Gay Surname

6,384th
Most Common
surname in the World

Approximately 88,569 people bear this surname

Most prevalent in:
United States
Highest density in:
Grenada

Gay Surname Definition:

This surname is derived from a nickname. 'the gay,' the light-spirited; compare Jolly, Merry, &c.

Adam le Gay, Oxfordshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Robert le Gay, Oxfordshire, ibid.

William Gay, Somerset, 1 Edward III: Kirby's Quest.

Read More About This Surname

Gay Surname Distribution Map

PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States42,2441:8,5801,031
South Sudan7,3981:1,543305
England5,3591:10,3971,536
Haiti4,2431:2,518363
Australia3,4151:7,9051,180
France3,3031:20,1102,332
Spain2,6151:17,8781,998
Argentina2,4471:17,4681,512
Switzerland1,6331:5,029745
Italy1,6231:37,6816,771
Canada1,6221:22,7163,092
Philippines1,5111:67,00111,469
Russia9731:148,12217,162
Indonesia8261:160,10815,625
Saudi Arabia7951:38,8125,622
Germany6041:133,28716,248
Brazil5251:407,76115,502
New Zealand4971:9,1111,572
Wales4551:6,801757
Sri Lanka4391:47,4005,492
Mexico4121:301,2776,788
DR Congo3971:186,09518,831
Trinidad and Tobago3831:3,561592
Scotland3651:14,6681,857
Pakistan3471:514,8248,778
Egypt3051:301,42919,796
Thailand2611:270,64546,481
Cuba2531:45,5441,930
India2421:3,169,69293,234
South Africa2141:253,16725,671
Bahamas1881:2,084309
Belgium1751:65,69510,538
Morocco1701:202,80134,956
Samoa1621:1,196373
Jamaica1381:20,7971,794
Barbados1241:2,318401
Japan1191:1,074,32220,778
Portugal1131:92,1974,545
French Polynesia1101:2,553518
Uruguay971:35,3794,109
Grenada931:1,167218
Liberia841:52,4834,660
Malaysia801:368,67819,491
Venezuela661:457,6389,047
Chile631:279,6278,218
Belarus601:158,35121,538
Northern Ireland531:34,8123,411
New Caledonia521:5,3121,081
Colombia501:955,4819,064
Nigeria491:3,615,158105,602
Kuwait481:79,1819,331
Singapore431:128,0865,748
Dominican Republic391:267,5119,432
Kazakhstan341:520,07337,773
Netherlands331:511,73348,115
Afghanistan311:1,037,1999,747
Uzbekistan271:1,145,52421,534
Guam251:6,405908
China221:62,150,9803,380
Hungary221:446,19429,593
Poland211:1,809,94093,678
Norway191:270,64728,127
Mauritania181:227,49210,961
Seychelles181:5,133784
Israel171:503,39037,521
Ireland161:294,30910,207
Greece151:738,65380,079
Hong Kong151:489,0323,321
Jersey151:6,6131,336
Sweden151:656,45048,545
Taiwan151:1,562,98310,375
Ivory Coast141:1,647,94532,915
Cyprus131:68,0677,075
Senegal131:1,121,4883,334
Armenia121:244,1826,167
Slovakia121:444,70454,815
Honduras111:801,4954,197
Peru111:2,889,46628,985
Kyrgyzstan101:597,26542,601
Papua New Guinea101:815,37288,623
Angola91:2,998,8024,903
Azerbaijan91:1,072,12515,755
Bahrain91:149,8455,469
Myanmar91:5,770,887975
Niger91:2,132,44640,124
Denmark81:705,58939,626
Estonia81:165,22626,217
Vietnam71:13,235,1512,948
Benin61:1,722,60061,769
Cameroon61:3,461,511126,814
Qatar61:393,00055,922
United Arab Emirates61:1,527,04651,993
Bermuda51:13,0561,849
Monaco51:7,4131,114
Uganda51:7,807,856134,263
Georgia41:936,38624,100
Ghana41:6,755,17315,406
Iran41:19,195,631219,601
Malta41:107,5681,849
Namibia41:602,35012,421
Romania41:5,019,46862,922
Bulgaria31:2,326,30254,089
Czechia31:3,544,490144,714
Puerto Rico31:1,183,3805,289
South Korea31:17,080,0852,793
United States Virgin Islands31:36,7924,502
Andorra21:41,9191,654
Burkina Faso21:9,176,05023,741
Cambodia21:7,743,57311,959
Costa Rica21:2,390,03410,205
Croatia21:2,114,30285,143
Finland21:2,748,35172,663
Jordan21:4,421,21822,351
Kenya21:23,089,95083,168
Nicaragua21:3,010,5457,383
Tanzania21:26,470,806111,653
Zambia21:7,924,96145,994
Abkhazia11:242,8655,354
Albania11:2,914,05529,474
Algeria11:38,631,551130,422
Austria11:8,515,435118,036
Bangladesh11:159,356,77326,077
Bhutan11:616,0391,715
Bolivia11:10,616,43417,077
Brunei11:418,7313,893
Cayman Islands11:63,8932,384
Chad11:13,592,19913,092
Ecuador11:15,905,84650,210
El Salvador11:6,343,8888,415
Guatemala11:16,082,66812,169
Guernsey11:64,4392,137
Guyana11:762,22114,420
Iceland11:380,09011,096
Latvia11:2,050,04660,295
Lebanon11:5,637,08332,436
Libya11:6,243,9746,186
Luxembourg11:580,54215,155
Macau11:601,6301,582
Moldova11:3,561,36878,271
Mongolia11:2,825,28917,010
Mozambique11:27,261,5697,432
Nepal11:28,480,95622,413
Northern Mariana Islands11:54,5801,498
Oman11:3,687,97114,390
Panama11:3,912,25817,195
Paraguay11:7,236,74616,511
Syria11:19,301,02222,457
Tajikistan11:8,386,69212,859
Transnistria11:474,69917,893
Turkey11:77,821,422191,047
Turkmenistan11:5,489,11211,427
Yemen11:26,425,29455,147
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Ireland1131:39,2023,597
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
England3,3971:7,1761,116
Scotland3191:11,7341,432
Wales2741:5,724379
Jersey91:5,7651,004
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States9,1661:5,479686

The alternate forms: Gáy (4) & Gaÿ (1) are calculated separately.

Gay (53,006) may also be a first name.

Gay Surname Meaning

From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history

This surname is derived from a nickname. 'the gay,' the light-spirited; compare Jolly, Merry, &c.

Adam le Gay, Oxfordshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Robert le Gay, Oxfordshire, ibid.

William Gay, Somerset, 1 Edward III: Kirby's Quest.

A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (1896) by Charles Wareing Endell Bardsley

John Gy, chaplain in Dundee, 1452, may be John Gy who appears as presbyter in Brechin, 1458 (REB., I, 156; 11, 99). George Gaii was church elder in Dysart in 1641 (PBK., p. 209), and David Gay and Alexander Gay, sailors, were burgesses of the same burgh in 1661 (Inquis., 4465). Janet Gay in Nethertoun of Crawfordjohn in 1682 and five more of the name appear in Lanark Commissariot Record, and William Gay was horsehirer in Dumfries in 1781 (Dumfries). The name is found in England in first half of the twelfth century. It may be a descriptive name, 'light-spirited. Adam le Gay and Robert le Gay appear in co. Oxford in 1273 (Bardsley).

The Surnames of Scotland (1946) by George Fraser Black (1866-1948)

(Anglo-French-Teut.) Merry, Blithe [Middle English Old French gay (French gai), gay, merry; O.H.Ger. wáhi, pretty] (Celtic) a nickname from the Goose [Gaelic geadh— Irish gédh (dh mute]

Surnames of the United Kingdom (1912) by Henry Harrison

This English name is an occasional synonym of Gildea, q.v

A Guide to Irish Names (1964) by Edward MacLysaght

(English) The merry or blithe person; one in the habit of wearing colorful apparel.

Dictionary of American Family Names (1956) by Elsdon Coles Smith

Old French, gai, cheerful, merry. A De Gay is found in H.R. (co. Oxon); but Le Gai and Le Gey are more common.

Patronymica Britannica (1860) by Mark Antony Lower

Ralph Gai and Geoffry de Gaio of Normandy 1180 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae). Philip Gai 1138 was a kinsman of the Earl of Gloucester (Flor. Wigorn. ii. 109). Robert de Gay was a benefactor to Osney, Oxford (Mon. ii. 142). Adam de Gay held lands in Oxford and Wilts (Testa de Neville).

The Norman People (1874)

Fr., from the Dutch, Gay; from the German, Gey; a personal name.

British Family Names: Their Origin and Meaning (1903) by Henry Barber

User-submitted Reference

The name originates possibly from the French, and from the Normans after the Conquest of 1066. The origins of the name come from the Old French, gai, meaning 'full of joy'. The second possible origin is reliant on location, where the surname derives from any of the places in Normandy called Gaye.

- lachyp

Gay Last Name Facts

Where Does The Last Name Gay Come From? nationality or country of origin

The last name Gay (Bengali: গয়, Hassaniya-Arabic: ﻛﻲ, Hindi: गय, Marathi: गाय, Oriya: ଗାୟ, Russian: Гай, Tibetan: དགེ་) has its highest incidence in The United States. It can also appear as a variant: Gáy or Gaÿ. Click here for other possible spellings of Gay.

How Common Is The Last Name Gay? popularity and diffusion

This last name is the 6,384th most widespread last name on earth, borne by around 1 in 82,281 people. Gay occurs mostly in The Americas, where 58 percent of Gay are found; 48 percent are found in North America and 47 percent are found in Anglo-North America. Gay is also the 17,616th most commonly held first name internationally. It is borne by 53,006 people.

Gay is most widespread in The United States, where it is held by 42,244 people, or 1 in 8,580. In The United States Gay is mostly found in: Georgia, where 13 percent are found, Florida, where 9 percent are found and Texas, where 8 percent are found. Without taking into account The United States it exists in 151 countries. It is also common in South Sudan, where 8 percent are found and England, where 6 percent are found.

Gay Family Population Trend historical fluctuation

The prevalency of Gay has changed through the years. In The United States the share of the population with the last name grew 461 percent between 1880 and 2014; in England it grew 158 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Wales it grew 166 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Scotland it grew 114 percent between 1881 and 2014 and in Ireland it contracted 86 percent between 1901 and 2014.

Gay Last Name Statistics demography

The religious devotion of those carrying the Gay surname is principally Catholic (78%) in Ireland and Christian (100%) in Kenya.

In The United States those bearing the Gay surname are 10.53% more likely to be registered Republicans than The US average, with 57.3% being registered with the party.

The amount Gay earn in different countries varies greatly. In Italy they earn 61.32% more than the national average, earning €48,445 per year; in Norway they earn 116.56% more than the national average, earning 749,484 kr per year; in Peru they earn 11.25% less than the national average, earning S/. 17,204 per year; in South Africa they earn 23.18% more than the national average, earning R 292,728 per year; in Colombia they earn 15.05% less than the national average, earning $19,284,900 COP per year; in United States they earn 5.6% less than the national average, earning $40,731 USD per year and in Canada they earn 4.74% less than the national average, earning $47,330 CAD per year.

Phonetically Similar Names

SurnameSimilarityWorldwide IncidencePrevalency
Gáy894/
Gaÿ891/
Gaye86197,727/
Gaya8629,988/
Gayo8612,517/
Ngay864,926/
Gayi863,424/
Gays86589/
Gayu86555/
Gayt86251/
Ghay86106/
Gayd8662/
Gauy8659/
Gahy8648/
Gayá8645/
Gayà8622/
Gayh8621/
Gaiy8619/
Gayé8618/
Gaay8615/
Gayz8611/
Gajy866/
Gayè862/
Hgay861/
Gayy861/
Gayô861/
Gayú861/
Ggay861/
Kgay861/
Ay80132,927/
Ga80110,240/
Gy80741/
Ngaya755,586/
Gayed755,185/
Gayas754,612/
Gayus753,185/
Ngayo752,206/
Gajiy752,169/
Gayet751,706/
Ngaye751,700/
Ngahy751,586/
Ggayi75851/
Gayap75848/
Ghaya75673/
Gayah75629/
Ghaye75573/
Gayou75564/
Ghajy75561/
Gayat75438/
Gayee75422/
Gayos75409/
Gayot75405/
Ngayu75299/
Gayip75285/
Gayod75283/
Gayad75265/
Gayud75229/
Gahay75224/
Gayau75218/
Gayes75144/
Gaydt75141/
Gauye75119/
Gayst75100/
Gayyi7594/
Gayeh7589/
Ghayi7571/
Gauyo7571/
Gaiyo7566/
Gayaz7562/
Gayhe7562/
Gauya7560/
Gaaya7550/
Gayie7546/
Nggay7544/
Ghayo7544/
Gayut7539/
Kgaye7536/
Gayoh7533/
Gayuh7532/
Gayts7530/
Ghaiy7527/
Gahya7524/
Gaïya7522/
Gaayi7522/
Gayho7518/
Gahyo7517/
Goaya7514/
Gaydh7514/
Ghays7512/
Gayid7510/
Gayis758/
N'Gay758/
Gaaye757/
Gayyp756/
Gayuz755/
Gayaa755/
Ghayy755/
Gayhi755/
Gahiy754/
Gayaâ754/
Gayep754/
Gahey753/
Gaych753/
Ga'ay753/
Gayyo753/
Gaysh752/
Gayss752/
Gayoz752/
Gaytz752/
Gayio752/
Gayuu752/
Gaîya752/
Gayez752/
Gayop752/
Qugay751/
Gayii751/
Gayit751/
Gayiy751/
Ggaye751/
Gajyo751/
Ghgay751/
Ghhay751/
Gahyu751/
Gaiyy751/
Gayux751/
Ghayz751/
Hgaya751/
Ngayh751/
Ngayé751/
Gayha751/
Gayós751/
Gayıp751/
Gawyo751/
Geaya751/
Ggaya751/
Gaays751/
Gahye751/
Gajyi751/
Gaiyp751/
Ghayt751/
Nkgay751/
Kgayi751/
Ngajy751/
Gauhy751/
Hghay751/
Aye67936,658/
Gai67366,958/
Gad67170,699/
Hay67130,160/
Guy67110,005/
Ayo6794,329/
Gau6782,928/
Gyi6768,081/
Nga6761,620/
Aya6750,440/
Gea6749,209/
Ayu6745,498/
Ayi6722,534/
Gat6721,793/
Goy6710,657/
Gas6710,351/
Gah678,258/
Ghayad677,912/
Gaj677,908/
Goa677,604/
Gaa676,704/
Gha676,336/
Ghayas675,895/
Gey675,561/
Gaz674,726/
Gae674,170/
Ghayed672,052/
Ays671,496/
Ajy671,231/
Gys671,178/
Ghayat671,040/
Gayova67903/
Gap67842/
Ayd67769/
Ayt67757/
Aay67474/
Aiy67290/
Gaş67185/
Ngayou67182/
Ayh67176/
Ahy67156/
Ayy67156/
Ng'ayu67154/
Ng'ayo67120/
Gauyat67104/
Gaï67101/
Gayout6774/
Ghayaz6768/
Nghaya6768/
Ng'aya6760/
Gaš6755/
Gga6754/
Guhaya6750/
Gahayu6749/
Gayash6746/
Ayz6746/
Gayaud6743/
Ghayee6738/
Ayp6738/
Auy6734/
Gaľ6733/
Ghayeh6732/
Ayé6731/
N'Gaye6726/
Gahaye6724/
Gaś6722/
Géa6721/
Cga6720/
Gayosh6719/
Gayaut6719/
Giy6719/
Kga6717/
Gayowa6717/
Gyt6716/
Hga6715/
Gyß6715/
Ghayud6714/
Ghy6714/
Kgy6713/
Gayott6711/
Ggy6711/
Gayush6710/
Gayess6710/
Gayich679/
Gayous679/
Gaî679/
Gayová679/
Ngahyi679/
Ghayet678/
Ayj678/
Gahaya678/
Gać678/
Hgy678/
Cgy678/
Gyp677/
Gač677/
Goyaya677/
Nghayo677/
Gayass676/
Gayaya676/
Gyz676/
Ghaiyo676/
Ghajiy676/
Gayoux676/
Gayaja675/
Ghayou675/
N'Gayo675/
Gajaya674/
Gauyet674/
Gyh674/
Ghayes674/
Ghayid673/
Nghaye673/
Gêa673/
Gyy673/
Ghayoo673/
Ngayeh673/
Gyd673/
Gayaus672/
Ayà672/
Ayè672/
Ayó672/
Ghaych672/
Ghayez672/
Ghaysh672/
Ngaiyi672/
Ngayih672/
N'Gaya672/
Qga672/
Kghayi671/
Nggajy671/
Geegay671/
Gayach671/
Gayapp671/
Gayees671/
Gayesh671/
Gayhee671/
Gauyad671/
Gauyas671/
Gauyop671/
Ghayod671/
Gujaya671/
Gauyot671/
Ghayis671/
Ngayuo671/
Gayoch671/
Gayaph671/
Győ671/
Gùy671/
Güy671/
Ghaaye671/
Ghayyi671/
D'Ghay671/
Aïy671/
Ayò671/
Nga'yo671/
Gayadh671/
Qgy671/
Gayuoh671/
Gayatt670/
Gayett670/
Gayeau670/

Gay Name Transliterations

TransliterationICU LatinPercentage of Incidence
Gay in the Bengali language
গয়gaya-
Gay in the Marathi language
गायgaya75.51
गयgaya24.49
Gay in the Oriya language
ଗାୟgaya66.13
ଗୟgaya32.26
ଗଯ଼୍gay1.61
Gay in the Hassaniya-Arabic language
ﻛﻲky56.25
ﻛﺎﻱkay31.25
ﺍﻛﺎﻱakay12.5
Gay in the Hindi language
गयgaya44.44
गायgaya44.44
गयाgaya7.94
Gay in the Tibetan language
དགེ་42.86
གེ་14.29
རྒྱད་gyé7.14
རྒྱ་gya7.14
རྒྱས།gyé7.14
རྒྱས་gyé7.14
རྒྱལ་gyal7.14
གའི་7.14
Gay in the Russian language
Гайgaj-

Search for Another Surname

Gay Reference & Research

Gay FamilyTree DNA Group - A group collating DNA test results for those who bear the surname, includes results of DNA tests and discussions.

Gay FamilyTree DNA Project - A description of a group researching the paternal lines of men who bear the surname with the help of DNA analysis.

The name statistics are still in development, sign up for information on more maps and data

By signing up to the mailing list you will only receive emails specifically about name reference on Forebears and your information will not be distributed to 3rd parties.

Footnotes

  • Surnames are taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic
  • Descriptions may contain details on the name's etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. They are largely reproduced from 3rd party sources; diligence is advised on accepting their validity - more information
  • Name distribution statistics are generated from a global database of over 4 billion people - more information
  • Heatmap: Dark red means there is a higher occurrence of the name, transitioning to light yellow signifies a progressively lower occurrence. Clicking on selected countries will show mapping at a regional level
  • Rank: Name are ranked by incidence using the ordinal ranking method; the name that occurs the most is assigned a rank of 1; name that occur less frequently receive an incremented rank; if two or more name occur the same number of times they are assigned the same rank and successive rank is incremented by the total preceeding names
  • Ethnic group cannot necessarily be determined by geographic occurrence
  • Similar: Names listed in the "Similar" section are phonetically similar and may not have any relation to Gay
  • To find out more about this surname's family history, lookup records on Family​Search, My​Heritage, FindMyPast and Ancestry. Further information may be obtained by DNA analysis