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

Gowin, 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 Gowin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gowin in America

Gowin is the 15571st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gowin surname appeared 1,878 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 Gowin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gowin 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 Gowin

The surname Gowin originated in England, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the late 12th century. The name is believed to have derived from an Old English personal name, "Goding" or "Goding," which was a combination of the elements "god" (good) and "ing" (descendant or family of). This name was likely given to someone of excellent character or standing within their community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Gowin surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1191, where a Walter Godwine is mentioned. This suggests that the name had already become established as a hereditary surname by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the Gowin surname appears in various records, including the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where a John Godwyne is listed in Oxfordshire. This spelling variation highlights the fluidity of surnames during this period.

The Domesday Book, a historical record commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the Gowin surname. However, it does include entries for individuals with similar names, such as Godwine and Godwin, indicating the presence of the root name in England at the time of the Norman Conquest.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the Gowin surname was Sir John Gowin (c. 1350 – 1416), a Member of Parliament for Bedfordshire during the reigns of Richard II and Henry IV. Another prominent figure was Thomas Gowin (c. 1530 – 1595), an English clergyman and churchman who served as the Bishop of St Davids in Wales.

Other historical figures bearing the Gowin surname include:

1. Robert Gowin (c. 1610 – 1670), a English-born settler in Maryland, United States, who was one of the earliest landowners in the colony.
2. William Gowin (1670 – 1737), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of comets and celestial mechanics.
3. Elizabeth Gowin (1737 – 1809), a noted English poet and writer during the 18th century.
4. James Gowin (1805 – 1879), a Scottish inventor and engineer who pioneered early developments in steam engine technology.
5. Mary Gowin (1865 – 1947), a British suffragette and activist who campaigned for women's rights and social reform in the early 20th century.

The surname Gowin has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Godwin Green in Kent and Godwinsfield in Herefordshire, further emphasizing its deep roots in the country's history and geography.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gowin

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

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

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

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