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

Gotcher, 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 Gotcher surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gotcher in America

Gotcher is the 21439th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gotcher surname appeared 1,219 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 Gotcher.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gotcher 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 Gotcher

The surname Gotcher is believed to have originated in Germany, specifically in the regions of Bavaria and Franconia. Its roots can be traced back to the 14th century, derived from the Old German words "guot" and "her," which translate to "good" and "man" or "lord," respectively. This combination suggests that the name was initially used to denote a respected or noble individual.

In its early days, the name was often spelled as "Gutcher" or "Gutscher," reflecting the regional dialects and variations in pronunciation. As the name spread across Europe, it underwent further transformations, eventually evolving into the modern spelling of "Gotcher."

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Gotcher name can be found in the Bavarian town records from the late 15th century, where a certain Hans Gutcher is listed as a local landowner. Additionally, the name appears in several genealogical records from the 16th and 17th centuries in the region of Franconia.

Historically, the Gotcher name has been associated with a few notable individuals. In the late 17th century, Johann Gutcher was a respected scholar and theologian who authored several influential works on religious philosophy. A century later, Wilhelm Gotcher gained recognition as a skilled craftsman and master woodcarver, with his intricate creations adorning several churches and cathedrals in Bavaria.

As the name spread throughout Europe, it also found its way to other parts of the world. In the 19th century, a family by the name of Gotcher immigrated to the United States, settling in the state of Virginia. One of their descendants, Sarah Gotcher (1835-1912), became a prominent figure in the American women's suffrage movement, advocating for equal rights and political representation.

Another notable bearer of the Gotcher name was Heinrich Gotcher (1892-1976), a German-born artist who gained recognition for his landscapes and portraiture. His works were exhibited in galleries across Europe and the United States, and several of his paintings are now part of prestigious museum collections.

Throughout its long history, the surname Gotcher has maintained its connection to its German roots, while also embracing the cultural diversity of the regions and countries it has spread to over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gotcher

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

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

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

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