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

Gavins, 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 Gavins surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gavins in America

Gavins is the 54055th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gavins surname appeared 382 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 Gavins.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gavins 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 Gavins

The surname Gavins has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Gaelic word "gamhuinn," which means "calf" or "yearling." This suggests that the name may have originally been an occupational name for someone who worked with young cattle.

The earliest recorded instance of the name appears in the parish records of Ayrshire, Scotland, in the year 1567, where a John Gavins is mentioned. Another early reference is found in the records of Dunfermline, Fife, in 1603, where a William Gavins is listed.

In the 17th century, the name Gavins also appears in the records of the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the area around Inverness. This suggests that the name may have spread from its original location in the western regions of Scotland to other parts of the country.

One notable bearer of the Gavins surname was John Gavins, a Scottish clergyman who lived from 1688 to 1755. He was a minister in the Church of Scotland and served as the Moderator of the General Assembly in 1742.

Another prominent individual with this surname was William Gavins, a Scottish writer and journalist who lived from 1812 to 1878. He was the editor of the Kilmarnock Journal and wrote several books on local history and folklore.

In the 19th century, the Gavins surname also appears in records from England, indicating that some families with this name had migrated from Scotland to England during this period. For instance, there are records of a James Gavins, born in 1825 in Northumberland, England.

Other notable bearers of the Gavins surname include Robert Gavins, a Scottish architect who lived from 1840 to 1915 and designed several notable buildings in Glasgow, and John Gavins, a Scottish politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the Kilmarnock Burghs constituency from 1892 to 1895.

Overall, the surname Gavins has a rich history rooted in Scotland, with its earliest origins likely stemming from an occupational name related to cattle farming. Over the centuries, it has been carried by individuals from various professions, including clergymen, writers, architects, and politicians.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gavins

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

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

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

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