NameCensus.

UK surname

Garman

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of spears or other weaponry.

In the 1881 census there were 383 people recorded with the Garman surname, ranking it #8,212 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 641, ranked #8,262, down from #8,212 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dorking, Abinger, Ockley, Wotton with Oakwood and Rudgwick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Somerset, Horsham and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Garman is 696 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 67.4%.

1881 census count

383

Ranked #8,212

Modern count

641

2016, ranked #8,262

Peak year

2002

696 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Garman had 383 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,212 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 641 in 2016, ranked #8,262.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 683 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Garman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Garman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Garman 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 362 #6,537
1861 historical 632 #4,239
1881 historical 383 #8,212
1891 historical 593 #6,444
1901 historical 591 #7,149
1911 historical 683 #6,192
1997 modern 654 #7,630
1998 modern 686 #7,598
1999 modern 678 #7,703
2000 modern 689 #7,581
2001 modern 671 #7,607
2002 modern 696 #7,546
2003 modern 662 #7,728
2004 modern 683 #7,554
2005 modern 650 #7,776
2006 modern 659 #7,728
2007 modern 653 #7,834
2008 modern 651 #7,908
2009 modern 666 #7,927
2010 modern 650 #8,242
2011 modern 658 #8,080
2012 modern 641 #8,147
2013 modern 654 #8,182
2014 modern 652 #8,233
2015 modern 640 #8,290
2016 modern 641 #8,262

Geography

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Where Garmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dorking, Abinger, Ockley, Wotton with Oakwood, Rudgwick, London parishes and Horsham, Sullington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Somerset, Horsham and Cornwall. 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 Dorking Surrey
2 Abinger, Ockley, Wotton with Oakwood Surrey
3 Rudgwick Sussex
4 London parishes London 3
5 Horsham, Sullington Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Somerset 002 South Somerset
2 Horsham 003 Horsham
3 Horsham 006 Horsham
4 Horsham 004 Horsham
5 Cornwall 046 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Garman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Garman

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Garman is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Garman is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Garman falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Garman

The surname GARMAN is of Anglo-Saxon origin and can be traced back to the Old English words "gara" meaning spear or javelin, and "mann" meaning man. The name likely originated in England during the 8th or 9th century and was initially used to identify individuals who were skilled in the use of spears or javelins, perhaps as soldiers or hunters.

The earliest recorded instance of the name GARMAN appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is found in various spellings, such as Garmane, Gairman, and Gareman, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling common in that era.

During the Middle Ages, the GARMAN surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire in southern England. This geographic concentration suggests that the name may have originated or gained prominence in these regions.

One notable bearer of the GARMAN name was Sir John Garman (c. 1380-1445), a member of the English gentry and a landowner in Oxfordshire. He served as a knight under King Henry V during the Hundred Years' War and participated in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.

Another historically significant figure was Thomas Garman (1492-1554), an English clergyman and theologian who served as a canon of Windsor and was involved in the early stages of the English Reformation under King Henry VIII.

In the 17th century, Richard Garman (1629-1681) was a prominent English mathematician and astronomer. He served as the Savilian Professor of Astronomy at the University of Oxford and made notable contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.

Moving into the 18th century, John Garman (1712-1782) was a renowned English clockmaker and inventor. He is credited with developing the first effective method for compensating for the effects of temperature changes on the accuracy of pendulum clocks.

Lastly, the 19th century saw the rise of William Garman (1810-1890), an English architect known for designing several notable buildings in London, including the former headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service on Whitehall Place.

The GARMAN surname has a rich history spanning centuries, with its origins rooted in the Anglo-Saxon tradition and a strong presence in various regions of England. These examples illustrate the diverse contributions of individuals bearing this name in fields ranging from military service and religion to science and architecture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Garman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Garman 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. Surrey leads with 90 Garmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.93x.

County Total Index
Surrey 90 4.93x
Sussex 85 13.46x
Middlesex 64 1.71x
Norfolk 29 5.04x
Staffordshire 26 2.06x
Durham 19 1.71x
Devon 13 1.67x
Kent 13 1.02x
Warwickshire 11 1.16x
Renfrewshire 6 2.07x
Lancashire 5 0.11x
Cumberland 3 0.93x
Oxfordshire 3 1.30x
Cheshire 2 0.24x
Essex 2 0.27x
Hampshire 2 0.26x
Lanarkshire 2 0.17x
Northamptonshire 2 0.57x
Yorkshire 2 0.05x
Berkshire 1 0.36x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.42x
Royal Navy 1 2.24x
Shropshire 1 0.31x
Suffolk 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Horsham in Sussex leads with 51 Garmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 415.65x.

Place Total Index
Horsham 51 415.65x
Abinger 16 1052.63x
Wednesbury 12 37.97x
Bow London 10 20.97x
Gateshead 10 11.98x
Aston 9 3.46x
Camberwell 9 3.76x
Dorking 9 73.41x
Ilfracombe 9 112.08x
West Bromwich 9 12.43x
Bromley London 8 9.71x
Norwich St Clement 8 119.76x
Leatherhead 7 153.17x
Marden 7 233.33x
Wiston 7 1750.00x
Ashford 6 202.70x
Cathcart 6 38.19x
Croydon 6 5.92x
Mile End Old Town London 6 7.53x
Reigate Borough 6 142.52x
Sprowston 6 236.22x
Warnham 6 437.96x
West Walton 6 545.45x
Wotton 6 674.16x
Bury 5 757.58x
Handsworth 5 16.05x
Lambeth 5 1.53x
Manchester 5 2.50x
St Marylebone London 5 2.50x
Stoke 5 58.07x
Coxhoe 4 126.58x
Hackney London 4 1.90x
Hammersmith London 4 4.34x
Slinfold 4 404.04x
St Pancras London 4 1.33x
Washington 4 85.65x
Bermondsey 3 2.69x
Epsom 3 33.75x
Heigham 3 9.71x
Kensington London 3 1.44x
Morden 3 329.67x
Rudgwick 3 208.33x
Streatham 3 10.80x
Workington 3 16.25x
Barony 2 0.65x
Billingshurst 2 96.62x
Brighton 2 1.57x
Burwash 2 68.26x
Dersingham 2 153.85x
Exeter St Thomas The 2 25.16x
Fulham London 2 3.68x
Islington London 2 0.55x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 2 11.57x
Lewisham 2 2.93x
Northampton All Sts 2 16.72x
Oxford St Aldate 2 82.30x
Poplar London 2 2.83x
Shalford 2 99.01x
Shoreditch London 2 1.23x
Barking 1 4.62x
Bradford 1 1.11x
Chester St John Baptist 1 6.73x
Cliffe 1 34.72x
Edgbaston 1 3.41x
Ewhurst 1 87.72x
Goring 1 147.06x
Great Yarmouth 1 2.10x
Horton Kirby 1 50.51x
Leigh 1 149.25x
Littlebury 1 98.04x
Lower Bebington 1 20.37x
Milton In Gravesend 1 5.22x
Newmarket St Mary 1 28.57x
Penge 1 4.18x
Portsea 1 0.66x
Reading St Mary 1 4.44x
Rusper 1 144.93x
Tottenham 1 1.68x
Wisbech St Peter 1 8.40x
Woking 1 9.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Sarah 16
Elizabeth 10
Alice 8
Ann 7
Eliza 7
Harriet 7
Annie 6
Charlotte 6
Edith 6
Jane 6
Ellen 5
Emily 5
Catherine 4
Fanny 4
Florence 4
Hannah 4
Harriett 4
Maria 4
Susan 4
Caroline 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Eva 2
Flora 2
Louisa 2
Susanna 2
Bertha 1
Bridget 1
Constance 1
Elisa 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Georgina 1
Georginia 1
Gertrude 1
Leah 1
Louise 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Nelly 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Rosetta 1
Selah 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 20
James 19
George 18
William 17
Henry 11
Harry 7
Alfred 6
Frederick 6
Thomas 6
Cornelius 5
Francis 4
Robert 4
Walter 4
Wm. 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
David 3
Ernest 3
Joseph 3
Mark 3
Michael 3
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Herbert 2
Jonathan 2
Martin 2
Stephen 2
Andrew 1
Bernard 1
Daniel 1
Earnest 1
Eben 1
Edward 1
Edwd. 1
Eli 1
Ephraim 1
Fred. 1
Fredk. 1
Geirge 1
Geo. 1
H. 1
Isaac 1
Jabez 1
Jesse 1
Jessey 1
Jno. 1
Mathew 1
Peter 1
Vincent 1
W. 1

FAQ

Garman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Garman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 383 people were recorded with the Garman surname. That placed it at #8,212 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Garman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 641 in 2016. That gives Garman a modern rank of #8,262.

What does the Garman surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of spears or other weaponry.

What does the Garman map show?

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