Gaines

Origin and Meaning: Gaines is a surname of English origin, derived from the Old French personal name "Jan", meaning "John", along with the suffix "-s" denoting "son of", indicating "son of John".

History: The Gaines surname has been recorded in England since medieval times. The first known instance dates back to the 13th century, when the name was documented in the Oxfordshire region. Over the centuries, the Gaines family spread across various regions of England.

Notable Individuals:

  • Edmund P. Gaines (1777–1849): A United States army officer during the War of 1812 and the Seminole Wars, known for his military exploits.
  • Chris Gaines: Although a fictional persona created by American country music artist Garth Brooks in the late 1990s, the character of Chris Gaines became associated with the Gaines surname.

Variants: Variants of the Gaines surname include Gains and Gain.

Popularity: The surname Gaines remains relatively uncommon in the United Kingdom, with sporadic occurrences recorded in various parts of the country.

References:

  • Hanks, Patrick, et al. The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland. Oxford University Press, 2016.
  • Reaney, P.H., and Wilson, R.M. A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.

There are approximately 1,437 people named Gaines in the UK. That makes it roughly the 5,545th most common surname in Britain. Around 22 in a million people in Britain are named Gaines.

Surname type: Location or geographical feature

Origin: English

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: England

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: English

Typical given names associated with the surname

Male

  • Adrian
  • Andrew
  • Christopher
  • David
  • John
  • Mark
  • Michael
  • Paul
  • Peter
  • Simon
  • Stephen

Female

  • Christine
  • Claire
  • Deborah
  • Elizabeth
  • Helen
  • Joan
  • Margaret
  • Michelle
  • Nicol
  • Nicola
  • Sarah
  • Susan

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

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