2000
#6,510
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,809
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.78
Rare Last name
Gilbreath
A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "bright stream" or "stream in the ravine."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,113 Americans carry the last name Gilbreath. That puts it at #7,217 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.49 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 67,036 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gilbreath surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
5.1K
1 in 67,036
Census rank
#7,217
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,459 bearers of the surname Gilbreath in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.49 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7217th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gilbreath, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.1%. The next largest groups are Black (6.5%) and Hispanic (4.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gilbreath
The surname GILBREATH has its origins in England, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the village of Gilbreath or Gilbright in Lancashire, England. This place name is thought to be a combination of the Old English words "gil," meaning a ravine or deep valley, and "brycg," meaning a bridge or causeway.
The earliest recorded mention of the GILBREATH name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire from the year 1212, where a Robert de Gilbright is listed as a landowner. This suggests that the name was well-established in the region by the early 13th century.
In the Hundred Rolls of 1274, a survey of landowners in England, there are several entries for individuals with the surname GILBREATH or variations such as Gilbright and Gilbryth. This further solidifies the name's presence in Lancashire during the medieval period.
One notable bearer of the GILBREATH name was Sir Richard Gilbreath, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War in 1346. He was renowned for his bravery and was awarded lands in recognition of his service.
Another distinguished figure was John Gilbreath (1585-1655), an English clergyman who served as the Dean of Arches, one of the highest ecclesiastical courts in England, during the reign of King Charles I.
In the 17th century, the GILBREATH family had established branches in other parts of England, including Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. One prominent member was William Gilbreath (1610-1682), a successful merchant and landowner in the town of Doncaster, Yorkshire.
As the GILBREATH name spread across England, variations in spelling emerged, such as Gilbraith, Gilbrath, and Gilbreth. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of individual families.
During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, several members of the GILBREATH family made significant contributions to various fields. Notable among them was Robert Gilbreath (1775-1842), a renowned architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London.
Another prominent figure was Elizabeth Gilbreath (1790-1868), a pioneering educator who established one of the first schools for girls in the city of Bristol, advocating for equal educational opportunities for women.
While the GILBREATH surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval village of Gilbreath in Lancashire, where it first emerged as a locational name reflecting the unique geographical features of the area.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gilbreath
Among Census respondents with the surname Gilbreath, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.1%. The next largest groups are Black (6.5%) and Hispanic (4.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Gilbreath bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Gilbreath surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.1% · 3,749
- Black or African American6.5% · 291
- Hispanic or Latino4.1% · 182
- Two or more races4.0% · 179
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 29
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 29
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gilbreath
Gilbreath appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#6,980
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,804
-5 bearers (-0.1%)
Per 100,000 1.63
Rank movement Down 470 places
2020
#7,217
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,459
-345 bearers (-7.2%)
Per 100,000 1.49
Rank movement Down 237 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,510 | 4,809 | 1.78 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,980 | 4,804 | 1.63 | -5 bearers (-0.1%) | Down 470 places |
| 2020 | #7,217 | 4,459 | 1.49 | -345 bearers (-7.2%) | Down 237 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Gilbreath surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,980 | #7,217 | -3.4% |
| Count | 4,804 | 4,459 | -7.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.63 | 1.49 | -8.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gilbreath bearers went from 4,804 to 4,459 (-7.2% change). The surname moved down 237 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,980 to #7,217.
FAQ
Gilbreath surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gilbreath?
Name Census estimates that about 5,113 living Americans carry the surname Gilbreath. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 67,036 residents.
How common is Gilbreath?
Gilbreath ranks #7,217 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.49 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,459 people with the surname Gilbreath. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,113), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.49 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.49 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Gilbreath.
Has Gilbreath become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gilbreath went from 4,804 recorded bearers to 4,459. That is a decrease of 345 (-7.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,980 to #7,217.
What does the Census say about the background of Gilbreath?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gilbreath, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.1%. The next largest groups are Black (6.5%) and Hispanic (4.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Gilbreath in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.1% (3,749 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gilbreath appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.1%), Black (6.5%), Hispanic (4.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Gilbreath (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Gilbreath mean?
A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "bright stream" or "stream in the ravine." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Gilbreath (1.49 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Gilbreath?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.