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

Gehan, 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 Gehan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gehan in America

Gehan is the 86314th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gehan surname appeared 216 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 Gehan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gehan 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 Gehan

The surname Gehan has its origins in the Middle English word "gey", which means "gay" or "joyful". It is believed to have originated in the county of Yorkshire, England, during the 13th century.

The name Gehan is thought to have been derived from a nickname given to someone with a cheerful or lively disposition. It may also have been used to describe someone who lived near a well-known joyful or festive location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gehan can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1297, where a certain William Gehan is mentioned as a taxpayer.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various forms such as "Gehon", "Geyon", and "Gayon" in various records across Yorkshire and the surrounding areas.

A notable bearer of the name was John Gehan, a wealthy merchant from York who lived in the late 15th century. He is mentioned in several historical documents related to trade and commerce in the city.

During the 16th century, the surname Gehan spread to other parts of England, and variations such as "Gehane" and "Gehanne" began to appear in parish records and court rolls.

In the 17th century, a prominent figure named Thomas Gehan was a member of the East India Company and played a significant role in the company's trading activities in India.

Another notable individual was Sir William Gehan, a Member of Parliament for the constituency of Northamptonshire in the late 17th century. He was known for his involvement in local politics and his advocacy for the rights of landowners.

In the 18th century, the Gehan family had established themselves as landowners and gentry in various parts of England, with notable members including Edward Gehan, a renowned barrister and judge, and Robert Gehan, a prominent architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London.

Throughout its history, the surname Gehan has been associated with various place names in England, such as Gehan's Green in Gloucestershire and Gehan's Hill in Worcestershire, further cementing its roots in the country's landscape.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gehan

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

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

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

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