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

Gatheright, 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 Gatheright surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gatheright in America

Gatheright is the 95955th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gatheright surname appeared 190 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Gatheright.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gatheright 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 Gatheright

The surname GATHERIGHT has its origins in medieval England, tracing back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have originated in the counties of Northumberland and Durham, where the name was first recorded as "Gatherek" or "Gatherek". These early spellings suggest a possible derivation from the Old English words "gæddrian" meaning "to gather" and "riht" meaning "right" or "straight".

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland from 1196, which mention a "Willelmus Gatherek" from the village of Warkworth. This indicates that the name was already in use by the end of the 12th century in that region.

In the 13th century, the name appears to have spread southwards, with records showing variations such as "Gatheright" and "Gatheryte" in counties like Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. It is possible that some of these variants were influenced by the Old Norse word "gata" meaning "road" or "path".

The Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1332 include an entry for a "Johannes Gatheright" from the village of Tuxford in Nottinghamshire, suggesting that the name had become established in the East Midlands by the 14th century.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir Thomas Gatheright (c. 1400-1478), a prominent landowner and member of the gentry in Northumberland. He served as Sheriff of Northumberland in 1455 and was knighted for his services during the Wars of the Roses.

Another notable figure was William Gatheright (c. 1510-1578), a merchant and alderman in the city of York during the reign of Elizabeth I. He played a significant role in the city's governance and was known for his charitable works.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various parish records across England, including those of John Gatheright (1625-1697), a wealthy landowner from Lincolnshire, and Mary Gatheright (1640-1712), a noted herbalist and midwife from Norfolk.

The Gatheright family also produced several clergymen over the centuries, such as Reverend Robert Gatheright (1745-1819), who served as the vicar of St. Mary's Church in Northamptonshire for over 40 years.

Another prominent figure was Sir William Gatheright (1785-1862), a successful industrialist and philanthropist from Yorkshire, who was knighted for his contributions to the local community and the advancement of industry.

While the surname GATHERIGHT is not among the most common in modern times, its long and varied history demonstrates its deep roots in the English landscape and the lives of individuals who bore it over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gatheright

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!