NameCensus.

UK surname

Ganley

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Gamhnáin," meaning "descendant of Gamhnán," a personal name meaning "calf."

In the 1881 census there were 213 people recorded with the Ganley surname, ranking it #12,328 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 664, ranked #8,037, up from #12,328 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Eccles and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sunderland and East Staffordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ganley is 682 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 211.7%.

1881 census count

213

Ranked #12,328

Modern count

664

2016, ranked #8,037

Peak year

2014

682 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ganley had 213 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,328 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 664 in 2016, ranked #8,037.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 324 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Ganley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ganley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ganley 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 73 #20,581
1861 historical 145 #15,715
1881 historical 213 #12,328
1891 historical 214 #14,214
1901 historical 288 #11,973
1911 historical 324 #10,814
1997 modern 646 #7,688
1998 modern 642 #7,975
1999 modern 644 #8,021
2000 modern 606 #8,374
2001 modern 595 #8,348
2002 modern 636 #8,107
2003 modern 614 #8,178
2004 modern 627 #8,061
2005 modern 622 #8,047
2006 modern 637 #7,923
2007 modern 626 #8,086
2008 modern 637 #8,033
2009 modern 673 #7,876
2010 modern 668 #8,076
2011 modern 671 #7,954
2012 modern 653 #8,049
2013 modern 661 #8,105
2014 modern 682 #7,941
2015 modern 666 #8,037
2016 modern 664 #8,037

Geography

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Where Ganleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Eccles, Manchester, Leigh and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sunderland and East Staffordshire. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Eccles Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Leigh Lancashire
5 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sunderland 016 Sunderland
2 Sunderland 012 Sunderland
3 Sunderland 024 Sunderland
4 East Staffordshire 009 East Staffordshire
5 Sunderland 021 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ganley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ganley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ganley, 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 Ganley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Ganley 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Ganley 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

Ganley 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

Ganley 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 Ganley 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 Ganley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ganley

The surname Ganley is believed to have originated in Ireland, specifically in the regions of County Mayo and County Galway. It is thought to be derived from the Irish Gaelic word "gann," meaning "scarce" or "rare," combined with the diminutive suffix "-ley." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive term for someone who was perceived as being scarce or rare in some aspect.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ganley can be traced back to the 16th century. In the Annals of the Four Masters, a historical chronicle compiled by Irish Franciscan friars in the early 17th century, there is a reference to a family named Ó Gainlídh (anglicized as Ganley) residing in the area of Erris, County Mayo, during the late 16th century.

The Ganley name also appears in various land records and historical documents from the 17th and 18th centuries in counties Mayo and Galway. For instance, in the 1659 Census of Ireland, there are several entries for individuals with the surname Ganley in the parish of Crossboyne, County Mayo.

Notably, the Ganley family was prominently associated with the town of Belmullet, County Mayo, where they held significant landholdings and influence. One notable figure from this lineage was Dominick Ganley (1685-1763), who served as a member of the Irish Parliament for the constituency of County Mayo in the early 18th century.

Another notable individual bearing the Ganley name was Sir John Ganley (1779-1852), an Irish-born military officer who served in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. He distinguished himself in various battles, including the Battle of Waterloo, and was knighted for his service.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, several members of the Ganley family played influential roles in the Irish nationalist movement. One such figure was John Ganley (1855-1922), a prominent Irish republican and member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, who actively supported the cause of Irish independence.

While the surname Ganley is primarily associated with Ireland, it has also been carried by individuals of Irish descent in other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, where Irish emigrants settled in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ganley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ganley 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. Lancashire leads with 60 Ganleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.43x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 60 2.43x
Yorkshire 52 2.53x
Warwickshire 31 5.92x
Staffordshire 30 4.28x
Essex 11 2.68x
Derbyshire 6 1.84x
Durham 6 0.97x
Cumberland 4 2.24x
Lanarkshire 3 0.45x
Surrey 2 0.20x
Sussex 2 0.57x
Devon 1 0.23x
Hampshire 1 0.23x
Kent 1 0.14x
Lincolnshire 1 0.30x
Northumberland 1 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 24 Ganleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.74x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 24 13.74x
Manchester 20 18.04x
Wolverhampton 14 25.96x
Goole 11 318.84x
Ovenden 11 120.09x
West Ham 11 12.15x
Blackburn 10 15.25x
Great Bolton 10 30.62x
Rugeley 10 198.81x
Leeds 9 7.74x
Sheffield 8 12.20x
Derby All Sts 5 183.82x
Worsley 5 32.89x
Aston 4 2.77x
Bishopwearmouth 4 7.54x
Bradford 4 8.03x
Caldewgate 4 40.82x
Wakefield 4 25.30x
Broughton In Salford 3 13.31x
Coventry St Michael 3 17.83x
Holy Trinity 3 6.06x
Openshaw 3 25.97x
Stoke Upon Trent 3 4.03x
Govan 2 1.20x
Kippax 2 110.50x
Toxteth Park 2 2.40x
Warrington 2 6.84x
Bickerstaffe 1 62.11x
Brighton 1 1.42x
Derby St Peter 1 9.65x
Droylsden 1 12.44x
Elswick 1 4.05x
Elvet 1 22.42x
Glasgow 1 0.84x
Great Barr 1 125.00x
Hastings Holy Trinity 1 38.76x
Hulme 1 1.94x
Lambeth 1 0.55x
Lidford 1 51.55x
Maidstone 1 4.73x
Newington 1 1.30x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.38x
Portsmouth 1 10.19x
Preston 1 1.52x
Preston On Tees 1 833.33x
Salford 1 1.38x
Spittlegate 1 21.74x
Stafford St Mary 1 10.07x
Stone 1 11.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Elizabeth 12
Ellen 8
Margaret 8
Ann 6
Bridget 6
Catherine 6
Julia 5
Agnes 3
Annie 3
Winifred 3
Winnie 3
Alice 2
Eliza 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Aglaia 1
Anna 1
Bedilia 1
Brian 1
Dora 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Katherine 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
May 1
Sarah 1
Selina 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 27
Patrick 13
Thomas 13
James 8
Michael 5
Joseph 4
Andrew 3
Arthur 2
Bartholomew 2
Edward 2
Francis 2
Hugh 2
Robert 2
Walter 2
William 2
Alexr. 1
Barhomlew 1
Barnard 1
Barthl. 1
Charles 1
Dennis 1
Domenic 1
Earnest 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Henry 1
Margaret 1
Pat 1
Peter 1
Richard 1

FAQ

Ganley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ganley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 213 people were recorded with the Ganley surname. That placed it at #12,328 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ganley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 664 in 2016. That gives Ganley a modern rank of #8,037.

What does the Ganley surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Gamhnáin," meaning "descendant of Gamhnán," a personal name meaning "calf."

What does the Ganley map show?

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