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

Gauck, 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 Gauck surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gauck in America

Gauck is the 74141st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gauck surname appeared 261 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 Gauck.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gauck 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 Gauck

The surname Gauck has its origins in Germany, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "gauch," which referred to a type of cuckoo bird. This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname or an occupational name for someone who worked with or had some association with these birds.

During the Middle Ages, it was common practice for people to adopt surnames based on their physical characteristics, occupations, or locations. The surname Gauck likely emerged in this context, either as a nickname for someone who resembled a cuckoo bird or as a reference to a person's occupation or place of residence related to these birds.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gauck can be found in the Urkundenbuch der Stadt Leipzig, a collection of historical documents from the city of Leipzig, Germany, dating back to 1268. This document mentions a person named "Henricus Gauch," which is likely an early variation of the modern spelling.

In the 14th century, the surname Gauck appeared in various records across different regions of Germany, indicating its widespread use. For example, in 1384, a certain "Hanns Gauch" was mentioned in a document from the city of Nuremberg.

Over the centuries, the surname Gauck has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest examples is Johannes Gauck, a German theologian and reformer who lived in the 15th century (c. 1420-1501). He played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation movement and was known for his writings and sermons criticizing the practices of the Catholic Church.

Another prominent figure with the surname Gauck was Joachim Gauck, a German politician and civil rights activist. Born in 1940, he served as the President of Germany from 2012 to 2017. Prior to his presidency, Gauck was actively involved in the peaceful revolution that led to the reunification of Germany in 1990.

In the realm of literature, one notable bearer of the surname Gauck was Wilhelm Gauch (1855-1929), a German poet and writer. He was known for his lyrical works and plays, many of which explored themes of nature and rural life.

The surname Gauck has also been associated with individuals in other fields, such as Karl Gauck (1885-1969), a German architect known for his contributions to the Bauhaus movement, and Johann Gauck (1808-1879), a German composer and music teacher.

While the surname Gauck has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration patterns. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval era, when it likely emerged as a descriptive nickname or occupational name related to the cuckoo bird.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gauck

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

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

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

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