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

Gorel, 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 Gorel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gorel in America

Gorel is the 104602nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gorel surname appeared 171 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 Gorel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gorel 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 Gorel

The surname GOREL originates from France, specifically the northern regions of Normandy and Brittany, dating back to the early medieval period around the 11th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "gorel," meaning a small stream or rivulet, suggesting that the name may have been a toponymic reference to someone living near a small body of water.

Early records indicate that variations of the name, such as "Gourel" and "Gourelle," appear in historical documents from Normandy and Brittany during the 12th and 13th centuries. However, there is no evidence of the surname GOREL being included in the famous Domesday Book, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname GOREL can be found in the archives of the Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, where a certain Robert GOREL is mentioned as a donor to the abbey in the year 1192. Another notable early bearer of the name was Jean GOREL, a merchant from Rouen, who is recorded in the city's tax records in 1327.

Throughout the centuries, the GOREL surname has been associated with several notable individuals, including:

1. Pierre GOREL (c. 1520-1590), a French Protestant theologian and writer who played a significant role in the Reformation.
2. Jacques GOREL (1635-1711), a French painter known for his religious works and portraits.
3. Étienne GOREL (1772-1847), a French military officer who served under Napoleon Bonaparte and participated in the Napoleonic Wars.
4. Marie-Louise GOREL (1852-1925), a French novelist and playwright who wrote under the pen name Marc de Montifaud.
5. Émile GOREL (1874-1949), a French architect and urban planner who designed several notable buildings and public spaces in Paris.

While the GOREL surname has its roots in northern France, it has since spread to other parts of Europe and beyond, with variations in spelling and pronunciation occurring over time. The name has also been associated with various place names, such as the village of Gourel in the Côtes-d'Armor department of Brittany, which may have contributed to the surname's development.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gorel

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

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

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

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