NameCensus.

UK surname

Gallier

An occupational surname derived from the French word "gaillard" meaning a lively, robust person.

In the 1881 census there were 165 people recorded with the Gallier surname, ranking it #14,559 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 338, ranked #13,533, up from #14,559 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Broseley, Wrexham and Paddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, Blaenau Gwent and Birmingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gallier is 350 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 104.8%.

1881 census count

165

Ranked #14,559

Modern count

338

2016, ranked #13,533

Peak year

1998

350 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gallier had 165 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,559 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 338 in 2016, ranked #13,533.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 215 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Gallier surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gallier surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gallier 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 80 #19,558
1861 historical 117 #18,635
1881 historical 165 #14,559
1891 historical 177 #16,330
1901 historical 196 #15,329
1911 historical 215 #14,290
1997 modern 344 #12,319
1998 modern 350 #12,537
1999 modern 345 #12,755
2000 modern 339 #12,857
2001 modern 320 #13,143
2002 modern 312 #13,639
2003 modern 317 #13,328
2004 modern 312 #13,532
2005 modern 306 #13,657
2006 modern 318 #13,348
2007 modern 317 #13,532
2008 modern 321 #13,516
2009 modern 337 #13,318
2010 modern 335 #13,645
2011 modern 328 #13,730
2012 modern 330 #13,571
2013 modern 332 #13,713
2014 modern 341 #13,528
2015 modern 340 #13,455
2016 modern 338 #13,533

Geography

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Where Galliers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Broseley, Wrexham, Paddington, Sutton Coldfield and Stone-near-Dartford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, Blaenau Gwent, Birmingham, Powys and Telford and Wrekin. 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 Broseley Shropshire
2 Wrexham Denbighshire
3 Paddington London (West Districts)
4 Sutton Coldfield Warwickshire
5 Stone-near-Dartford Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 035 Shropshire
2 Blaenau Gwent 008 Blaenau Gwent
3 Birmingham 009 Birmingham
4 Powys 009 Powys
5 Telford and Wrekin 010 Telford and Wrekin

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gallier

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gallier

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

Professional Periphery

Within London, Gallier is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Gallier is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gallier falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gallier

The surname Gallier has its origins in France and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "gal", meaning rooster or cock, and is thought to have been given as a nickname to someone with a cocky or boastful demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Gallerus". This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, was a comprehensive survey of landowners and their properties in England.

During the 12th century, the name was also found in various regions of France, such as Normandy and Brittany. It was often spelled as "Gallier" or "Gaillier", reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

Historically, the Gallier surname has been associated with various places and geographic locations. For instance, in the 13th century, there was a village named "Gallier" in the Auvergne region of central France, which may have been named after an early bearer of the surname.

One notable individual bearing the Gallier name was Jacques Gallier, a French architect who lived in the 19th century (1819-1887). He is best known for his contributions to the architectural landscape of New Orleans, Louisiana, including the design of several prominent buildings such as the St. Charles Hotel and the Gallier House.

Another prominent figure was Jean-Baptiste Gallier, a French missionary and explorer who lived in the late 17th and early 18th centuries (1663-1749). He traveled extensively throughout North America and documented his experiences and encounters with various indigenous tribes.

In the world of literature, Albert Gallier (1883-1965) was a French novelist and playwright who gained acclaim for his works depicting the lives of ordinary people in rural France.

Historically, the Gallier surname has also been associated with the French military. One example is Général Eugène Gallier (1809-1884), a French army officer who served in the Crimean War and was honored for his bravery and leadership.

Finally, in the field of art, Louis-Jacques Gallier (1761-1839) was a French painter known for his portraits and historical works, some of which are displayed in prestigious museums across France.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gallier families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gallier 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. Shropshire leads with 45 Galliers recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.36x.

County Total Index
Shropshire 45 32.36x
Staffordshire 21 3.87x
Middlesex 20 1.24x
Worcestershire 15 7.14x
Kent 13 2.37x
Warwickshire 12 2.96x
Denbighshire 9 14.81x
Lancashire 9 0.47x
Durham 5 1.04x
Surrey 4 0.51x
Sussex 4 1.47x
Monmouthshire 2 1.72x
Yorkshire 2 0.13x
Cheshire 1 0.28x
Flintshire 1 2.31x
Glamorgan 1 0.36x
Hampshire 1 0.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Broseley in Shropshire leads with 17 Galliers recorded in 1881 and an index of 688.26x.

Place Total Index
Broseley 17 688.26x
Sedgley 16 79.29x
Madeley 15 294.12x
Gresford Gwersyllt 9 476.19x
Paddington London 9 15.21x
Aston 7 6.26x
Crayford 7 291.67x
St Pancras London 6 4.63x
Bridgnorth St Mary 5 367.65x
Rowley Regis 5 33.03x
Stranton 5 31.02x
Kings Norton 4 21.22x
Lt Wenlock 4 1290.32x
Manchester 4 4.66x
Ribbesford 4 228.57x
Storrington 4 540.54x
Ardwick 3 17.41x
Cradley 3 157.89x
Edgbaston 3 23.85x
Shifnal 3 79.58x
Bethnal Green London 2 2.86x
Birmingham 2 1.48x
Bromley 2 23.89x
Caldicot 2 259.74x
Dartford 2 35.65x
Dudley 2 7.83x
Rock 2 238.10x
Stone In Dartford 2 141.84x
Westminster St James 2 12.09x
Eccleston In Prescot 1 10.43x
Godalming 1 20.24x
Horton In Bradford 1 4.01x
Layton With Warbreck 1 14.27x
Nantwich 1 24.21x
Newington 1 1.68x
North South Anston 1 142.86x
Quatford 1 909.09x
Reigate Foreign 1 11.78x
Rhuddlan 1 26.25x
South Stoneham 1 13.97x
Westminster St Margaret 1 12.89x
Woking 1 21.14x
Ystradyfodwg 1 4.07x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 15
James 10
George 8
John 8
Richard 5
Alfred 4
Enoch 3
Charles 2
Edward 2
Geo. 2
Jno. 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
Rowland 2
Samuel 2
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Gabriel 1
Gaston 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Michael 1
Richd. 1
Thomas 1
Thos. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Gallier surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gallier surname in 1881?

In 1881, 165 people were recorded with the Gallier surname. That placed it at #14,559 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gallier surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 338 in 2016. That gives Gallier a modern rank of #13,533.

What does the Gallier surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the French word "gaillard" meaning a lively, robust person.

What does the Gallier map show?

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