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

Gookin, 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 Gookin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gookin in America

Gookin is the 35537th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gookin surname appeared 633 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 Gookin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gookin 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 Gookin

The surname Gookin has its origins in England, specifically in the counties of Kent and Norfolk, where it first appeared in the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "gog" meaning "to go" and "inc" meaning "a meadow." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a meadow or pasture.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where it is spelled "Goghing." The Hundredorum Rolls were a census-like survey conducted during the reign of King Edward I, documenting landowners and their holdings throughout England.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various records with spellings such as "Goghyn," "Goughyn," and "Goughen." This variation in spelling was common during that period, as standardized spelling conventions had not yet been established.

In the early 15th century, the name is recorded in the form "Gokyn" in the records of the town of Thetford, Norfolk. This suggests that the name may have been particularly prevalent in that region during that time.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname Gookin was Daniel Gookin (1612-1687), an English-born colonial officer and historian who served as a magistrate and superintendent of the Indians in Massachusetts Bay Colony. He authored the 1674 work "Historical Collections of the Indians in New England," which provided valuable insights into the lives and customs of the indigenous peoples.

Another individual of note was Vincent Gookin (1616-1659), an English soldier and politician who served as a Colonel in the Parliamentary Army during the English Civil War. He was a member of the notorious "Rump Parliament" and was appointed one of the judges responsible for the trial and execution of King Charles I in 1649.

In the 18th century, John Gookin (1732-1786) was a prominent merchant and landowner in Virginia. He served as a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses and was a close friend of George Washington.

Sir Vincent Gookin (1590-1638) was an English soldier and courtier who served as a Captain in the English Army during the Thirty Years' War. He was knighted in 1624 for his service.

Finally, Samuel Gookin (1786-1859) was an American missionary and educator who worked among the Cherokee Nation in present-day Oklahoma. He established several schools and played a significant role in promoting education among the Cherokee people.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gookin

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

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

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

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