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

Gatewood, 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 Gatewood surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gatewood in America

Gatewood is the 4242nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gatewood surname appeared 8,359 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Gatewood.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gatewood 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 Gatewood

The surname Gatewood originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "geat" meaning "gate" and "wudu" meaning "wood," suggesting that the name originally referred to someone who lived near a gate in a wooded area or perhaps a gatekeeper of a wooded estate.

Early records show variations in spelling, such as Gatewode, Gatwod, and Gatewude. The name is found in various historical documents, including the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as "Gatewude" in the county of Gloucestershire.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir John Gatewood, a knight who fought in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 during the Hundred Years' War between England and France. Another notable figure was William Gatewood, born in 1520, who served as a member of Parliament for the borough of Gatton in Surrey.

In the 16th century, the Gatewood family established themselves in the county of Sussex, where they owned estates and held positions of prominence. John Gatewood, born in 1567, was a wealthy landowner and served as a Justice of the Peace in the county.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, the Gatewood family sided with the Royalists. Thomas Gatewood, born in 1612, was a captain in the Royalist army and fought in several battles against the Parliamentarians.

In the 18th century, the Gatewood family expanded their influence and wealth through various business ventures, including shipping and trade. James Gatewood, born in 1725, was a successful merchant and ship owner based in the port city of Bristol.

Throughout history, the Gatewood surname has been associated with various place names in England, such as Gatewood Park in Gloucestershire and Gatewood Manor in Surrey. The name has also been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields, including politics, military service, and business.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gatewood

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

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

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

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