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

Gohel, 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 Gohel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gohel in America

Gohel is the 59171st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gohel surname appeared 342 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 Gohel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gohel 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 Gohel

The surname GOHEL is of Indian origin, specifically derived from the Gujarati language. It traces its roots back to the 16th century in the western state of Gujarat, where it was initially associated with the Koli caste, a community traditionally involved in agriculture and fishing. The name GOHEL is believed to be derived from the Gujarati word "gohil," which means "cowherd" or "one who tends to cows."

In ancient Hindu texts and historical records, the GOHEL surname is often mentioned in connection with the Gohil Rajput clan, a ruling dynasty that once governed parts of the Saurashtra region in Gujarat. The Gohils were known for their bravery and military prowess, and their rule extended from the 13th to the 18th century. One of the most renowned figures from this lineage was Maharana Pratap Singh Gohil, who lived from 1540 to 1597 and is revered for his valiant resistance against the Mughal Empire.

The earliest documented instances of the GOHEL surname can be found in various inscriptions and manuscripts dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries. These ancient records often refer to individuals with the GOHEL name as landowners, warriors, or local chieftains in various parts of Gujarat. One notable example is the Gohil inscription found in the Junagadh district, which mentions a GOHEL family as the rulers of a particular region in the 15th century.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the GOHEL surname. For instance, Narayan Manhar Gohel (1915-1996) was a renowned Gujarati poet and writer, known for his contributions to modern Gujarati literature. Another prominent figure was Rameshchandra Kanjibhai Gohel (1902-1982), a distinguished Indian lawyer and politician who served as the Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court.

In the realm of sports, Ravindra Gohel (born 1959) was a successful Indian cricketer who played domestic cricket for Gujarat and represented the Indian national team in the 1980s. Meanwhile, Vinod Gohel (born 1951) was a renowned Indian field hockey player who participated in the 1976 and 1980 Summer Olympics, winning a bronze medal in the latter.

Additionally, the GOHEL surname has been associated with various place names in Gujarat, such as Gohel Pura, Gohel Nagar, and Gohel Faliya, which were likely named after influential GOHEL families or individuals who had a significant presence in those areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gohel

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

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

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

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