NameCensus.

UK surname

Gallant

A French occupational surname referring to a brave or chivalrous person, derived from the Old French word "galant".

In the 1881 census there were 497 people recorded with the Gallant surname, ranking it #6,805 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 718, ranked #7,566, down from #6,805 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Paul, St Saviour, St Edmund, St Simon and Jude, St Peter Hungate, St Michael at Plea, St Martin a and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Great Yarmouth and Babergh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gallant is 740 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 44.5%.

1881 census count

497

Ranked #6,805

Modern count

718

2016, ranked #7,566

Peak year

2010

740 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gallant had 497 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,805 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 718 in 2016, ranked #7,566.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 683 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gallant surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gallant surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gallant 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 344 #6,842
1861 historical 265 #9,355
1881 historical 497 #6,805
1891 historical 496 #7,478
1901 historical 634 #6,768
1911 historical 683 #6,192
1997 modern 675 #7,452
1998 modern 705 #7,437
1999 modern 721 #7,354
2000 modern 711 #7,408
2001 modern 690 #7,452
2002 modern 715 #7,388
2003 modern 684 #7,529
2004 modern 695 #7,450
2005 modern 695 #7,392
2006 modern 697 #7,378
2007 modern 705 #7,381
2008 modern 702 #7,463
2009 modern 723 #7,443
2010 modern 740 #7,448
2011 modern 716 #7,565
2012 modern 705 #7,562
2013 modern 730 #7,492
2014 modern 734 #7,509
2015 modern 717 #7,580
2016 modern 718 #7,566

Geography

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Where Gallants are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Paul, St Saviour, St Edmund, St Simon and Jude, St Peter Hungate, St Michael at Plea, St Martin a, Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Great Yarmouth and Babergh. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Paul, St Saviour, St Edmund, St Simon and Jude, St Peter Hungate, St Michael at Plea, St Martin a Norfolk
4 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk
5 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Great Yarmouth 002 Great Yarmouth
2 Babergh 007 Babergh
3 Great Yarmouth 007 Great Yarmouth
4 Great Yarmouth 009 Great Yarmouth
5 Great Yarmouth 001 Great Yarmouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gallant

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gallant

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Gallant is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gallant 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

Gallant 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 Gallant 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 Gallant, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Gallant

The surname "GALLANT" originates from France, where it first emerged in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "gaillart," meaning "lively" or "high-spirited." The name likely referred to someone with a cheerful or courageous demeanor.

In its early days, the name was primarily concentrated in the northern regions of France, particularly in Normandy and Brittany. Records from the 13th century show variations in spelling, such as "Gallan" and "Gallart," which eventually evolved into the modern form of "Gallant."

One of the earliest known references to the name appears in the Livre des Métiers, a medieval guild register from Paris, dated around 1268. It mentions a "Jehan Gallant," who was a member of the tailors' guild.

The name also appears in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners in England compiled in 1086 under the orders of William the Conqueror. Several individuals with the surname "Gallant" or similar spellings are listed as landowners or tenants in various counties.

Notable individuals with the surname "Gallant" throughout history include:

1. Sir Thomas Gallant (c. 1490-1551), an English soldier and member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII. 2. Pierre Gallant (1642-1714), a French colonist and one of the earliest settlers in Acadia (now Nova Scotia, Canada). 3. Jean-Baptiste Gallant (1773-1838), a French-Canadian farmer and political figure who served in the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada. 4. Mavis Gallant (1922-2014), a celebrated Canadian novelist and short story writer known for her exquisite prose and depictions of exile and displacement. 5. Dexter Gallant (born 1976), a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played in the NHL for teams such as the Calgary Flames and New York Rangers.

While the surname "Gallant" has French origins, it has spread to various parts of the world, including Canada, the United States, and other English-speaking countries, due to migration and cultural exchange over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gallant families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gallant 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. Norfolk leads with 174 Gallants recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.20x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 174 23.20x
Suffolk 123 20.71x
Middlesex 80 1.64x
Yorkshire 30 0.62x
Surrey 22 0.93x
Essex 20 2.08x
Northumberland 18 2.48x
Shropshire 7 1.66x
Lanarkshire 5 0.32x
Hampshire 4 0.40x
Kent 4 0.24x
Lancashire 4 0.07x
Royal Navy 2 3.44x
Berkshire 1 0.27x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.32x
Durham 1 0.07x
Gloucestershire 1 0.10x
Lincolnshire 1 0.13x
Northamptonshire 1 0.22x
Sussex 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lowestoft in Suffolk leads with 39 Gallants recorded in 1881 and an index of 138.99x.

Place Total Index
Lowestoft 39 138.99x
Great Yarmouth 31 49.90x
St Pancras London 23 5.86x
Norwich St Paul 19 423.16x
Heigham 16 39.75x
Caistor Next Yarmouth 15 568.18x
Ormesby St Margaret W 14 744.68x
Camberwell 12 3.85x
Martham 12 655.74x
Thorpe Next Norwich 12 150.94x
Chirton 10 60.90x
Kirkley 9 181.09x
Whepstead 9 882.35x
Ipswich St Clement 8 52.98x
Norwich St Clement 8 92.06x
St Botolph Aldgate London 8 79.68x
West Somerton 8 2051.28x
York St Saviour 8 173.54x
Holy Trinity 7 6.02x
Paddington London 7 3.90x
St Clement Danes London 7 69.38x
St Giles In Fields London 7 29.25x
Barking 6 21.30x
Clerkenwell London 6 5.21x
Hartest 6 582.52x
Mason 6 361.45x
Sculcoates 6 7.83x
Walthamstow 6 17.32x
Acle 5 326.80x
Barony 5 1.25x
Gorleston 5 33.13x
Hampstead London 5 6.58x
Little Cornard 5 781.25x
Shrewsbury St Julian 5 47.98x
Drinkstone 4 519.48x
Everton 4 2.17x
Flempton 4 1333.33x
Ipswich St Mathew 4 24.02x
Ipswich St Peter 4 50.00x
Kensington London 4 1.48x
Lambeth 4 0.94x
Leeds 4 1.47x
Moulton St Michael 4 666.67x
Norwich St Augustine 4 132.45x
Oulton 4 634.92x
Witham 4 80.65x
Bromley London 3 2.80x
Burgh St Margaret 3 326.09x
Great Waldingfield 3 306.12x
Ipswich St Helen 3 42.61x
Islington London 3 0.63x
Newington 3 1.67x
Norwich St John Sepulchre 3 61.60x
Norwich St Stephen 3 43.60x
Sudbury All Sts 3 165.75x
Tonbridge 3 5.00x
Ufford 3 326.09x
Battersea 2 1.11x
Belstead 2 377.36x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 2 17.94x
Colchester St Botolph 2 24.42x
Corpusty 2 317.46x
Cowpen 2 11.97x
Hammersmith London 2 1.66x
Norwich St James 2 34.01x
Poplar London 2 2.17x
Rattlesden 2 114.94x
Southampton St Michael 2 60.79x
Sudbury St Peter 2 61.35x
Westminster St James 2 3.99x
Coulton 1 454.55x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 1.59x
Ipswich St Nicholas 1 30.58x
Lawford 1 71.43x
Norton 1 80.00x
Norwich St Martin At Oak 1 21.93x
Runham 1 66.67x
Shelfanger 1 175.44x
Upper Hallam 1 23.81x
Weedon Beck 1 30.40x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 25
James 24
George 20
John 20
Charles 10
Edward 9
Henry 9
Robert 9
Arthur 8
Thomas 8
Alfred 7
Samuel 7
Walter 4
Benjamin 3
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Wm. 3
Albert 2
Augustus 2
Clement 2
Ernest 2
Ezra 2
Gabriel 2
Joshua 2
Morris 2
Nathaniel 2
Robt. 2
Thompson 2
Bertie 1
Cyrus 1
David 1
Dennis 1
Ebeneza 1
Frances 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Golding 1
Herbert 1
Hermon 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Jonathan 1
Josh.Wm.Juby 1
Luke 1
Paul 1
Richard 1
Ross 1
Saml. 1
Spencer 1
Wm.Jas. 1

FAQ

Gallant surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gallant surname in 1881?

In 1881, 497 people were recorded with the Gallant surname. That placed it at #6,805 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gallant surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 718 in 2016. That gives Gallant a modern rank of #7,566.

What does the Gallant surname mean?

A French occupational surname referring to a brave or chivalrous person, derived from the Old French word "galant".

What does the Gallant map show?

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