NameCensus.

UK surname

Gainsford

In the 1881 census there were 158 people recorded with the Gainsford surname, ranking it #14,989 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 180, ranked #21,022, down from #14,989 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes and Ealing, Chiswick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Purbeck, Bexley and Southend-on-Sea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gainsford is 201 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.9%.

1881 census count

158

Ranked #14,989

Modern count

180

2016, ranked #21,022

Peak year

1998

201 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gainsford had 158 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,989 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 180 in 2016, ranked #21,022.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 158 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gainsford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gainsford surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Gainsford 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 95 #17,707
1861 historical 90 #22,312
1881 historical 158 #14,989
1891 historical 143 #18,920
1901 historical 137 #19,032
1911 historical 157 #17,348
1997 modern 199 #17,668
1998 modern 201 #18,047
1999 modern 197 #18,400
2000 modern 201 #18,152
2001 modern 198 #18,047
2002 modern 191 #18,817
2003 modern 183 #19,152
2004 modern 190 #18,792
2005 modern 188 #18,866
2006 modern 188 #19,023
2007 modern 195 #18,799
2008 modern 185 #19,589
2009 modern 187 #19,868
2010 modern 195 #19,762
2011 modern 195 #19,610
2012 modern 188 #20,018
2013 modern 188 #20,352
2014 modern 186 #20,664
2015 modern 186 #20,576
2016 modern 180 #21,022

Geography

Back to top

Where Gainsfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes, Ealing, Chiswick, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Purbeck, Bexley, Southend-on-Sea, Wychavon and Herefordshire. 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 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
2 London parishes London 3
3 Ealing, Chiswick Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
4 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Purbeck 004 Purbeck
2 Bexley 021 Bexley
3 Southend-on-Sea 013 Southend-on-Sea
4 Wychavon 006 Wychavon
5 Herefordshire 023 Herefordshire, County of

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Gainsford

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Gainsford

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gainsford, 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 Gainsford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Gainsford 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Gainsford is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Gainsford 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

Gainsford falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Gainsford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gainsford 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 55 Gainsfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.57x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 55 3.57x
Kent 52 9.89x
Sussex 17 6.54x
Surrey 10 1.33x
Hertfordshire 7 6.59x
Yorkshire 7 0.46x
Lancashire 3 0.16x
Berkshire 2 1.73x
Somerset 2 0.81x
Cumberland 1 0.75x
Derbyshire 1 0.41x
Essex 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tonbridge in Kent leads with 33 Gainsfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 174.05x.

Place Total Index
Tonbridge 33 174.05x
Brighton 15 28.62x
Islington London 9 6.03x
Kensington London 9 10.50x
St Pancras London 9 7.26x
Deptford St Paul 8 19.73x
St Marylebone London 8 9.72x
Ecclesall Bierlow 7 22.54x
Hitchin 7 146.14x
Croydon 6 14.40x
Norwood 6 170.45x
Speldhurst 6 223.88x
Ealing 5 36.31x
Bidborough 3 2000.00x
Cheetham 3 21.99x
Streatham 3 26.25x
Charlton Next Woolwich 2 36.50x
Chelsea London 2 4.31x
Clewer 2 42.19x
Hanwell 2 73.26x
Hastings St Leonards 2 52.36x
St Luke London 2 8.09x
Bathwick 1 36.36x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.49x
Colchester St Botolph 1 38.61x
Fairfield 1 62.11x
New Brentford 1 123.46x
Parton 1 128.21x
Penge 1 10.16x
St George Hanover Square 1 3.68x
Walcot 1 7.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Elizabeth 6
Ellen 5
Sarah 5
Louisa 4
Edith 3
Emma 3
Rose 3
Sophia 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Christabel 2
Eliza 2
Jane 2
Jessie 2
Kate 2
Lydia 2
Amy 1
Anne 1
Annette 1
Beatce. 1
Beatrice 1
Clara 1
Dorothy 1
Eadith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Elsie 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Ethelreda 1
Florence 1
Harriett 1
Hetty 1
Hilda 1
Katherine 1
Lizzie 1
Louise 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
May 1
Mildred 1
Minnie 1
Nellie 1
Olive 1
Ruth 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 7
Robert 7
John 6
Thomas 6
Charles 4
William 4
Albert 3
James 3
Joseph 3
Edward 2
Richard 2
Walter 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Bertram 1
Chas. 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Henry 1
Josph.S. 1
Osmund 1
Percy 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1
Victor 1

FAQ

Gainsford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gainsford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 158 people were recorded with the Gainsford surname. That placed it at #14,989 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gainsford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 180 in 2016. That gives Gainsford a modern rank of #21,022.

What does the Gainsford map show?

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