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

Gossard, 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 Gossard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gossard in America

Gossard is the 15178th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gossard surname appeared 1,941 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 Gossard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gossard 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 Gossard

The surname Gossard is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "gosser" meaning "to joke or make fun of." It is believed to have originated as a nickname for someone with a jocular or humorous personality.

The earliest recorded instances of the Gossard surname date back to the 12th century in the Normandy region of northern France. The name appears in various medieval records and documents from this area, often spelled as "Gossart" or "Gosart."

In the 13th century, the name Gossard is found in the Hundred Rolls, a census-like record of landholders in England compiled during the reign of King Edward I. This suggests that individuals bearing this surname had already migrated to England by that time.

One notable early bearer of the Gossard name was William Gossard, a French-born monk who lived in the late 12th century. He is mentioned in several contemporary chronicles for his work as a scribe and illuminator of manuscripts.

In the 14th century, the Gossard surname appears in the Pipe Rolls, which were records of payments made to the English Crown. This indicates that individuals with this name had established themselves as landowners or merchants in England by this period.

During the 16th century, a branch of the Gossard family settled in the village of Gosport, located in Hampshire, England. It is believed that the place name "Gosport" may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in this area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Gossard name in North America is that of Pierre Gossard, a French immigrant who settled in Quebec, Canada, in the late 17th century. He is recorded as having married Marie-Madeleine Gervais in Quebec City in 1691.

A prominent figure in the history of the Gossard surname is John Gossard, an English architect and surveyor who lived from 1715 to 1790. He is best known for his work on the design and construction of several churches and public buildings in London.

Another notable individual bearing the Gossard name is Charles Gossard, a French-born businessman who founded the Gossard Corset Company in the United States in the late 19th century. The company, which produced corsets and other undergarments, became widely successful and helped establish the Gossard name in the American fashion industry.

In the early 20th century, Edna Gossard (1891-1972), the daughter of Charles Gossard, played a significant role in the development and marketing of the company's products, helping to shape the modern lingerie industry.

Overall, the Gossard surname has a rich history spanning several centuries and multiple countries, with its origins rooted in the Old French language and a tradition of humor and wit.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gossard

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

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

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

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