NameCensus.

UK surname

Gannaway

A locational surname referring to someone from a place with the Old English name "Gannaway".

In the 1881 census there were 168 people recorded with the Gannaway surname, ranking it #14,380 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 262, ranked #16,256, down from #14,380 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, South Stoneham and Tewkesbury. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stroud, Bristol and New Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gannaway is 320 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 56.0%.

1881 census count

168

Ranked #14,380

Modern count

262

2016, ranked #16,256

Peak year

1911

320 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gannaway had 168 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,380 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 262 in 2016, ranked #16,256.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 320 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Gannaway surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gannaway surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gannaway 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 134 #14,033
1861 historical 145 #15,715
1881 historical 168 #14,380
1891 historical 208 #14,496
1901 historical 267 #12,587
1911 historical 320 #10,932
1997 modern 268 #14,585
1998 modern 285 #14,351
1999 modern 291 #14,234
2000 modern 291 #14,200
2001 modern 281 #14,329
2002 modern 277 #14,764
2003 modern 254 #15,454
2004 modern 251 #15,655
2005 modern 255 #15,437
2006 modern 252 #15,642
2007 modern 252 #15,815
2008 modern 255 #15,859
2009 modern 258 #16,050
2010 modern 256 #16,523
2011 modern 253 #16,493
2012 modern 244 #16,793
2013 modern 254 #16,603
2014 modern 258 #16,554
2015 modern 263 #16,224
2016 modern 262 #16,256

Geography

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Where Gannaways are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, South Stoneham, Tewkesbury and Southampton St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stroud, Bristol, New Forest, East Hertfordshire and Cornwall. 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 1
2 South Stoneham Hampshire
3 Tewkesbury Gloucestershire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Southampton St Mary Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stroud 013 Stroud
2 Bristol 002 Bristol, City of
3 New Forest 019 New Forest
4 East Hertfordshire 013 East Hertfordshire
5 Cornwall 050 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gannaway

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gannaway

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Gannaway 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

Gannaway is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gannaway falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gannaway

The surname Gannaway originated in England, specifically in the counties of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, during the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "ganna" and "weg," which collectively translate to "a way or path." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a well-traveled path or road.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Feet of Fines records for Gloucestershire in 1349, where a certain John Gannaway is mentioned. Additionally, the surname appears in the Wiltshire Subsidy Rolls of 1380, further solidifying its presence in the region during that era.

Interestingly, the surname Gannaway shares similarities with the place name "Ganneye," a hamlet located in the parish of Chippenham, Wiltshire. This lends credence to the theory that the name may have originated from a specific location or geographical feature.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Gannaway. One such figure was John Gannaway (1619-1689), an English Puritan minister and author who served as the vicar of Chiswick, Middlesex, during the 17th century. Another prominent bearer of the name was Richard Gannaway (1718-1784), a British politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Devizes in Wiltshire.

In the realm of literature, the name appears in the works of Charles Dickens, with a character named Gannaway mentioned in his novel "The Pickwick Papers." This literary reference further highlights the surname's presence in 19th-century England.

Other notable individuals with the surname Gannaway include William Gannaway (1800-1867), an American politician who served as a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, and Thomas Gannaway (1784-1848), a Baptist minister and educator from Virginia, who co-founded the Virginia Baptist Seminary, now known as the University of Richmond.

While the surname Gannaway may not be among the most common in modern times, its historical significance and connections to various regions of England, as well as its appearance in literary works and association with notable figures, make it a fascinating example of the rich tapestry of English surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gannaway families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gannaway 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. Hampshire leads with 63 Gannaways recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.64x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 63 18.64x
Middlesex 53 3.21x
Gloucestershire 21 6.50x
Surrey 12 1.49x
Staffordshire 5 0.90x
Devon 3 0.87x
Essex 3 0.92x
Renfrewshire 3 2.35x
Northumberland 2 0.82x
Royal Navy 1 5.09x
Warwickshire 1 0.24x
Worcestershire 1 0.46x
Yorkshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lymington in Hampshire leads with 15 Gannaways recorded in 1881 and an index of 604.84x.

Place Total Index
Lymington 15 604.84x
Southampton St Mary 12 56.47x
Islington London 11 6.88x
Tewkesbury 11 380.62x
Freshwater 9 584.42x
Hammersmith London 9 22.16x
Kemerton 8 2857.14x
Poplar London 8 25.72x
South Stoneham 7 95.50x
Southampton All Sts 7 120.69x
Lambeth 6 4.17x
Bethnal Green London 5 6.98x
St George Martyr London 5 149.70x
St Luke London 5 18.91x
Wolverhampton 5 11.69x
Battersea 4 6.59x
Carisbrooke 4 85.29x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 11.35x
Portsea 3 4.53x
St Giles In Fields London 3 37.08x
West Greenock 3 13.08x
Bristol St James St Paul 2 18.55x
Bromley London 2 5.51x
Clapham 2 9.70x
Havant 2 116.96x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 2 62.11x
St Marylebone London 2 2.27x
Woodford 2 54.35x
Christ Church Newgate 1 129.87x
Great Malvern 1 22.27x
Holy Rood 1 147.06x
Huddersfield 1 4.20x
Kensington London 1 1.09x
Milford 1 101.01x
Royal Navy 1 5.96x
Southampton St Michael 1 90.09x
St Faith Winchester 1 63.69x
St Pancras London 1 0.75x
Sutton Coldfield 1 22.88x
West Ham 1 1.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emily 6
Elizabeth 5
Emma 5
Ellen 4
Mary 4
Rose 4
Sarah 4
Alice 3
Amelia 3
Clara 3
Eliza 3
Ada 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Susan 2
Agnus 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
E. 1
Edith 1
Esther 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Jessie 1
Josephi. 1
Lilla 1
Lily 1
Lottie 1
Louisa 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Maud 1
Millie 1
Rebecca 1
Rosina 1
Sabina 1
Sucy 1
Wilhemina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 8
John 8
William 8
Charles 6
Walter 6
Arthur 5
Harry 5
Thomas 5
Albert 3
Frank 3
Joseph 3
Dean 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Henry 2
Sidney 2
Alfred 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Geo. 1
James 1
Leo 1
Nathl 1
Ralph 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Ted 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Gannaway surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gannaway surname in 1881?

In 1881, 168 people were recorded with the Gannaway surname. That placed it at #14,380 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gannaway surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 262 in 2016. That gives Gannaway a modern rank of #16,256.

What does the Gannaway surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from a place with the Old English name "Gannaway".

What does the Gannaway map show?

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