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

Gouge, 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 Gouge surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gouge in America

Gouge is the 11156th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gouge surname appeared 2,837 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 Gouge.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gouge 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 Gouge

The surname GOUGE has its origins in France, tracing back to the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "gouger," meaning "to pierce" or "to scoop out." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with a trade or occupation related to gouging or carving.

In the 13th century, records show variations of the name such as "le Gouge" and "de Gouge" appearing in regions like Normandy and Brittany. These early spellings indicate that the name may have referred to a person who worked as a gouger or carver, potentially in the woodworking or stoneworking trades.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England conducted in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname GOUGE. However, this does not preclude the possibility of the name existing in other parts of Europe at that time.

One of the earliest documented individuals bearing the name GOUGE was Jean Gouge, a French theologian born in 1616 in Normandy. Another notable figure was Thomas Gouge (1605-1681), an English Puritan minister and author from Stratford-upon-Avon.

In the 17th century, the name appears in records from England, possibly introduced by French Huguenot immigrants fleeing religious persecution. One such individual was William Gouge (1625-1687), a merchant and philanthropist who established several charitable institutions in London.

The name GOUGE also has a connection to the American colonies. Robert Gouge (c. 1610-1662) was an early settler in Virginia and a member of the House of Burgesses, while James Gouge (c. 1630-1689) was a landowner and prominent figure in colonial Maryland.

Other notable individuals with the surname GOUGE include Sir Daniel Gouge (1670-1731), a British naval officer who served during the War of the Spanish Succession, and Humphrey Gouge (1767-1836), an English artist and engraver known for his landscape paintings.

While the surname GOUGE is not among the most common, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and regions, reflecting its origins in the skilled trades and occupations of medieval Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gouge

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

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

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

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