Explore the Family Name Gaye
The meaning of Gaye
1. English: variant of Gay. 2. West African (mainly Senegal; also Gambia and Mauritania): name found among the Wolof, Lebou, and Tukulor peoples. It could be derived from the root of the Wolof word gaynde ‘lion’. Some characteristic forenames: African/Muslim Amadou, Cheikh, Awa, Penda.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Gaye in the United States?
According to data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Gaye" has significantly increased from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it ranked 25,724th in terms of popularity and rose to 17,447th by 2010 — an increase of 32.18%. The count of people bearing this surname also saw a surge from 900 in 2000 to 1,616 in 2010, indicating a significant growth rate of 79.56%. The proportion of people with the surname Gaye per 100,000 people also increased from 0.33 to 0.55 during the same period, marking an upsurge of 66.67%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #25,724 | #17,447 | 32.18% |
| Count | 900 | 1,616 | 79.56% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.33 | 0.55 | 66.67% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Gaye
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data provides interesting insights. For instance, the percentage of individuals identifying as Black with the surname Gaye increased by 20.16%, from 67% in 2000 to 80.51% in 2010. At the same time, there was a decline in the percentage of people identifying as White, from 26.67% in 2000 to 15.84% in 2010. This represents a decrease of 40.61%. Additionally, the percentage of those identifying as having two or more ethnic identities decreased by 61.43% — from 4.33% in 2000 to 1.67% in 2010. The proportion of people with the Gaye surname who identified as Hispanic also dropped slightly, from 1.56% in 2000 to 1.36% in 2010. No individuals with the surname Gaye identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 67% | 80.51% | 20.16% |
| White | 26.67% | 15.84% | -40.61% |
| Two or More Races | 4.33% | 1.67% | -61.43% |
| Hispanic | 1.56% | 1.36% | -12.82% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |