NameCensus.

UK surname

Garbe

An archaic occupational surname referring to a wool or cotton carder.

In the 1881 census there were 6 people recorded with the Garbe surname, ranking it #32,926 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 101, ranked #30,929, up from #32,926 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Liverpool, Aylesbury Vale and Westminster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Garbe is 101 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1583.3%.

1881 census count

6

Ranked #32,926

Modern count

101

2016, ranked #30,929

Peak year

2015

101 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Garbe had 6 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,926 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016, ranked #30,929.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 31 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Garbe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Garbe surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Garbe 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
1861 historical 1 #34,435
1881 historical 6 #32,926
1891 historical 12 #33,181
1901 historical 24 #31,365
1911 historical 31 #29,952
1997 modern 66 #31,038
1998 modern 74 #30,562
1999 modern 76 #30,546
2000 modern 73 #30,881
2001 modern 71 #30,907
2002 modern 75 #30,950
2003 modern 71 #31,393
2004 modern 78 #30,919
2005 modern 74 #31,522
2006 modern 73 #31,954
2007 modern 79 #31,628
2008 modern 78 #32,081
2009 modern 79 #32,372
2010 modern 90 #31,621
2011 modern 83 #32,336
2012 modern 81 #32,796
2013 modern 90 #32,146
2014 modern 98 #31,370
2015 modern 101 #30,816
2016 modern 101 #30,929

Geography

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Where Garbes 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 Liverpool, Aylesbury Vale, Westminster and West Lancashire. 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 Liverpool 059 Liverpool
2 Aylesbury Vale 005 Aylesbury Vale
3 Westminster 013 Westminster
4 Liverpool 030 Liverpool
5 West Lancashire 014 West Lancashire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Garbe

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

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Garbe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Garbe household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Garbe 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

Garbe 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

Garbe falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Garbe 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Garbe

The surname Garbe is of German origin and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated from the region of Saxony-Anhalt, specifically in the areas around the city of Gardelegen. The name is thought to be derived from the Old German word "garba," which means "sheaf" or "bundle of grain."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Garbe can be found in the Breviarium Sancti Lulli, a 9th-century manuscript from the Archdiocese of Mainz. This document mentions a certain "Garbertus," which is likely an early variation of the surname.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various charters and legal documents from the region of Saxony-Anhalt. One notable example is the mention of a "Henricus Garbe" in a land transaction record from the city of Gardelegen, dated 1287.

During the Late Middle Ages, the name began to spread to other parts of Germany, particularly in the northern regions. In the 15th century, there are records of individuals with the surname Garbe in cities such as Hamburg and Bremen.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Garbe name was Johannes Garbe, a Lutheran theologian and reformer who lived from 1490 to 1548. He was a prominent figure during the Protestant Reformation and served as a pastor in various churches in Saxony.

Another notable person with the surname Garbe was Christian Garbe, a German painter and engraver who lived from 1580 to 1652. He is known for his intricate engravings depicting religious and mythological scenes.

In the 18th century, Johann Gottlieb Garbe (1682-1756) was a renowned German architect and urban planner. He was responsible for designing several important buildings and city plans in cities like Dresden and Leipzig.

Towards the end of the 19th century, Carl Garbe (1860-1932) was a prominent German philologist and Indologist. He made significant contributions to the study of ancient Indian literature and philosophy.

Finally, one of the most famous bearers of the Garbe name in modern times was Detlev Garbe (1925-2005), a German actor and film director. He had a prolific career in both cinema and television, and is remembered for his roles in several popular German films and TV series.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Garbe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Garbe 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. Middlesex leads with 6 Garbes recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.27x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 6 10.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hackney London in Middlesex leads with 6 Garbes recorded in 1881 and an index of 182.93x.

Place Total Index
Hackney London 6 182.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ida 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Gustav 1
Louis 1
Paul 1
Richard 1
Walter 1

Top occupations

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 Garbe households.

FAQ

Garbe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Garbe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6 people were recorded with the Garbe surname. That placed it at #32,926 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Garbe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016. That gives Garbe a modern rank of #30,929.

What does the Garbe surname mean?

An archaic occupational surname referring to a wool or cotton carder.

What does the Garbe map show?

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