2000
#8,331
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,655
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.35
Rare Last name
Gaylor
A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "pleasant hill" in Old French.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,592 Americans carry the last name Gaylor. That puts it at #9,854 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 95,422 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gaylor surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Gaylor with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.6K
1 in 95,422
Census rank
#9,854
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,132 bearers of the surname Gaylor in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9854th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gaylor, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.4%. The next largest groups are Black (12.6%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gaylor
The surname Gaylor is of English origin and is believed to have originated in the county of Yorkshire, England. It is likely derived from the Old English words "gæl," meaning "jovial" or "merry," and "dor," meaning "valley" or "dell." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived in a merry or cheerful valley.
The earliest known recorded instance of the surname Gaylor can be traced back to the 13th century. In the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire, compiled between 1273 and 1276, there is a mention of a person named William Gaylour. This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.
Another early reference to the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1301, where a John Gaylour is listed. This document, which recorded taxes paid by residents, provides valuable insight into the distribution of surnames in the region during that period.
During the 16th century, the name appeared in various records with different spellings, such as Gaylord, Gaylard, and Gaylour. This was a common occurrence due to the inconsistencies in spelling and pronunciation before standardization became more widespread.
One notable figure from history with the surname Gaylor was Sir John Gaylor, a prominent English merchant and politician who lived from 1542 to 1612. He served as the Sheriff of London and was a member of the Parliament of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
Another individual of note was Thomas Gaylor, a renowned English painter and engraver born in 1635. He is best known for his exquisite portraits and religious works, many of which can still be found in various galleries and museums across England.
In the 18th century, the surname Gaylor was associated with several clergymen and academics. One such figure was Reverend William Gaylor, who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, from 1723 to 1756.
Moving into the 19th century, there was a notable author and poet named Mary Gaylor, who was born in 1810 in Derbyshire, England. Her works, which often explored themes of nature and rural life, were widely acclaimed during her lifetime.
Lastly, in more recent history, there was a prominent English architect named Geoffrey Gaylor, born in 1892. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in London and other parts of England, including the renowned St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gaylor
Among Census respondents with the surname Gaylor, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.4%. The next largest groups are Black (12.6%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Gaylor bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Gaylor surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White77.4% · 2,425
- Black or African American12.6% · 396
- Two or more races4.9% · 154
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 98
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1% · 35
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 24
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gaylor
Gaylor appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#9,609
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,382
-273 bearers (-7.5%)
Per 100,000 1.15
Rank movement Down 1,278 places
2020
#9,854
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,132
-250 bearers (-7.4%)
Per 100,000 1.05
Rank movement Down 245 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,331 | 3,655 | 1.35 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,609 | 3,382 | 1.15 | -273 bearers (-7.5%) | Down 1,278 places |
| 2020 | #9,854 | 3,132 | 1.05 | -250 bearers (-7.4%) | Down 245 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Gaylor surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,609 | #9,854 | -2.5% |
| Count | 3,382 | 3,132 | -7.4% |
| Per 100K | 1.15 | 1.05 | -8.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gaylor bearers went from 3,382 to 3,132 (-7.4% change). The surname moved down 245 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,609 to #9,854.
FAQ
Gaylor surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gaylor?
Name Census estimates that about 3,592 living Americans carry the surname Gaylor. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 95,422 residents.
How common is Gaylor?
Gaylor ranks #9,854 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.05 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,132 people with the surname Gaylor. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,592), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.05 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Gaylor.
Has Gaylor become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gaylor went from 3,382 recorded bearers to 3,132. That is a decrease of 250 (-7.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,609 to #9,854.
What does the Census say about the background of Gaylor?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gaylor, the largest self-reported group is White at 77.4%. The next largest groups are Black (12.6%) and Two or More Races (4.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Gaylor in the 2020 Census, accounting for 77.4% (2,425 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gaylor appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (77.4%), Black (12.6%), Two or More Races (4.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Gaylor (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Gaylor mean?
A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "pleasant hill" in Old French. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Gaylor (1.05 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Gaylor?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.