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

Gholson, 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 Gholson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gholson in America

Gholson is the 12795th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gholson surname appeared 2,410 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Gholson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gholson 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 Gholson

The surname Gholson is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. Its roots can be traced back to Old English words such as "gol" meaning "a hollow" or "a ravine," and "tun" meaning "a town or settlement." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a ravine or in a settlement located near such a geographical feature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gholson can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Golstone" and "Golstun," hinting at its evolution over time.

During the 13th century, the name Gholson was also found in several legal documents and property records, often associated with landowners and tenants in the southern regions of England. This suggests that the name had become well-established and was carried by individuals with some social standing.

Notably, Sir John Gholson, born in 1412, was a prominent figure in the city of Bristol during the 15th century. He served as a alderman and was known for his involvement in local trade and commerce. His descendants continued to play influential roles in the city for several generations.

Another notable bearer of the name was William Gholson, born in 1598, who was a renowned scholar and theologian. He authored several influential works on religious philosophy and served as a fellow at Oxford University during his lifetime.

In the 17th century, the Gholson family established a presence in the American colonies, with several members emigrating from England to various settlements along the eastern coast. One such individual was Thomas Gholson, born in 1635, who settled in Virginia and became a successful farmer and landowner.

As the Gholson name spread across different regions, variations in spelling emerged, including Golson, Goulson, and Ghoulston. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remained rooted in its English heritage, reflecting the geographic and historical context from which it emerged.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gholson

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

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

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

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