2000
#14,646
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,862
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.69
Rare Last name
Gonyea
A surname possibly derived from a French place name or a nickname describing someone with a cheerful or pleasant attitude.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,084 Americans carry the last name Gonyea. That puts it at #15,514 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.61 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 164,469 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gonyea 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
2.1K
1 in 164,469
Census rank
#15,514
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,817 bearers of the surname Gonyea in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.61 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15514th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gonyea, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.5%) and Hispanic (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gonyea
The surname GONYEA is of French origin, with its roots tracing back to the Normandy region of northern France. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, possibly as early as the 11th or 12th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old French term "gonnelle," which referred to a type of tunic or robe worn by both men and women during that era.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the GONYEA surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Gonelle," which was likely a variant spelling at the time. This entry suggests that the name was already established in Normandy before the Norman conquest of England in 1066.
As the GONYEA family dispersed throughout France over the centuries, the spelling of the name evolved, with variations such as "Gonneau," "Gonnelle," and "Gonnelle" emerging in different regions. These variations often reflected local dialects and pronunciation patterns.
Notable individuals bearing the GONYEA surname include Jacques Gonyea (1602-1671), a prominent merchant and landowner in the French province of Poitou. Another notable figure was Marie-Anne Gonyea (1728-1803), a renowned seamstress and designer of women's clothing in Paris during the 18th century.
In the 19th century, the GONYEA name gained recognition with the exploits of François Gonyea (1821-1895), a French explorer and naturalist who traveled extensively in Africa and documented numerous species of flora and fauna. His contributions to the field of natural history were significant, and he was elected to the French Academy of Sciences in 1876.
Across the Atlantic, the GONYEA surname took root in Canada and the United States, where it was often anglicized to "Gonia" or "Gonyo." One notable figure was Pierre Gonyea (1847-1923), a French-Canadian architect who designed several landmark buildings in Montreal, including the iconic St. Joseph's Oratory.
While the GONYEA surname may not be among the most widespread, its historical roots and the notable individuals who have borne it reveal a rich tapestry of French cultural heritage and contribution to various fields over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gonyea
Among Census respondents with the surname Gonyea, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.5%) and Hispanic (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Gonyea 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 Gonyea surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.8% · 1,631
- Two or more races4.5% · 81
- Hispanic or Latino3.9% · 70
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2% · 22
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 12
- Black or African American0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gonyea
Gonyea 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
#15,734
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,853
-9 bearers (-0.5%)
Per 100,000 0.63
Rank movement Down 1,088 places
2020
#15,514
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,817
-36 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.61
Rank movement Up 220 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #14,646 | 1,862 | 0.69 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #15,734 | 1,853 | 0.63 | -9 bearers (-0.5%) | Down 1,088 places |
| 2020 | #15,514 | 1,817 | 0.61 | -36 bearers (-1.9%) | Up 220 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 Gonyea 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 | #15,734 | #15,514 | 1.4% |
| Count | 1,853 | 1,817 | -1.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.63 | 0.61 | -3.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gonyea bearers went from 1,853 to 1,817 (-1.9% change). The surname moved up 220 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,734 to #15,514.
FAQ
Gonyea surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gonyea?
Name Census estimates that about 2,084 living Americans carry the surname Gonyea. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 164,469 residents.
How common is Gonyea?
Gonyea ranks #15,514 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.61 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 1,817 people with the surname Gonyea. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,084), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.61 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.61 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 Gonyea.
Has Gonyea become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gonyea went from 1,853 recorded bearers to 1,817. That is a decrease of 36 (-1.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #15,734 to #15,514.
What does the Census say about the background of Gonyea?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gonyea, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.5%) and Hispanic (3.9%). 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 Gonyea in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.8% (1,631 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gonyea appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.8%), Two or More Races (4.5%), Hispanic (3.9%). 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 Gonyea (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 Gonyea mean?
A surname possibly derived from a French place name or a nickname describing someone with a cheerful or pleasant attitude. 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 Gonyea (0.61 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 common is the surname Gonyea?
You can see how many people are called Gonyea on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.