NameCensus.

UK surname

Garland

One who made or sold garlands, wreaths, or circlets of flowers and leaves.

In the 1881 census there were 3,933 people recorded with the Garland surname, ranking it #1,152 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,273, ranked #1,283, down from #1,152 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swansea, South Gloucestershire and Bristol.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Garland is 5,478 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.1%.

1881 census count

3,933

Ranked #1,152

Modern count

5,273

2016, ranked #1,283

Peak year

1999

5,478 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Garland had 3,933 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,152 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,273 in 2016, ranked #1,283.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,933 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Garland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Garland surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Garland 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 2,740 #1,074
1861 historical 2,855 #1,023
1881 historical 3,933 #1,152
1891 historical 4,274 #1,118
1901 historical 4,933 #1,143
1911 historical 4,841 #1,076
1997 modern 5,284 #1,233
1998 modern 5,431 #1,250
1999 modern 5,478 #1,250
2000 modern 5,377 #1,267
2001 modern 5,287 #1,256
2002 modern 5,413 #1,253
2003 modern 5,320 #1,249
2004 modern 5,320 #1,244
2005 modern 5,197 #1,258
2006 modern 5,100 #1,280
2007 modern 5,146 #1,281
2008 modern 5,209 #1,279
2009 modern 5,326 #1,281
2010 modern 5,423 #1,286
2011 modern 5,433 #1,261
2012 modern 5,246 #1,280
2013 modern 5,353 #1,277
2014 modern 5,397 #1,271
2015 modern 5,305 #1,280
2016 modern 5,273 #1,283

Geography

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Where Garlands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster, London parishes and St Giles Camberwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swansea, South Gloucestershire and Bristol. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Bedminster Somerset
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swansea 002 Swansea
2 South Gloucestershire 029 South Gloucestershire
3 Bristol 050 Bristol, City of
4 South Gloucestershire 028 South Gloucestershire
5 Bristol 052 Bristol, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Garland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Garland

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Garland is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Garland is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Garland falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Garland is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Garland

The surname Garland has its origins in the Old French language and is derived from the word "garlande", meaning a wreath or garland of flowers or leaves. It was initially an occupational name given to makers or sellers of such floral garlands.

The name first appeared in England following the Norman Conquest of 1066, when many French and Norman nobles and commoners settled in the country. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Gerlant".

In the 12th century, the name was recorded as "Gerlaund" and "Garlond" in various historical documents. These early spellings highlight the name's French origins and its subsequent evolution in England.

During the 13th century, the surname Garland began to spread across England, with notable bearers including William Garland, who was recorded in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1262.

The 14th century saw the emergence of several prominent individuals bearing the surname Garland. One such figure was John Garland, a renowned philosopher and theologian who lived from around 1270 to 1320. Another notable bearer was Thomas Garland, who served as the Bishop of Lincoln from 1349 to 1363.

In the 15th century, the surname Garland was well-established in various parts of England, with several place names derived from the surname, such as Garland's Green in Hertfordshire and Garland's Cross in Oxfordshire.

One of the most famous bearers of the surname Garland was Sir Thomas Garland, a renowned English soldier and landowner who lived from around 1490 to 1550. He served under King Henry VIII and played a significant role in the suppression of the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion in 1536.

Another notable figure was John Garland, an English Baptist minister and writer who lived from 1608 to 1700. He was a prominent figure during the English Civil War and authored several religious works.

Throughout the centuries, the surname Garland has been carried by many other individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields, including literature, arts, and sciences.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Garland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Garland 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 435 Garlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.12x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 435 1.12x
Somerset 421 6.76x
Surrey 340 1.80x
Gloucestershire 321 4.23x
Yorkshire 256 0.67x
Devon 195 2.42x
Lancashire 182 0.40x
Cornwall 169 3.86x
Kent 142 1.07x
Hampshire 124 1.56x
Durham 112 0.97x
Staffordshire 105 0.80x
Dorset 98 3.86x
Essex 74 0.97x
Lincolnshire 65 1.05x
Glamorgan 59 0.88x
Fife 57 2.49x
Wiltshire 55 1.61x
Monmouthshire 54 1.93x
Lanarkshire 52 0.42x
Warwickshire 52 0.53x
Angus 49 1.37x
Norfolk 45 0.76x
Worcestershire 40 0.79x
Cheshire 38 0.44x
Midlothian 36 0.69x
Northumberland 34 0.59x
Nottinghamshire 33 0.63x
Channel Islands 28 2.44x
Aberdeenshire 26 0.73x
Sussex 24 0.37x
Ayrshire 22 0.76x
Derbyshire 18 0.30x
Berkshire 16 0.55x
Oxfordshire 15 0.63x
Cardiganshire 14 1.48x
Suffolk 14 0.30x
East Lothian 12 2.34x
Perthshire 12 0.69x
Isle of Man 11 1.53x
Northamptonshire 11 0.30x
Shropshire 10 0.30x
Buckinghamshire 9 0.38x
Cambridgeshire 9 0.37x
Inverness-shire 9 0.78x
Caernarfonshire 8 0.51x
Banffshire 7 0.87x
Herefordshire 7 0.44x
Leicestershire 7 0.16x
Hertfordshire 6 0.22x
Royal Navy 5 1.08x
Kincardineshire 4 0.85x
Kirkcudbrightshire 4 0.71x
Kinross-shire 3 3.07x
Renfrewshire 3 0.10x
West Lothian 3 0.51x
Flintshire 2 0.19x
Buteshire 1 0.43x
Cumberland 1 0.03x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.10x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.13x
Peeblesshire 1 0.55x
Rutland 1 0.35x
Westmorland 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St George in Gloucestershire leads with 86 Garlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.49x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St George 86 24.49x
Bedminster 80 13.66x
Camberwell 75 3.03x
Mangotsfield 54 71.34x
Islington London 46 1.23x
Lambeth 45 1.33x
Leeds 43 1.98x
Chertsey 38 31.17x
Bitton Oldland 37 47.67x
St Pancras London 37 1.19x
Croydon 31 2.96x
Aston 29 1.08x
Taunton St Mary 28 24.48x
Kensington London 26 1.21x
Liverpool 26 0.93x
Barnstaple 25 19.76x
Clapham 25 5.17x
Portsea 25 1.61x
Chelsea London 24 2.06x
Hackney London 24 1.11x
South Leith 24 4.11x
Aldershot 23 8.65x
Fulbeck 23 269.01x
Bermondsey 22 1.91x
West Derby 22 1.64x
Glasgow 21 0.94x
Handsworth 21 6.52x
Stoke Damerel 21 3.72x
Stoke St Gregory 21 110.94x
Tavistock 21 22.88x
Backwell 20 156.37x
Lewisham 20 2.84x
Roath 20 6.53x
Tottenham 20 3.24x
Dudley 19 3.09x
Holy Trinity 19 2.06x
Lamyatt 19 574.02x
Poplar London 19 2.60x
St Peter Port 19 8.95x
Bethnal Green London 18 1.07x
Monkwearmouth Shore 18 8.01x
Plymouth St Andrew 18 2.90x
Battersea 17 1.19x
Clevedon 17 26.23x
Kingsdon 17 363.25x
Newington 17 1.19x
Bristol St James St Paul 16 6.32x
Manchester 16 0.77x
Plymouth Charles The 16 4.51x
St Agnes 16 26.06x
Toxteth Park 16 1.03x
West Bromwich 16 2.14x
Aylburton 15 173.61x
Bromley London 15 1.76x
Cults 15 160.60x
Taunton St James 15 16.50x
Winterbourne 15 35.75x
Cupar 14 14.04x
Nailsea 14 56.86x
Pendleton In Salford 14 2.56x
Bishopwearmouth 13 1.31x
Bridport 13 24.85x
Calstock 13 15.12x
Hammersmith London 13 1.36x
Mylor 13 44.26x
Portishead 13 28.07x
Trevethin 13 4.92x
Whickham 13 12.27x
Callington 12 46.99x
Clerkenwell London 12 1.31x
Dundee 12 0.90x
Everton 12 0.82x
Govan 12 0.39x
Hankerton 12 266.08x
Martock 12 29.62x
Newburgh 12 41.21x
Normanby In 12 11.70x
West Ham 12 0.71x
Westminster St John 12 2.55x
Gate Fulford 11 12.28x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 266
Elizabeth 159
Sarah 130
Emily 69
Jane 60
Eliza 56
Ellen 56
Ann 54
Emma 50
Annie 39
Alice 37
Margaret 33
Caroline 32
Louisa 32
Edith 30
Kate 29
Florence 25
Fanny 24
Ada 23
Matilda 23
Maria 21
Lucy 19
Charlotte 18
Susan 18
Anne 17
Clara 17
Hannah 16
Anna 15
Frances 14
Catherine 13
Julia 13
Martha 13
Rose 13
Bessie 12
Harriet 11
Rosina 11
Esther 10
Ethel 10
Harriett 10
Minnie 10
Sophia 10
Agnes 9
Amelia 9
Amy 9
Eleanor 9
Helen 8
Isabella 8
Bridget 7
Rhoda 7
Betsy 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 208
John 199
George 137
Thomas 117
James 84
Henry 76
Charles 73
Joseph 54
Samuel 52
Alfred 48
Richard 44
Arthur 42
Edward 36
Robert 31
Albert 28
Frederick 27
Edwin 22
Walter 22
Frank 20
Harry 20
Francis 18
Patrick 16
Ernest 15
Isaac 15
Herbert 14
Peter 12
Fred 11
Wm. 11
Michael 9
Thos. 9
Fredk. 8
Matthew 8
Geo. 7
Moses 7
Percy 7
Benjamin 6
Stephen 6
Daniel 5
Nicholas 5
Chas. 4
David 4
Jacob 4
Mathew 4
Sidney 4
Amos 3
Danl. 3
Edgar 3
Infant 3
Joshua 3
Simon 3

FAQ

Garland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Garland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,933 people were recorded with the Garland surname. That placed it at #1,152 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Garland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,273 in 2016. That gives Garland a modern rank of #1,283.

What does the Garland surname mean?

One who made or sold garlands, wreaths, or circlets of flowers and leaves.

What does the Garland map show?

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