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

Gueye, 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 Gueye surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gueye in America

Gueye is the 20750th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gueye surname appeared 1,274 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 Gueye.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gueye 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 Gueye

The surname Gueye has its origins in Senegal, a country located in West Africa. It is believed to have emerged during the 15th century, when the Wolof people, an ethnic group native to Senegal, began adopting surnames.

The name Gueye is derived from the Wolof word "guy," which means "to follow" or "to accompany." It was likely given to individuals who served as guides or companions to important figures or travelers in the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gueye can be found in the writings of Portuguese explorer Alvise Cadamosto, who visited the area in the mid-15th century. He mentioned a local leader named Gueye Ndiaye, suggesting that the name was already in use at that time.

In the 18th century, the Gueye family played a significant role in the Kingdom of Sine, a pre-colonial state in present-day Senegal. Notably, Biram Gueye Ndiogou Rassine reigned as the Buur Sine (King of Sine) from 1763 to 1781.

As Senegal transitioned into the colonial era, the Gueye surname continued to hold prominence. One notable figure was Blaise Diagne, a French-Senegalese politician and the first African to be elected to the French Chamber of Deputies. Born in 1872, Diagne played a crucial role in advocating for the rights of Africans in French colonies.

Another prominent individual with the Gueye surname was Léopold Sédar Senghor, a Senegalese poet, writer, and statesman who served as the first President of Senegal from 1960 to 1980. He was a key figure in the Negritude movement, which celebrated African culture and identity.

In the realm of sports, Sadio Mané, born in 1992, is a Senegalese professional footballer who plays for Bayern Munich and the Senegalese national team. He is widely regarded as one of the best African players of his generation.

While the Gueye surname is most prevalent in Senegal, it has also spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. Variations of the spelling, such as Gaye or Geye, can be found in different regions, reflecting the diverse linguistic influences on the name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gueye

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!