UK surname
A locational surname derived from the French for a place growing with the dark red garnet gemstone.
In the 1881 census there were 313 people recorded with the Garnet surname, ranking it #9,436 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 65, ranked #34,017, down from #9,436 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Mirfield, Anwoth and Bingley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Garnet is 416 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 79.2%.
1881 census count
313
Ranked #9,436
Modern count
65
2016, ranked #34,017
Peak year
1861
416 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Garnet surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Garnet surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 331 | #7,044 |
| 1861 | historical | 416 | #6,176 |
| 1881 | historical | 313 | #9,436 |
| 1891 | historical | 282 | #11,597 |
| 1901 | historical | 226 | #14,006 |
| 1911 | historical | 152 | #17,712 |
| 1997 | modern | 79 | #29,672 |
| 1998 | modern | 81 | #29,849 |
| 1999 | modern | 80 | #30,152 |
| 2000 | modern | 82 | #29,922 |
| 2001 | modern | 76 | #30,366 |
| 2002 | modern | 77 | #30,709 |
| 2003 | modern | 74 | #31,091 |
| 2004 | modern | 69 | #31,784 |
| 2005 | modern | 66 | #32,303 |
| 2006 | modern | 70 | #32,240 |
| 2007 | modern | 69 | #32,662 |
| 2008 | modern | 65 | #33,303 |
| 2009 | modern | 68 | #33,341 |
| 2010 | modern | 80 | #32,670 |
| 2011 | modern | 71 | #33,392 |
| 2012 | modern | 65 | #33,964 |
| 2013 | modern | 65 | #34,059 |
| 2014 | modern | 67 | #33,959 |
| 2015 | modern | 64 | #34,112 |
| 2016 | modern | 65 | #34,017 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Mirfield, Anwoth, Bingley, Birstall and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mirfield | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 2 | Anwoth | Kirkcudbright |
| 3 | Bingley | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 4 | Birstall | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 5 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Garnet surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Garnet, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Garnet surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Garnet household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Garnet is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Garnet is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Garnet, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Garnet originated in England, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the late 12th century. The name is derived from the Old French word "grenat," which means a small seed or kernel, referring to the deep red semi-precious gemstone of the same name.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Garnet can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1195, where a person named William Garnet is mentioned. The name was also present in various medieval records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which lists a Richard Garnet.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname Garnet was predominantly found in the counties of Yorkshire, Cambridgeshire, and Lincolnshire in England. It is believed that the name may have originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who worked with garnets or had a particular affinity for the gemstone.
In the 15th century, the Garnet family had established themselves as landowners in the village of Hilberton, Huntingdonshire. One notable member of this family was John Garnet (c. 1545-1598), an English Catholic priest who served as the superior of the Jesuit mission in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
Another prominent figure bearing the surname Garnet was Henry Garnet (1555-1606), an English Jesuit priest who was implicated in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, a failed attempt to assassinate King James I. Garnet was eventually executed for his involvement in the conspiracy.
The Garnet surname continued to be prevalent in England throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. One notable individual from this period was Thomas Garnet (1766-1853), an English physician and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of zoology and botany.
In the 19th century, the name Garnet gained prominence through the works of the English novelist and poet Thomas Hardy. One of his most famous characters, Grace Melbury, was a "Garnet" in the novel "The Woodlanders" (1887).
Other notable individuals with the surname Garnet include Robert Garnet (1808-1890), an English clergyman and writer, and Sir Thomas Garnet (1859-1930), a British naval officer and politician who served as the Governor of New South Wales from 1925 to 1930.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Garnet surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 84 Garnets recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.78x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire | 84 | 2.78x |
| Lancashire | 62 | 1.71x |
| Middlesex | 50 | 1.64x |
| Lincolnshire | 18 | 3.69x |
| Surrey | 11 | 0.74x |
| Westmorland | 11 | 16.39x |
| Cumberland | 8 | 3.04x |
| Cheshire | 7 | 1.04x |
| Dorset | 7 | 3.49x |
| Essex | 7 | 1.16x |
| Durham | 6 | 0.66x |
| Nottinghamshire | 6 | 1.46x |
| Angus | 5 | 1.77x |
| Northamptonshire | 4 | 1.39x |
| Warwickshire | 4 | 0.52x |
| Buckinghamshire | 3 | 1.63x |
| Hertfordshire | 3 | 1.43x |
| Merionethshire | 3 | 5.37x |
| Berkshire | 2 | 0.87x |
| Cardiganshire | 2 | 2.69x |
| Kent | 2 | 0.19x |
| Sussex | 2 | 0.39x |
| Ayrshire | 1 | 0.44x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 0.17x |
| Kirkcudbrightshire | 1 | 2.26x |
| Leicestershire | 1 | 0.30x |
| Oxfordshire | 1 | 0.53x |
| Staffordshire | 1 | 0.10x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Parr in Lancashire leads with 15 Garnets recorded in 1881 and an index of 115.74x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Garnet surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 22 |
| Elizabeth | 15 |
| Hannah | 8 |
| Jane | 8 |
| Emma | 7 |
| Sarah | 7 |
| Alice | 6 |
| Annie | 5 |
| Eliza | 5 |
| Margaret | 5 |
| Agnes | 3 |
| Ann | 3 |
| Caroline | 3 |
| Frances | 3 |
| Maria | 3 |
| Susannah | 3 |
| Ada | 2 |
| Amelia | 2 |
| Anne | 2 |
| Betsy | 2 |
| Elizth. | 2 |
| Ellen | 2 |
| Emily | 2 |
| Fanny | 2 |
| Isabella | 2 |
| Kate | 2 |
| Martha | 2 |
| Rose | 2 |
| Sophia | 2 |
| Amy | 1 |
| Bessie | 1 |
| Caterine | 1 |
| Edith | 1 |
| Esther | 1 |
| Ethel | 1 |
| Florance | 1 |
| Francis | 1 |
| Hanah | 1 |
| Helen | 1 |
| Helena | 1 |
| Henrietta | 1 |
| Isabel | 1 |
| Jessie | 1 |
| Laucie | 1 |
| Laura | 1 |
| Louisa | 1 |
| Lydia | 1 |
| M. | 1 |
| Margt. | 1 |
| Susey | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Garnet surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| John | 17 |
| William | 15 |
| George | 13 |
| James | 9 |
| Thomas | 9 |
| Alfred | 7 |
| Joseph | 7 |
| Robert | 5 |
| Henry | 4 |
| Samuel | 4 |
| Frederick | 3 |
| Richard | 3 |
| Thos. | 3 |
| Charles | 2 |
| Geo. | 2 |
| Walter | 2 |
| A.J. | 1 |
| Abraham | 1 |
| Albert | 1 |
| Anthony | 1 |
| Arthua | 1 |
| Arthur | 1 |
| Augustus | 1 |
| Benjamin | 1 |
| Bertee | 1 |
| Chas. | 1 |
| Chas.Freer | 1 |
| Clifford | 1 |
| Daniel | 1 |
| David | 1 |
| Edgar | 1 |
| Edward | 1 |
| Fredk. | 1 |
| Fredrick | 1 |
| Gerald | 1 |
| Harald | 1 |
| Harold | 1 |
| Joe | 1 |
| Joh | 1 |
| Jonathan | 1 |
| Nathan | 1 |
| Percy | 1 |
| Peter | 1 |
| Rueben | 1 |
| S.J. | 1 |
| Sam | 1 |
| Willie | 1 |
| Wm. | 1 |
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 Garnet households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 42 |
| Coal Miner | 6 |
| Domestic Servant | 5 |
| Dressmaker | 5 |
| Schol | 5 |
| Ag Lab | 4 |
| Clerk | 4 |
| Coal Miner Wife | 3 |
| Flag Facer | 3 |
| Miner Coal | 3 |
| At School | 2 |
| Cotton Weaver | 2 |
| Domestic | 2 |
| Farm Labourer | 2 |
| Farmers Wife | 2 |
| Gen Lab | 2 |
| General Labourer | 2 |
| General Servant | 2 |
| Glass Works Lab | 2 |
| No Occupation | 2 |
| None | 2 |
| Warper | 2 |
| Ag Serv | 1 |
| Assistant (G Shop) | 1 |
| Assisting In House Business | 1 |
| Blacksmith | 1 |
| Boarding House | 1 |
| Boatman (W Man) | 1 |
| Boatmans Wife | 1 |
| Boiler Smith | 1 |
| Book Binder | 1 |
| Cabinet Maker | 1 |
| Captain | 1 |
| Carman | 1 |
| Carpenter Journeyman | 1 |
| Carpenter Master | 1 |
| Carpet Porter | 1 |
| Carriage Lining Maker | 1 |
| Clerk In Corn Trade (Comm) | 1 |
| Coachman | 1 |
| Coachsmith (Coachmaker) | 1 |
| Cotton Reeler | 1 |
| Cotton Weaver Unemployed | 1 |
| Dock Laborer | 1 |
| Domestic Baker | 1 |
| Dress Maker | 1 |
| Engine Fitter | 1 |
| Errand Boy | 1 |
| Farm Lab | 1 |
| Young Ladies Maid (Domestic) | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 313 people were recorded with the Garnet surname. That placed it at #9,436 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 65 in 2016. That gives Garnet a modern rank of #34,017.
A locational surname derived from the French for a place growing with the dark red garnet gemstone.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Garnet bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.