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

Gans, 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 Gans surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gans in America

Gans is the 12711th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gans surname appeared 2,429 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 Gans.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gans 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 Gans

The surname "GANS" is believed to have originated in Germany, with its earliest known records dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old High German word "gans," meaning "goose." This suggests that the name may have initially been given to someone who raised or traded in geese.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "GANS" can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of medieval documents from the region of Saxony, Germany. In a charter dated 1187, a certain "Henricus Gans" is mentioned as a witness to a land transaction.

The name "GANS" also appears in the Deeds of the City of Berlin, a historical record dating back to the 13th century. In an entry from 1274, a "Johannes Gans" is listed as a citizen of Berlin.

In the 14th century, the name "GANS" was associated with several notable individuals. One such figure was Hermann Gans, a German chronicler and poet who lived from around 1330 to 1390. His work, known as the "Gans Chronicles," provides valuable insights into the history of the city of Magdeburg.

Another prominent person with the surname "GANS" was Konrad Gans, a German sculptor and architect who lived from approximately 1370 to 1439. He is best known for his work on the Cathedral of St. Vitus in Prague, which he helped design and construct.

In the 16th century, the name "GANS" was associated with David Gans, a Jewish scholar and astronomer who lived from 1541 to 1613. He was born in the town of Lippstadt, in what is now North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and is renowned for his contributions to the study of mathematics and astronomy.

The surname "GANS" can also be traced back to various place names in Germany, such as Gansau, Gansbach, and Ganshausen, which may have influenced the development of the name over time.

While the name "GANS" has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and intermarriage. However, it remains a prominent surname in German-speaking regions, carrying with it a rich history and cultural significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gans

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

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

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

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