Surname Gauen - Meaning and Origin
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Gauen: What does the surname Gauen mean?
The last name Gauen is of German and Dutch origin, likely derived from a given name such as Göwe or Govaart. It is believed to be a habitational name, belonging to a person who came from a place called "Gouwe" or "Gouwee". In Old High German, the name "Gouwe" or "Gouwee" meant "river bank".
The Gauen surname can also be traced back to the Dutch region of Holland, where the word "gauw" meant "quick" or "alert". Therefore, the Gauen surname can also be interpreted as a nickname for someone who was known to act with alacrity and swiftness.
Throughout the history of the Gauen surname, variations on the spelling have developed, including Goen, Goene, Goens, Goyen, and Goijen.
The surname Gauen is an interesting example of the range of lifestyles and occupations that our ancestors carried out - it could potentially refer to someone who was an inhabitant of a riverbank region, or could be interpreted as someone who was especially quick or alert in their day-to-day activities.
Order DNA origin analysisGauen: Where does the name Gauen come from?
The last name Gauen is most commonly found in Germany and Austria today, as well as other French-speaking regions. It is a French spelling of the German surname Gawin, which is derived from the personal name Gaudwin, a diminutive form of Godwin. The first recorded spelling of the surname dates to the year 1426, in the ducalarchives of Bavaria.
In Germany, the surname Gauen is the 36,798th most common surname, with an estimated 2,200 people bearing the name, according to the 2010 census. In Austria, the last name is ranked 7,875th, with an estimated 410 people with the surname. It is also present in Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France, but in different, rarer forms, such as Gautin or Gauthier.
Gauen is also found in the United States, mostly due to immigration. The 2000 United States Census listed around 190 individuals with the name, although this number has undoubtedly grown in the past two decades.
Today, people with the surnames Gauen or its variants can be found around the world, but it remains most common in its places of origin in France, Germany, and Austria.
Variations of the surname Gauen
The surname Gauen is of German origin and is believed to have first appeared as a last name in the German region of Prussia. Spellings of the surname most commonly seen include Gaughan, Gaughn, Goen, and Gaun. Variants of the surname Gauen may be found in other parts of the world such as North America, where, for example, the spelling Gaughan is more commonly seen.
Gaughan is the most commonly seen variation of Gauen in North America, and is believed to originate with the immigrant ancestors of Irish origin who brought the name with them to America and Scotland in the eighteenth century.
The Anglified spelling of Gaughan is believed to have been adopted by the Anglicized version of the Gaelic name O Gau fein, which translates to 'descendant of Gau'. The root name itself generally comes from the Celtic word 'gai' which means 'son' or 'descendant'.
Variations of the spelling Gauen in Germany tend to be spelled Goen or Gaun. The Dutch spelling variation is Gauwe, and it's believed to have derived from the Dutch root word 'gauw', which translates to 'quick' and was often employed as a nicknamic surname.
The Anglicized spelling of Gaughan may also be the result of the surname Goen or Gaun being converted to the more Anglicized Gaughan. Spanish variants of the name include Gáhuen or Gáhuan.
The Scandinavian spellings of Gauen are Gaup, Gaupen and Gahuen, and Ukrainian spellings include Hawen or Haun. Regardless of the country of origin or the spelling, it is likely that all of these variations of Gauen originated from the same root name and meaning.
Famous people with the name Gauen
- Delilah Gauen, Singer-songwriter.
- Lance Gauen, Former NFL player.
- Chloe Gauen, Actress known for her roles in 'The Muppets' and 'Modern Family'.
- Chris Gauen, Stock car racer.
- Bill Gauen, Olympic figure skater.
- Robert Gauen, Director and cinematographer.
- Alexis Gauen, Retired volleyball player.
- Regina Gauen, Pianist and composer.
- Karina Gauen, Entrepreneur and philanthropist.
- Charles Gauen, Cartoonist and author.