2000
#607
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 50,748
First available Census row
Per 100,000 18.81
Uncommon Last name
Gates
An occupational surname referring to someone who lived near or worked at the gates of a town or castle.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 58,825 Americans carry the last name Gates. That puts it at #648 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 17.16 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 5,827 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gates 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Gates with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
59K
1 in 5,827
Census rank
#648
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
17.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
51K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 51,298 bearers of the surname Gates in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 17.16 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 648th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gates, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.0%. The next largest groups are Black (18.8%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gates
The surname Gates originated in England and is thought to have derived from the Old English word 'geat' meaning 'gate' or 'opening'. It is believed to have been an occupational surname given to individuals who were employed as gatekeepers or those who lived near a gate or opening in a fence or wall.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Gates dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared in various spellings, such as 'Ate Gate' and 'Atte Gate', indicating its connection to an individual's proximity to a gate or entrance.
During the Middle Ages, the surname Gates was prevalent in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk. It is also believed to have been associated with certain place names, such as Gateshead in County Durham, which derives its name from the Old English 'Gæt' meaning 'goat' and 'heafod' meaning 'head'.
Some notable historical figures with the surname Gates include Sir John Gates (1504-1553), who was a prominent English soldier and courtier during the reign of Henry VIII. Another individual of note was Sir Thomas Gates (1585-1622), an English soldier and governor of Virginia Colony who played a significant role in the early settlement of the Americas.
In the 17th century, the surname Gates was also associated with Tomas Gates (1610-1688), an English colonist and landowner in Virginia. Additionally, Horatio Gates (1728-1806) was an English-born American general who played a crucial role in the American Revolutionary War, most notably for his victory over the British at the Battle of Saratoga in 1777.
Another prominent figure with the surname Gates was William Gates (1788-1868), an English author and historian who specialized in the history of Essex and Hertfordshire. His works, such as "The History of Hertfordshire" and "The History of Thetford," are considered valuable resources for studying the history of these regions.
Throughout history, the surname Gates has been associated with various occupations, from gatekeepers and soldiers to authors and landowners. While its origins can be traced back to the Old English word 'geat', the surname has evolved and spread across different regions, leaving a lasting impact on the historical records of England and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gates
Among Census respondents with the surname Gates, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.0%. The next largest groups are Black (18.8%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Gates 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 Gates surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White72.0% · 36,933
- Black or African American18.8% · 9,654
- Two or more races4.2% · 2,167
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 1,800
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 386
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 358
Timeline
Historical Census data for Gates
Gates 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
#648
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 52,569
+1,821 bearers (+3.6%)
Per 100,000 17.82
Rank movement Down 41 places
2020
#648
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 51,298
-1,271 bearers (-2.4%)
Per 100,000 17.16
Rank movement No rank change
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #607 | 50,748 | 18.81 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #648 | 52,569 | 17.82 | +1,821 bearers (+3.6%) | Down 41 places |
| 2020 | #648 | 51,298 | 17.16 | -1,271 bearers (-2.4%) | No rank change |
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 Gates 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 | #648 | #648 | 0.0% |
| Count | 52,569 | 51,298 | -2.4% |
| Per 100K | 17.82 | 17.16 | -3.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Gates bearers went from 52,569 to 51,298 (-2.4% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, remaining at #648.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Gates
FAQ
Gates surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Gates?
Name Census estimates that about 58,825 living Americans carry the surname Gates. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 5,827 residents.
How common is Gates?
Gates ranks #648 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 17.16 per 100,000 residents, which is about 17 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 51,298 people with the surname Gates. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (58,825), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 17.16 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 17.16 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 17 of them to have the surname Gates.
Has Gates become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Gates went from 52,569 recorded bearers to 51,298. That is a decrease of 1,271 (-2.4%). In the national ranking it stayed at #648.
What does the Census say about the background of Gates?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gates, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.0%. The next largest groups are Black (18.8%) and Two or More Races (4.2%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Gates in the 2020 Census, accounting for 72.0% (36,933 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Gates appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (72.0%), Black (18.8%), Two or More Races (4.2%). 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 Gates (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 Gates mean?
An occupational surname referring to someone who lived near or worked at the gates of a town or castle. 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 Gates (17.16 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 Americans have the surname Gates?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.