2000
#7,563
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,055
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.50
Rare Last name
Gusman
A Spanish surname derived from the Germanic name Guzman, meaning "good man" or "man of God."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,313 Americans carry the last name Gusman. That puts it at #10,586 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.97 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 103,457 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gusman 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
3.3K
1 in 103,457
Census rank
#10,586
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,889 bearers of the surname Gusman in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.97 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10586th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gusman, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 75.9%. The next largest groups are White (15.3%) and Black (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gusman
The surname Gusman has its origins in Spain, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Germanic personal name Gudman, which translates to "good man" or "virtuous man." The name likely originated as a descriptive surname, given to individuals who were perceived as having virtuous or upstanding qualities.
During the Reconquista period in Spain, when Christian kingdoms sought to reclaim territories from Moorish rule, the Gusman name gained prominence. It is recorded in several historical documents, including the Cartulario de Santa María de Huerta, a medieval manuscript from the 12th century, which mentions individuals bearing the name Gusman.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Gusman surname was Alvar Pérez de Guzmán, a prominent Spanish nobleman and military leader who lived in the 13th century (c. 1256-1309). He played a significant role in the conquest of Seville and was known for his loyalty to King Ferdinand III of Castile.
Another notable figure was Enrique de Guzmán, 2nd Count of Olivares (1587-1645), a Spanish statesman and chief minister of King Philip IV of Spain. He was a powerful figure during the Spanish Golden Age and played a crucial role in shaping the policies of the Spanish Empire.
In the literary realm, Fernán Pérez de Guzmán (c. 1378-1460) was a Spanish poet and historian of the 15th century. He is best known for his work "Generaciones y Semblanzas," which provides valuable insights into the lives of prominent individuals during his time.
The Gusman name also has connections to various place names in Spain. For instance, the town of Guzmán in the province of Burgos is believed to have derived its name from the surname itself, potentially reflecting the presence of individuals bearing this name in the area.
Another notable figure with the Gusman surname was Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares (1587-1645), a Spanish statesman who served as the chief minister of King Philip IV of Spain during the early part of the Thirty Years' War.
While the Gusman surname originated in Spain, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly to Latin American countries, due to Spanish colonization and migration patterns. However, the focus of this report remains on the historical roots and notable figures associated with the surname within Spain.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gusman
Among Census respondents with the surname Gusman, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 75.9%. The next largest groups are White (15.3%) and Black (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Gusman 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 Gusman surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino75.9% · 2,193
- White15.3% · 443
- Black or African American3.4% · 97
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.2% · 93
- Two or more races2.0% · 58
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gusman
Gusman 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
#8,097
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,095
+40 bearers (+1.0%)
Per 100,000 1.39
Rank movement Down 534 places
2020
#10,586
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,889
-1,206 bearers (-29.5%)
Per 100,000 0.97
Rank movement Down 2,489 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,563 | 4,055 | 1.50 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,097 | 4,095 | 1.39 | +40 bearers (+1.0%) | Down 534 places |
| 2020 | #10,586 | 2,889 | 0.97 | -1,206 bearers (-29.5%) | Down 2,489 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 Gusman 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 | #8,097 | #10,586 | -30.7% |
| Count | 4,095 | 2,889 | -29.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.39 | 0.97 | -30.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gusman bearers went from 4,095 to 2,889 (-29.5% change). The surname moved down 2,489 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,097 to #10,586.
FAQ
Gusman surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gusman?
Name Census estimates that about 3,313 living Americans carry the surname Gusman. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 103,457 residents.
How common is Gusman?
Gusman ranks #10,586 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.97 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 2,889 people with the surname Gusman. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,313), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.97 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.97 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 Gusman.
Has Gusman become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gusman went from 4,095 recorded bearers to 2,889. That is a decrease of 1,206 (-29.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #8,097 to #10,586.
What does the Census say about the background of Gusman?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gusman, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 75.9%. The next largest groups are White (15.3%) and Black (3.4%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Gusman in the 2020 Census, accounting for 75.9% (2,193 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gusman appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (75.9%), White (15.3%), Black (3.4%). 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 Gusman (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 Gusman mean?
A Spanish surname derived from the Germanic name Guzman, meaning "good man" or "man of God." 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 Gusman (0.97 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 Gusman?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Gusman on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.