NameCensus.

UK surname

Garnsey

An old English surname denoting someone from Guernsey Island.

In the 1881 census there were 101 people recorded with the Garnsey surname, ranking it #19,636 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 83, ranked #32,815, down from #19,636 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire East, Longside and Rattray and Blackpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Garnsey is 155 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 17.8%.

1881 census count

101

Ranked #19,636

Modern count

83

2016, ranked #32,815

Peak year

1911

155 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 1998

Key insights

  • Garnsey had 101 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,636 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 83 in 2016, ranked #32,815.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 155 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Mature Families.

Garnsey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Garnsey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Garnsey 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 106 #16,512
1861 historical 97 #21,503
1881 historical 101 #19,636
1891 historical 107 #22,967
1901 historical 131 #19,552
1911 historical 155 #17,485
1997 modern 107 #25,924
1998 modern 102 #27,314
1999 modern 109 #26,439
2000 modern 114 #25,717
2001 modern 111 #25,767
2002 modern 120 #25,110
2003 modern 102 #27,383
2004 modern 98 #28,297
2005 modern 93 #29,133
2006 modern 88 #30,160
2007 modern 89 #30,383
2008 modern 89 #30,713
2009 modern 98 #29,906
2010 modern 96 #30,854
2011 modern 92 #31,301
2012 modern 92 #31,528
2013 modern 81 #32,996
2014 modern 79 #33,205
2015 modern 79 #33,127
2016 modern 83 #32,815

Geography

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Where Garnseys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton, London parishes, Wells St Cuthbert In and Out and Bideford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire East, Longside and Rattray, Blackpool, Shepway and Bolton. 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 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
2 Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 Wells St Cuthbert In and Out Somerset
5 Bideford Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire East 029 Cheshire East
2 Longside and Rattray Aberdeenshire
3 Blackpool 009 Blackpool
4 Shepway 015 Shepway
5 Bolton 030 Bolton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Garnsey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Garnsey

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Established Mature Families

Nationally, the Garnsey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Mature Families, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Garnsey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples predominate, many with older dependent children. Detached housing is common. Homeownership rates are the highest within this Supergroup. The presence of some students suggests that households are towards the end of a child rearing phase. Many residents have degree level qualifications, and the occupational profile is heavily skewed towards managerial and professional occupations. Residential developments commonly occur on the periphery of major urban cities or conurbations.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Garnsey is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Garnsey 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

Garnsey 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 Garnsey 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 Garnsey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Garnsey

The surname GARNSEY originated in England during the late medieval period, deriving from the Old French "gerner" meaning "granary" or "barn." It was an occupational name given to those who worked in granaries or barns, storing and managing grain harvests. The earliest known spelling variants include Garneer, Garner, and Garnor.

The name GARNSEY first appeared in historical records in the 13th century, with references to individuals bearing this surname found in tax rolls and parish registers from various counties across England. One of the earliest documented instances is in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, mentioning a Robert le Garnyr.

During the Middle Ages, the GARNSEY family held lands and properties in various regions of England, including Hertfordshire, Warwickshire, and Gloucestershire. The name can be traced back to these areas, where families bearing this surname lived and worked as farmers, landowners, and estate managers.

In the 16th century, the GARNSEY surname gained prominence with the rise of a notable family in Herefordshire. Sir Thomas Garnsey (1549-1630) was a prominent lawyer and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He served as a Justice of the Peace and held significant influence in the local community.

Another notable figure was John Garnsey (1629-1701), a English clergyman and academic who served as the Warden of New College, Oxford, from 1688 until his death. He was a respected scholar and theologian of his time.

In the 18th century, the GARNSEY family continued to hold influential positions in various parts of England. William Garnsey (1725-1798) was a successful merchant and landowner in Shropshire, owning substantial estates and serving as a Justice of the Peace.

The 19th century saw the GARNSEY name spread beyond England, with members of the family emigrating to various parts of the British Empire, including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. One prominent figure from this era was Sir Arthur Garnsey (1845-1923), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy and was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.

Throughout its history, the GARNSEY surname has maintained a strong presence in England and has been associated with various occupations, from agriculture and land management to law, academia, and military service.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Garnsey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Garnsey 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. Somerset leads with 31 Garnseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.55x.

County Total Index
Somerset 31 19.55x
Devon 25 12.19x
Surrey 13 2.71x
Middlesex 8 0.81x
Kent 7 2.08x
Yorkshire 7 0.72x
Essex 5 2.57x
Gloucestershire 2 1.04x
Leicestershire 1 0.92x
Northamptonshire 1 1.08x
Oxfordshire 1 1.64x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hillfarrance in Somerset leads with 9 Garnseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6428.57x.

Place Total Index
Hillfarrance 9 6428.57x
Wellington 9 418.60x
Barnstaple 7 217.39x
Battersea 7 19.31x
Deptford St Paul 7 27.01x
Ecclesfield 7 97.77x
Exeter St Mary Major 6 483.87x
Wandsworth 6 63.29x
Bideford 5 227.27x
Kittisford 3 7500.00x
Wells St Cuthbert 3 277.78x
West Ham 3 6.99x
Willesden 3 32.29x
Burlescombe 2 714.29x
Calverleigh 2 6666.67x
Halberton 2 416.67x
Islington London 2 2.09x
Milverton 2 338.98x
Saffron Walden 2 97.56x
Taunton St Mary 2 68.73x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 2 156.25x
Dowdeswell 1 588.24x
Exeter St Stephen 1 909.09x
Hackney London 1 1.81x
Kettering 1 26.67x
Leicester St Margaret 1 3.76x
Norwood 1 44.44x
Oxford St Peter In East 1 434.78x
Pucklechurch 1 227.27x
St Pancras London 1 1.26x
Stoke St Mary 1 1250.00x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 13
John 7
James 3
Joseph 3
Richard 3
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
Thomas 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Charlie 1
David 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
H.E.F. 1
Henry 1
Isaac 1
Robert 1

FAQ

Garnsey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Garnsey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 101 people were recorded with the Garnsey surname. That placed it at #19,636 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Garnsey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 83 in 2016. That gives Garnsey a modern rank of #32,815.

What does the Garnsey surname mean?

An old English surname denoting someone from Guernsey Island.

What does the Garnsey map show?

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