may have evolved from a place name or a descriptive term related to a location.

In the 14th century, records show a John Gamewell residing in the village of Broughton, Oxfordshire. This is one of the earliest documented examples of an individual bearing the surname Gamewell.

During the 16th century, the name appears in various historical records across different regions of England. In 1568, a William Gamewell is mentioned in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Warwick. Around the same time, the Gamewell family is known to have held land and property in the county of Berkshire.

One notable figure bearing the Gamewell surname was Sir John Gamewell (1564-1632), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire. He served as the Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1615 and was knighted by King James I in 1617.

Another prominent individual was Thomas Gamewell (1698-1771), a renowned clockmaker from London. His exceptional craftsmanship and innovative designs earned him recognition among the horological circles of his time.

In the 18th century, the Gamewell family had established roots in various parts of England, including Devon, where a branch of the family resided. Robert Gamewell (1722-1789), a successful farmer and landowner, was a respected figure in the local community.

As the centuries progressed, the Gamewell surname continued to be documented in various historical records, appearing in parish registers, tax rolls, and other official documents across different counties of England.

It is worth noting that while the surname Gamewell is relatively uncommon today, it has a rich historical legacy rooted in the English countryside and its associations with places of merriment and enjoyment.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gamewell

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

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 Gamewell was:

Race/EthnicityPercentageTotal Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only98.10%103
Non-Hispanic Black Only0.00%0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only0.00%0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races(S)%(S)
Hispanic Origin(S)%(S)

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 Gamewell has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

20102000Change (%)
White98.10%98.13%-0.03%
Black0.00%0.00%0.00%
Asian and Pacific Islander0.00%0.00%0.00%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%0.00%0.00%
Two or More Races(S)%(S)%(S)%
Hispanic(S)%(S)%(S)%

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

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

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