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

Gow, 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 Gow surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gow in America

Gow is the 15060th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gow surname appeared 1,960 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 Gow.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gow 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 Gow

Gow is a Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic word "gobha," which means "smith" or "blacksmith." The name originated in the Highlands of Scotland in the medieval period, where blacksmiths played a crucial role in the local economy and were highly respected members of their communities.

The earliest recorded instance of the Gow surname dates back to the 15th century, when it appeared in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland in the year 1492. During this time, many families adopted surnames based on their occupations, and the Gow family likely took their name from their ancestors' trade as blacksmiths.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Gow surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Perthshire and Angus, where several prominent Gow families resided. One notable example is John Gow (c. 1598-1681), a Scottish minister and author who served as the minister of Campsie Parish in Stirlingshire.

The Gow surname also has a connection to various place names in Scotland. For instance, the village of Gowrie in Perthshire is believed to have derived its name from the Gaelic words "gobha" and "rìgh," meaning "the king's smith." Additionally, the town of Gowkthrapple in Lanarkshire may have originated from the Scots word "gowk," meaning "cuckoo," suggesting a possible link to a Gow family residing in the area.

Throughout history, several individuals with the Gow surname have made significant contributions in various fields. One notable figure is Nathaniel Gow (1766-1831), a Scottish composer and violinist who was renowned for his collections of Scottish dance music. Another prominent Gow was Sir James Alexander Gow (1854-1923), a British naval officer and politician who served as the Governor of New South Wales, Australia, from 1909 to 1915.

In the field of literature, William Gow (1828-1909) was a Scottish poet and author who wrote extensively about rural life in Perthshire. Additionally, John Gow (1932-2011) was a Scottish writer and historian who authored numerous books on the history and culture of the Scottish Highlands.

While the Gow surname is primarily associated with Scotland, it has also spread to other parts of the world through emigration. Today, individuals bearing this surname can be found in various countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gow

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

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

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

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