NameCensus.

UK surname

Galletly

A habitational name derived from the Scottish village of Gallet near Edinburgh.

In the 1881 census there were 224 people recorded with the Galletly surname, ranking it #11,970 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 270, ranked #15,913, down from #11,970 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Edinburgh and Perth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Coupar Angus and Meigle, Cambusbarron and South Northamptonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Galletly is 290 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 20.5%.

1881 census count

224

Ranked #11,970

Modern count

270

2016, ranked #15,913

Peak year

1999

290 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Galletly had 224 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,970 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 270 in 2016, ranked #15,913.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 273 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Galletly surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Galletly surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Galletly 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 188 #10,939
1861 historical 212 #11,466
1881 historical 224 #11,970
1891 historical 273 #11,918
1901 historical 253 #13,045
1911 historical 106 #21,948
1997 modern 263 #14,769
1998 modern 277 #14,646
1999 modern 290 #14,281
2000 modern 267 #15,055
2001 modern 260 #15,113
2002 modern 274 #14,849
2003 modern 266 #14,987
2004 modern 263 #15,189
2005 modern 264 #15,085
2006 modern 259 #15,370
2007 modern 263 #15,366
2008 modern 274 #15,063
2009 modern 280 #15,141
2010 modern 271 #15,856
2011 modern 260 #16,188
2012 modern 260 #16,090
2013 modern 270 #15,911
2014 modern 276 #15,788
2015 modern 269 #15,955
2016 modern 270 #15,913

Geography

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Where Galletlys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Edinburgh, Perth, Glasgow and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Coupar Angus and Meigle, Cambusbarron, South Northamptonshire, King's Park and Torbrex and Hillyland, Tulloch and Inveralmond. 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 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Perth Perth
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Coupar Angus and Meigle Perth and Kinross
2 Cambusbarron Stirling
3 South Northamptonshire 006 South Northamptonshire
4 King's Park and Torbrex Stirling
5 Hillyland, Tulloch and Inveralmond Perth and Kinross

Forenames

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First names often paired with Galletly

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Galletly

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Galletly is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Galletly 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

Galletly falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Galletly

The surname Galletly originates from Scotland, emerging in the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Scots or Scottish English word "gallyt," meaning "a gelded or castrated animal," particularly a horse or pony. This surname was likely an occupational name for someone who worked with or tended to such animals.

The earliest known records of the name Galletly can be found in the parish registers of Anstruther Wester and Anstruther Easter in Fife, Scotland, dating back to the late 16th century. The name was also present in the nearby areas of Kilrenny and Pittenweem during this time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Galletly was John Galletly, who was born in Anstruther Wester around 1580. Another early record is of William Galletly, born in Kilrenny in 1595.

In the 17th century, the Galletly name appeared in various Scottish records, including the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1691, where a James Galletly was listed as a resident of Anstruther Easter.

During the 18th century, the surname spread to other parts of Scotland, with instances of the name being found in Kirkcaldy, Fife, and Edinburgh. One notable individual from this period was Robert Galletly, a merchant and burgess of Edinburgh, who lived from 1725 to 1795.

As the 19th century dawned, the Galletly name continued to be prevalent in Scotland, particularly in the counties of Fife, Angus, and Lanarkshire. James Galletly, born in 1820 in Kilrenny, was a prominent figure in the fishing industry and served as a harbourmaster in Anstruther.

Another notable bearer of the Galletly name was John Galletly, a Scottish architect born in Dundee in 1856. He designed several notable buildings, including the McManus Galleries in Dundee and the Troon Town Hall.

While the Galletly surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through emigration to places like Canada, the United States, and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Galletly families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Galletly 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. Perthshire leads with 75 Galletlys recorded in 1881 and an index of 76.82x.

County Total Index
Perthshire 75 76.82x
Lanarkshire 54 7.68x
Middlesex 28 1.29x
Midlothian 22 7.55x
Yorkshire 12 0.56x
Renfrewshire 10 5.93x
Fife 5 3.88x
Surrey 5 0.47x
Lancashire 3 0.12x
Staffordshire 3 0.41x
Angus 2 0.99x
Ayrshire 2 1.23x
Morayshire 1 2.96x
Northumberland 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Scone in Perthshire leads with 37 Galletlys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2138.73x.

Place Total Index
Scone 37 2138.73x
Govan 15 8.62x
Glasgow 14 11.21x
Barony 11 6.18x
Perth East Church 11 119.57x
Hammersmith London 9 16.80x
Paisley Low Church 8 149.81x
Callander 7 434.78x
Chiswick 7 58.87x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 5.97x
Edinburgh St Marys 7 123.67x
Kinnoull 7 272.37x
Leeds 7 5.75x
Maryhill 7 50.84x
Islington London 6 2.85x
Shettleston 6 95.24x
West Calder 6 104.53x
Hunslet 5 14.88x
Penge 5 36.00x
Perth Middle Church 5 136.24x
St Marylebone London 5 4.31x
Tibbermore 5 357.14x
Anstruther Easter 3 322.58x
Wigan 3 8.32x
Cannock 2 15.61x
Largs 2 52.08x
Paisley Middle Church 2 20.39x
South Leith 2 6.10x
Abdie 1 136.99x
Comrie 1 71.43x
Dundee 1 1.33x
Elgin 1 15.22x
Elswick 1 3.87x
Hamilton 1 5.10x
Montrose 1 8.19x
Paddington London 1 1.25x
Perth St Pauls 1 44.25x
Redgorton 1 92.59x
Scoonie 1 35.84x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 1.28x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Agnes 3
Elizabeth 3
Amy 2
Emily 2
Jane 2
Sarah 2
Alice 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Connie 1
Edith 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Georgiana 1
Helen 1
Helena 1
Isabella 1
Magge 1
Margaret 1
Margeret 1
Mary 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 5
Henry 4
John 3
Alexander 2
William 2
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Joseph 1

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 Galletly households.

FAQ

Galletly surname: questions and answers

How common was the Galletly surname in 1881?

In 1881, 224 people were recorded with the Galletly surname. That placed it at #11,970 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Galletly surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 270 in 2016. That gives Galletly a modern rank of #15,913.

What does the Galletly surname mean?

A habitational name derived from the Scottish village of Gallet near Edinburgh.

What does the Galletly map show?

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