NameCensus.

UK surname

Gale

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a fertile area of land or a spring.

In the 1881 census there were 8,531 people recorded with the Gale surname, ranking it #496 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 10,923, ranked #589, down from #496 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Poorstock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fenland, West Dorset and Purbeck.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gale is 11,884 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.0%.

1881 census count

8,531

Ranked #496

Modern count

10,923

2016, ranked #589

Peak year

1999

11,884 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gale had 8,531 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #496 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 10,923 in 2016, ranked #589.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 11,562 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gale surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gale surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gale 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 5,711 #486
1861 historical 5,673 #484
1881 historical 8,531 #496
1891 historical 8,822 #501
1901 historical 10,647 #492
1911 historical 11,562 #425
1997 modern 11,483 #530
1998 modern 11,851 #536
1999 modern 11,884 #537
2000 modern 11,746 #543
2001 modern 11,445 #543
2002 modern 11,599 #550
2003 modern 11,339 #547
2004 modern 11,244 #552
2005 modern 10,922 #565
2006 modern 10,846 #570
2007 modern 10,927 #572
2008 modern 10,957 #575
2009 modern 11,201 #575
2010 modern 11,277 #585
2011 modern 11,137 #585
2012 modern 10,925 #584
2013 modern 11,071 #589
2014 modern 11,136 #590
2015 modern 10,975 #592
2016 modern 10,923 #589

Geography

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Where Gales are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Poorstock and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fenland, West Dorset, Purbeck and Wiltshire. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Poorstock Dorset
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fenland 006 Fenland
2 West Dorset 006 West Dorset
3 West Dorset 007 West Dorset
4 Purbeck 004 Purbeck
5 Wiltshire 025 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gale

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gale

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

Gale is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gale falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gale

The surname GALE is of Old English origin, derived from the word "gal" meaning "loud" or "boisterous." It likely originated in the northern regions of England, particularly Yorkshire, during the early medieval period.

The earliest recorded mention of the name GALE can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Galle" and "Gail." This suggests that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Gale," "Gayle," and "Gail," reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common at the time. Some early bearers of the name include William Gale, recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1207, and Reginald de Gale, mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1279.

The name GALE may also be derived from the Old English word "gal," meaning "madness" or "frenzy," suggesting that it could have been used as a nickname for an excitable or high-spirited person.

Historically, the surname GALE has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest was Theophilus Gale (1628-1678), an English nonconformist minister and prolific writer. Another prominent bearer was Thomas Gale (1636-1702), an English classical scholar and antiquarian.

In the 18th century, Benjamin Gale (1715-1790) was a renowned English Baptist minister and author, while Samuel Gale (1682-1754) was a distinguished English antiquarian and editor of the Registrum Honoris de Richmond.

Moving into the 19th century, Reverend Frederick Gale (1832-1904) was an English clergyman and author of several works on ancient history and archaeology. He was also a prominent figure in the development of the University of Oxford's Ashmolean Museum.

Throughout its history, the surname GALE has been linked to various locations, including the village of Gale in North Yorkshire, which may have influenced the name's origins. Additionally, the surname is found in various place names, such as Galeborough in Lincolnshire and Gale Green in Cheshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gale families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gale 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 1,018 Gales recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.16x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1,018 1.16x
Dorset 762 13.26x
Surrey 747 1.75x
Hampshire 715 3.99x
Devon 673 3.69x
Wiltshire 632 8.16x
Yorkshire 572 0.66x
Isle of Man 357 21.96x
Gloucestershire 310 1.81x
Somerset 305 2.16x
Lancashire 231 0.22x
Sussex 207 1.40x
Berkshire 202 3.07x
Kent 199 0.67x
Essex 145 0.84x
Glamorgan 143 0.94x
Worcestershire 132 1.15x
Durham 129 0.50x
Huntingdonshire 127 7.31x
Monmouthshire 120 1.90x
Nottinghamshire 118 1.00x
Lincolnshire 117 0.84x
Northamptonshire 98 1.19x
Oxfordshire 92 1.70x
Warwickshire 78 0.35x
Staffordshire 71 0.24x
Channel Islands 67 2.58x
Cornwall 62 0.63x
Norfolk 55 0.41x
Bedfordshire 53 1.17x
Leicestershire 51 0.53x
Buckinghamshire 38 0.72x
Cumberland 34 0.45x
Derbyshire 34 0.25x
Cambridgeshire 25 0.45x
Herefordshire 25 0.70x
Cheshire 22 0.11x
Royal Navy 22 2.11x
Hertfordshire 21 0.35x
Shropshire 20 0.26x
Aberdeenshire 19 0.23x
Ayrshire 17 0.26x
Fife 17 0.33x
Suffolk 15 0.14x
Lanarkshire 14 0.05x
Rutland 10 1.56x
Wigtownshire 7 0.60x
Angus 6 0.07x
Midlothian 6 0.05x
Pembrokeshire 6 0.22x
Stirlingshire 5 0.15x
Dunbartonshire 4 0.17x
Northumberland 4 0.03x
Carmarthenshire 3 0.08x
Renfrewshire 3 0.04x
Perthshire 2 0.05x
Brecknockshire 1 0.06x
Clackmannanshire 1 0.14x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.05x
Ross-shire 1 0.04x
Westmorland 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rushen in Isle of Man leads with 151 Gales recorded in 1881 and an index of 137.36x.

Place Total Index
Rushen 151 137.36x
Lambeth 116 1.52x
Powerstock 107 434.96x
Bridport 100 84.56x
Islington London 84 0.99x
Hammersmith London 83 3.85x
Leeds 79 1.61x
Onchan 78 16.66x
St Pancras London 76 1.08x
Portsea 72 2.05x
Southampton St Mary 68 6.03x
Battersea 64 1.99x
St Marylebone London 64 1.37x
Kingston On Thames 58 5.66x
Camberwell 55 0.98x
Plymouth St Andrew 51 3.63x
Tormoham 49 6.36x
Bethnal Green London 48 1.26x
Croydon 47 1.99x
Malew 47 33.10x
Kidderminster Borough 46 6.88x
St Helier 46 5.45x
Kensington London 44 0.90x
Woodford 43 21.98x
Hunslet 41 3.03x
Newington 41 1.27x
Tavistock 41 19.75x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 39 2.41x
Box 37 56.05x
Mile End Old Town London 37 1.99x
Bovey Tracey 36 56.49x
Liverpool 35 0.55x
Swindon 35 5.83x
Whitby 35 11.97x
Hackney London 34 0.69x
St Neots 34 35.99x
Deptford St Paul 33 1.43x
St George Hanover Square 33 2.14x
Titchfield 33 24.40x
Loders 32 112.08x
Exeter St Thomas The 31 16.69x
Shipton George 31 331.55x
Tottenham 31 2.22x
Aston 30 0.49x
Bradpole 30 63.73x
Southwark St George Martyr 30 1.70x
Fernhurst 29 88.79x
Fulham London 29 2.28x
Reading St Giles 28 4.34x
Streatham 28 4.31x
Bothenhampton 27 168.12x
Cardiff St Mary 27 3.22x
Okehampton 27 39.30x
Cheltenham 26 1.96x
Chiswick 26 5.44x
Clerkenwell London 26 1.26x
Corsham 26 23.02x
Darlington 26 2.59x
Greenwich 26 1.87x
Martock 26 28.39x
Portishead 26 24.83x
Portland 26 8.42x
Shoreditch London 26 0.69x
Stoke Damerel 26 2.04x
Bermondsey 25 0.96x
Birmingham 25 0.34x
Bremhill 25 71.67x
Brighton 25 0.84x
Buckden 25 79.92x
North Poorton 25 1366.12x
Roath 25 3.61x
Hornsey 24 2.17x
Paddington London 24 0.75x
Bishopwearmouth 23 1.03x
Calne 23 14.43x
Christian Malford 23 97.79x
Dorking 23 8.03x
Maughold 23 18.34x
Melksham 23 17.11x
Walsall Foreign 23 1.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 546
Elizabeth 351
Sarah 286
Jane 166
Ann 165
Alice 150
Emma 148
Eliza 145
Emily 145
Ellen 135
Annie 123
Martha 78
Margaret 73
Charlotte 72
Louisa 70
Caroline 68
Florence 59
Edith 58
Fanny 58
Harriet 54
Susan 53
Hannah 52
Kate 51
Ada 49
Catherine 44
Maria 43
Clara 37
Frances 36
Harriett 34
Lucy 34
Anne 31
Sophia 27
Rose 25
Bessie 24
Amelia 23
Isabella 23
Julia 23
Gertrude 22
Rebecca 22
Eleanor 21
Agnes 20
Matilda 20
Rosa 18
Ruth 17
Esther 16
Jessie 16
Elizth. 14
Maud 14
Selina 14
Henrietta 12

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 637
John 478
George 338
Thomas 270
James 221
Henry 220
Charles 218
Frederick 104
Alfred 99
Edward 99
Robert 96
Joseph 92
Albert 91
Richard 90
Arthur 86
Samuel 75
Walter 73
Ernest 50
Harry 49
Frank 46
Herbert 43
Edwin 38
Francis 38
David 33
Benjamin 30
Isaac 24
Tom 23
Wm. 21
Daniel 17
Fredrick 17
Thos. 17
Edmund 14
Geo. 14
Percy 14
Fred 13
Stephen 13
Jacob 12
Sidney 12
Christopher 11
Leonard 11
Peter 8
Sydney 8
Fredk. 7
Jesse 7
Matthew 7
Ralph 7
Andrew 6
Elijah 6
J. 6
Mark 6

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Gale households.

FAQ

Gale surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gale surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8,531 people were recorded with the Gale surname. That placed it at #496 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gale surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 10,923 in 2016. That gives Gale a modern rank of #589.

What does the Gale surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a fertile area of land or a spring.

What does the Gale map show?

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