The Gorman surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 31,788 people carried this name — #1,100 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 9,280 people counted. That is up 2% from 31,285 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Gorman surname

Reduced Anglicized form of Irish Ó Gormáin (“descendant of Gormán”), a personal name derived from a diminutive form of gorm (“dark blue; noble”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Gorman» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Gormund’.

An early record he cites: William Gormund, Wiltshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 330 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 140 births for the Gorman name in 1890.

They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Leinster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 6,200 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they were born, 1890

Leinster 57
Munster 40
Ulster 33
Connacht 10

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In the Nordic population registers

28 people named Gorman is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 28

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

In Scotland’s registers today

Gorman was recorded 46 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 565th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 76. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

40 families named Gorman, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 198 people lived in those households, 5 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 4 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Pennsylvania 21
South Carolina 7
Maryland 4
North Carolina 4
New Hampshire 1
Massachusetts 1
New York 1
Virginia 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 242 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Gorman in American newspapers,
1893–1905.

Newspaper page from The Mirror And Farmer carrying the name Gorman
The Mirror And Farmer 1905-01-26
Newspaper page from The Anaconda Standard carrying the name Gorman
The Anaconda Standard 1894-08-04
Newspaper page from The Helena Independent carrying the name Gorman
The Helena Independent 1893-10-11

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 421,177 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Gorman in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

81,253 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Gorman. The most, 17,967, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Victoria, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 33,984
Victoria 23,548
Queensland 11,386
Western Australia 6,798
South Australia 3,103
Tasmania 1,491
ACT (Canberra) 799
Northern Territory 82

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Gorman.

Who carried it

People named Gorman,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Willis A. Gorman
    Willis A. Gorman 1816–1876 · lawyer
  • Arthur Pue Gorman
    Arthur Pue Gorman 1839–1906 · politician
  • James S. Gorman
    James S. Gorman 1850–1923 · lawyer
  • James Gorman
    James Gorman 1859–1929 · sport shooter
  • George E. Gorman
    George E. Gorman 1873–1935 · judge

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 239 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Gorman,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States9,995 records

9,995 records of the Gorman name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 3,289
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 2,904
  • Other U.S. records 3,802
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Henry William Gorman

    Born 1945; from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. U.S. Army, indirect fire infantryman; killed in action 1968 in Kontum, South Vietnam. Buried at Beverly National Cemetery, New Jersey.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Joseph Y. Gorman

    Born 1903 in Kentucky. Enlisted 1942 at Louisville; payroll clerk from Jefferson County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1956, buried at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery, Kentucky.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Bridget Gorman

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the City of Chester from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 20; servant. From Mayo, Ireland; bound for Philadelphia.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 9,995 records for Gorman in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · Ramsey County, Minnesota (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia2,039 records

2,039 records of the Gorman name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 775
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 426
  • Other Australian records 838
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Hugh Gorman

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the John, sailing from Spithead in 1833. Native of Manchester, Lancashire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1844.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Patrick Gorman

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Constant, sailing from Ireland in 1843. Native of Waterford. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1851. Married 1851 in Fingal, Tasmania, aged 28.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Mary Gorman

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Sir Robert Seppings, sailing from Woolwich in 1852. Native of Bramford, Suffolk. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1854.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 2,039 records for Gorman in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain).

Canada508 records

508 records of the Gorman name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 407
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 35
  • Other Canadian records 66
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Alex Gorman

    Killed in the Halifax Explosion of 1917.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record J.j Gorman

    Came to Ontario in 1879 aboard the Dominion, landing at Quebec, bound for Woodstock, Ontario; Irish.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Joseph Gerald Gorman

    Buried in 1994 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 73.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 508 records for Gorman in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom36 records

36 records of the Gorman name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 20
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 11
  • Other British records 5
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record William Gorman

    Born 1897 at New Elgin; bookstall attendant. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record James Gorman

    Buried in 1922 at Ballengeich Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 67.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Thomas Dennis Gorman

    Buried in 1846 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 48.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 36 records for Gorman in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

New Zealand25 records

25 records of the Gorman name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 21
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 2
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Michael Gorman

    Died 1956, aged 73; buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Gorman

    Buried in 1914 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 88.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record James Gorman

    Died 1975; buried at Kaiapoi Public Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 25 records for Gorman in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands3 records

3 records of the Gorman name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 2
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Theodorus Jacobus Hubertus Gorman

    Died 1969 in Groningen, aged 54; municipal official.

    Open Archives, Groninger Archieven (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 1 of 3 records for Gorman in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

France2 records

2 records of the Gorman name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Halina Gorman

    Born 1911 in Poland; died 1992 in Grenoble (Isère).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Gorman in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Finland1 record

1 record of the Gorman name in Finland Finland's war dead, 1914–1922
  1. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record Juho Albinus Görman

    Born 1865 in Somerniemi; "maanviljelysvouti". Died in 1918 in Sammatti, one of the dead of Finland's wars of 1914–1922.

    Kansallisarkisto, via Sotasurmasampo (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Kansallisarkisto, via Sotasurmasampo (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Gorman.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Gorman is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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