2000
#8,613
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,517
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.30
Rare Last name
Gulick
Derived from the German surname Gulich, referring to someone from a place called Gulich or Göllheim.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,624 Americans carry the last name Gulick. That puts it at #9,787 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 94,579 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gulick 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.
Bearers in the US
3.6K
1 in 94,579
Census rank
#9,787
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,160 bearers of the surname Gulick in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9787th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gulick, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gulick
The surname Gulick is of Dutch origin, with its roots tracing back to the 16th century in the Netherlands. It is believed to be derived from the Dutch word "gul," which means generous or bountiful. This name was likely given as a descriptive surname to individuals who were known for their generosity or perhaps came from a prosperous family.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gulick can be found in the Dutch town of Delft in the late 1500s. Records show a family by the name of Gulick residing in the area during this time period. The name was also present in other parts of the Netherlands, such as Amsterdam and Rotterdam, during the 17th and 18th centuries.
In the late 17th century, a notable figure named Dirk Gulick was mentioned in historical records as a respected merchant and trader in the Dutch East Indies. He was known for his successful business ventures and his contributions to the Dutch colonial efforts in the region.
As Dutch settlers began to emigrate to the American colonies in the 18th century, the surname Gulick made its way across the Atlantic. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in America is that of Jacob Gulick, who was born in 1720 in New Jersey and served as a soldier in the Revolutionary War.
In the 19th century, the name Gulick became more widespread in the United States. Notable individuals with this surname include Peter John Gulick, a prominent educator and missionary who lived from 1796 to 1879. He was instrumental in establishing educational institutions in Hawaii and worked to promote Christianity in the region.
Another notable figure was John Gulick, born in 1832, who was a renowned naturalist and scientist. He made significant contributions to the study of evolution and was a strong advocate for Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection.
The Gulick surname also has a presence in literature, with the author and poet Louise Gulick (1898-1984) being a notable figure. Her works focused on themes of nature, spirituality, and the human experience.
While the surname Gulick may not be as common today as it once was, its rich history and Dutch origins serve as a testament to the diverse cultural influences that have shaped the names and identities of people throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gulick
Among Census respondents with the surname Gulick, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Gulick 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 Gulick surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.1% · 2,909
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 117
- Two or more races2.8% · 90
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 24
- Black or African American0.3% · 10
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 10
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gulick
Gulick 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
#9,074
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,602
+85 bearers (+2.4%)
Per 100,000 1.22
Rank movement Down 461 places
2020
#9,787
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,160
-442 bearers (-12.3%)
Per 100,000 1.06
Rank movement Down 713 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,613 | 3,517 | 1.30 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,074 | 3,602 | 1.22 | +85 bearers (+2.4%) | Down 461 places |
| 2020 | #9,787 | 3,160 | 1.06 | -442 bearers (-12.3%) | Down 713 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 Gulick 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 | #9,074 | #9,787 | -7.9% |
| Count | 3,602 | 3,160 | -12.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.22 | 1.06 | -13.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gulick bearers went from 3,602 to 3,160 (-12.3% change). The surname moved down 713 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,074 to #9,787.
FAQ
Gulick surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gulick?
Name Census estimates that about 3,624 living Americans carry the surname Gulick. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 94,579 residents.
How common is Gulick?
Gulick ranks #9,787 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.06 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 3,160 people with the surname Gulick. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,624), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.06 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 Gulick.
Has Gulick become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gulick went from 3,602 recorded bearers to 3,160. That is a decrease of 442 (-12.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,074 to #9,787.
What does the Census say about the background of Gulick?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gulick, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.7%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Gulick in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.1% (2,909 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gulick appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.1%), Hispanic (3.7%), Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Gulick (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 Gulick mean?
Derived from the German surname Gulich, referring to someone from a place called Gulich or Göllheim. 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 Gulick (1.06 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 are called Gulick?
If you just want to know how common the surname Gulick is, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.