NameCensus.

UK surname

Ganly

An Irish surname derived from the Old Gaelic name O'Gainly meaning "descendant of the powerful one".

In the 1881 census there were 39 people recorded with the Ganly surname, ranking it #28,137 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 119, ranked #27,704, up from #28,137 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mendip, Oxford and Cannock Chase.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ganly is 136 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 205.1%.

1881 census count

39

Ranked #28,137

Modern count

119

2016, ranked #27,704

Peak year

2010

136 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ganly had 39 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,137 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 119 in 2016, ranked #27,704.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 68 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Ganly surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ganly surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ganly 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 36 #26,838
1861 historical 68 #25,196
1881 historical 39 #28,137
1891 historical 25 #32,259
1901 historical 59 #27,609
1911 historical 51 #27,708
1997 modern 109 #25,650
1998 modern 118 #25,041
1999 modern 123 #24,643
2000 modern 122 #24,698
2001 modern 116 #25,089
2002 modern 114 #25,886
2003 modern 115 #25,538
2004 modern 121 #24,939
2005 modern 120 #25,066
2006 modern 117 #25,695
2007 modern 124 #25,086
2008 modern 120 #25,922
2009 modern 132 #24,929
2010 modern 136 #25,009
2011 modern 131 #25,430
2012 modern 124 #26,432
2013 modern 123 #26,974
2014 modern 120 #27,646
2015 modern 118 #27,833
2016 modern 119 #27,704

Geography

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Where Ganlys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mendip, Oxford, Cannock Chase, Camden and Nottingham. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mendip 008 Mendip
2 Oxford 006 Oxford
3 Cannock Chase 001 Cannock Chase
4 Camden 011 Camden
5 Nottingham 035 Nottingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ganly

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ganly

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ganly, 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 Ganly surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Ganly 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Ganly is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ganly 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

Ganly falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ganly is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Ganly

The surname Ganly is of Irish origin, first recorded in the 16th century. It is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Ó Gainlí, which means "descendant of Gainlí," an ancient personal name derived from the word "gainlí" meaning "bravery" or "valor."

Ganly is a variant spelling of the more common Irish surname Gainley or Gaunley. The name is most closely associated with County Leitrim in the province of Connacht, where it was prominent in the parishes of Drumreilly and Cloone.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Fiants of the Reign of Elizabeth I, where a Patrick Gainly is mentioned in 1583. The Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, also refers to a Conor Gainly who was slain in a skirmish in County Leitrim in 1537.

In the 17th century, the name is found in the records of the Irish Confederacy, a Catholic military alliance formed during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. A Walter Gainly from County Leitrim is listed as a member of the Confederacy's General Assembly in 1642.

Notable individuals with the surname Ganly include:

1. Andrew Ganly (1804-1879), an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the Bishop of Bathurst in New South Wales, Australia.

2. John Ganly (1819-1899), an Irish-born Catholic priest who was a prominent missionary in Western Australia and founded several churches and schools in the region.

3. Michael Ganly (1892-1967), an Irish republican and member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) who participated in the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War.

4. Turlough Ganly (fl. 1590s), a 16th-century Irish landowner and chieftain of the Ganly clan in County Leitrim, who is mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters.

5. Edmund Ganly (1757-1837), an Irish-born soldier and colonial administrator who served as the Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island from 1811 to 1823.

While the surname Ganly is not among the most common Irish surnames, it has a long and storied history, with roots stretching back to the medieval period and a strong association with County Leitrim and the province of Connacht.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ganly families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ganly 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 12 Ganlys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.66x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 12 2.66x
Lincolnshire 8 13.15x
Hampshire 6 7.70x
Durham 4 3.53x
Norfolk 3 5.13x
Staffordshire 3 2.34x
Yorkshire 2 0.53x
Nottinghamshire 1 1.95x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Southampton St Mary in Hampshire leads with 6 Ganlys recorded in 1881 and an index of 122.45x.

Place Total Index
Southampton St Mary 6 122.45x
Spittlegate 6 714.29x
Bishopwearmouth 4 41.19x
Liverpool 4 14.59x
Broughton In Salford 3 72.64x
Norwich St Michael At Plea 3 15000.00x
Stafford St Mary 3 164.84x
Grantham 2 253.16x
Leeds 2 9.40x
Walton Le Dale 2 165.29x
Eccleston In Prescot 1 44.05x
Nottingham St Peter 1 175.44x
Stretford 1 40.32x
Warrington 1 18.69x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Eliza 2
Kate 2
Sarah 2
Al 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Anny 1
Charlotte 1
Elizabeth 1
Frances 1
Honoria 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
Thomas 2
Arthur 1
Bateman 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Harry 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Michle 1
Patrick 1
Robert 1
Thos. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Ganly households.

FAQ

Ganly surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ganly surname in 1881?

In 1881, 39 people were recorded with the Ganly surname. That placed it at #28,137 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ganly surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 119 in 2016. That gives Ganly a modern rank of #27,704.

What does the Ganly surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Old Gaelic name O'Gainly meaning "descendant of the powerful one".

What does the Ganly map show?

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