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

Gordian, 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 Gordian surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gordian in America

Gordian is the 56310th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gordian surname appeared 363 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 Gordian.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gordian 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 Gordian

The surname Gordian is believed to have originated in Ancient Rome, derived from the Latin word 'gordius', meaning 'intricate' or 'complex'. It is thought to have been a nickname initially given to individuals who were adept at solving complex problems or untangling knotty situations, much like the legendary Gordian Knot.

The name can be traced back to the 3rd century AD, when it was recorded in Roman census records and inscriptions. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Marcus Antonius Gordianus, who reigned as Roman Emperor from 238 to 244 AD, after being proclaimed by the legions in Africa.

During the Middle Ages, the name Gordian was relatively rare, but it did appear in some historical documents. In the 11th century, a knight named Gordian de Montfort was mentioned in the Norman chronicles for his bravery in battle. Additionally, in 1086, a landowner named Godric Gordian was listed in the Domesday Book, which recorded landholders in England after the Norman Conquest.

As the surname spread across Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Gordien, Gordiano, and Gordian. In France, the name appeared as Gordien, and a notable bearer was Pierre Gordien, a 16th-century scholar and philosopher from Burgundy.

In England, the Gordian surname was relatively uncommon, but there were a few individuals of note. One was Sir Gordian Knollys, born in 1528, who served as a courtier to Queen Elizabeth I and was appointed a member of her Privy Council. Another was Robert Gordian, born in 1688, a renowned mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics.

In Scotland, the surname Gordian was closely associated with the town of Gordon, located in Berwickshire. It is believed that the surname may have evolved from the place name, with early bearers taking the name to denote their origin from the town. One notable Scottish bearer was John Gordian, born in 1612, who was a renowned poet and playwright during the Renaissance period.

While the Gordian surname is not widely common today, it has left its mark in history, with various individuals bearing this name making their contributions in various fields, from literature and philosophy to science and warfare.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gordian

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

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

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

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