This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Gaw family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Gaw Family History

Gaw Surname Meaning

Irish (Down and Antrim) and Scottish: shortened form of McGaw which is an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mag Ádhaimh ‘son of Adam’. Scottish: variant of Gall.

German: variant (old) spelling of Gau.

Chinese: variant Romanization of the surnames 敖 (see Ao) and 吴 (see Wu).

Also variant of Gau.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Gaw family from?

You can see how Gaw families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gaw family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gaw families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 32 Gaw families living in Lancashire. This was about 34% of all the recorded Gaw's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Gaw families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gaw surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Gaw ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Carpenter and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Gaw. 100% of Gaw men worked as a Carpenter and 100% of Gaw women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Gaw | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Carpenter
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Gaw family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 15,000 census records available for the last name Gaw. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gaw census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Gaw

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Gaw. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Gaw immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Gaw. For the veterans among your Gaw ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Gaw military records

You've only scratched the surface of Gaw family history

Discover More

What is the average Gaw lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Gaw life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1940, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Gaw in 1940 was 32, and 70 in 2004.

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Gaw ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Gaw family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial