NameCensus.

UK surname

Gamage

An English surname derived from the Sinhala word "gamaya" meaning village or hamlet.

In the 1881 census there were 142 people recorded with the Gamage surname, ranking it #16,012 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 395, ranked #11,991, up from #16,012 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Haddon, West, London parishes and Steeple Barton, Westcott Barton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cherwell, Tunbridge Wells and Newark and Sherwood.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gamage is 434 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 178.2%.

1881 census count

142

Ranked #16,012

Modern count

395

2016, ranked #11,991

Peak year

2010

434 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gamage had 142 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,012 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 395 in 2016, ranked #11,991.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 214 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Gamage surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gamage surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gamage 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 137 #13,812
1861 historical 128 #17,375
1881 historical 142 #16,012
1891 historical 154 #18,004
1901 historical 186 #15,839
1911 historical 214 #14,333
1997 modern 256 #15,034
1998 modern 331 #13,018
1999 modern 340 #12,870
2000 modern 345 #12,693
2001 modern 335 #12,759
2002 modern 358 #12,402
2003 modern 360 #12,152
2004 modern 370 #11,936
2005 modern 372 #11,813
2006 modern 381 #11,644
2007 modern 398 #11,411
2008 modern 407 #11,310
2009 modern 419 #11,282
2010 modern 434 #11,223
2011 modern 419 #11,422
2012 modern 383 #12,099
2013 modern 413 #11,639
2014 modern 410 #11,788
2015 modern 402 #11,861
2016 modern 395 #11,991

Geography

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Where Gamages are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Haddon, West, London parishes, Steeple Barton, Westcott Barton and Ravensthorpe. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cherwell, Tunbridge Wells, Newark and Sherwood and Purbeck. 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 Haddon, West Northamptonshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Steeple Barton, Westcott Barton Oxfordshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Ravensthorpe Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cherwell 016 Cherwell
2 Tunbridge Wells 009 Tunbridge Wells
3 Tunbridge Wells 006 Tunbridge Wells
4 Newark and Sherwood 010 Newark and Sherwood
5 Purbeck 005 Purbeck

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gamage

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gamage

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gamage, 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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Gamage surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Gamage household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Gamage is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gamage is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gamage falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gamage is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gamage

The surname Gamage has its origins in England, and it is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the Old French word "gamache," which referred to a type of leather leggings or gaiters worn by medieval soldiers and hunters.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Gamage can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1176, where a person named Radulfus Gamage is listed. The name is also documented in the Domesday Book, the great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, although the spelling varies slightly, appearing as "Gamag" or "Gamache."

The Gamage family was prominent in the county of Gloucestershire, where they owned lands and held positions of influence. In the 13th century, Sir William Gamage served as Sheriff of Gloucestershire and was involved in the Welsh Marches, the border region between England and Wales. Another notable member of the family was Sir Thomas Gamage, who lived in the 15th century and fought alongside Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.

During the Tudor period, the Gamage family continued to have a presence in the region, with several members holding positions of authority. One such individual was Sir Robert Gamage (c. 1507-1554), who served as a Member of Parliament and was appointed Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1546.

In the 16th century, the name Gamage can be found in various records, including the parish registers of Gloucestershire and neighboring counties. Some notable individuals from this time period include John Gamage (c. 1530-1590), a prominent landowner and member of the gentry, and Robert Gamage (c. 1550-1615), who served as a Justice of the Peace.

The Gamage surname has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Gamage Court in Gloucestershire and Gamage Farm in Worcestershire. These place names likely derived from the family's landholdings in those areas.

Other notable individuals with the surname Gamage include William Gamage (c. 1670-1739), a clergyman and author from Gloucestershire, and John Gamage (c. 1790-1859), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gamage families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gamage 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. Middlesex leads with 45 Gamages recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.25x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 45 3.25x
Glamorgan 23 9.54x
Northamptonshire 17 13.05x
Oxfordshire 10 11.69x
Buckinghamshire 8 9.55x
Lancashire 8 0.49x
Surrey 8 1.19x
Dorset 6 6.60x
Kent 5 1.06x
Warwickshire 5 1.43x
Cheshire 3 0.98x
Essex 3 1.10x
Leicestershire 1 0.65x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Swansea Town in Glamorgan leads with 21 Gamages recorded in 1881 and an index of 106.22x.

Place Total Index
Swansea Town 21 106.22x
Hornsey 12 68.53x
Steeple Barton 10 2325.58x
Shoreditch London 9 14.99x
Bermondsey 8 19.40x
Blackburn 8 18.29x
Heston 8 173.91x
Kensington London 6 7.79x
Olney 6 517.24x
Shilling Okeford 6 2222.22x
West Haddon 6 1428.57x
Leamington Priors 5 58.21x
Bow London 4 22.69x
Ravensthorpe 4 1666.67x
Spratton 4 1025.64x
Deptford St Paul 3 8.23x
Monks Coppenhall 3 26.00x
Halstead 2 62.70x
Paddington London 2 3.93x
St John Near Swansea 2 67.11x
Upton Cum Chalvey 2 59.88x
East Haddon 1 277.78x
Irthlingborough 1 78.13x
Isleworth 1 16.23x
Islington London 1 0.74x
Margate St John Baptist 1 11.56x
Snarestone 1 666.67x
St Andrew Holborn 1 21.28x
St Luke London 1 4.50x
Thornby 1 1000.00x
Wanstead 1 20.88x
Willesborough 1 78.74x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Sarah 8
Elizabeth 5
Charlotte 4
Martha 4
Alice 3
Ann 3
Emily 3
Esther 3
Ada 2
Annie 2
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Kate 2
Maud 2
Agnes 1
Allice 1
Clarissa 1
Dora 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Eva 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Jane 1
Louisa 1
Mabel 1
Marguerite 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Marion 1
May 1
Meloria 1
Phoebe 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Gamage surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gamage surname in 1881?

In 1881, 142 people were recorded with the Gamage surname. That placed it at #16,012 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gamage surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 395 in 2016. That gives Gamage a modern rank of #11,991.

What does the Gamage surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Sinhala word "gamaya" meaning village or hamlet.

What does the Gamage map show?

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