NameCensus.

UK surname

Gane

A surname derived from a nickname for somebody with a cheerful or joyful nature.

In the 1881 census there were 844 people recorded with the Gane surname, ranking it #4,467 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 904, ranked #6,283, down from #4,467 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Pilton, North Wootton, Shepton Mallet, Croscombe. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mendip, Coventry and Bath and North East Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gane is 1,086 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 7.1%.

1881 census count

844

Ranked #4,467

Modern count

904

2016, ranked #6,283

Peak year

1911

1,086 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gane had 844 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,467 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 904 in 2016, ranked #6,283.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,086 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gane surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gane surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Gane 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 654 #3,972
1861 historical 768 #3,580
1881 historical 844 #4,467
1891 historical 967 #4,274
1901 historical 1,055 #4,553
1911 historical 1,086 #4,271
1997 modern 927 #5,829
1998 modern 980 #5,771
1999 modern 970 #5,849
2000 modern 992 #5,723
2001 modern 932 #5,905
2002 modern 939 #5,989
2003 modern 934 #5,916
2004 modern 917 #5,999
2005 modern 902 #6,019
2006 modern 879 #6,142
2007 modern 874 #6,237
2008 modern 881 #6,236
2009 modern 906 #6,233
2010 modern 932 #6,208
2011 modern 918 #6,232
2012 modern 910 #6,201
2013 modern 923 #6,232
2014 modern 923 #6,262
2015 modern 914 #6,258
2016 modern 904 #6,283

Geography

Back to top

Where Ganes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Pilton, North Wootton, Shepton Mallet, Croscombe and Ditcheat, West Bradley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mendip, Coventry, Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Herefordshire. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Pilton, North Wootton, Shepton Mallet, Croscombe Somerset
4 London parishes London 3
5 Ditcheat, West Bradley Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mendip 009 Mendip
2 Coventry 043 Coventry
3 Bath and North East Somerset 016 Bath and North East Somerset
4 South Gloucestershire 027 South Gloucestershire
5 Herefordshire 020 Herefordshire, County of

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Gane

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Gane

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Gane is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Gane is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gane falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gane

The surname GANE originated in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "gang", meaning a journey or path. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a well-traveled route or path.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name GANE appears in the Pipe Rolls of Hampshire in 1194, where a William Gane is mentioned. The Pipe Rolls were a record of financial accounts kept by the English Crown during the medieval period.

In the 13th century, the name GANE can be found in various records from counties in southern England, such as Sussex and Kent. This indicates that the name was most prevalent in that region during the Middle Ages.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings and populations in England compiled in 1086, does not appear to contain any direct references to the surname GANE. However, it does mention several place names that may be related to the origin of the name, such as Ganeys and Ganwick.

One notable individual with the surname GANE was John Gane, a prominent English printer and publisher born in 1615. He was responsible for publishing several important works during the 17th century, including translations of classical texts and religious writings.

Another significant figure was Sir John Gane, a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He played a crucial role in several major naval battles, including the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

In the 19th century, Thomas Gane (1796-1875) was a successful businessman and philanthropist from London. He made his fortune in the textile industry and was known for his charitable contributions to various causes, including the establishment of schools and hospitals.

Edward Gane (1825-1902) was a prominent British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall and the Albert Memorial.

Finally, Charles Gane (1875-1945) was a British actor and stage manager who had a successful career in the theater during the early 20th century. He was particularly known for his performances in Shakespeare's plays.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Gane families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gane 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. Somerset leads with 244 Ganes recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.32x.

County Total Index
Somerset 244 18.32x
Middlesex 83 1.00x
Gloucestershire 77 4.75x
Monmouthshire 71 11.87x
Wiltshire 66 9.02x
Surrey 47 1.17x
Essex 41 2.51x
Yorkshire 35 0.43x
Hampshire 24 1.42x
Nottinghamshire 21 1.88x
Berkshire 19 3.06x
Herefordshire 16 4.72x
Kent 10 0.35x
Devon 9 0.52x
Dorset 9 1.66x
Staffordshire 9 0.32x
Cambridgeshire 8 1.53x
Oxfordshire 8 1.57x
Warwickshire 8 0.38x
Hertfordshire 7 1.23x
Sussex 7 0.50x
Lincolnshire 5 0.38x
Channel Islands 4 1.63x
Glamorgan 4 0.28x
Worcestershire 4 0.37x
Bedfordshire 3 0.70x
Lancashire 3 0.03x
Cornwall 2 0.21x
Lanarkshire 2 0.07x
Derbyshire 1 0.08x
Norfolk 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Ham in Essex leads with 26 Ganes recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.21x.

Place Total Index
West Ham 26 7.21x
Bristol St James St Paul 24 44.36x
Walcot 18 25.38x
Lambeth 17 2.36x
Monkton Farleigh 16 1344.54x
Trevethin 16 28.33x
West Tisbury 16 711.11x
Aberystruth 15 28.46x
Harwich St Nicholas 15 118.95x
Bridgewater 14 38.73x
Doulting 14 818.71x
Bedminster 12 9.59x
Bedwellty 11 10.42x
Hackney London 11 2.37x
Islington London 11 1.37x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 10 6.55x
Crasswall 10 1149.43x
Evercreech 10 311.53x
Lyncombe Widcombe 10 28.69x
Manningham 10 9.90x
Bathhampton 9 775.86x
Croscombe 9 548.78x
Donhead St Mary 9 241.94x
Keynsham 9 94.14x
Lenton 9 34.27x
New Windsor 9 43.12x
St Pancras London 9 1.35x
St Woollos 9 13.49x
Chelsea London 8 3.21x
Limehouse London 8 8.81x
Radford 8 14.12x
Saltford 8 640.00x
Shepton Mallet 8 53.55x
West Cranmore 8 987.65x
Wisbech St Peter 8 30.45x
Alverstoke 7 11.41x
Bitton Oldland 7 42.22x
Brighton 7 2.49x
Bristol St George 7 9.33x
Kilmersdon 7 106.38x
Leeds 7 1.51x
Stoke Damerel 7 5.81x
West Bradley 7 1794.87x
Wolverhampton 7 3.26x
Yatton 7 135.14x
Box 6 96.15x
Clifton 6 7.32x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 6 20.21x
Hungerford 6 71.43x
Middlesbrough 6 5.62x
Millbrook 6 14.05x
Pilton 6 189.27x
St Marylebone London 6 1.36x
Weston Super Mare 6 17.85x
Abergavenny 5 22.32x
Bath St James 5 36.00x
Bishop Stortford 5 26.25x
Bromley London 5 2.75x
Clerkenwell London 5 2.56x
Fordingbridge 5 54.23x
Frome 5 15.70x
Hampreston 5 126.90x
Hatton 5 181.16x
Llanarth 5 724.64x
Llanveynoe 5 793.65x
Newton St Loe 5 485.44x
Richmond 5 8.85x
Wells St Cuthbert 5 55.01x
West Bradley Lottisham 5 1190.48x
Camberwell 4 0.76x
Chippenham 4 26.08x
Christchurch 4 21.62x
Hampstead London 4 3.10x
Hutton 4 412.37x
Lewisham 4 2.66x
Midsomer Norton 4 31.90x
North Wootton 4 506.33x
Penlline 4 465.12x
St Anne 4 91.32x
Wimbledon 4 8.84x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 49
George 34
Thomas 30
Charles 23
John 22
Joseph 18
Henry 17
James 16
Albert 11
Edward 11
Alfred 10
Samuel 10
Arthur 8
Edwin 7
Frederick 7
Robert 7
Ernest 6
Herbert 6
Benjamin 4
Francis 4
Joshua 4
Sidney 4
Philip 3
Sydney 3
Walter 3
Wm. 3
Edmond 2
Frank 2
Harry 2
Jesse 2
Job 2
Mark 2
Ambrose 1
Aquilar 1
Charley 1
Chs. 1
Claude 1
Crofton 1
Douglas 1
Edwd. 1
Elihu 1
Elizah 1
Fransis 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Horace 1
Hy. 1
Josiah 1
Mary 1
Wm.Thos. 1

FAQ

Gane surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gane surname in 1881?

In 1881, 844 people were recorded with the Gane surname. That placed it at #4,467 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gane surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 904 in 2016. That gives Gane a modern rank of #6,283.

What does the Gane surname mean?

A surname derived from a nickname for somebody with a cheerful or joyful nature.

What does the Gane map show?

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