NameCensus.

UK surname

Gales

Derived from the Old English word "gal," referring to someone who was jovial, merry, or lighthearted.

In the 1881 census there were 469 people recorded with the Gales surname, ranking it #7,106 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 493, ranked #10,082, down from #7,106 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Doddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Darlington, Leeds and Newcastle upon Tyne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gales is 791 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5.1%.

1881 census count

469

Ranked #7,106

Modern count

493

2016, ranked #10,082

Peak year

1861

791 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gales had 469 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,106 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 493 in 2016, ranked #10,082.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 791 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Gales surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gales surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gales 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 270 #8,275
1861 historical 791 #3,485
1881 historical 469 #7,106
1891 historical 587 #6,508
1901 historical 432 #8,968
1911 historical 506 #7,772
1997 modern 503 #9,259
1998 modern 512 #9,414
1999 modern 508 #9,535
2000 modern 501 #9,619
2001 modern 489 #9,629
2002 modern 489 #9,789
2003 modern 454 #10,222
2004 modern 470 #9,958
2005 modern 475 #9,804
2006 modern 480 #9,772
2007 modern 478 #9,891
2008 modern 497 #9,681
2009 modern 504 #9,788
2010 modern 515 #9,821
2011 modern 497 #9,997
2012 modern 472 #10,295
2013 modern 496 #10,080
2014 modern 488 #10,271
2015 modern 484 #10,249
2016 modern 493 #10,082

Geography

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Where Gales' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Doddington and Littlehampton, Climping. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Darlington, Leeds, Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland and County Durham. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Doddington Cambridgeshire
5 Littlehampton, Climping Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Darlington 012 Darlington
2 Leeds 040 Leeds
3 Newcastle upon Tyne 021 Newcastle upon Tyne
4 Sunderland 008 Sunderland
5 County Durham 020 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gales

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gales

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gales, 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 Gales surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Gales 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Gales is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gales is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gales falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gales is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gales

The surname GALES is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old French word "gales," meaning "wind" or "gale." This name likely referred to someone who lived in an exposed or windy area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the GALES surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a Johannes de Gales from Oxfordshire. The name also appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1301, referencing a William Gales.

During the Middle Ages, the GALES surname was often associated with place names containing the word "gale," such as Gale in Yorkshire and Gales in Surrey. Some early bearers of the name may have hailed from these locations or nearby areas.

In the 14th century, the GALES surname appeared in several historical records, including the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, which mentions a John Gales. The name also surfaces in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, listing a Robert Gales.

Notable individuals with the GALES surname throughout history include John Gales (1680-1762), an English Baptist minister and author, and Joseph Gales (1761-1841), an English journalist and publisher who emigrated to the United States and established the National Intelligencer newspaper.

Another prominent figure was Samuel Gales (1788-1838), an American journalist and politician who served as the Mayor of Washington, D.C., from 1827 to 1830. He was the son of Joseph Gales mentioned earlier.

In the realm of literature, Ann Gales (1805-1878), an English novelist and writer, gained recognition for her works, including "The Miser's Daughter" and "The Wye and its Associations."

Additionally, Sir Edward Gales (1837-1909), a British civil engineer and surveyor, made significant contributions to the construction of railways and public works projects in India during the 19th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gales families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gales 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. Durham leads with 102 Gales' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.69x.

County Total Index
Durham 102 7.69x
Middlesex 91 2.04x
Sussex 42 5.59x
Norfolk 34 4.96x
Surrey 34 1.57x
Yorkshire 25 0.57x
Lancashire 17 0.32x
Kent 14 0.92x
Somerset 14 1.95x
Cambridgeshire 13 4.60x
Cheshire 11 1.12x
Devon 9 0.97x
Warwickshire 8 0.71x
Essex 7 0.80x
Hampshire 7 0.77x
Bedfordshire 5 2.17x
Lanarkshire 5 0.35x
Hertfordshire 4 1.30x
Berkshire 3 0.90x
Staffordshire 3 0.20x
Oxfordshire 2 0.73x
Suffolk 2 0.37x
Gloucestershire 1 0.11x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.13x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.17x
Royal Navy 1 1.88x
Wiltshire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishopwearmouth in Durham leads with 17 Gales' recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.93x.

Place Total Index
Bishopwearmouth 17 14.93x
St George In East 15 49.47x
Littlehampton 13 216.67x
Kensington London 12 4.84x
Greencroft 11 452.67x
Yeovil 11 75.45x
Birkenhead 10 12.75x
Denton 10 1351.35x
Holmside 10 305.81x
Kyo 9 144.23x
March 9 95.24x
Tottenham 9 12.68x
Ardwick 8 16.77x
Aston 8 2.58x
Collierley 8 135.36x
Great Yarmouth 8 14.09x
Streatham 8 24.19x
Godalming 7 51.21x
Mile End Old Town 7 9.95x
Poplar London 7 8.32x
St Pancras London 7 1.95x
Wells Next Sea 7 175.00x
West Firle 7 804.60x
Byers Green 6 160.43x
Darlington 6 11.72x
Halling 6 301.51x
Heaton Norris 6 19.93x
Portsea 6 3.35x
Stockton On Tees 6 9.39x
Uxbridge 6 117.88x
Barton Turf 5 943.40x
Battersea 5 3.05x
Bethnal Green London 5 2.58x
Brixham 5 46.51x
Camberwell 5 1.76x
Hurworth 5 215.52x
Leeds 5 2.00x
Luton 5 12.51x
Richmond 5 16.43x
Sunderland 5 21.35x
Whitby 5 33.58x
Acle 4 285.71x
Barony 4 1.10x
Chester Le Street 4 39.29x
Goring 4 493.83x
Hertford St John 4 87.34x
Horning 4 606.06x
Horsham 4 27.40x
Nazeing 4 353.98x
North Cliffe 4 2857.14x
St Luke London 4 5.59x
Westoe 4 5.32x
Bath St James 3 40.11x
Brighton 3 1.98x
Bromley London 3 3.06x
Ford 3 75.57x
Handsworth 3 8.09x
Kirby In Cleveland 3 810.81x
Yaxham 3 400.00x
Bradfield 2 112.99x
Croydon Cum Clapton 2 273.97x
Greenwich 2 2.82x
Lambeth 2 0.51x
Linthorpe 2 7.59x
Monkwearmouth Shore 2 7.73x
Osmotherley 2 141.84x
Skerton 2 46.08x
St Andrewthe Less 2 6.20x
St George Bloomsbury 2 7.82x
Stranton 2 4.48x
Tonbridge 2 3.65x
Woolvercot 2 178.57x
Hackney London 1 0.40x
Hillingdon 1 7.04x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 4.86x
New Romney 1 63.69x
New Shoreham 1 22.22x
Paignton 1 14.16x
Walkhampton 1 112.36x
Westminster St James 1 2.18x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 32
George 19
John 15
Thomas 14
Charles 13
Robert 11
Henry 9
Richard 9
Alfred 8
James 8
Joseph 8
Walter 5
Benjamin 4
Edward 4
Edwin 4
Arthur 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Abraham 2
Daniel 2
Edmund 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Harold 2
Isaac 2
Jesse 2
Joshua 2
Matthew 2
Stephen 2
Athur 1
Benj.F.A. 1
Bennison 1
Christopher 1
David 1
Earnest 1
F.T.S. 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred. 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Leonora 1
Mary 1
Mathew 1
Morris 1
Rd. 1
Reginald 1
Richd.Lawson 1
Richd.S. 1
Wm.M. 1

FAQ

Gales surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gales surname in 1881?

In 1881, 469 people were recorded with the Gales surname. That placed it at #7,106 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gales surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 493 in 2016. That gives Gales a modern rank of #10,082.

What does the Gales surname mean?

Derived from the Old English word "gal," referring to someone who was jovial, merry, or lighthearted.

What does the Gales map show?

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