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

Gurganus, 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 Gurganus surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gurganus in America

Gurganus is the 15020th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gurganus surname appeared 1,966 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 Gurganus.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gurganus 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 Gurganus

The surname Gurganus is believed to have originated in the region of Campania in southern Italy during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is thought to be derived from the Italian word "gurgano," which means "throat" or "gullet," possibly referring to an ancestor's occupation or physical characteristic.

One of the earliest known records of the Gurganus name can be found in the "Codice Diplomatico Amalfitano," a collection of documents from the maritime republic of Amalfi, dating back to the 14th century. The name appears in several documents related to trade and commerce, suggesting that the Gurganus family may have been involved in maritime activities or merchant trades.

In the 15th century, a notable figure named Giovanni Gurganus (c. 1420-1490) was a renowned physician and scholar from the city of Naples. He authored several treatises on medicine and was known for his contributions to the study of anatomy and physiology.

During the 16th century, the Gurganus name spread to other parts of Italy, including the regions of Calabria and Sicily. One notable individual from this period was Vincenzo Gurganus (c. 1530-1598), a Sicilian mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the development of astronomical instruments and the study of celestial mechanics.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Gurganus family settled in the Spanish-ruled Kingdom of Naples. One prominent member was Girolamo Gurganus (1605-1678), a lawyer and statesman who served as a magistrate and advisor to the Spanish viceroy.

As the Gurganus name spread throughout Europe in the following centuries, it underwent various spellings and adaptations, such as Gurgano, Gurgani, and Gurgano-Gurganus. Notable individuals from this period include the Italian composer and musician Gaetano Gurganus (1738-1804), who gained fame for his operas and sacred works.

While the Gurganus surname is relatively uncommon globally, it has maintained a strong presence in parts of southern Italy, particularly in the regions of Campania, Calabria, and Sicily, where it continues to be associated with a rich cultural heritage and historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gurganus

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

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

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

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