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

Gaw, 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 Gaw surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gaw in America

Gaw is the 16575th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gaw surname appeared 1,731 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 Gaw.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gaw 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 Gaw

The surname Gaw has its origins tracing back to the northern regions of England and Scotland, emerging in the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "gau," which referred to a small valley or pass between hills. This suggests that the name may have originally been a topographic descriptor for someone who lived in such a location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gaw can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "Gau." This document was a census-like record of landowners and their holdings, indicating that the Gaw family had already established roots in the region by that time.

The surname Gaw has several variations in spelling, including Gawe, Gawgh, and Gaugh, which were common in medieval records. These variations likely arose due to inconsistencies in written records and regional dialects of the time.

A notable historical figure bearing the surname Gaw was John Gaw (c. 1505 - 1586), a Scottish Protestant reformer and clergyman. He was a prominent figure in the Scottish Reformation and played a significant role in the establishment of Presbyterianism in Scotland.

Another individual of note was William Gaw (1756 - 1828), a Scottish-born American architect and civil engineer. He is best known for his work on the design and construction of the Erie Canal in New York, a monumental engineering feat of the early 19th century.

In the literary world, John Gaw (1832 - 1899) was a Scottish-American author and journalist. He wrote several novels and short stories, many of which drew inspiration from his experiences as a pioneer settler in the American West.

The name Gaw has also been associated with places, such as Gaw Hill in Yorkshire, England, and Gaw Burn, a small stream in Northumberland, England. These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and geographic features like valleys and passes.

Throughout history, the Gaw surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including clergymen, architects, authors, and likely many others whose stories have been lost to time. While not a widespread surname, it has left its mark on the historical records of England, Scotland, and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gaw

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

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

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

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