Explore the Family Name Gossard
The meaning of Gossard
1. English (West Midlands): occupational name for a keeper of geese, from Middle English goseherde, from Old English gōs ‘goose’ + hierde ‘herdsman, keeper’. The surname in this spelling is now extinct in Britain but it survives as Gozzard, mainly recorded in Staffordshire in the 19th century. 2. French: from the ancient Germanic personal name Gozhard, composed of the elements goz (from gaut, an ethnic name meaning ‘Goth’ or ‘Geat’; see Goss) + hard ‘hardy, brave, strong’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Gossard in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Gossard slipped in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In the year 2000, Gossard was ranked 14,658th most popular surname in the U.S., and this dropped by about 3.55% to a rank of 15,178 in 2010. Despite the drop in rank, the actual count of people with this surname increased from 1,860 to 1,941 during this decade, a growth of 4.35%. However, when adjusted for population growth, the proportion of people named Gossard per 100,000 decreased slightly by 4.35%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,658 | #15,178 | -3.55% |
| Count | 1,860 | 1,941 | 4.35% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.69 | 0.66 | -4.35% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Gossard
The Decennial U.S. Census also provides insights into the ethnic identity linked with the surname Gossard. In both 2000 and 2010, the predominant ethnicity associated with Gossard was White, constituting 95.86% and 94.80%, respectively, showing a slight decrease of 1.11%. The percentage of people identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander declined significantly by almost 30%, while those identifying as two or more races nearly doubled from 0.75% to 1.49%. There were minor increases in individuals who identify as Hispanic (1.88% to 2.42%) and American Indian and Alaskan Native (0.27% to 0.31%). Meanwhile, the proportion of Black individuals with this surname experienced a small decrease from 0.43% to 0.41%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.86% | 94.8% | -1.11% |
| Hispanic | 1.88% | 2.42% | 28.72% |
| Two or More Races | 0.75% | 1.49% | 98.67% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.81% | 0.57% | -29.63% |
| Black | 0.43% | 0.41% | -4.65% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.27% | 0.31% | 14.81% |