NameCensus.

UK surname

Gallaway

A Scottish and Irish topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a rocky hill or stony area.

In the 1881 census there were 240 people recorded with the Gallaway surname, ranking it #11,410 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 172, ranked #21,648, down from #11,410 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Oxborough, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Basildon and Mid Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gallaway is 379 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 28.3%.

1881 census count

240

Ranked #11,410

Modern count

172

2016, ranked #21,648

Peak year

1861

379 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gallaway had 240 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,410 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 172 in 2016, ranked #21,648.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 379 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gallaway surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gallaway surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gallaway 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 255 #8,652
1861 historical 379 #6,739
1881 historical 240 #11,410
1891 historical 241 #13,089
1901 historical 224 #14,091
1911 historical 271 #12,237
1997 modern 178 #18,958
1998 modern 178 #19,452
1999 modern 191 #18,744
2000 modern 189 #18,860
2001 modern 186 #18,773
2002 modern 189 #18,950
2003 modern 177 #19,549
2004 modern 176 #19,731
2005 modern 177 #19,598
2006 modern 179 #19,592
2007 modern 179 #19,811
2008 modern 169 #20,745
2009 modern 177 #20,560
2010 modern 182 #20,662
2011 modern 177 #20,874
2012 modern 171 #21,303
2013 modern 178 #21,108
2014 modern 180 #21,115
2015 modern 173 #21,542
2016 modern 172 #21,648

Geography

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Where Gallaways are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Oxborough, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Lambeth and Inch. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Basildon and Mid Devon. 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 Oxborough Norfolk
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Inch Wigtown

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 048 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 062 Cornwall
3 Basildon 001 Basildon
4 Cornwall 063 Cornwall
5 Mid Devon 002 Mid Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gallaway

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gallaway

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

Gallaway is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gallaway falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gallaway is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gallaway

The surname Gallaway has its origins in Scotland, where it first emerged in the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "gall," meaning "stranger" or "foreigner," and "àth," meaning "ford" or "stream crossing." This combination suggests that the name initially referred to a person who lived near a ford or stream crossing frequented by foreigners or strangers.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in historical Scottish records and charters from the 13th century. One notable example is a mention of a "Willelmus de Galhauath" in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a document recording the submission of Scottish noblemen to King Edward I of England.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Galloway, Gallowaie, and Gallua, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time. One prominent figure bearing this name was Sir Andrew Galloway, a Scottish knight who fought alongside King James IV at the Battle of Flodden in 1513.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Gallaway surname spread beyond Scotland as families migrated to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to the American colonies. Notable bearers of the name from this period include John Galloway (1592-1653), a Scottish minister and theologian, and Joseph Galloway (1731-1803), a prominent American loyalist during the Revolutionary War.

In the 18th century, the surname continued to appear in historical records, including mention of a William Gallaway who served as a captain in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. Another notable figure was Samuel Gallaway (1783-1851), an English mathematician and astronomer.

As the name spread worldwide, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Galloway, Gallawey, and Gallawe. Some prominent individuals bearing this surname in the 19th and early 20th centuries include Sir Ralph Gallaway (1833-1908), a British politician and member of parliament, and Roger Gallaway (1886-1962), an American artist and illustrator.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gallaway families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gallaway 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. Yorkshire leads with 50 Gallaways recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.16x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 50 2.16x
Middlesex 40 1.72x
Norfolk 33 9.21x
Surrey 20 1.76x
Staffordshire 10 1.27x
Kent 9 1.13x
Fife 8 5.80x
Warwickshire 8 1.36x
East Lothian 7 22.67x
Renfrewshire 7 3.87x
Perthshire 6 5.73x
Midlothian 5 1.60x
Berkshire 4 2.29x
Cumberland 4 1.99x
Gloucestershire 4 0.87x
Oxfordshire 3 2.08x
Angus 2 0.93x
Cornwall 2 0.76x
Devon 2 0.41x
Lanarkshire 2 0.27x
Lancashire 2 0.07x
Lincolnshire 2 0.54x
Ayrshire 1 0.57x
Cheshire 1 0.19x
Derbyshire 1 0.27x
Dunbartonshire 1 1.60x
Durham 1 0.14x
Essex 1 0.22x
Hampshire 1 0.21x
Herefordshire 1 1.05x
Wiltshire 1 0.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Southery in Norfolk leads with 17 Gallaways recorded in 1881 and an index of 1789.47x.

Place Total Index
Southery 17 1789.47x
Ecclesfield 15 88.55x
Bethnal Green London 14 13.82x
Croydon 9 14.27x
Wolverhampton 8 13.22x
Abbotshall 7 135.66x
Berwick North 7 324.07x
Armley 6 58.88x
Islington London 6 2.66x
Little Stanmore 6 869.57x
Ormesby 6 96.62x
West Greenock 6 18.50x
Aston 5 3.09x
Denver 5 746.27x
Edmonton 5 26.62x
Muckhart 5 1041.67x
Seasalter 5 500.00x
South Lynn 5 123.46x
Whitby 5 64.18x
Distington 4 388.35x
Edinburgh St Stephens 4 65.04x
Gooderstone 4 1025.64x
Kensington London 4 3.09x
Southcoates 4 31.20x
Horne 3 535.71x
Lambourn 3 173.41x
Ashby Cum Fenby 2 952.38x
Bothwell 2 9.78x
Cheltenham 2 5.67x
Holy Trinity 2 3.60x
Leeds 2 1.53x
Liff Benvie 2 6.10x
Liversedge 2 19.46x
Ludgvan 2 95.24x
Maidstone 2 8.44x
Methwold 2 172.41x
Oxford St Aldate 2 131.58x
Sheffield 2 2.72x
Snaith Cowick 2 144.93x
Bilston 1 6.56x
Birmingham 1 0.51x
Bolehall Glascote 1 40.16x
Bristol St George 1 4.73x
Bromley 1 8.25x
Buxton 1 32.36x
Callander 1 57.80x
Camberwell 1 0.67x
Chelsea London 1 1.42x
Chertsey 1 13.62x
Cottingham 1 20.08x
Cumbernauld 1 29.15x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.80x
Gateshead 1 1.93x
Hereford St Peter 1 39.22x
Huby 1 250.00x
Ipsden 1 175.44x
Kirkcaldy 1 14.62x
Lancaster 1 6.08x
Laycock 1 107.53x
Leyton 1 12.61x
Mauchline 1 49.75x
Mitcham 1 13.93x
Newbury 1 17.83x
Newington 1 1.16x
Plumstead 1 3.77x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 2.68x
Rainton Cum Newby 1 322.58x
Reigate Foreign 1 8.13x
Richmond 1 6.28x
Sale 1 15.85x
Shalfleet 1 108.70x
Southwark Christchurch 1 9.16x
Southwark St Saviour 1 8.35x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.43x
Stoke Damerel 1 2.94x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 1.20x
Toxteth Park 1 1.07x
Westminster St Margaret 1 8.89x
Wilton In Guisbrough 1 97.09x
Wotton Under Edge 1 37.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Eliza 7
Jane 7
Elizabeth 6
Emma 6
Hannah 4
Kate 4
Margaret 4
Ellen 3
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Emeline 2
Isabella 2
Julia 2
Lois 2
Rose 2
Sarah 2
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Angelina 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Betsey 1
Clara 1
Emelia 1
Emiley 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Henrietta 1
Hephzibah 1
Jessie 1
Joanna 1
Kezia 1
Lucy 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Mrs 1
Olive 1
Polly 1
Rosina 1
Sarahanne 1
Ursula 1
Zillah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 20
William 13
George 8
Thomas 8
Charles 4
James 4
Alfred 3
Henry 3
Joseph 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Francis 2
Percy 2
Wm. 2
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Bertie 1
Edward 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Fredk.J. 1
Guy 1
Hirst 1
Issac 1
Leonard 1
Manfred 1
Mathew 1
Peter 1
Procter 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Sheffield 1
Sydney 1
Willie 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Gallaway surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gallaway surname in 1881?

In 1881, 240 people were recorded with the Gallaway surname. That placed it at #11,410 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gallaway surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 172 in 2016. That gives Gallaway a modern rank of #21,648.

What does the Gallaway surname mean?

A Scottish and Irish topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a rocky hill or stony area.

What does the Gallaway map show?

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