NameCensus.

UK surname

Gape

In the 1881 census there were 121 people recorded with the Gape surname, ranking it #17,671 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 158, ranked #22,904, down from #17,671 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Panteague, Newchurch and Llanguick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Neath Port Talbot, West Dorset and Wealden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gape is 164 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.6%.

1881 census count

121

Ranked #17,671

Modern count

158

2016, ranked #22,904

Peak year

2013

164 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gape had 121 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,671 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 158 in 2016, ranked #22,904.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 154 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gape surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gape surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gape 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 60 #22,584
1861 historical 62 #26,041
1881 historical 121 #17,671
1891 historical 129 #20,285
1901 historical 149 #18,146
1911 historical 154 #17,553
1997 modern 135 #22,499
1998 modern 134 #23,202
1999 modern 136 #23,186
2000 modern 133 #23,462
2001 modern 133 #23,132
2002 modern 139 #22,991
2003 modern 138 #22,823
2004 modern 136 #23,207
2005 modern 143 #22,473
2006 modern 142 #22,724
2007 modern 151 #22,120
2008 modern 149 #22,530
2009 modern 151 #22,816
2010 modern 151 #23,377
2011 modern 154 #22,886
2012 modern 157 #22,551
2013 modern 164 #22,236
2014 modern 161 #22,728
2015 modern 152 #23,507
2016 modern 158 #22,904

Geography

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Where Gapes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Panteague, Newchurch, Llanguick, Symondsbury and Llandilo-Talybont. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Neath Port Talbot, West Dorset, Wealden, The Vale of Glamorgan and Thurrock. 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 Panteague Monmouthshire
2 Newchurch Hampshire
3 Llanguick Glamorganshire
4 Symondsbury Dorset
5 Llandilo-Talybont Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Neath Port Talbot 020 Neath Port Talbot
2 West Dorset 007 West Dorset
3 Wealden 021 Wealden
4 The Vale of Glamorgan 002 Vale of Glamorgan
5 Thurrock 018 Thurrock

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gape

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gape

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Gape is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gape is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gape falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Gape families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gape 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. Glamorgan leads with 39 Gapes recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.98x.

County Total Index
Glamorgan 39 18.98x
Dorset 27 34.86x
Hampshire 15 6.20x
Carmarthenshire 14 28.15x
Middlesex 8 0.68x
Sussex 5 2.51x
Essex 4 1.72x
Norfolk 3 1.65x
Hertfordshire 2 2.46x
Monmouthshire 2 2.34x
Surrey 1 0.17x
Wiltshire 1 0.96x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Llanguick in Glamorgan leads with 15 Gapes recorded in 1881 and an index of 407.61x.

Place Total Index
Llanguick 15 407.61x
Llangennech 14 1750.00x
Llandilo Talybont 9 833.33x
Symondsbury 9 1836.73x
Ryde 7 134.62x
Llansamlet Lower 6 322.58x
Bridport 5 314.47x
Clase 5 65.45x
Kensington London 5 7.62x
High Ongar 4 930.23x
Northwood 4 116.28x
Puddletown 4 851.06x
Portsmouth 3 53.86x
Puncknowle 3 1578.95x
Rushall 3 3750.00x
Allington 2 289.86x
Eastbourne 2 21.83x
Hampstead London 2 10.88x
Hastings St Mary 2 40.40x
Rhyndwyclydach 2 139.86x
St Albans St Michael 2 219.78x
Camberwell 1 1.33x
Carisbrooke 1 29.76x
Chichester St Pancras 1 169.49x
Cilybebill 1 128.21x
Fonthill Gifford 1 526.32x
Littlebredy 1 1250.00x
Litton Cheney 1 526.32x
Longbredy 1 1111.11x
Melcombe Regis 1 31.15x
Merthyr Tydfil 1 5.06x
Newport 1 24.57x
Panteg 1 74.63x
St George Hanover Square 1 4.81x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Sarah 10
Elizabeth 5
Emma 3
Jane 3
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Ellen 2
Henrietta 2
Margaret 2
Margret 2
Ada 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Emily 1
Evie 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Gwennie 1
Hanna 1
Hester 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1
Susanah 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 10
William 5
Charles 4
George 4
Henry 4
David 3
Evan 2
Jacob 2
Rees 2
Richard 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Aneurin 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Ernest 1
Esau 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Glyn 1
Gwilym 1
Herbert 1
Ifor 1
Ivor 1
Jac.B. 1
Joseph 1
Robert 1
Rufus 1
Silas 1
Walter 1
Yatulum 1

FAQ

Gape surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gape surname in 1881?

In 1881, 121 people were recorded with the Gape surname. That placed it at #17,671 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gape surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 158 in 2016. That gives Gape a modern rank of #22,904.

What does the Gape map show?

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