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

Gaskins, 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 Gaskins surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gaskins in America

Gaskins is the 3428th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gaskins surname appeared 10,414 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Gaskins.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gaskins 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 Gaskins

The surname Gaskins has its origins in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "gærs," meaning grass, and the suffix "-ing," indicating a place or location. This suggests that the name may have been initially used to refer to someone who lived near a grassy area or meadow.

One of the earliest known references to the name Gaskins can be found in the Hertfordshire county records from 1273, where it appears as "Garskyns." This spelling variation is likely indicative of the regional dialect and pronunciation of the time.

In the 14th century, the surname Gaskins began to appear in various manorial records and tax rolls across southern England, particularly in counties such as Surrey, Sussex, and Kent. This suggests that the name was well-established and possibly associated with specific locations or settlements in these areas.

The Domesday Book, the impressive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Gaskins. However, it does include mentions of places with similar names, such as "Gersinges" in Surrey, which could be related to the origin of the surname.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Gaskins was John Gaskins, who was born in Wiltshire, England, around 1520. He was a prominent landowner and is mentioned in several legal documents from the mid-16th century.

Another notable figure was Richard Gaskins, born in 1635 in Kent, England. He was a merchant and ship owner who played a significant role in the early colonial trade between England and the American colonies.

In the 17th century, the surname Gaskins began to spread beyond England, with several individuals bearing the name emigrating to the American colonies. One such individual was William Gaskins, born in 1650 in Norfolk, England, who settled in Virginia and became a successful tobacco farmer.

The Gaskins surname also has connections to place names in England. For example, the village of Gaskins in Hampshire is believed to have derived its name from the surname, rather than the other way around.

Throughout history, there have been several other notable individuals with the surname Gaskins, including:

1. Elizabeth Gaskins (1710-1789), an English author and poet from Sussex.
2. Robert Gaskins (1795-1872), a British soldier who served in the Napoleonic Wars.
3. John Gaskins (1828-1905), an American politician and lawyer from North Carolina.
4. Mary Gaskins (1892-1978), an Irish-born novelist and playwright.
5. Thomas Gaskins (1915-2001), an American jazz musician and bandleader from New Orleans.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gaskins

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

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

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

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