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

Girdy, 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 Girdy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Girdy in America

Girdy is the 138304th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Girdy surname appeared 121 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 Girdy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Girdy 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 Girdy

The surname Girdy originates from the Northern English regions of Yorkshire and Northumberland, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "gyrde," meaning a small branch or twig, suggesting that the name may have been an occupational surname for someone who worked with twigs or branches, such as a basket weaver or thatcher.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, where a Robert Gyrdy is listed as a resident of the village of Appleton-le-Moors. The name also appears in the Northumberland Pipe Rolls of 1473, where a Thomas Gyrdy is mentioned as a landowner in the village of Rothbury.

In the 16th century, the spelling of the name evolved to its modern form, "Girdy." Records from this period include a William Girdy, born in 1543 in the village of Helmsley, Yorkshire, and a John Girdy, born in 1578 in the town of Alnwick, Northumberland.

The name Girdy has also been linked to various place names in Northern England, such as Girdy Nook in North Yorkshire and Girdy Hill in Northumberland. These place names may have derived from the surname or vice versa, reflecting the historical presence of the Girdy family in these areas.

Notable individuals with the surname Girdy include:

1. Thomas Girdy (c. 1620 - 1689), a prominent merchant and landowner in Newcastle upon Tyne, known for his philanthropic efforts in establishing a school for underprivileged children.

2. Elizabeth Girdy (1745 - 1821), a renowned botanist and naturalist from Yorkshire, who contributed significantly to the cataloging of native plant species in the region.

3. James Girdy (1786 - 1857), a British soldier who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a respected military strategist and author on military tactics.

4. Mary Girdy (1832 - 1912), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights, who founded one of the first schools for girls in Northumberland.

5. John Girdy (1871 - 1943), a renowned architect from Yorkshire, known for his innovative designs and contributions to the Arts and Crafts movement in British architecture.

While the surname Girdy is not among the most common in England, its historical roots and unique meaning have contributed to its enduring presence in the Northern regions of the country.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Girdy

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

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

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

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