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

Gwilt, 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 Gwilt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gwilt in America

Gwilt is the 63218th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gwilt surname appeared 316 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 Gwilt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gwilt 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 Gwilt

The surname Gwilt is of English origin, believed to have originated in the southeastern county of Sussex during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "gewilted," which means "faded" or "wilted." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone who appeared pale or sickly.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, where a John Gewylte is mentioned. The name also appears in various spellings, such as Gylte, Gult, and Gwylte, in various medieval records from the region.

In the 16th century, the name is documented in the parish records of East Sussex, with entries for the baptism of Elizabeth Gwilt in 1562 and the marriage of John Gwilt and Joan Crunden in 1590. These records provide insight into the surname's continued presence in the area during this time period.

The Gwilt surname is also associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure is Joseph Gwilt (1784-1863), an English architect and writer who authored several influential works on architecture, including the "Encyclopaedia of Architecture" and "Rudiments of Architecture." His contributions to the field of architecture and architectural education were significant during the early 19th century.

Another prominent individual with the Gwilt surname was Richard Gwilt (1791-1865), an English engraver and artist known for his intricate engravings of architectural subjects. His detailed works, such as "Views of the Chapel at Eton College," showcased his skill and precision in capturing architectural details.

In the field of literature, George Gwilt (1804-1856) was an English writer and journalist who contributed to various publications, including the "Quarterly Review" and "Fraser's Magazine." He was known for his critiques and essays on literature and society.

The Gwilt surname also has connections to the military, with Major General Sir Reginald Gwilt (1865-1939) serving as a British Army officer during World War I. He played a significant role in the Battle of Gallipoli and later served as the Governor of Bermuda from 1924 to 1927.

While the Gwilt surname originated in Sussex, it has since spread to various parts of England and beyond, with individuals bearing this name contributing to various fields over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gwilt

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Gwilt, 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!