# Gary (surname)

Source: https://namelineage.com/surname/gary/  
Publisher: Name Lineage. Counts from the US Census Bureau; origin and etymology from Wiktionary; bearers from Wikidata. Data updated 2026-11-11.

A surname from Middle English [in turn originating as a patronymic]; variant form Garry.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | not recorded |
| Type | patronymic, formed from a father’s (or ancestor’s) given name |
| People in the US (2010 Census) | 22,310 |
| US rank (2010) | 1,612 of 162,253 |
| How often | about 1 in every 13,839 people |
| Change since 2000 | +5.2% (21,213 in 2000) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɡæɹ.i/, 2 syllables |
| Variant spellings | none recorded |

## Etymology

Medieval short form of Germanic compound names beginning with gari or geri ("spear"), such as Gerard, Garrett, Gerald, or Gerbert. Cognate with the Scottish and Irish name Garaidh. Sometimes also a short form of Gareth. The popularity of the given name in the 20th century is due to the American actor Gary Cooper, whose stage name was invented by his agent, a native of Gary, Indiana.

## Who carries it

Share of people named Gary in the 2010 US Census by the Census's own race and ethnicity groups. The Census suppresses a share when the count behind it is small.

| Group | Share |
|---|---|
| White (not Hispanic) | 47% |
| Black (not Hispanic) | 46% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.7% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 0.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.5% |
| Two or more races | 2.4% |

## Where

Wikidata records people named Gary in the United States.

## People named Gary

- Lorraine Gary, American actress
- Linda Gary, American voice actor (1944-1995)
- Frank B. Gary, American politician (1860-1922)
- Rashan Gary, American football player (1997-)
- Elbert Henry Gary, American judge and businessman (1846–1927)

## Similar surnames

Gray, Garay, Grey, Garry, Garr, Garrow, Garey, Garro, Gara, Geary, Gear, Gayer.

## How to read these numbers

A Census count is people alive and counted in 2010, not births, and names occurring fewer than 100 times are not published at all. Ethnicity shares are the Census's own categories.