NameCensus.

UK surname

Garey

Derived from a French place name meaning "pleasant place," or from the Germanic element "ger" meaning "spear."

In the 1881 census there were 160 people recorded with the Garey surname, ranking it #14,860 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 197, ranked #19,777, down from #14,860 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Birmingham, Basildon and Redditch.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Garey is 219 in 2008. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.1%.

1881 census count

160

Ranked #14,860

Modern count

197

2016, ranked #19,777

Peak year

2008

219 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Garey had 160 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,860 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 197 in 2016, ranked #19,777.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 160 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Garey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Garey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Garey 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 94 #17,837
1861 historical 159 #14,553
1881 historical 160 #14,860
1891 historical 138 #19,411
1901 historical 130 #19,649
1911 historical 157 #17,348
1997 modern 214 #16,893
1998 modern 216 #17,257
1999 modern 213 #17,550
2000 modern 204 #17,987
2001 modern 192 #18,388
2002 modern 193 #18,713
2003 modern 187 #18,856
2004 modern 188 #18,919
2005 modern 206 #17,786
2006 modern 208 #17,835
2007 modern 213 #17,744
2008 modern 219 #17,597
2009 modern 218 #18,015
2010 modern 214 #18,601
2011 modern 209 #18,730
2012 modern 201 #19,147
2013 modern 201 #19,454
2014 modern 201 #19,641
2015 modern 201 #19,494
2016 modern 197 #19,777

Geography

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Where Gareys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, Lambeth, St John Hackney and Aberdeen and Old Machar. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Birmingham, Basildon and Redditch. 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 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
5 Aberdeen and Old Machar Aberdeen

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Birmingham 122 Birmingham
2 Birmingham 046 Birmingham
3 Basildon 014 Basildon
4 Redditch 007 Redditch
5 Birmingham 055 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Garey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Garey

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Garey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Garey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Garey 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

Garey 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

Garey 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 Garey 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
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Garey

The surname Garey originated from the French language in the late medieval period. It is a habitational name, derived from the town of Garaye in Normandy, France. The place-name itself comes from the Old French word 'gara', meaning a thicket or a dense growth of bushes.

The earliest known record of the surname is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'de Gara'. This suggests that the name was likely brought to England by Norman settlers following the conquest of 1066. Over time, the spelling evolved to its modern form of Garey.

In the 13th century, records show a Robert de Garey as a landowner in Buckinghamshire, England. This indicates that the name had spread beyond its Norman origins and become established in various parts of the country.

The name Garey has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure was Sir Thomas Garey, a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 19th century (1761-1823).

Another prominent bearer of the name was John Garey, an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania in the late 18th century (1744-1809).

In the realm of literature, the author and poet Caroline Garey (1866-1944) made significant contributions to the literary scene of her time.

The name also has connections to the world of science, with the British zoologist and naturalist George Robert Garey (1807-1883) being a notable figure in his field.

Lastly, the American businessman and entrepreneur Elbert H. Garey (1882-1962) left his mark in the early 20th century through his successful business ventures.

While the surname Garey may not be as common today as it once was, its long history and diverse origins serve as a testament to the rich tapestry of cultural influences that have shaped many family names over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Garey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Garey 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 49 Gareys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.12x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 49 3.12x
Surrey 19 2.48x
Ayrshire 15 12.76x
Yorkshire 9 0.58x
Aberdeenshire 8 5.50x
Hampshire 8 2.49x
Lanarkshire 8 1.58x
Warwickshire 8 2.02x
Lancashire 7 0.38x
Kent 6 1.12x
Cambridgeshire 5 5.03x
Durham 4 0.86x
Monmouthshire 4 3.52x
Northumberland 4 1.71x
Glamorgan 3 1.10x
Devon 2 0.61x
Leicestershire 1 0.57x
Wiltshire 1 0.72x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shoreditch London in Middlesex leads with 25 Gareys recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.72x.

Place Total Index
Shoreditch London 25 36.72x
Lambeth 10 7.30x
Mile End Old Town London 10 29.91x
Aberdeen Old Machar 8 26.34x
Hackney London 7 7.95x
Old Monkland 7 34.72x
Bingley 6 60.54x
Birmingham 6 4.55x
Girvan 5 169.49x
Grantchester 5 806.45x
Plumstead 5 28.00x
Sorn 5 216.45x
Binsted 4 325.20x
Galston 4 124.61x
Kings Somborne 4 588.24x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 4 130.29x
Penge 4 39.88x
Sunderland 4 48.48x
Aberystruth 3 29.97x
Bermondsey 3 6.42x
Everton 3 5.05x
Linthorpe 3 32.29x
Bethnal Green London 2 2.93x
Camberwell 2 1.99x
Cogan 2 487.80x
Littleham 2 83.68x
Liverpool 2 1.77x
St Marylebone London 2 2.39x
Aston 1 0.92x
Fenwick 1 161.29x
Govan 1 0.80x
Great Bolton 1 4.05x
Greenwich 1 4.00x
Islington London 1 0.66x
Kensington London 1 1.15x
Knowle 1 123.46x
Leicester St Margaret 1 2.36x
Merthyr Tydfil 1 3.81x
Monmouth 1 33.22x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 1 45.05x
Swindon 1 9.29x
Walton On Hill 1 9.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 8
Mary 7
Ellen 5
Emma 4
Elizabeth 3
Emily 3
Ada 2
Ann 2
Eleanor 2
Jane 2
Margaret 2
Minnie 2
Sophia 2
Adele 1
Alberta 1
Alice 1
Amy 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Blanche 1
Bridgett 1
Clara 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Georgeanna 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Julia 1
Mahild 1
Margt. 1
Miriam 1
Nattilie 1
Phoebe 1
Rose 1
Rosina 1
Selina 1
Sophy 1
Unity 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 14
William 7
Thomas 5
George 3
James 3
Alfd.Richd. 2
Edward 2
Frederick 2
Henry 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Aruth 1
Barnard 1
Daniel 1
Domonic 1
Edwin 1
Fred 1
Freder. 1
Fredk. 1
Martin 1
Maurice 1
Michael 1
Morris 1
Napoleon 1
Patrick 1
Thos.John 1
Timothy 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Garey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Garey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 160 people were recorded with the Garey surname. That placed it at #14,860 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Garey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 197 in 2016. That gives Garey a modern rank of #19,777.

What does the Garey surname mean?

Derived from a French place name meaning "pleasant place," or from the Germanic element "ger" meaning "spear."

What does the Garey map show?

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