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

Gott, 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 Gott surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gott in America

Gott is the 6757th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gott surname appeared 4,989 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Gott.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gott 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 Gott

The surname Gott is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "gott" or "got," meaning a person or family who lived near a gap, pass, or opening in a hill or mountain. It is believed to have originated in the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire and Lancashire, during the Middle Ages.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century. In the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire, compiled in 1273, there is a reference to a person named William del Got, indicating the use of a locational suffix derived from the Old English term.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Gott, a merchant and alderman in the city of York, who lived in the late 14th century. He is mentioned in various historical records from that period, including the York Minster records.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Gott appeared in several parish registers and tax records across northern England. Variations in spelling, such as Gotte, Gotte, and Gote, were common during that time.

Notable individuals with the surname Gott throughout history include:

1. Benjamin Gott (1762-1840), an English industrialist and wool merchant from Leeds, who played a significant role in the development of the textile industry during the Industrial Revolution.

2. John Gott (1613-1681), an English clergyman and author, who served as the Rector of St. Sepulchre's Church in London.

3. Samuel Gott (1770-1839), an English Quaker and philanthropist, known for his efforts in promoting education and social reform.

4. Sir John Gott (1886-1963), a British naval officer who served as Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Navy's Home Fleet during World War II.

5. Reverend Thomas Gott (1704-1762), an English clergyman and mathematician, who contributed to the development of calculus and was a member of the Royal Society.

While the name Gott can be found in various historical records and documents, it is not known to have been mentioned in prominent sources like the Domesday Book, which primarily focused on land ownership and taxation during the Norman conquest of England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gott

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

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

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

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