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

Gannaway, 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 Gannaway surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gannaway in America

Gannaway is the 18326th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gannaway surname appeared 1,512 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Gannaway.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gannaway 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 Gannaway

The surname Gannaway originated in England, specifically in the counties of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, during the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "ganna" and "weg," which collectively translate to "a way or path." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a well-traveled path or road.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Feet of Fines records for Gloucestershire in 1349, where a certain John Gannaway is mentioned. Additionally, the surname appears in the Wiltshire Subsidy Rolls of 1380, further solidifying its presence in the region during that era.

Interestingly, the surname Gannaway shares similarities with the place name "Ganneye," a hamlet located in the parish of Chippenham, Wiltshire. This lends credence to the theory that the name may have originated from a specific location or geographical feature.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Gannaway. One such figure was John Gannaway (1619-1689), an English Puritan minister and author who served as the vicar of Chiswick, Middlesex, during the 17th century. Another prominent bearer of the name was Richard Gannaway (1718-1784), a British politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Devizes in Wiltshire.

In the realm of literature, the name appears in the works of Charles Dickens, with a character named Gannaway mentioned in his novel "The Pickwick Papers." This literary reference further highlights the surname's presence in 19th-century England.

Other notable individuals with the surname Gannaway include William Gannaway (1800-1867), an American politician who served as a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, and Thomas Gannaway (1784-1848), a Baptist minister and educator from Virginia, who co-founded the Virginia Baptist Seminary, now known as the University of Richmond.

While the surname Gannaway may not be among the most common in modern times, its historical significance and connections to various regions of England, as well as its appearance in literary works and association with notable figures, make it a fascinating example of the rich tapestry of English surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gannaway

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

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

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

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