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

Gautier, 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 Gautier surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gautier in America

Gautier is the 12411th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gautier surname appeared 2,505 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Gautier.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gautier 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 Gautier

The surname Gautier originated in medieval France, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French personal name "Gautier," which itself comes from the Germanic "Waltharius," meaning "ruler of the army." This name was popular during the Middle Ages and was often bestowed upon nobility and military leaders.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Gautier surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Walterus" and is listed among the landholders in various counties.

In the 13th century, the Gautier family established a prominent presence in the region of Normandy, France. One notable member was Gilles Gautier (c. 1240 - c. 1310), a French trouvère and poet who wrote several chansons and lays during the golden age of medieval French literature.

The Gautier name also has connections to various place names in France, such as Gaultier in the Normandy region and Gautier in the Auvergne region. These places likely took their names from early settlers or landowners bearing the Gautier surname.

As the Gautier family spread across Europe, variations in spelling emerged, including Gauthier, Gaultier, and Waltier. One of the most famous individuals with this surname was Théophile Gautier (1811 - 1872), a French poet, novelist, and critic who was a prominent figure in the Romantic movement.

Another notable Gautier was Judith Gautier (1845 - 1917), a French novelist, poet, and translator who was the daughter of Théophile Gautier. She was known for her works that explored Oriental themes and cultures.

In the world of art, Jean-Baptiste Gautier Dagoty (1717 - 1786) was a French engraver and printer who is credited with inventing the process of color printing using multiple plates, a technique known as "le procédé Gautier."

The Gautier name also had a presence in the military, with Jean-Baptiste Gautier (1793 - 1881), a French general who served under Napoleon and later became a member of the French Senate.

Finally, in the realm of music, the surname is associated with Henri Gautier (1660 - 1737), a French composer and organist who was highly regarded for his compositions for the organ and harpsichord during the Baroque period.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gautier

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

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

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

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