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

Gaytán, 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 Gaytán surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gaytán in America

Gaytán is the 2460th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gaytán surname appeared 14,647 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Gaytán.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gaytán 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 Gaytán

The surname Gaytan originated in Spain, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Spanish word "gayata," which means a kind of rope or cord used for securing sails on ships. The name likely originated as an occupational surname for those who worked with ropes or cords, perhaps as sailors or ropemakers.

The surname Gaytan can be traced back to various regions of Spain, including Andalusia, Castile, and Galicia. It appears in several historical documents, such as the Libro del Repartimiento de Sevilla, a record of land grants in Seville after the Christian conquest of the city in 1248. This suggests that the name was already established in Spain by the 13th century.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Gaytan was Juan Gaytan, a Spanish nobleman and military commander who lived in the late 14th century. He participated in the Reconquista, the Christian campaign to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Moorish rule.

Another notable figure was Pedro Gaytan, a Spanish explorer who accompanied Hernán Cortés during the conquest of Mexico in the early 16th century. He played a role in the fall of the Aztec Empire and the establishment of Spanish rule in the region.

In the 17th century, Diego Gaytan de Ayala was a prominent Spanish writer and playwright. He authored several works, including plays and poetry, and was known for his contributions to the literary culture of the Golden Age of Spanish literature.

During the 18th century, Manuel Gaytan de Torres y Muñoz was a Spanish military officer and colonial administrator. He served as the Governor of the Philippines from 1778 to 1787, overseeing the Spanish colonial government in the archipelago.

In the 19th century, José Gaytan y Ayala was a Mexican politician and lawyer. He served as a member of the Mexican Congress and played a role in the reform movements of the mid-19th century, advocating for liberal policies and social changes.

Over time, the surname Gaytan has spread beyond Spain and Spanish-speaking regions, carried by individuals and families who migrated to other parts of the world. However, its origins can be traced back to the Iberian Peninsula, where it emerged as an occupational surname reflecting the traditional maritime and rope-making trades.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gaytán

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

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

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

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