NameCensus.

UK surname

Gain

An English surname derived from the old French word "gaaigne" meaning profit or acquisition.

In the 1881 census there were 395 people recorded with the Gain surname, ranking it #8,037 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 230, ranked #17,812, down from #8,037 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stockton-on-Tees, South Somerset and Rother.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gain is 409 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 41.8%.

1881 census count

395

Ranked #8,037

Modern count

230

2016, ranked #17,812

Peak year

1911

409 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gain had 395 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,037 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 230 in 2016, ranked #17,812.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 409 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gain surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gain surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gain 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 236 #9,174
1861 historical 310 #8,175
1881 historical 395 #8,037
1891 historical 341 #10,041
1901 historical 381 #9,799
1911 historical 409 #9,140
1997 modern 300 #13,530
1998 modern 293 #14,094
1999 modern 285 #14,438
2000 modern 273 #14,828
2001 modern 270 #14,734
2002 modern 282 #14,585
2003 modern 272 #14,746
2004 modern 265 #15,110
2005 modern 262 #15,182
2006 modern 262 #15,255
2007 modern 275 #14,888
2008 modern 274 #15,063
2009 modern 286 #14,910
2010 modern 288 #15,162
2011 modern 283 #15,193
2012 modern 267 #15,791
2013 modern 267 #16,053
2014 modern 270 #16,020
2015 modern 246 #16,994
2016 modern 230 #17,812

Geography

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Where Gains are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, London parishes, Minstead and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stockton-on-Tees, South Somerset, Rother, Fareham and Hastings. 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Minstead Hampshire
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stockton-on-Tees 009 Stockton-on-Tees
2 South Somerset 021 South Somerset
3 Rother 005 Rother
4 Fareham 004 Fareham
5 Hastings 001 Hastings

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gain

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gain

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Gain surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Gain household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Gain is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gain is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gain falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gain 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 Gain, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Gain

The surname GAIN is an English occupational surname derived from the Old French word "gaaigner", which means "to earn" or "to gain". It originated in the late 12th century and was initially used to refer to someone who earned their living through a particular trade or occupation.

The earliest recorded use of the surname GAIN can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195, where a person named William Gain was mentioned. Another early reference is in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, which lists a person named Richard le Gain.

During the Middle Ages, the surname GAIN was particularly prevalent in the counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire in the south-west of England. It is likely that the name originated in these areas, as many early records of the surname can be found there.

In the 14th century, the surname GAIN appeared in various forms, such as Gayne, Gaine, and Gayn, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation that were common at the time. One notable individual with this surname was John Gayn, who was a member of the Parliament of England in 1329.

By the 16th century, the surname GAIN had become more widespread across England. One prominent figure from this period was Sir Thomas Gayn (1506-1555), who was a wealthy merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire.

In the 17th century, the surname GAIN was also found in Scotland, where it was sometimes spelled as Gaine or Gayne. One example is Robert Gaine (1610-1680), a Scottish minister and author who wrote several religious works.

Another notable individual with the surname GAIN was Sir William Gaine (1666-1737), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire in the early 18th century.

Throughout history, the surname GAIN has been associated with various occupations, including farming, trade, and craftsmanship. It continues to be a relatively common surname, particularly in England and parts of the United States.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gain families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gain 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. Sussex leads with 104 Gains recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.13x.

County Total Index
Sussex 104 16.13x
Surrey 52 2.79x
Hampshire 42 5.36x
Kent 31 2.38x
Middlesex 31 0.81x
Lancashire 24 0.53x
Cheshire 14 1.66x
Durham 12 1.05x
Aberdeenshire 10 2.82x
Yorkshire 10 0.26x
Lanarkshire 9 0.73x
Nottinghamshire 9 1.75x
Warwickshire 8 0.83x
Cornwall 6 1.39x
Dorset 5 1.99x
Northumberland 5 0.88x
Wiltshire 5 1.48x
Essex 4 0.53x
Oxfordshire 3 1.27x
Northamptonshire 2 0.56x
Buteshire 1 4.32x
Derbyshire 1 0.17x
Gloucestershire 1 0.13x
Hertfordshire 1 0.38x
Monmouthshire 1 0.36x
Somerset 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 26 Gains recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.64x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 26 10.64x
Hastings St Mary 19 118.45x
Hastings St Mary In The 15 109.09x
Minstead 15 1327.43x
Macclesfield 11 29.32x
Otford 11 604.40x
Aberdeen Old Machar 10 13.52x
Eling 10 125.94x
Southampton St Mary 10 20.29x
Barony 9 2.88x
Bradford 9 42.37x
Birmingham 8 2.49x
Brede 8 592.59x
Lewisham 8 11.50x
Ore 8 166.67x
Barnes 7 88.83x
Greencroft 7 334.93x
Northiam 7 443.04x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 9.10x
Beckley 6 372.67x
Brightside Bierlow 6 8.07x
Clerkenwell London 6 6.65x
Hastings All Sts 6 98.85x
Hastings St Andrew 6 259.74x
Preston 6 53.29x
St Pancras London 6 1.95x
Bere Regis 5 297.62x
Broadwater 5 33.81x
Charlton Next Woolwich 5 36.74x
Holmside 5 178.57x
Madron Penzance 5 31.77x
Monkton Farleigh 5 909.09x
Poplar London 5 6.93x
Barrow In Furness 4 6.48x
Islington London 4 1.08x
Kensington London 4 1.88x
Lambeth 4 1.20x
Manchester 4 1.96x
Portsea 4 2.60x
Rye 4 65.25x
Toxteth Park 4 2.60x
Tuxford 4 314.96x
Wallsend 4 22.17x
Westfield 4 289.86x
Birkenhead 3 4.46x
Gotham 3 223.88x
Liverpool 3 1.09x
Ashford 2 15.74x
Burton Latimer 2 92.17x
Hackney London 2 0.93x
Leeds 2 0.93x
Millbrook 2 10.13x
Newington 2 1.42x
Oxford St Thomas 2 18.15x
Penge 2 8.19x
Udimore 2 350.88x
Wanstead 2 15.13x
Whatlington 2 408.16x
Woking 2 17.81x
Worksop 2 13.08x
Albury 1 121.95x
Chesterfield 1 4.46x
Eltham 1 13.07x
Falmouth 1 6.53x
Fawley 1 40.16x
Foulness 1 107.53x
Hastings Holy Trinity 1 21.05x
Hornsey 1 2.07x
Hove 1 3.53x
Ormesby 1 9.82x
Rothesay 1 8.91x
Seal 1 47.39x
St Luke London 1 1.63x
Storrington 1 56.50x
Tynemouth 1 3.28x
Wandsworth 1 2.72x
Willesden 1 2.77x
Winchelsea St Thomas 1 125.00x
Woodchester 1 84.75x
Wootton 1 70.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 22
George 18
John 16
James 14
Thomas 12
Henry 9
Arthur 6
Harry 6
Joseph 6
Charles 5
Walter 5
Alfred 4
Ernest 4
Frederick 4
Wm. 4
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Robert 3
Albert 2
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Francis 2
Jonathan 2
Michael 2
Allen 1
Archibald 1
Austin 1
Chas.Thos. 1
Cyril 1
Davd. 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Elizabeth 1
Geo. 1
Gonathan 1
J. 1
Jno.Thos. 1
Mercha 1
Nelson 1
Oliver 1
Patrick 1
Percy 1
Richard 1
Richd. 1
Samuel 1
Stanley 1
Stephen 1
T. 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Gain surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gain surname in 1881?

In 1881, 395 people were recorded with the Gain surname. That placed it at #8,037 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gain surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 230 in 2016. That gives Gain a modern rank of #17,812.

What does the Gain surname mean?

An English surname derived from the old French word "gaaigne" meaning profit or acquisition.

What does the Gain map show?

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