Gamiao last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Gamiao

A Portuguese surname derived from the word "gamar" meaning "to wander or roam".

Gamiao, 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 Gamiao surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gamiao in America

Gamiao is the 68122nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gamiao surname appeared 289 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 Gamiao.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gamiao 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 68122 86992 -24.33%
Count 289 199 36.89%
Proportion per 100k 0.10 0.07 35.29%

The history of the last name Gamiao

The surname GAMIAO has its origins in Portugal, dating back to the late 15th century. It is believed to have originated from the rural town of Gamião, located in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. The name is thought to be derived from the Latin word "gamion," which means "harpoon" or "spear," possibly indicating that the town's early inhabitants were skilled hunters or fishermen.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the GAMIAO surname can be found in the 16th century Portuguese census records, where it appears as "Gamião." This spelling variation suggests that the name may have initially been pronounced slightly differently from its modern form. Additionally, the town of Gamião itself is mentioned in historical documents dating back to the 13th century, further reinforcing the surname's connection to this specific location.

During the Age of Discovery, several individuals with the GAMIAO surname were noted for their roles in Portuguese exploration and colonization efforts. João GAMIAO, born in Gamião in 1521, was a navigator who accompanied Vasco da Gama on his second voyage to India in 1502. Another notable figure was Pedro GAMIAO, born in 1586, who served as a military officer in the Portuguese colonial administration in Brazil.

In the 18th century, Francisca GAMIAO, born in 1715 in Gamião, gained recognition as a skilled embroiderer and seamstress, whose intricate needlework adorned the vestments of several prominent Portuguese clergymen. Her son, António GAMIAO, born in 1748, followed in her footsteps and became a renowned textile merchant, supplying fine fabrics to the Portuguese nobility.

The GAMIAO surname also made its mark in the literary world with the poet and playwright, José GAMIAO, born in Gamião in 1822. His works, which often explored themes of rural life and the beauty of the Algarve region, were widely celebrated during the Romantic period in Portugal.

Over the centuries, the GAMIAO surname has spread beyond its initial roots in southern Portugal, but its historical connection to the town of Gamião remains a source of pride for those who bear this name. Despite its modest beginnings, the surname has left an indelible mark on various aspects of Portuguese history and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gamiao

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

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 Gamiao was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 85.12% 246
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 8.65% 25
Hispanic Origin 5.19% 15

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

2010 2000 Change (%)
White (S)% (S)% (S)%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 85.12% 89.95% -5.52%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races 8.65% 2.51% 110.04%
Hispanic 5.19% 7.04% -30.25%

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

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

Reference this page

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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!

"Gamiao last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/gamiao-surname-popularity/.

"Gamiao last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/gamiao-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Gamiao last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/gamiao-surname-popularity/.

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