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

Gayo, 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 Gayo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gayo in America

Gayo is the 102197th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gayo surname appeared 176 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 Gayo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gayo 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 Gayo

The surname Gayo has its origins in the Philippines, specifically in the Visayan region. It is believed to have originated during the 16th century, when the Philippines was under Spanish colonial rule. The name Gayo is thought to be derived from the Visayan word "gayo," which means "lively" or "spirited."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Gayo can be found in the "Catalogo Alfabetico de Apellidos" (Alphabetical Catalog of Surnames), a census-like document compiled by the Spanish authorities in the Philippines during the 18th century. This document lists several individuals with the surname Gayo, indicating its use and prevalence in the region at that time.

Historically, the Gayo surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest known figures was Pedro Gayo, a Filipino poet and playwright who lived in the late 18th century. His works, which were written in the Visayan language, explored themes of love, nature, and local culture.

Another prominent figure was Juan Gayo, a Filipino revolutionary who fought against the Spanish colonial rule in the late 19th century. He was a member of the Katipunan, a revolutionary movement that sought to establish Philippine independence.

In the 20th century, the Gayo surname gained further recognition with the rise of Manuel Gayo, a renowned Filipino artist known for his paintings and murals. His works often depicted scenes from Philippine history and culture, and he is considered one of the most influential artists of his time.

Antonio Gayo, born in 1924, was a prominent Filipino politician and lawyer. He served as a Senator of the Philippines from 1963 to 1969 and played a significant role in shaping the country's legal and political landscape during that era.

More recently, the Gayo surname has been carried on by individuals like Maria Gayo, a celebrated Filipino author and poet who has published several collections of works exploring themes of identity, culture, and social issues.

Throughout its history, the Gayo surname has maintained a strong presence in the Philippines, particularly in the Visayan region. Its origins and meaning have remained closely tied to the local culture and language, reflecting the vibrant and spirited nature of the Filipino people.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gayo

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

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

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

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