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

Gilstrap, 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 Gilstrap surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gilstrap in America

Gilstrap is the 6808th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gilstrap surname appeared 4,954 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Gilstrap.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gilstrap 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 Gilstrap

The surname Gilstrap is of English origin, originating in the 13th century. It is a locational name derived from the place name "Gildestrepe" or "Gildestrop" in Yorkshire, which means "golden path" or "golden strip of land." The name likely referred to a bright, fertile path or stretch of land.

Gilstrap was first recorded in Yorkshire, where the family held lands and estates. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William de Gildestrepe, who was mentioned in the Yorkshire Assize Rolls of 1219. This provides evidence of the name's use in the early 13th century.

In the 14th century, the Gilstrap family had established themselves in various parts of Yorkshire. The Subsidy Rolls of 1379 list John de Gildestrop and Richard de Gildestrop as taxpayers in Yorkshire. This suggests that the family had spread and become prosperous by this time.

The Gilstrap name can be found in several historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which list a Robert de Gildestrop in Oxfordshire. The Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1334 also mention a John de Gildestrop in Lincolnshire. These records demonstrate the family's presence in various counties throughout medieval England.

Notable individuals with the surname Gilstrap include:

1. Sir John Gilstrap (c. 1560-1630), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Warwickshire in the early 17th century.
2. William Gilstrap (c. 1590-1675), an English clergyman and author who wrote a theological treatise titled "The Doctrine of Faith" in 1652.
3. Thomas Gilstrap (1617-1683), an English colonist and landowner in Virginia, USA, who played a role in the establishment of Williamsburg.
4. Mary Gilstrap (1727-1804), a prominent landowner and philanthropist in South Carolina, USA, who donated land for the establishment of churches and schools.
5. James Gilstrap (1785-1860), an English inventor and engineer who patented several improvements to steam engines and milling machinery.

Throughout its history, the Gilstrap surname has had various spellings, including Gildestrop, Gildestropp, and Gildestroppe, reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gilstrap

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

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

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

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