2000
#2,645
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,563
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.66
Uncommon Last name
Gann
A variant of the Irish surname McGann, meaning "descendant of Cana," likely derived from a nickname for a wolf cub.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 13,846 Americans carry the last name Gann. That puts it at #2,911 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 24,755 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gann 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 Gann with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
14K
1 in 24,755
Census rank
#2,911
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
12K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 12,074 bearers of the surname Gann in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2911th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gann, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.6%) and Hispanic (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gann
The surname Gann is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "ganne," which referred to a gap or opening, suggesting that the name may have initially been used to identify someone who lived near a gap in a hedge or fence.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gann can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1191, where it appears as "Ganne." This historical record demonstrates the surname's long-standing presence in the region.
During the 13th century, the name underwent several spelling variations, including "Ganne," "Gann," and "Ganne." These variations were common due to the inconsistencies in literacy and record-keeping practices of the time.
In the 14th century, the surname Gann appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, indicating its spread across different counties in England. This period also saw the emergence of place names associated with the surname, such as Gannow in Lancashire and Gannow Green in Yorkshire.
One notable individual bearing the Gann surname was Sir John Gann (1573-1647), an English merchant and politician who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1636. He played a significant role in the economic and political affairs of the city during the turbulent years leading up to the English Civil War.
Another prominent figure was Thomas Gann (1766-1838), a British naval officer and surveyor who is credited with mapping and charting significant portions of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. His contributions were instrumental in improving navigation and maritime safety in the region.
In the literary realm, the name Gann is associated with Ernest K. Gann (1910-1991), an American novelist and aviator. His works, such as "The High and the Mighty" and "Fate is the Hunter," drew inspiration from his experiences as a pilot and captured the excitement and dangers of aviation during its early years.
The Gann surname also gained recognition through the achievements of Lillian Gann (1876-1966), an American educator and civil rights activist. She played a pivotal role in desegregating schools in Virginia and advocating for equal educational opportunities for African American students.
Finally, it is worth mentioning Thomas Gann (1867-1938), a British archaeologist and explorer who conducted extensive excavations and investigations in British Honduras (now Belize). His work shed light on the ancient Maya civilization and contributed significantly to our understanding of their culture and history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gann
Among Census respondents with the surname Gann, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.6%) and Hispanic (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Gann 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 Gann surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.9% · 10,737
- Two or more races4.6% · 550
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 372
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.0% · 239
- Black or African American0.8% · 91
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 85
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gann
Gann 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
#2,780
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,972
+409 bearers (+3.3%)
Per 100,000 4.40
Rank movement Down 135 places
2020
#2,911
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,074
-898 bearers (-6.9%)
Per 100,000 4.04
Rank movement Down 131 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,645 | 12,563 | 4.66 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,780 | 12,972 | 4.40 | +409 bearers (+3.3%) | Down 135 places |
| 2020 | #2,911 | 12,074 | 4.04 | -898 bearers (-6.9%) | Down 131 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 Gann 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 | #2,780 | #2,911 | -4.7% |
| Count | 12,972 | 12,074 | -6.9% |
| Per 100K | 4.40 | 4.04 | -8.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gann bearers went from 12,972 to 12,074 (-6.9% change). The surname moved down 131 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,780 to #2,911.
FAQ
Gann surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gann?
Name Census estimates that about 13,846 living Americans carry the surname Gann. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 24,755 residents.
How common is Gann?
Gann ranks #2,911 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 12,074 people with the surname Gann. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (13,846), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Gann.
Has Gann become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gann went from 12,972 recorded bearers to 12,074. That is a decrease of 898 (-6.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,780 to #2,911.
What does the Census say about the background of Gann?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gann, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.6%) and Hispanic (3.1%). 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 Gann in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.9% (10,737 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gann appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.9%), Two or More Races (4.6%), Hispanic (3.1%). 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 Gann (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 Gann mean?
A variant of the Irish surname McGann, meaning "descendant of Cana," likely derived from a nickname for a wolf cub. 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 Gann (4.04 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 Americans have the surname Gann?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.