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

Gosney, 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 Gosney surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gosney in America

Gosney is the 15883rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gosney surname appeared 1,831 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Gosney.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gosney 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 Gosney

The surname Gosney is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name derived from the place name Gosney, which was likely a small village or hamlet located in the English countryside.

One possible origin of the name Gosney is from the Old English words "gos" meaning "goose" and "ey" meaning "island" or "piece of land surrounded by water." This suggests that the name may have referred to an area where geese were commonly found or bred.

Another theory is that Gosney is a variation of the surname Gostney or Gostney, which is derived from the Old French word "goste" meaning "guest" or "stranger." This could indicate that the name was given to someone who lived as a guest or stranger in a particular area.

While there are no definitive historical records of the surname Gosney appearing in prominent manuscripts like the Domesday Book, it is likely that the name existed in various spellings and forms during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Gosney dates back to the 16th century. A man named John Gosney was born around 1540 in Worcestershire, England. He was a landowner and farmer, and his descendants continued to use the Gosney surname in the region.

In the 17th century, a notable figure named Thomas Gosney (1624-1697) lived in Gloucestershire. He was a wealthy merchant and philanthropist who donated funds to establish a school for underprivileged children in his community.

Another prominent individual with the surname Gosney was William Gosney (1738-1810), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War. He was involved in several significant battles against the French and American forces.

In the 19th century, a woman named Elizabeth Gosney (1822-1891) became known for her work as a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded one of the first schools for girls in Yorkshire and campaigned for equal educational opportunities for women.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Gosney was the American writer and journalist, Edward Gosney (1859-1924). He was a respected author who published several books on historical and social topics, and he also worked as a newspaper editor for various publications.

While the surname Gosney may have evolved from different origins and been spelled in various ways throughout history, it has maintained a presence in England and other parts of the English-speaking world over the centuries, with individuals bearing this name making notable contributions in various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gosney

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

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

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

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