how many people were in the gold rush?

Answer 1

Tis true no solidly accurate information is availible - - - what is recorded is that California's population stood at the three hundred thousand mark by 1853 whereas prior to the Gold Rush there were perhaps less than fifty thousand..
However since many came & went just as swiftly - - - well two hundred and fifty thousand to two hundred seventy five thousand is as close as anyone would be willing to guess.

Despite the WIkipedia bashers, Wikipedia does tend to have good conscise answer so here is a link and words.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Gold_Rush
""" is estimated that almost 90,000 people arrived in California in 1849—about half by land and half by sea.[39] Of these, perhaps 50,000 to 60,000 were Americans, and the rest were from other countries.[34] By 1855, it is estimated at least 300,000 gold-seekers, merchants, and other immigrants had arrived in California from around the world.[40] The largest group continued to be Americans, but there were tens of thousands each of Mexicans, Chinese, French, and Latin Americans,[41] together with many smaller groups of miners, such as Filipinos and Basques.[42] A modest number of miners of African ancestry (probably less than 4,000)[43] had come from the Southern States, the Caribbean and Brazil.[44]""

Here is a link with ship passenger lists etc
http://www.pt5dome.com/PassHome.html

http://www.archaeolink.com/california_history_historic_cali.htm

Peace...

Answer 2

I don'think anybody did an accounting on how many people
were attracted by the gold rush. Thousands and hundred of
thousands became prospectors and only a few hit the
jackpot. People from all parts ofthe USA participated in this
venture and we read in our history books that towns and
cities in the gold rush areas rose to prominence and some
became ghost towns.

Answer 3

About 300,000 came to California for their Gold Rush. How many actually put pans in the water no one knows.

Answer 4

Hundreds, possibly thousands.