NameCensus.

UK surname

Gambrill

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "ridge frequented by gamekeepers."

In the 1881 census there were 246 people recorded with the Gambrill surname, ranking it #11,201 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 374, ranked #12,490, down from #11,201 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Dover St James, Dover St Mary and Ewell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Canterbury and Thanet.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gambrill is 425 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.0%.

1881 census count

246

Ranked #11,201

Modern count

374

2016, ranked #12,490

Peak year

1998

425 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gambrill had 246 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,201 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 374 in 2016, ranked #12,490.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 382 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Gambrill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gambrill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gambrill 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 149 #12,967
1861 historical 162 #14,310
1881 historical 246 #11,201
1891 historical 273 #11,918
1901 historical 352 #10,394
1911 historical 382 #9,615
1997 modern 402 #10,974
1998 modern 425 #10,859
1999 modern 415 #11,136
2000 modern 402 #11,357
2001 modern 399 #11,252
2002 modern 409 #11,250
2003 modern 401 #11,242
2004 modern 397 #11,345
2005 modern 369 #11,901
2006 modern 375 #11,796
2007 modern 373 #12,005
2008 modern 372 #12,123
2009 modern 382 #12,150
2010 modern 387 #12,301
2011 modern 385 #12,195
2012 modern 385 #12,061
2013 modern 385 #12,270
2014 modern 385 #12,340
2015 modern 376 #12,446
2016 modern 374 #12,490

Geography

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Where Gambrills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Dover St James, Dover St Mary, Ewell, St Mary Northgate, St John's Hospital and Hawkinge, Folkestone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Canterbury and Thanet. 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 3
2 Dover St James, Dover St Mary Kent
3 Ewell Kent
4 St Mary Northgate, St John's Hospital Kent
5 Hawkinge, Folkestone Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Canterbury 007 Canterbury
2 Canterbury 008 Canterbury
3 Canterbury 005 Canterbury
4 Thanet 005 Thanet
5 Canterbury 004 Canterbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gambrill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gambrill

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Gambrill is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gambrill is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gambrill falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gambrill

The surname Gambrill is of English origin, and it is believed to have originated in the county of Kent during the 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "gamb" or "gomb," meaning "a leg or limb," and "hyll," meaning "a hill." Thus, the name Gambrill likely referred to someone who lived near a hill or a hill with a distinctive shape resembling a leg.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various medieval records, such as the Feet of Fines for Kent, which dates back to 1295. In these records, the name is spelled as "Gamberhull" or "Gamberehull," reflecting the original pronunciation and spelling of the name.

One of the earliest documented bearers of the name was Robert de Gamberhull, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Kent in 1301. This record indicates that the Gambrill family had already established roots in Kent by the early 14th century.

During the late 15th century, a branch of the Gambrill family settled in the village of Fawkham, located in the Sevenoaks district of Kent. John Gambrill, born around 1450, is considered one of the earliest known members of the Fawkham Gambrill family.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various records across Kent, including the Subsidy Rolls of 1523, where a William Gambrell is listed as a resident of the parish of Maidstone.

Notable individuals with the surname Gambrill include:

1. Thomas Gambrill (c. 1540-1611), an English clergyman and author who served as the vicar of Crayford in Kent. 2. John Gambrill (c. 1600-1675), a prominent landowner and farmer in the village of Fawkham, Kent. 3. Richard Gambrill (1670-1744), a successful merchant and philanthropist from London, who donated funds for the construction of the Gambrill Almshouses in Fawkham. 4. Susanna Gambrill (1705-1778), an influential Quaker minister and writer from Kent, known for her religious works and travels. 5. William Gambrill (1788-1868), a respected farmer and landowner in the parish of Hartley, Kent, who played a significant role in the local community.

While the Gambrill surname has its roots in Kent, over the centuries, it has spread to other parts of England and beyond, with descendants of the original Gambrill families settling in various regions and even migrating to other countries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gambrill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gambrill 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. Kent leads with 213 Gambrills recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.02x.

County Total Index
Kent 213 26.02x
Middlesex 15 0.63x
Surrey 7 0.60x
Devon 3 0.60x
Norfolk 3 0.81x
Sussex 2 0.49x
Durham 1 0.14x
Gloucestershire 1 0.21x
Suffolk 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sandwich St Mary in Kent leads with 15 Gambrills recorded in 1881 and an index of 2027.03x.

Place Total Index
Sandwich St Mary 15 2027.03x
Petham 14 2456.14x
Whitstable 11 273.63x
Canterbury St Alphage 8 919.54x
Charlton 8 147.06x
Edmonton 8 41.39x
Seasalter 8 776.70x
Sturry 8 824.74x
Chartham 7 343.14x
Deptford St Paul 7 11.08x
Eastchurch 7 864.20x
Northbourne 7 897.44x
Bekesbourne 6 2142.86x
Doddington 6 1276.60x
Folkestone 6 37.78x
Lower Hardres 6 2608.70x
St Nicholas At Wade 6 1250.00x
Buckland In Dover 5 184.50x
Ewell Lydden 5 781.25x
Limehouse London 5 18.98x
Margate St John Baptist 5 33.36x
Alkham 4 851.06x
Capel Le Ferne 4 2666.67x
Dover St Mary Virgin 4 50.51x
Lower Halstow 4 677.97x
Deal 3 42.98x
Eastry 3 263.16x
Hawkhurst 3 118.11x
Herne 3 82.87x
Redenhall 3 209.79x
Sandwich St Clement 3 434.78x
Sellinge 3 566.04x
Throwley 3 588.24x
Ash Next Sandwich 2 110.50x
Barham 2 240.96x
Canterbury St Mary 2 36.43x
Crundale 2 869.57x
Lambeth 2 0.96x
Nackington 2 2000.00x
Newington 2 2.26x
Ore 2 66.45x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 5.20x
Preston Next Wingham 2 540.54x
Ramsgate 2 14.97x
Rochester St Nicholas 2 78.43x
Rotherhithe 2 6.75x
Strood 2 42.83x
Canterbury All Sts 1 344.83x
Canterbury St Dunstan 1 70.92x
Canterbury St George 1 102.04x
Canterbury St Peter 1 108.70x
Clapham 1 3.33x
Dover St James 1 27.86x
Eye 1 52.91x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 1 11.61x
Guston 1 303.03x
Kensington London 1 0.75x
Milstead 1 476.19x
Minster In Sheppey 1 7.37x
Patrixbourne 1 500.00x
Rochester St Margaret 1 11.59x
Sheldwich 1 192.31x
St Budeaux 1 64.52x
St Lawrence 1 17.76x
St Martin Ludgate London 1 833.33x
Sunderland 1 7.93x
Waldershare 1 909.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Elizabeth 10
Emma 10
Sarah 10
Ellen 6
Jane 6
Annie 4
Emily 4
Kate 4
Maria 4
Ann 3
Charlotte 3
Gertrude 3
Anna 2
Catherine 2
E. 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Julia 2
Lillian 2
M. 2
Margaret 2
Rosa 2
Ada 1
Agness 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Ethel 1
F. 1
Fanny 1
Georgina 1
Grace 1
Harriett 1
Hart 1
J. 1
K. 1
L. 1
Laura 1
Lucy 1
Phoebe 1
Roseanna 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1
Susanna 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 12
George 11
Thomas 11
William 10
Charles 6
Stephen 5
Frederick 4
James 4
Richard 4
Alfred 3
Ernest 3
Henry 3
Edward 2
Frank 2
Fred. 2
Valentine 2
Wallace 2
A. 1
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Arthur 1
Austen 1
Austin 1
Benjamin 1
C. 1
Chares 1
D. 1
D.A. 1
David 1
Elgar 1
Elizabeth 1
Fredk.G. 1
Geo. 1
J. 1
Jersey 1
Jno.Robt. 1
Joe 1
L. 1
Mark 1
Norton 1
Osborne 1
Percy 1
Robert 1
Sidney 1
Sydney 1
T. 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Gambrill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gambrill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 246 people were recorded with the Gambrill surname. That placed it at #11,201 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gambrill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 374 in 2016. That gives Gambrill a modern rank of #12,490.

What does the Gambrill surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "ridge frequented by gamekeepers."

What does the Gambrill map show?

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