2010
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Gaynair
A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "geanair" meaning "planer" or "carpenter".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Gaynair. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gaynair 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.
Bearers in the US
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Gaynair in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gaynair, the largest self-reported group is Black at 67.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.4%) and White (9.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gaynair
The surname GAYNAIR is of French origin, with its roots traced back to the early 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the region of Normandy, where it was initially spelled as "Gainier" or "Gagnier." The name is derived from the Old French word "gagne," meaning "to earn" or "to gain," suggesting a possible occupational link to those who were skilled workers or traders.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the parish records of Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray, a commune in the Normandy region. In 1567, a baptismal entry was made for a child named Jean Gainier, son of Pierre Gainier and Marie Leclerc.
The GAYNAIR surname also appears in various historical documents from the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1642, a certain Jacques Gagnier was listed as a merchant in the city of Rouen, indicating the family's involvement in trade and commerce. Additionally, the name is present in the marriage records of the parish of Saint-Sulpice in Paris, where in 1718, a union between Antoine Gainier and Marguerite Boucher was recorded.
One notable figure with the GAYNAIR surname was Jean-Baptiste Gainier (1790-1858), a French military officer and explorer. He was born in Normandy and served in the Napoleonic Wars before embarking on expeditions to West Africa, where he played a significant role in the exploration of the Niger River.
Another individual of historical significance was Marie-Anne Gaynair (1768-1837), a French artist renowned for her intricate miniature portraits. Her works were highly sought after by the aristocracy and are currently housed in various museums across Europe.
In the 18th century, the spelling of the surname evolved further, with variations such as "Gaynair" and "Gagnaire" becoming more common. During this period, the name was also found in other regions of France, including Brittany and the Île-de-France region surrounding Paris.
Among the notable bearers of the GAYNAIR surname was Pierre-François Gagnaire (1726-1799), a French architect and urban planner who contributed to the development of several cities in France, including the design of public squares and administrative buildings.
Another figure of note was Jeanne-Marie Gaynair (1802-1879), a French philanthropist and social reformer. She dedicated her life to improving the living conditions of the underprivileged in Paris, establishing shelters and education programs for children from impoverished families.
As the centuries progressed, the GAYNAIR surname continued to be present in various regions of France, with some families carrying the name emigrating to other parts of the world, including North America and parts of Europe.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gaynair
Among Census respondents with the surname Gaynair, the largest self-reported group is Black at 67.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.4%) and White (9.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Gaynair 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 Gaynair surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American67.6% · 75
- Two or more races14.4% · 16
- White9.9% · 11
- Hispanic or Latino4.5% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.6% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gaynair
Gaynair appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+5 bearers (+4.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,104 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.7%) | Up 5,104 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 Gaynair 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 | #153,769 | #148,665 | 3.3% |
| Count | 106 | 111 | 4.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gaynair bearers went from 106 to 111 (+4.7% change). The surname moved up 5,104 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #148,665.
FAQ
Gaynair surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gaynair?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Gaynair. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Gaynair?
Gaynair ranks #148,665 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 111 people with the surname Gaynair. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Gaynair.
Has Gaynair become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gaynair went from 106 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 5 (+4.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Gaynair?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gaynair, the largest self-reported group is Black at 67.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (14.4%) and White (9.9%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Gaynair in the 2020 Census, accounting for 67.6% (75 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gaynair appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (67.6%), Two or More Races (14.4%), White (9.9%). 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 Gaynair (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 Gaynair mean?
A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "geanair" meaning "planer" or "carpenter". 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 Gaynair (0.04 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 people have the last name Gaynair?
Want to know how many people have the last name Gaynair? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.