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

Gentles, 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 Gentles surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gentles in America

Gentles is the 26887th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gentles surname appeared 903 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 Gentles.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gentles 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 Gentles

The surname Gentles is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "gentil," meaning "noble" or "well-born." It is believed that the name first emerged in the 12th century and was initially used as a descriptive name for individuals who were considered to be of gentle or noble birth.

The earliest known records of the Gentles surname can be found in various medieval documents from France, such as the Livre des Métiers, a census-like record of Parisian tradesmen and artisans compiled in the late 13th century. The name was particularly prevalent in the northern regions of France, including Normandy and Brittany.

One notable early reference to the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name "Gentilius" appears in this document, which is believed to be an early variant of the Gentles surname.

In the 14th century, the Gentles surname began to spread across Europe, with individuals bearing the name found in various records from England, Scotland, and other parts of the British Isles. One of the earliest recorded examples of the name in England is that of William Gentles, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1327.

Over the centuries, the Gentles surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest was Sir John Gentles (c. 1370-1445), an English knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War and was granted lands in Berkshire for his service. Another notable figure was Henry Gentles (1572-1638), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of St. Andrew's Church in Banwell, Somerset.

In Scotland, the Gentles surname has a long history, with records dating back to the 14th century. One prominent individual bearing the name was Sir John Gentles (c. 1520-1597), a Scottish landowner and member of the Scottish Parliament who played a significant role in the Scottish Reformation.

Another notable Gentles was Nicholas Gentles (c. 1600-1668), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the development of logarithms and was a member of the influential group of scientists known as the Hartlib Circle.

The Gentles surname has also been found in various historical documents from other parts of Europe, including Germany, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia, suggesting that individuals bearing the name may have migrated and settled in these regions over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gentles

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

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

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

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