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

Gant, 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 Gant surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gant in America

Gant is the 2550th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gant surname appeared 14,167 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Gant.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gant 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 Gant

The surname GANT has its origins in the Normandy region of France. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "gant," which means "glove." The name likely originated in the early Middle Ages, around the 10th or 11th century.

GANT was initially an occupational surname, referring to a person who made or sold gloves. It was not uncommon for surnames to be derived from trades or professions during this period. As the practice of adopting hereditary surnames became more widespread, those involved in the glove-making trade passed the name down through generations.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name is listed as "Gaunt" in this document, reflecting the then-common spelling variation.

In the 12th century, a notable figure bearing this surname was Gilbert de Gant, a Norman nobleman who served as the Lord of Folkingham in Lincolnshire, England. His descendants continued to hold lands and titles in various parts of England for several generations.

Another prominent individual with this name was Sir Thomas Gant (1492-1553), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII. He was known for his involvement in the dissolution of monasteries and the acquisition of monastic lands.

In the 17th century, a notable bearer of the GANT surname was Nehemiah Gant (1624-1702), an English Puritan clergyman and author who served as the Rector of St. Peter's Church in Norwich.

During the 18th century, John Gant (1718-1778) was a British Admiral in the Royal Navy, known for his service during the Seven Years' War and his involvement in the capture of several French ships.

In the field of literature, Reginald Gant (1892-1951) was an Australian novelist and short story writer, best known for his works depicting life in the Australian outback.

The name GANT has also been associated with various place names throughout history, such as Ganthorpe in Yorkshire, England, and Gaunts in Gloucestershire, England, reflecting the presence of individuals bearing this surname in those locations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gant

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

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

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

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