NameCensus.

UK surname

Gant

Derived from the Middle English word "gant," meaning a triangular piece of cloth used for making a garment.

In the 1881 census there were 1,076 people recorded with the Gant surname, ranking it #3,684 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,507, ranked #4,104, down from #3,684 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Harwich Dovercourt, London parishes and Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Babergh, Wakefield and Mid Suffolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gant is 1,698 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.1%.

1881 census count

1,076

Ranked #3,684

Modern count

1,507

2016, ranked #4,104

Peak year

1998

1,698 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gant had 1,076 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,684 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,507 in 2016, ranked #4,104.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,665 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gant surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gant surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gant 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 656 #3,955
1861 historical 890 #3,112
1881 historical 1,076 #3,684
1891 historical 1,223 #3,516
1901 historical 1,376 #3,655
1911 historical 1,665 #2,935
1997 modern 1,688 #3,533
1998 modern 1,698 #3,633
1999 modern 1,668 #3,721
2000 modern 1,626 #3,792
2001 modern 1,592 #3,794
2002 modern 1,640 #3,753
2003 modern 1,601 #3,764
2004 modern 1,613 #3,751
2005 modern 1,559 #3,823
2006 modern 1,549 #3,835
2007 modern 1,547 #3,881
2008 modern 1,533 #3,936
2009 modern 1,584 #3,912
2010 modern 1,586 #3,987
2011 modern 1,531 #4,082
2012 modern 1,520 #4,032
2013 modern 1,535 #4,067
2014 modern 1,546 #4,065
2015 modern 1,513 #4,106
2016 modern 1,507 #4,104

Geography

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Where Gants are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Harwich Dovercourt, London parishes, Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Babergh, Wakefield and Mid Suffolk. 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 Harwich Dovercourt Essex
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a Essex
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Babergh 004 Babergh
2 Wakefield 022 Wakefield
3 Babergh 011 Babergh
4 Wakefield 014 Wakefield
5 Mid Suffolk 005 Mid Suffolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gant

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gant

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Gant is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gant 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

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

Meaning and origin of Gant

The surname GANT has its origins in the Normandy region of France. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "gant," which means "glove." The name likely originated in the early Middle Ages, around the 10th or 11th century.

GANT was initially an occupational surname, referring to a person who made or sold gloves. It was not uncommon for surnames to be derived from trades or professions during this period. As the practice of adopting hereditary surnames became more widespread, those involved in the glove-making trade passed the name down through generations.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name is listed as "Gaunt" in this document, reflecting the then-common spelling variation.

In the 12th century, a notable figure bearing this surname was Gilbert de Gant, a Norman nobleman who served as the Lord of Folkingham in Lincolnshire, England. His descendants continued to hold lands and titles in various parts of England for several generations.

Another prominent individual with this name was Sir Thomas Gant (1492-1553), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII. He was known for his involvement in the dissolution of monasteries and the acquisition of monastic lands.

In the 17th century, a notable bearer of the GANT surname was Nehemiah Gant (1624-1702), an English Puritan clergyman and author who served as the Rector of St. Peter's Church in Norwich.

During the 18th century, John Gant (1718-1778) was a British Admiral in the Royal Navy, known for his service during the Seven Years' War and his involvement in the capture of several French ships.

In the field of literature, Reginald Gant (1892-1951) was an Australian novelist and short story writer, best known for his works depicting life in the Australian outback.

The name GANT has also been associated with various place names throughout history, such as Ganthorpe in Yorkshire, England, and Gaunts in Gloucestershire, England, reflecting the presence of individuals bearing this surname in those locations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gant families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gant 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. Suffolk leads with 157 Gants recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.27x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 157 12.27x
Norfolk 141 8.73x
Essex 131 6.32x
Lincolnshire 119 7.08x
Middlesex 112 1.07x
Yorkshire 95 0.91x
Surrey 65 1.27x
Kent 34 0.95x
Lancashire 32 0.26x
Leicestershire 23 1.97x
Devon 17 0.78x
Nottinghamshire 17 1.20x
Sussex 17 0.96x
Somerset 15 0.89x
Warwickshire 15 0.57x
Oxfordshire 11 1.70x
Cheshire 10 0.43x
Cornwall 10 0.84x
Aberdeenshire 8 0.82x
Gloucestershire 7 0.34x
Roxburghshire 7 3.68x
Monmouthshire 6 0.79x
Lanarkshire 5 0.15x
Hampshire 4 0.19x
Northamptonshire 3 0.30x
Channel Islands 2 0.64x
Derbyshire 2 0.12x
Durham 2 0.06x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.96x
Northumberland 2 0.13x
Banffshire 1 0.46x
Dorset 1 0.15x
Hertfordshire 1 0.14x
Inverness-shire 1 0.32x
Shetland 1 0.93x
Staffordshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Groton in Suffolk leads with 38 Gants recorded in 1881 and an index of 2261.90x.

Place Total Index
Groton 38 2261.90x
Lambeth 32 3.49x
Elmsett 31 2000.00x
Boxted 30 1010.10x
Barnham 27 1636.36x
Dovercourt 23 315.50x
West Ham 22 4.81x
Sculcoates 17 10.30x
Brandon 16 184.33x
Fakenham Alethorpe 15 753.77x
Horncastle 15 86.51x
Kensington London 15 2.57x
Bodham 13 1192.66x
Hadleigh 13 104.75x
St George Hanover Square 13 7.02x
St Marylebone London 13 2.32x
Whatfield 13 1313.13x
Fakenham 12 150.94x
Leicester St Margaret 12 4.22x
Newington 12 3.09x
Tonge 12 45.87x
Aston 11 1.51x
Heigham 11 12.69x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 11 22.69x
Bradford 10 3.97x
Deptford St Paul 10 3.62x
Great Grimsby 10 9.38x
Harrington 10 2272.73x
Hastings St Mary 10 22.69x
Leicester St Mary 10 10.63x
Marks Tey 10 675.68x
Ilfracombe 9 39.98x
Middleton In Oldham 9 24.08x
Nottingham St Mary 9 2.46x
Wix 9 401.79x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 8 21.16x
Colchester Holy Trinity 8 173.91x
East Dereham 8 39.20x
Islington London 8 0.79x
King Edward 8 71.36x
Nowton 8 1230.77x
Plymouth St Andrew 8 4.75x
Tottenhill 8 606.06x
Westminster St James 8 7.41x
Wood Enderby 8 1333.33x
Bethnal Green London 7 1.53x
Bredbury 7 52.16x
Clee With Weelsby 7 19.04x
Clerkenwell London 7 2.82x
Melrose 7 42.55x
Scamblesby 7 534.35x
Streatham 7 8.98x
Ashcott 6 232.56x
Bratoft 6 769.23x
Caversham 6 46.23x
Colchester St Leonard 6 89.96x
East Rudham 6 210.53x
Lewisham 6 3.14x
Llanover 6 23.13x
Maker 6 54.60x
Westminster St Margaret 6 11.84x
Woolwich 6 4.53x
Wortley In Bramley 6 7.28x
Aswardby 5 2380.95x
Heslington St Paul 5 625.00x
Leeds 5 0.85x
Metheringham 5 74.52x
Mileham 5 284.09x
Paddington London 5 1.29x
S Stoke 5 164.47x
Watton 5 98.62x
Westbury On Trym 5 7.16x
Weston In Gordano 5 769.23x
York St Maurice 5 25.51x
Bridgewater 4 8.71x
Coningsby 4 82.99x
Elvenden 4 357.14x
Ipswich St Mathew 4 11.15x
Little Oakley 4 347.83x
Spilsby 4 75.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 70
John 47
George 41
James 32
Henry 27
Thomas 26
Charles 23
Robert 20
Joseph 19
Frederick 16
Arthur 15
Walter 15
Samuel 11
Alfred 9
Harry 9
Albert 8
Richard 7
Herbert 6
Wm. 5
Stephen 4
Benjamin 3
Daniel 3
Frank 3
Oliver 3
Abraham 2
Christopher 2
Cook 2
Douglas 2
Edmund 2
Edward 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Frederic 2
Fredrick 2
Geo. 2
Howard 2
Joshua 2
Martin 2
Norman 2
Peter 2
Thos. 2
Ambrose 1
Archibald 1
Claudius 1
Emmanuel 1
Ernest 1
Fredk.A. 1
Joe 1
Johnson 1
Josh. 1

FAQ

Gant surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gant surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,076 people were recorded with the Gant surname. That placed it at #3,684 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gant surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,507 in 2016. That gives Gant a modern rank of #4,104.

What does the Gant surname mean?

Derived from the Middle English word "gant," meaning a triangular piece of cloth used for making a garment.

What does the Gant map show?

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