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

Gou, 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 Gou surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gou in America

Gou is the 70833rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gou surname appeared 276 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 Gou.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gou 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 Gou

The surname "GOU" has its origins in France, where it first emerged in the late medieval period around the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "gou," which referred to a small stream or rivulet. This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive surname, given to individuals who lived near a small body of water.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "GOU" can be found in the Registers of the Parlement of Paris, a series of legal records dating back to the 14th century. In these documents, a certain Jean Gou is mentioned in relation to a land dispute in the year 1367.

Another notable historical reference to the name "GOU" comes from the Armorial Général, a collection of heraldic records compiled in the late 17th century under the reign of King Louis XIV. This work includes a description of the coat of arms belonging to the noble family of Gou, originating from the region of Normandy.

Among the earliest recorded individuals bearing the surname "GOU" was Jacques Gou, a merchant from the city of Lyon who lived in the late 15th century. Another notable figure was Pierre Gou, a respected jurist and legal scholar who served as a judge in the Parlement of Paris in the early 16th century.

In the 17th century, François Gou (1610-1670) was a prominent clergyman and theologian who served as the Bishop of Clermont. He was known for his writings on religious doctrine and his efforts to promote education within his diocese.

During the French Revolution, a military officer by the name of Jean-Baptiste Gou (1755-1818) gained recognition for his service in the Revolutionary Wars. He rose through the ranks and was eventually promoted to the rank of General, distinguishing himself in several key battles.

Another notable figure was the 19th-century writer and poet, Émile Gou (1821-1889). Born in the town of Montauban, he was celebrated for his works of poetry and literature, which often explored themes of nature and rural life.

Throughout its history, the surname "GOU" has also been associated with various place names in France, such as the village of Gouy-en-Ternois in the region of Pas-de-Calais, or the commune of Gouy-Servins in the department of Loiret. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gou

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

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

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

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