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

Gau, 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 Gau surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gau in America

Gau is the 19703rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gau surname appeared 1,367 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 Gau.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gau 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 Gau

The surname "Gau" is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated from the Old German word "gau," which referred to a specific district or region within the Holy Roman Empire. This territorial division played a significant role in the administrative and political organization of medieval Germany.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname "Gau" can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of historical documents from the 9th century. This suggests that the name was already in use during the Carolingian period, when the Frankish Empire held sway over much of central Europe.

During the High Middle Ages, the name "Gau" appeared in various records and chronicles, often associated with individuals who held positions of authority or influence within their respective gaus. For instance, Heinrich von Gau, a prominent landowner and knight, is mentioned in a 12th-century manuscript detailing the conflicts between rival noble families in the region of Franconia.

As the use of hereditary surnames became more prevalent in the late Middle Ages, the name "Gau" began to spread beyond its initial geographical confines. In some instances, it may have been derived from place names that incorporated the word "gau," such as Gaugrehweiler or Gaustadt, reflecting the close ties between surnames and locations during that period.

Noteworthy individuals bearing the surname "Gau" include:

1. Johannes Gau (c. 1480-1553), a German scholar and humanist who served as rector of the University of Erfurt in the early 16th century.
2. Hans Gau (1534-1606), a German cartographer and engraver, known for his intricate maps of various regions in Europe.
3. Anna Gau (1592-1657), a prominent figure in the German Reformation, who played a crucial role in the establishment of Protestant communities in Saxony.
4. Johann Caspar Gau (1717-1787), a German theologian and author, whose works on theology and ethics were widely read in his time.
5. Christian Friedrich Gau (1790-1854), a German archaeologist and architect, renowned for his contributions to the study of ancient Egyptian monuments and architecture.

While the surname "Gau" may have evolved and taken on different spellings over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to the administrative divisions of medieval Germany, reflecting the rich history and cultural heritage of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gau

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

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

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

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