Explore the Family Name Gatewood
The meaning of Gatewood
English: variant of Gatward, derived from either an occupational name for a goatherd (Middle English gate-werde, Old English gātweard), or from an occupational name for a gate keeper (Middle English gateward, Old English ʒeatweard, dialect gātward). This surname is now rare in Britain. History: The Gatewood family has been established in Essex County, VA, and Spotsylvania since the 17th century.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Gatewood in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Gatewood has displayed slight changes in its popularity between 2000 and 2010. As of 2000, the surname ranked 4096 in terms of popularity but slipped to a rank of 4242 by 2010, marking a decline of 3.56%. However, the total count of those with the surname increased from 7999 in 2000 to 8359 in 2010, resulting in a growth of 4.5%. The proportion of the population with the surname per 100k also experienced a decrease from 2.97 in 2000 to 2.83 in 2010, a decline of 4.71%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,096 | #4,242 | -3.56% |
| Count | 7,999 | 8,359 | 4.5% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.97 | 2.83 | -4.71% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Gatewood
The ethnicity associated with the surname Gatewood also saw shifts over the decade, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. While the percentage of individuals identifying as White decreased from 53.38% in 2000 to 50.51% in 2010, the Black category saw a modest increase from 39.89% to 40.79%. Meanwhile, the representation of Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic ethnicities underwent considerable growths of 51.52% and 48.11% respectively. The subset identifying with two or more races also grew from 2.11% to 3.06%. However, the proportion of American Indian and Alaskan Native identity slightly dropped from 2.44% to 2.39%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 53.38% | 50.51% | -5.38% |
| Black | 39.89% | 40.79% | 2.26% |
| Two or More Races | 2.11% | 3.06% | 45.02% |
| Hispanic | 1.85% | 2.74% | 48.11% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 2.44% | 2.39% | -2.05% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.33% | 0.5% | 51.52% |
Gatewood ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Gatewood is British & Irish, which comprises 47.5% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (18.5%) and Nigerian (5.7%). Additional ancestries include Spanish & Portuguese, Eastern European, Italian, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 47.5% |
| French & German | 18.5% |
| Nigerian | 5.7% |
| Other | 28.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Gatewood
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Gatewood have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 76.60% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 76.60% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 76.60% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 76.60% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 75.90% |
What Gatewood haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Gatewood is R-Z278, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z278 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include E-M180 and R-L51, which are predominantly found among people with Sub-Saharan African and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Crowder, Towne, Smock, Bowker, Cardinal, Bogue, Maestas, Elkins, Colon, Mathieu.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Gatewood surname are: H1, H5_36, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Gatewood have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Gatewood" Surname 46.3%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Gatewood" Surname 26.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Gatewood" Surname 21.2%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Gatewood" Surname 17.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Gatewood?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Gatewood are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition