Gonchar
A surname of Ukrainian origin meaning "potter" or "maker of clay products".
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 274 Americans carry the last name Gonchar. That puts it at #78,567 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,250,928 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gonchar surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
274
1 in 1,250,928
Census rank
#78,567
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
243
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 243 bearers of the surname Gonchar in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 78567th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gonchar, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gonchar
The surname "GONCHAR" is of Ukrainian origin, with roots dating back to the 15th century in the regions of modern-day western Ukraine and eastern Poland. The name is derived from the Ukrainian word "honchar," meaning "potter" or "maker of ceramic vessels."
During the medieval era, the Gonchar surname was commonly found among families involved in the craft of pottery, particularly in the cities of Lviv and Khmilnyk. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in a 1492 municipal registry from the town of Khmilnyk, which lists a potter named Hryhorii Honchar.
In the 16th century, the Gonchar surname gained prominence in the Cossack communities of the Zaporozhian Sich, a semi-autonomous Cossack republic located in central Ukraine. Several notable Cossack leaders bore the name, including Petro Gonchar (1590-1648), who played a significant role in the Khmelnytsky Uprising against Polish rule.
The Gonchar family was also well-established in the region of Galicia (modern-day western Ukraine) during the 18th and 19th centuries. A notable figure from this period was Ivan Gonchar (1823-1889), a renowned Ukrainian writer and historian who chronicled the cultural traditions of the Hutsul people in the Carpathian Mountains.
Another prominent individual with the Gonchar surname was Arkhyp Gonchar (1847-1923), a Ukrainian painter and art teacher who contributed significantly to the development of Ukrainian realist painting in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
In the 20th century, Oles Honchar (1918-1995), a celebrated Ukrainian novelist and public intellectual, became one of the most influential literary figures in Soviet Ukraine. His works, such as "The Cathedral" and "The Seed-Bearers," explored themes of Ukrainian identity, tradition, and the impact of totalitarianism.
While the Gonchar surname originated in western Ukraine, it has since spread to other regions of the country and beyond, carried by migration and diaspora communities. Despite its humble origins as a potter's name, the Gonchar surname has left an indelible mark on Ukrainian history, culture, and literature.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gonchar
Among Census respondents with the surname Gonchar, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Gonchar bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Gonchar surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.9%
- Hispanic or Latino2.5%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Gonchar surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #78,567 | #78,567 | 0.0% |
| Count | 243 | 243 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.08 | 0.08 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Gonchar bearers went from 243 to 243 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #78,567 to #78,567.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Gonchar
FAQ
Gonchar surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Gonchar?
The surname Gonchar holds position #78,567 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 274 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Gonchar surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gonchar, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.