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

Goz, 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 Goz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Goz in America

Goz is the 152628th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Goz surname appeared 107 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 Goz.

The history of the last name Goz

The surname Goz has its origins in the Brittany region of northwestern France. It dates back to the 11th century and is believed to have derived from the Breton word "goz," meaning "old" or "ancient." This suggests that the name may have originally been a descriptive term applied to an elderly person or someone who appeared to be of an advanced age.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Goz can be found in medieval records and documents from Brittany. In the 12th century, a nobleman named Alain Goz was mentioned in a charter from the Abbey of Saint-Sauveur in Redon, Brittany. Another early reference is a 13th-century document that mentions a certain Guillaume Goz, a landowner in the region.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the Goz family was prominent in various parts of Brittany, with members holding positions of influence and authority. One notable figure was Jean Goz, a 15th-century clergyman who served as the Bishop of Léon from 1437 to 1459.

As the name spread beyond Brittany, it underwent various spelling variations, including Gouz, Goze, and Gouse, reflecting the regional dialects and linguistic influences of different areas. In England, for instance, the name appeared as Goss or Gorse, likely due to the influence of the Norman French language.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Goz surname in England can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the late 12th century, which mention a certain Robert Goz. Another notable bearer of the name was Sir John Goz, a 14th-century English knight and landowner who was born in 1310 and died in 1381.

In later centuries, the Goz name gained prominence in various parts of Europe. In France, the playwright and poet Olivier Goz (1568-1638) was a prominent figure during the Renaissance period. In Germany, the philosopher and theologian Johann Goz (1643-1701) made significant contributions to the intellectual discourse of his time.

Other notable individuals with the surname Goz include the 18th-century French painter Jacques-Auguste Goz (1728-1808), the 19th-century German composer and music theorist Bernhard Goz (1838-1901), and the 20th-century French artist and sculptor Jean-Pierre Goz (1922-2001).

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Goz

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

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 Goz 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.

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

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

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