UK surname
A variant spelling of the German surname Ganz, referring to someone who lived near a goose pond.
In the 1881 census there were 30 people recorded with the Ganter surname, ranking it #29,363 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 52, ranked #34,780, down from #29,363 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Littleton and Cowley, Iffley (Nuneham Courtney, Berkshire, including Littlemoor Liberty), St Clement. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ganter is 101 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 73.3%.
1881 census count
30
Ranked #29,363
Modern count
52
2016, ranked #34,780
Peak year
1911
101 bearers
Map years
1
1911 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Ganter surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Ganter surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 38 | #26,502 |
| 1861 | historical | 98 | #21,388 |
| 1881 | historical | 30 | #29,363 |
| 1891 | historical | 82 | #26,494 |
| 1901 | historical | 93 | #23,689 |
| 1911 | historical | 101 | #22,589 |
| 1997 | modern | 41 | #33,552 |
| 1998 | modern | 55 | #32,399 |
| 1999 | modern | 55 | #32,561 |
| 2000 | modern | 60 | #32,124 |
| 2001 | modern | 56 | #32,379 |
| 2002 | modern | 53 | #33,021 |
| 2003 | modern | 52 | #33,160 |
| 2004 | modern | 49 | #33,647 |
| 2005 | modern | 47 | #34,011 |
| 2006 | modern | 46 | #34,415 |
| 2007 | modern | 47 | #34,558 |
| 2008 | modern | 43 | #34,931 |
| 2009 | modern | 43 | #35,088 |
| 2010 | modern | 50 | #34,833 |
| 2011 | modern | 47 | #34,989 |
| 2012 | modern | 42 | #35,269 |
| 2013 | modern | 49 | #34,952 |
| 2014 | modern | 51 | #34,865 |
| 2015 | modern | 50 | #34,886 |
| 2016 | modern | 52 | #34,780 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Littleton, Cowley, Iffley (Nuneham Courtney, Berkshire, including Littlemoor Liberty), St Clement, Manchester and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | London parishes | London 1 |
| 2 | Littleton | Hampshire |
| 3 | Cowley, Iffley (Nuneham Courtney, Berkshire, including Littlemoor Liberty), St Clement | Oxfordshire |
| 4 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 5 | Portsmouth, Portsea | Hampshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Ganter surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ganter, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Ganter surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Ganter household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Ganter is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ganter is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Ganter, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Ganter is of German origin and dates back to the late medieval period. The name is derived from the German word "Gans" meaning "goose" and was likely an occupational surname given to someone who raised or sold geese.
In the 13th century, the name Ganter appeared in records from the town of Konstanz in southern Germany. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was Heinrich Ganter, a farmer mentioned in a land deed from 1268.
The name Ganter can also be traced back to the village of Gansingen in the canton of Aargau, Switzerland. Historical documents from the 1400s refer to a family of landowners in Gansingen with the surname Ganter, indicating their ties to the area which likely took its name from the German word for goose.
In the 16th century, a prominent figure named Hans Ganter (1484-1568) was a respected theologian and Protestant reformer from Nuremberg. He played a role in the Reformation movement and wrote several treatises on religious doctrine.
Another notable individual was Johann Ganter (1554-1598), a composer and organist from Freiberg, Saxony. He served as the Kantor at the Freiberg Cathedral and composed numerous sacred vocal works during the Renaissance era.
The surname appeared in England by the 17th century, often spelled as Gaunter. Edward Gaunter (1615-1681) was an English writer and translator who published works on classical literature and philosophy.
In the 19th century, Franz Ganter (1822-1891) was an Austrian architect and urban planner. He designed several notable buildings in Vienna including the Gumpendorfer Strasse Evangelical Church.
While less common today, the surname Ganter still holds historical significance, reflecting its origins in medieval Germany and early associations with the goose farming trade.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ganter surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 8 Ganters recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.74x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 8 | 2.74x |
| Hampshire | 6 | 10.01x |
| Yorkshire | 6 | 2.07x |
| Lancashire | 4 | 1.15x |
| Suffolk | 3 | 8.42x |
| Surrey | 2 | 1.40x |
| Denbighshire | 1 | 9.05x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aldershot in Hampshire leads with 6 Ganters recorded in 1881 and an index of 298.51x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Aldershot | 6 | 298.51x |
| Broomfleet | 3 | 15000.00x |
| Ipswich St Peter | 3 | 625.00x |
| Clerkenwell London | 2 | 28.99x |
| Dewsbury | 2 | 67.34x |
| Hulme | 2 | 27.62x |
| Liverpool | 2 | 9.49x |
| Shoreditch London | 2 | 15.77x |
| Westminster St James | 2 | 66.45x |
| Denbigh | 1 | 227.27x |
| Hackney London | 1 | 6.10x |
| Kirkby Moorside | 1 | 555.56x |
| Lambeth | 1 | 3.92x |
| Newington | 1 | 9.26x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 4.25x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Ganter surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Ganter surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Ganter households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 3 |
| Watchmaker | 3 |
| Housekeeper | 2 |
| Watch And Clock Maker | 2 |
| Watch Maker | 2 |
| Watchmaker Jeweller &c | 2 |
| Clerk | 1 |
| Cook Domestic | 1 |
| Fancy Stationer | 1 |
| Shoeman | 1 |
| Shoemans Wife | 1 |
| Watch & Clock Maker | 1 |
| Watch & Clock Maker Apprentice | 1 |
| Watch Clock Maker | 1 |
| Watch Jobber | 1 |
| Watchmaker Wife | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 30 people were recorded with the Ganter surname. That placed it at #29,363 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 52 in 2016. That gives Ganter a modern rank of #34,780.
A variant spelling of the German surname Ganz, referring to someone who lived near a goose pond.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ganter bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.