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

Gowie, 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 Gowie surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gowie in America

Gowie is the 98982nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gowie surname appeared 183 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 Gowie.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gowie 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 Gowie

The surname Gowie has its origins in Scotland, with records dating back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic word "gobha," meaning "blacksmith" or "smith." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have been involved in metalworking or smithing trades.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland in 1593, where a certain William Gowie is mentioned. Another early reference is found in the Particular Register of Sasines for the Shire of Fife in 1611, which mentions a John Gowie.

The name Gowie has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, including Govie, Gowey, and Gouie. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the inconsistent nature of record-keeping in earlier times.

In the 17th century, the Gowie name was concentrated in the Scottish counties of Fife, Angus, and Aberdeenshire. Some prominent individuals bearing this surname during this period include Robert Gowie (1628-1703), a Scottish minister and theologian, and James Gowie (1645-1718), a Presbyterian minister and author.

As the centuries progressed, the Gowie name spread to other parts of Scotland and beyond. One notable figure was Sir John Gowie (1833-1913), a Scottish lawyer and politician who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland from 1888 to 1892.

In the 19th century, the Gowie surname also found its way to North America, carried by Scottish immigrants seeking new opportunities. Among them was David Gowie (1821-1897), a Scottish-born Canadian farmer and businessman who settled in Ontario.

Throughout its history, the surname Gowie has been associated with various occupations, including blacksmithing, farming, ministry, law, and politics. While not an extremely common name, it has left its mark on the cultural and historical fabric of Scotland and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gowie

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

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

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

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