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

Gayhart, 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 Gayhart surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gayhart in America

Gayhart is the 22646th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gayhart surname appeared 1,133 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 Gayhart.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gayhart 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 Gayhart

The surname Gayhart is of German origin, derived from the Old German words "gai" meaning joyful or cheerful, and "hart" meaning hardy or brave. It is believed to have originated in the southern regions of Germany in the 12th century.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century, appearing in various manuscripts and records from the German states. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Heinrich Gayhart, a soldier who fought in the Crusades in the late 12th century.

In the 14th century, the name was found in the records of the city of Nuremberg, where a family of merchants and traders by the name of Gayhart had established themselves. Johannes Gayhart, born in 1345, was a prominent member of this family and served as a councilman in the city.

During the 16th century, the name spread to other parts of Europe as a result of migration and trade. In England, there are records of a William Gayhart, born in 1512, who was a merchant and ship owner based in London.

The surname is also found in early records from the Netherlands, where it is believed to have been derived from the Dutch place name "Geyhart" or "Geyharts". One of the earliest known bearers of the name in the Netherlands was Jan Geyhartszoon, a farmer who lived in the village of Haarlem in the late 15th century.

In the 18th century, the name Gayhart appeared in the records of the American colonies, as German and Dutch immigrants brought the name to the New World. One notable bearer of the name was Johann Gayhart, born in 1725 in Pennsylvania, who served as a soldier in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

Other notable individuals with the surname Gayhart throughout history include:

1. Dietrich Gayhart (1684-1756), a German composer and organist known for his contributions to sacred music.
2. Anna Gayhart (1802-1875), a Dutch painter and illustrator renowned for her landscapes and botanical illustrations.
3. Ernst Gayhart (1867-1941), a German engineer who played a significant role in the development of early automobiles and internal combustion engines.
4. Marie Gayhart (1892-1976), a French novelist and poet whose works explored themes of love, loss, and the human condition.
5. Klaus Gayhart (1923-2001), a German-American physicist who made important contributions to the field of nuclear physics and the development of nuclear energy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gayhart

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

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

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

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