NameCensus.

UK surname

Gable

A surname derived from the Middle English word "gable," referring to a triangular portion of a building's wall.

In the 1881 census there were 220 people recorded with the Gable surname, ranking it #12,087 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 225, ranked #18,105, down from #12,087 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and St Dunstan Stepney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bromley, Stockton-on-Tees and Calderdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gable is 320 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.3%.

1881 census count

220

Ranked #12,087

Modern count

225

2016, ranked #18,105

Peak year

1911

320 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gable had 220 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,087 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 225 in 2016, ranked #18,105.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 320 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Gable surname distribution map

The map shows where the Gable surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Gable surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gable over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 148 #13,028
1861 historical 158 #14,644
1881 historical 220 #12,087
1891 historical 222 #13,854
1901 historical 267 #12,587
1911 historical 320 #10,932
1997 modern 277 #14,253
1998 modern 273 #14,803
1999 modern 284 #14,474
2000 modern 285 #14,422
2001 modern 271 #14,691
2002 modern 271 #14,966
2003 modern 265 #15,025
2004 modern 250 #15,695
2005 modern 238 #16,198
2006 modern 238 #16,288
2007 modern 240 #16,392
2008 modern 240 #16,535
2009 modern 242 #16,789
2010 modern 250 #16,791
2011 modern 247 #16,783
2012 modern 241 #16,925
2013 modern 239 #17,307
2014 modern 238 #17,480
2015 modern 228 #17,899
2016 modern 225 #18,105

Geography

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Where Gables are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch, St Dunstan Stepney and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bromley, Stockton-on-Tees, Calderdale, Bournemouth and Chelmsford. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 1
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bromley 032 Bromley
2 Stockton-on-Tees 002 Stockton-on-Tees
3 Calderdale 007 Calderdale
4 Bournemouth 021 Bournemouth
5 Chelmsford 019 Chelmsford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gable

These lists show first names that appear often with the Gable surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gable

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gable, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Gable surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Gable household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Gable is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gable is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gable falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gable is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Gable, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Gable

The surname Gable originated in Germany and is derived from the Middle High German word "gebel," which means "gable" or the triangular section of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname given to someone who worked as a roofer or builder of gables.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Gable dates back to the 13th century in the region of Bavaria, Germany. In 1285, a document from the town of Regensburg mentioned a man named Chunrad Gebel, which is an early variation of the spelling.

Gable is also believed to have been derived from the German place name Gabel, which is a town in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. This place name itself is derived from the Slavic word "gabel," meaning "fork" or "branch," potentially referring to the forking of two rivers or roads.

In the famous Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror after the Norman conquest of England, there are no recorded instances of the surname Gable. This suggests that the name did not establish a presence in England until after the 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Gable was Hans Gable, a German artist and woodcarver who lived in the 15th century. He is known for his intricate carvings adorning churches and castles throughout Bavaria.

In the 16th century, Johann Gable was a prominent Lutheran theologian and church reformer from Saxony. He played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation movement in Germany.

During the 18th century, Johann Peter Gable was a German immigrant to America who settled in Pennsylvania. He established a successful farm and mill in the region and became a prominent figure in the local German community.

In the 19th century, Clark Gable was an American actor best known for his roles in classic films such as "Gone with the Wind" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." He was born in 1901 and died in 1960, becoming one of the most famous individuals with the surname Gable.

Another notable person with the surname Gable was Walter Gable, an American musician and composer who lived from 1913 to 1989. He was renowned for his work in the big band and swing genres, contributing to the development of American jazz music.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gable families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gable surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 71 Gables recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.34x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 71 3.34x
Sussex 31 8.65x
Kent 28 3.86x
Surrey 22 2.12x
Essex 19 4.53x
Gloucestershire 10 2.40x
Lanarkshire 7 1.02x
Northamptonshire 5 2.50x
Derbyshire 4 1.20x
Lancashire 4 0.16x
Oxfordshire 4 3.05x
Warwickshire 3 0.56x
Lincolnshire 2 0.59x
Royal Navy 2 7.89x
Yorkshire 2 0.09x
Devon 1 0.23x
Hampshire 1 0.23x
Northumberland 1 0.32x
Somerset 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 21 Gables recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.73x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 21 22.73x
West Ham 18 19.42x
Battersea 16 20.45x
Ticehurst 13 593.61x
Hackney London 12 10.07x
Lee 10 94.97x
Shoreditch London 9 9.76x
Govan 7 4.12x
Lurgashall 7 1320.75x
Bow London 6 22.16x
Cheltenham 6 18.65x
Newhaven 6 206.19x
Brighton 5 6.91x
Greenwich 5 14.77x
Mile End Old Town London 4 8.84x
Ollersett 4 615.38x
St George Hanover Square 4 10.68x
Westminster St John 4 15.44x
Birmingham 3 1.68x
Bromley 3 27.12x
Chelsea London 3 4.68x
Courteenhall 3 2307.69x
Leckhampton 3 116.73x
Minster In Sheppey 3 24.96x
Tonbridge 3 11.46x
Bermondsey 2 3.16x
Great Grimsby 2 9.27x
Hulme 2 3.80x
Lewisham 2 5.17x
Marsh Baldon 2 869.57x
Royal Navy 2 9.23x
Toot Baldon 2 1250.00x
Bampton 1 73.53x
Blakesley 1 322.58x
Bradford 1 1.96x
Cam 1 78.13x
Camberwell 1 0.74x
Canterbury St Mary 1 20.53x
Clapham 1 3.76x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.99x
Croydon 1 1.74x
Edmonton 1 5.84x
Everton 1 1.24x
Hammersmith London 1 1.91x
Hampstead London 1 3.02x
Hernhill 1 181.82x
High Melton 1 909.09x
Islington London 1 0.49x
Liverpool 1 0.65x
Mile End New Town London 1 23.81x
Newington 1 1.27x
Northampton St Giles 1 13.12x
Portsea 1 1.17x
South Weald 1 27.78x
Tweedmouth 1 25.38x
Westminster St James 1 4.57x
Westminster St Margaret 1 9.75x
Wraxall 1 153.85x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Gable surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Elizabeth 12
Ann 7
Ellen 6
Emily 6
Emma 6
Mary 6
Alice 4
Eliza 4
Louisa 4
Amelia 3
Sarah 3
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Maud 2
Ada 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Avis 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Celine 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Ester 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Harriett 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Julie 1
Mabel 1
Maria 1
Marie 1
Martha 1
Maryann 1
Matilda 1
Nelly 1
Phillippine 1
Rebecca 1
Rosetta 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1
Wilshey 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Gable surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 23
George 13
Henry 9
John 7
Charles 6
Edward 6
James 6
Alfred 5
Thomas 5
Frederick 3
Joseph 3
Nathaniel 3
Albert 2
Daniel 2
Edwd. 2
Harry 2
Richard 2
Saml. 2
Wm. 2
Alfd. 1
Arthur 1
Earnest 1
Esle 1
Frank 1
Geo. 1
Jonathon 1
Nathl. 1
Stephen 1
Valentine 1

FAQ

Gable surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gable surname in 1881?

In 1881, 220 people were recorded with the Gable surname. That placed it at #12,087 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gable surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 225 in 2016. That gives Gable a modern rank of #18,105.

What does the Gable surname mean?

A surname derived from the Middle English word "gable," referring to a triangular portion of a building's wall.

What does the Gable map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Gable bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.