NameCensus.

UK surname

Gao

A Chinese surname meaning "high" or "tall," likely referring to a tall ancestor or their place of origin.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cambridge, Tower Hamlets and Hillingdon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gao is 498 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

498

2016, ranked #10,010

Peak year

2016

498 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 498 in 2016, ranked #10,010.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Gao surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gao surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gao 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 4 #32,658
1997 modern 17 #36,181
1998 modern 23 #35,603
1999 modern 35 #34,418
2000 modern 46 #33,458
2001 modern 55 #32,482
2002 modern 75 #30,950
2003 modern 96 #28,381
2004 modern 115 #25,740
2005 modern 150 #21,786
2006 modern 178 #19,666
2007 modern 192 #18,975
2008 modern 218 #17,638
2009 modern 266 #15,711
2010 modern 344 #13,393
2011 modern 298 #14,666
2012 modern 384 #12,088
2013 modern 416 #11,575
2014 modern 460 #10,713
2015 modern 480 #10,311
2016 modern 498 #10,010

Geography

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Where Gaos 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 Cambridge, Tower Hamlets, Hillingdon, Newcastle upon Tyne and Portsmouth. 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 Cambridge 007 Cambridge
2 Tower Hamlets 031 Tower Hamlets
3 Hillingdon 009 Hillingdon
4 Newcastle upon Tyne 024 Newcastle upon Tyne
5 Portsmouth 019 Portsmouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gao

These lists show first names that appear often with the Gao 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 Gao

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gao, 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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Gao surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Gao 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Gao is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Gao 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

Gao falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gao is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Chinese

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

Meaning and origin of Gao

The surname Gao has its origins in China, where it has been documented for centuries. It is believed to have originated from the ancient Chinese word "gao," which means "high" or "tall." This name may have initially been given to individuals who were physically tall or perhaps lived in elevated regions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Gao can be found in the "Hou Han Shu" (Book of the Later Han Dynasty), which dates back to the 5th century AD. This historical text mentions several individuals with the surname Gao who held prominent positions during the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD).

In ancient China, surnames were often derived from place names or geographic features. It is possible that the surname Gao may have originated from a specific location or region, although the exact origin is unclear. Some scholars have suggested that it may be linked to the city of Gaocheng in Hebei Province, which was an important administrative center during the Jin Dynasty (265-420 AD).

The Gao surname has been associated with several notable figures throughout Chinese history. One of the most prominent is Gao Xizi (born around 170 BC), a renowned philosopher and scholar during the Western Han Dynasty. Another influential individual was Gao Qiu (697-765 AD), a renowned poet and calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the Gao family produced several accomplished officials and scholars. One notable example is Gao Kegong (1248-1310), a revered Confucian scholar and author of the "Gao Shi Pu" (Gao Family Genealogy), which documented the family's history and lineage.

In more recent times, Gao Xingjian (born 1940) is a celebrated Chinese-French novelist and playwright who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2000. He is best known for his novels "Soul Mountain" and "One Man's Bible."

While the surname Gao has its roots in China, it has spread to other parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. It is now found in various countries, including Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and communities of Chinese descent in North America and Europe.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Gao surname: questions and answers

How common is the Gao surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 498 in 2016. That gives Gao a modern rank of #10,010.

What does the Gao surname mean?

A Chinese surname meaning "high" or "tall," likely referring to a tall ancestor or their place of origin.

What does the Gao map show?

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