2000
#9,450
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,157
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.17
Rare Last name
Gowen
A variant of the Welsh name Gowyn, likely meaning "of fair complexion" or "white, holy, blessed."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,495 Americans carry the last name Gowen. That puts it at #10,080 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.02 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 98,070 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gowen surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Gowen with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.5K
1 in 98,070
Census rank
#10,080
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,048 bearers of the surname Gowen in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.02 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10080th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gowen, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gowen
The surname GOWEN has its origins in Wales, dating back to the early medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Welsh word "gwyn," which means fair or white, possibly referring to someone with light-colored hair or a pale complexion. The name may have also been derived from a place name, such as Gowen or Gowy, which were locations in Wales.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name GOWEN can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England and parts of Wales commissioned by William the Conqueror. While the spelling may have varied slightly, such as Gowenn or Goueyn, this historical record provides evidence of the name's existence during the Norman period.
In the 13th century, a notable figure named Howel GOWEN was recorded as a landowner in the county of Pembrokeshire, Wales. His name appeared in various legal documents and charters from that era, indicating the name's prominence in the region.
During the 16th century, a Welsh poet and chronicler named Wiliam GOWEN (c. 1520 - c. 1580) gained recognition for his works, which documented historical events and preserved Welsh literary traditions. His writings provide valuable insights into the cultural and linguistic landscape of Wales during the Tudor period.
Another prominent individual bearing the GOWEN surname was Sir William GOWEN (1575 - 1638), a Welsh politician and Member of Parliament who served during the reign of King James I. He played a significant role in the governance of Wales and represented the borough of Haverfordwest in the House of Commons.
In the 18th century, a notable figure named Thomas GOWEN (1718 - 1794) emerged as a Welsh Presbyterian minister and author. He wrote extensively on religious topics and his works were widely circulated among the Welsh diaspora, contributing to the preservation of Welsh culture and traditions.
As the GOWEN surname spread from its Welsh roots, it also found its way to other parts of the world, including the British colonies in North America. Records show that individuals with the surname GOWEN were present in various regions, such as Pennsylvania and Virginia, as early as the 17th and 18th centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gowen
Among Census respondents with the surname Gowen, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Gowen bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Gowen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.5% · 2,790
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 94
- Two or more races2.7% · 82
- Black or African American1.5% · 45
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 25
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gowen
Gowen appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#10,114
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,186
+29 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 1.08
Rank movement Down 664 places
2020
#10,080
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,048
-138 bearers (-4.3%)
Per 100,000 1.02
Rank movement Up 34 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,450 | 3,157 | 1.17 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,114 | 3,186 | 1.08 | +29 bearers (+0.9%) | Down 664 places |
| 2020 | #10,080 | 3,048 | 1.02 | -138 bearers (-4.3%) | Up 34 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Gowen surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #10,114 | #10,080 | 0.3% |
| Count | 3,186 | 3,048 | -4.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.08 | 1.02 | -5.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gowen bearers went from 3,186 to 3,048 (-4.3% change). The surname moved up 34 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,114 to #10,080.
FAQ
Gowen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gowen?
Name Census estimates that about 3,495 living Americans carry the surname Gowen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 98,070 residents.
How common is Gowen?
Gowen ranks #10,080 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.02 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,048 people with the surname Gowen. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,495), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.02 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.02 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Gowen.
Has Gowen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gowen went from 3,186 recorded bearers to 3,048. That is a decrease of 138 (-4.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,114 to #10,080.
What does the Census say about the background of Gowen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gowen, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Two or More Races (2.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Gowen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (2,790 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gowen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.5%), Hispanic (3.1%), Two or More Races (2.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Gowen (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Gowen mean?
A variant of the Welsh name Gowyn, likely meaning "of fair complexion" or "white, holy, blessed." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Gowen (1.02 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Gowen?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.