NameCensus.

UK surname

Gailey

An Irish toponymic surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Gáibhtheáin," meaning "descendant of a fierce warrior."

In the 1881 census there were 105 people recorded with the Gailey surname, ranking it #19,183 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 279, ranked #15,534, up from #19,183 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bothwell, Bidford and Rutherglen. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mosspark, Wychavon and Tain.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gailey is 295 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 165.7%.

1881 census count

105

Ranked #19,183

Modern count

279

2016, ranked #15,534

Peak year

2010

295 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gailey had 105 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,183 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 279 in 2016, ranked #15,534.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 153 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Gailey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gailey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gailey 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 42 #25,706
1861 historical 120 #18,255
1881 historical 105 #19,183
1891 historical 140 #19,193
1901 historical 153 #17,844
1911 historical 62 #26,622
1997 modern 262 #14,814
1998 modern 276 #14,679
1999 modern 278 #14,705
2000 modern 266 #15,096
2001 modern 259 #15,151
2002 modern 266 #15,156
2003 modern 269 #14,855
2004 modern 269 #14,955
2005 modern 268 #14,905
2006 modern 266 #15,076
2007 modern 260 #15,476
2008 modern 269 #15,260
2009 modern 294 #14,628
2010 modern 295 #14,911
2011 modern 278 #15,390
2012 modern 275 #15,459
2013 modern 278 #15,618
2014 modern 277 #15,734
2015 modern 279 #15,527
2016 modern 279 #15,534

Geography

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Where Gaileys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bothwell, Bidford, Rutherglen, Govan Combination and Annan. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mosspark, Wychavon, Tain, Forgewood and West Ferry. 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 Bothwell Lanark
2 Bidford Warwickshire
3 Rutherglen Lanark
4 Govan Combination Lanark
5 Annan Dumfries

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mosspark Glasgow City
2 Wychavon 011 Wychavon
3 Tain Highland
4 Forgewood North Lanarkshire
5 West Ferry Dundee City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gailey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gailey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gailey, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Gailey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Gailey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Gailey is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gailey is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gailey falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gailey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gailey

The surname GAILEY is of British origin, specifically from the Gaelic language spoken in parts of Scotland and Ireland. The name is believed to have emerged in the 12th or 13th century.

GAILEY is thought to be a variant spelling of the Scottish surname GAILY, which itself is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Gaillí." This name comes from the Celtic word elements "gall" meaning "stranger" or "foreigner," and a diminutive suffix "-í."

Some of the earliest recorded instances of the GAILEY surname can be found in Scottish parish records from the 16th and 17th centuries, with spellings such as "Gaily," "Gailie," and "Gaillie." The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Ayrshire and Lanarkshire.

One notable bearer of the GAILEY surname was Robert Gailey (1756-1824), a Scottish minister and author who wrote several religious works. Another was John Gailey (1792-1859), a Scottish-born merchant and shipowner who settled in New Brunswick, Canada.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the GAILEY surname was James Gailey, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from Ireland in 1798. Another early American bearer was William Gailey (1808-1899), a farmer and landowner in Ohio.

A prominent figure in Australian history was Sir William Gailey (1856-1935), a businessman and politician who served as a member of the Parliament of South Australia. In the realm of sports, John Gailey (1927-2005) was an American football coach who led several college teams, including the United States Air Force Academy.

While the GAILEY surname is not among the most common in English-speaking countries, it has a rich history dating back to the Celtic roots of Scotland and Ireland, with bearers spread across various parts of the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gailey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gailey 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. Herefordshire leads with 16 Gaileys recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.23x.

County Total Index
Herefordshire 16 39.23x
Renfrewshire 15 19.46x
Middlesex 13 1.31x
Lanarkshire 12 3.73x
Warwickshire 8 3.19x
Radnorshire 6 74.72x
Ayrshire 5 6.72x
Lancashire 5 0.42x
Essex 3 1.53x
Gloucestershire 3 1.54x
Leicestershire 3 2.72x
Staffordshire 3 0.89x
Worcestershire 3 2.31x
Yorkshire 2 0.20x
Argyllshire 1 3.61x
Cheshire 1 0.46x
Dumfriesshire 1 4.55x
Suffolk 1 0.83x
Surrey 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Abbey in Renfrewshire leads with 12 Gaileys recorded in 1881 and an index of 102.04x.

Place Total Index
Abbey 12 102.04x
Marden 10 3448.28x
Bidford 8 1481.48x
Bothwell 8 91.74x
Islington London 6 6.22x
Littonand Cascob 6 10000.00x
Coylton 5 471.70x
Rutherglen 4 84.75x
Barking 3 52.17x
Lochwinnoch 3 260.87x
Winchcomb 3 309.28x
Worcester St John 3 193.55x
Chelsea London 2 6.67x
Leek Lowe 2 44.74x
Leicester St Margaret 2 7.43x
Monkland 2 2857.14x
North Meols 2 17.32x
Pembridge 2 444.44x
St Marylebone London 2 3.77x
St Pancras London 2 2.50x
Annan 1 52.91x
Ardwick 1 9.39x
Camberwell 1 1.57x
Chester St John Baptist 1 25.32x
Eskdaleside 1 208.33x
Everton 1 2.66x
Harborne 1 9.29x
Hereford St Peter 1 91.74x
Hope Under Dinmore 1 588.24x
Hunslet 1 6.51x
Ipswich St Mathew 1 29.41x
Kilbrandon 1 217.39x
Leicester St Martin 1 135.14x
Scotforth 1 129.87x
Willesden 1 10.66x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 5
John 5
George 4
Joseph 3
Thomas 3
Charles 2
Robert 2
William 2
Edgar 1
Fred 1
Richard 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Gailey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gailey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 105 people were recorded with the Gailey surname. That placed it at #19,183 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gailey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 279 in 2016. That gives Gailey a modern rank of #15,534.

What does the Gailey surname mean?

An Irish toponymic surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Gáibhtheáin," meaning "descendant of a fierce warrior."

What does the Gailey map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Gailey 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.