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

Gamo, 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 Gamo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gamo in America

Gamo is the 127494th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gamo surname appeared 134 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 Gamo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gamo 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 Gamo

The surname GAMO is of Spanish origin, with its earliest known roots traced back to the medieval period in the Basque region of northern Spain and southwestern France. The name is believed to have derived from the Basque word "gamu," which means "ivy" or "climbing vine," potentially alluding to the occupation or location of an ancestor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the GAMO surname can be found in the Becerro de las Behetrías, a medieval Spanish census document from the late 14th century, where it appears in the form of "Gamo." This suggests that the name had already gained recognition and prevalence in the region by that time.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the GAMO name was Juan de Gamo, a Spanish military officer and explorer who participated in the conquest of the Viceroyalty of Peru in the early 1500s. His expeditions and exploits are documented in historical accounts from that era.

During the 17th century, the GAMO surname emerged in various religious and scholarly contexts. One example is Fray Juan Bautista Gamo, a Franciscan friar and historian who authored a work on the history of Mexico in 1632. Another notable individual was Juan de Gamo y Chaves, a Spanish theologian and author born in 1620, who wrote extensively on religious matters.

As the Spanish Empire expanded, the GAMO name spread to the Americas, particularly to areas such as Mexico and Peru. In the 18th century, José Antonio de Gamo y Velázquez, a Spanish-born military officer and governor of the province of Chiquitos in modern-day Bolivia, served from 1759 to 1767.

In more recent times, the GAMO surname has maintained a presence in various fields. One noteworthy individual was Manuel Gamo Parras, a Spanish painter and sculptor born in 1873, whose works are showcased in several museums in Spain.

While the specific origins of the GAMO surname may be obscure, its rich history spans centuries and continents, reflecting the diverse journeys and accomplishments of those who have borne this distinctive name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gamo

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

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

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

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