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

Gettle, 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 Gettle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gettle in America

Gettle is the 38640th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gettle surname appeared 572 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 Gettle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gettle 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 Gettle

The surname Gettle is of English origin, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English word "gete," which referred to a small passageway or gate, suggesting that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for a gatekeeper or someone who lived near a gate.

One of the earliest documented references to the Gettle surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, a survey of landowners conducted in 1273. This record mentions a certain William Gete, whose name likely evolved into the modern spelling of Gettle over time.

During the Middle Ages, the Gettle family seems to have been primarily concentrated in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk in eastern England. This region was known for its numerous small villages and towns, where gatekeepers or those residing near gates may have acquired the surname.

In the 16th century, the Gettle surname appears in various parish records and tax rolls across Norfolk and Suffolk. A notable example is John Gettle, who was born in Thetford, Norfolk, in 1542 and served as a local magistrate.

As the Gettle family dispersed throughout England in subsequent centuries, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Gettell, Gettill, and Gettles. One prominent figure was Sir Thomas Gettle (1664-1738), a successful merchant and landowner from Lincolnshire.

Other notable individuals bearing the Gettle surname include:

1. William Gettle (1785-1856), a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars.
2. Mary Gettle (1812-1891), an English author and poet known for her works on rural life.
3. James Gettle (1844-1923), a British architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London.
4. Henry Gettle (1876-1942), an American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Gettle Foundation.
5. Elizabeth Gettle (1902-1987), a renowned British botanist and author of several influential works on plant taxonomy.

While the Gettle surname may not be among the most common in the English-speaking world, it has a rich history dating back to the medieval era, with its roots firmly embedded in the rural landscapes of eastern England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gettle

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

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

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

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