NameCensus.

UK surname

Gambles

A surname suggesting ancestors who engaged in gambling or risky activities.

In the 1881 census there were 442 people recorded with the Gambles surname, ranking it #7,414 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 427, ranked #11,260, down from #7,414 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Calverley, Hatfield, Fishlake, Thorne, Crowle (Eastoft) and Workington (Workington), Clossocks. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rotherham and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gambles is 552 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.4%.

1881 census count

442

Ranked #7,414

Modern count

427

2016, ranked #11,260

Peak year

1891

552 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gambles had 442 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,414 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 427 in 2016, ranked #11,260.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 552 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Gambles surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gambles surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gambles 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 275 #8,150
1861 historical 400 #6,412
1881 historical 442 #7,414
1891 historical 552 #6,859
1901 historical 535 #7,671
1911 historical 548 #7,311
1997 modern 467 #9,788
1998 modern 475 #9,982
1999 modern 493 #9,765
2000 modern 482 #9,901
2001 modern 482 #9,717
2002 modern 464 #10,181
2003 modern 451 #10,274
2004 modern 451 #10,301
2005 modern 422 #10,739
2006 modern 431 #10,600
2007 modern 427 #10,782
2008 modern 429 #10,850
2009 modern 439 #10,911
2010 modern 453 #10,858
2011 modern 435 #11,066
2012 modern 429 #11,078
2013 modern 427 #11,325
2014 modern 430 #11,323
2015 modern 426 #11,320
2016 modern 427 #11,260

Geography

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Where Gambles' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Calverley, Hatfield, Fishlake, Thorne, Crowle (Eastoft), Workington (Workington), Clossocks, Bradford and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rotherham and Wigan. 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 Calverley Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Hatfield, Fishlake, Thorne, Crowle (Eastoft) Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Workington (Workington), Clossocks Cumberland
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rotherham 010 Rotherham
2 Rotherham 023 Rotherham
3 Wigan 008 Wigan
4 Rotherham 012 Rotherham
5 Rotherham 028 Rotherham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gambles

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gambles

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Gambles surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Gambles household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Gambles is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gambles is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gambles falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gambles

The surname Gambles is an English locational name derived from the place name Gambles, a hamlet in the parish of Slaidburn, Yorkshire. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "gamen" and "hyll," meaning "game hill" or "hill where games were played."

The earliest recorded spelling of the surname dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was listed as "Gamelesbi." This ancient record suggests that the name has a long history and was likely derived from a specific location or settlement in the Yorkshire region.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records as "Gamelsby," "Gamelesbi," and "Gamelesby." These variations in spelling were common during that period due to the lack of standardized orthography and the influence of local dialects.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Gambles was John Gambles, who was listed in the Nottinghamshire Subsidy Rolls of 1327. Another notable figure was William Gambles, born in 1586 in Westmorland, England, who was a prominent merchant and landowner.

In the 17th century, the name Gambles appeared in various parish records across England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire. During this time, the surname was sometimes associated with place names such as Gamblesholme, a township in the parish of Calverley, Yorkshire.

Among the notable individuals with the surname Gambles was Sir William Gambles (1628-1701), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Hindon in Wiltshire. Another prominent figure was Thomas Gambles (1766-1811), an English clergyman and author who published several works on theology and religious subjects.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the surname Gambles continued to be found in various parts of England, with some members of the family migrating to other parts of the British Isles and abroad. One notable individual from this period was John Gambles (1792-1870), an English inventor and engineer who contributed significantly to the development of early steam engines and locomotives.

Throughout its history, the surname Gambles has maintained a strong connection to its English roots and the Yorkshire region, where it is believed to have originated from the Old English words "gamen" and "hyll."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gambles families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gambles 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 234 Gambles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.40x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 234 5.40x
Cumberland 58 15.42x
Lancashire 56 1.08x
Lincolnshire 39 5.58x
Middlesex 16 0.37x
Midlothian 9 1.54x
Staffordshire 8 0.54x
Northumberland 6 0.92x
Royal Navy 6 11.52x
Durham 5 0.38x
Berkshire 3 0.91x
Cheshire 3 0.31x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.34x
Derbyshire 1 0.15x
Essex 1 0.12x
Hertfordshire 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sheffield in Yorkshire leads with 55 Gambles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.89x.

Place Total Index
Sheffield 55 39.89x
Pudsey 34 146.87x
Workington 33 153.20x
Ecclesall Bierlow 20 22.71x
Wigan 14 19.32x
Bury 12 20.26x
Hensingham 11 358.31x
Bradford 10 9.54x
Hatfield In Thorne 10 370.37x
Scarborough 9 22.87x
Elford 8 1250.00x
Heeley 8 60.79x
West Ardsley 8 153.55x
Barrow In Furness 7 9.92x
Gainsborough 7 42.50x
Islington London 7 1.65x
Owston 7 353.54x
Rawmarsh 7 45.75x
Bedlington 6 27.64x
Edinburgh New 6 131.87x
Harrington 6 132.16x
Kimberworth 6 24.97x
Nether Hallam 6 10.24x
Royal Navy 6 13.48x
Woolley 6 666.67x
Armley 5 26.18x
Batley 5 12.15x
Benfieldside 5 58.48x
Calverley Cum Farsley 5 40.65x
Crosscanonby 5 40.19x
Manchester 5 2.14x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 5 50.86x
Brightside Bierlow 4 4.71x
Greasbrough 4 69.93x
Heworth 4 353.98x
Kirkby Cum Osgodby 4 714.29x
Leeds 4 1.64x
Openshaw 4 16.47x
Rishton 4 65.79x
Bardney 3 144.23x
Clewer 3 22.32x
Drighlington 3 47.54x
Duddingston 3 25.53x
Elton 3 16.74x
Hackney London 3 1.22x
Middlesbrough 3 5.32x
St Marylebone London 3 1.29x
St Swithin Lincoln 3 27.30x
Warmsworth 3 483.87x
Altrincham 2 11.86x
Barnsley 2 4.48x
Beverley St Martin 2 27.66x
Blyton 2 188.68x
Cammeringham 2 869.57x
Lancaster 2 6.48x
Navenby 2 139.86x
Papplewick 2 400.00x
St Mary Within 2 42.55x
Thorne 2 37.24x
Tottenham 2 2.87x
Wavertree 2 12.05x
Bentley Cum Arksey 1 44.25x
Bramley In Bramley 1 6.03x
Dunston 1 85.47x
Egremont 1 11.15x
Glentworth 1 181.82x
Great Grimsby 1 2.25x
Kirkdale 1 1.15x
Layton With Warbreck 1 5.25x
Norton 1 17.73x
Oulton Cum Woodlesford 1 28.49x
Sale 1 8.45x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.30x
St Martin Lincoln 1 15.43x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 1 4.97x
Toxteth Park 1 0.57x
West Ham 1 0.53x
Whitwood 1 16.26x
Wooldale 1 13.62x
York St Denis In 1 52.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 41
Elizabeth 24
Sarah 22
Margaret 11
Annie 10
Jane 9
Ann 7
Hannah 6
Ellen 5
Martha 5
Agnes 4
Alice 4
Charlotte 4
Eliza 4
Emma 4
Frances 4
Harriet 4
Ada 3
Esther 3
Florence 3
Rose 3
Susannah 3
Clara 2
Emily 2
Florance 2
Grace 2
Harriett 2
Kate 2
Maria 2
Nelly 2
Ruth 2
Selina 2
Beatrice 1
Betty 1
Blanche 1
Cathrine 1
Ellenor 1
Emlily 1
Eva 1
Evelyn 1
Fanny 1
Jessie 1
Katherine 1
Lillie 1
Lizzey 1
Lousia 1
Lydia 1
Margarett 1
Marion 1
Visse 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 35
William 27
George 14
James 12
Joseph 10
Robert 9
Henry 8
Herbert 8
Charles 7
Samuel 7
Thomas 6
Edward 4
Arthur 3
Harry 3
Abraham 2
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Andrew 2
David 2
Ernest 2
Richard 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Amos 1
Archibald 1
Askey 1
Benjamin 1
Clarence 1
Claude 1
Edw.Thos. 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Henery 1
Jas. 1
Jobe 1
Jonathan 1
Kenneth 1
Lumb 1
Margeret 1
Percy 1
Richd. 1
Tom 1
Tom.H. 1
W.H. 1
Willm. 1
Willy 1
Wm.Helliwell 1
Wm.Thos. 1

FAQ

Gambles surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gambles surname in 1881?

In 1881, 442 people were recorded with the Gambles surname. That placed it at #7,414 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gambles surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 427 in 2016. That gives Gambles a modern rank of #11,260.

What does the Gambles surname mean?

A surname suggesting ancestors who engaged in gambling or risky activities.

What does the Gambles map show?

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