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

Gurdian, 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 Gurdian surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gurdian in America

Gurdian is the 85357th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gurdian surname appeared 219 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 Gurdian.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gurdian 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 Gurdian

The surname Gurdian has its roots in the Middle Ages, originating from the Old French word "gorde" or "gorde-reine," meaning "queen's guard." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who served as royal guards or had some connection to the monarch's personal protection.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gurdian can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This indicates that the name was present in England during the Norman period, likely brought over by French settlers or soldiers who accompanied William's conquest.

The Gurdian surname appears to have gained prominence in the counties of Dorset and Somerset in southwestern England, where it was particularly concentrated during the 13th and 14th centuries. This region was known for its proximity to royal residences and castles, potentially reinforcing the name's association with guardianship or military service.

In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the Gurdian name was Sir John Gurdian (c. 1420-1489), a prominent English landowner and member of Parliament from Somerset. He served as Sheriff of Somerset and Dorset and was involved in local governance and affairs.

Another historical figure was Thomas Gurdian (1561-1622), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Archdeacon of Norwich and authored several religious works during the Reformation period.

Moving further into the 17th century, we find Sir Edmund Gurdian (1605-1669), a Member of Parliament and justice of the peace in Dorset, who played a role in the English Civil War and was knighted by King Charles II in recognition of his loyalty to the royalist cause.

In the 18th century, the Gurdian name was associated with the village of Gurdian's Newton, located in Wiltshire, England. This place name likely derived from an individual or family named Gurdian who held land or property in the area.

Throughout these centuries, variations in spelling such as Gordian, Gordien, and Gurdien were also observed, reflecting the fluidity of surname spellings during that time period.

It is worth noting that while the Gurdian surname has a long history in England, it has also been found in other parts of Europe, possibly due to migration or shared linguistic roots with the French language. However, the details of its origins and early bearers outside of England are less well-documented.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gurdian

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

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

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

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