NameCensus.

UK surname

Garraway

A locative surname derived from the Welsh word "gwarr" meaning a bend or curve in a river.

In the 1881 census there were 393 people recorded with the Garraway surname, ranking it #8,068 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 622, ranked #8,471, down from #8,068 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, St Bees and Bray, Maidenhead, Cookham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swindon, Stroud and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Garraway is 638 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 58.3%.

1881 census count

393

Ranked #8,068

Modern count

622

2016, ranked #8,471

Peak year

2014

638 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Garraway had 393 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,068 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 622 in 2016, ranked #8,471.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 601 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Garraway surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Garraway surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Garraway 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 245 #8,920
1861 historical 217 #11,220
1881 historical 393 #8,068
1891 historical 404 #8,802
1901 historical 499 #8,065
1911 historical 601 #6,832
1997 modern 582 #8,320
1998 modern 616 #8,240
1999 modern 622 #8,240
2000 modern 620 #8,240
2001 modern 583 #8,454
2002 modern 601 #8,453
2003 modern 603 #8,304
2004 modern 601 #8,339
2005 modern 585 #8,422
2006 modern 572 #8,587
2007 modern 573 #8,644
2008 modern 580 #8,629
2009 modern 618 #8,400
2010 modern 631 #8,449
2011 modern 632 #8,346
2012 modern 617 #8,413
2013 modern 636 #8,345
2014 modern 638 #8,380
2015 modern 630 #8,394
2016 modern 622 #8,471

Geography

Back to top

Where Garraways are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, St Bees, Bray, Maidenhead, Cookham, Calne, Bowood, Blackland, Calstone Withington and Walcott, Charlcome. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swindon, Stroud, Wiltshire and County Durham. 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 St Bees Cumberland
3 Bray, Maidenhead, Cookham Berkshire
4 Calne, Bowood, Blackland, Calstone Withington Wiltshire
5 Walcott, Charlcome Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swindon 025 Swindon
2 Stroud 004 Stroud
3 Wiltshire 010 Wiltshire
4 Wiltshire 016 Wiltshire
5 County Durham 042 County Durham

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Garraway

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Garraway

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Garraway, 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 Garraway surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Garraway 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

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Garraway is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Garraway is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Garraway

The surname Garraway is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "gerr" or "gara," meaning a triangular piece of land, and "weg," meaning a way or path. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who resided near a triangular-shaped road or pathway.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Garrewey." This ancient record, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides a comprehensive survey of landowners and their properties across England.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as "Garrawey," "Garrawaye," and "Garroway." These variations likely emerged due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling conventions of the time.

In the 14th century, the surname Garraway was associated with several notable individuals. One such figure was John Garraway, a prominent merchant and alderman in the City of London, who lived from 1320 to 1392. Another notable bearer of the name was William Garraway, a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Dorset, who lived from 1350 to 1415.

The 16th century saw the rise of the Garraway family in Worcestershire, England. Sir William Garraway, born in 1550, was a successful merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1597. His descendants continued to play influential roles in the region for generations.

In the 17th century, the name gained further recognition with Sir Erasmus Garraway, born in 1620. He was a prominent figure in the City of London and served as Lord Mayor in 1676. His son, Sir Samuel Garraway, followed in his footsteps and also held the position of Lord Mayor in 1709.

The 18th century brought forth another notable figure, Thomas Garraway, born in 1735. He was a successful businessman and the founder of the renowned Garraway's Coffee House in London, which became a popular meeting place for merchants, traders, and intellectuals of the time.

Throughout the centuries, the Garraway surname has been associated with various localities, including Garway in Herefordshire, Garway Hill in Gloucestershire, and Garway Common in Wiltshire. These place names likely originated from the same Old English roots as the surname itself.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Garraway families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Garraway 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. Gloucestershire leads with 65 Garraways recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.62x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 65 8.62x
Middlesex 55 1.43x
Somerset 55 8.89x
Berkshire 47 16.29x
Durham 26 2.27x
Wiltshire 26 7.65x
Cumberland 22 6.65x
Surrey 21 1.12x
Herefordshire 12 7.61x
Glamorgan 8 1.20x
Hampshire 7 0.89x
Kent 6 0.46x
Lancashire 6 0.13x
Dumfriesshire 5 5.89x
Essex 5 0.66x
Warwickshire 5 0.52x
Westmorland 5 5.92x
Berwickshire 3 6.45x
Carmarthenshire 3 1.85x
Monmouthshire 3 1.08x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.82x
Lincolnshire 2 0.33x
Staffordshire 2 0.15x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.64x
Isle of Man 1 1.40x
Northumberland 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston Quarter in Cumberland leads with 22 Garraways recorded in 1881 and an index of 237.32x.

Place Total Index
Preston Quarter 22 237.32x
Walcot 22 66.77x
Calne 21 300.00x
Clifton 15 39.36x
Woolley 15 18750.00x
Minchinhampton 14 232.95x
Clewer 12 101.52x
Bray 11 129.72x
Hurst 10 264.55x
Kingstanley 9 322.58x
Swainswick 9 1084.34x
Wolsingham 9 86.37x
Bedminster 8 13.76x
Bethnal Green London 8 4.79x
Llanfabon 8 228.57x
Cookham 7 77.86x
Harrow 7 119.25x
Hawley 7 472.97x
Helmington Row 7 131.33x
Longhope 7 546.88x
St Pancras London 7 2.26x
Hereford St Peter 6 142.52x
St Anne Soho London 6 27.33x
Woking 6 53.14x
Annan 5 68.59x
Birmingham 5 1.55x
Bishopwearmouth 5 5.09x
Brandon Byshottles 5 34.92x
Hackney London 5 2.32x
Hammersmith London 5 5.28x
Haverbrack 5 3125.00x
Islington London 5 1.34x
Swindon 5 18.97x
Tetbury 5 117.10x
West Ham 5 2.99x
Ashton Under Lyne 4 4.01x
Bristol St Augustine 4 32.89x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 4 5.64x
Croydon 4 3.85x
Penge 4 16.29x
Stauntonon Arrow 4 888.89x
Wargrave 4 161.29x
Ayton 3 111.11x
Lewisham 3 4.29x
Pinner 3 89.02x
St Marylebone London 3 1.46x
Wick Abson 3 258.62x
Hendon 2 14.46x
Horfield 2 26.35x
Kensington London 2 0.94x
Lambeth 2 0.60x
Llanelly 2 5.48x
Plumstead 2 4.58x
Rodd Nash Little 2 869.57x
Southwark Christchurch 2 11.10x
Spalding 2 16.39x
Toxteth Park 2 1.30x
Walsall Foreign 2 2.98x
Wisbech St Peter 2 16.38x
Camberwell 1 0.41x
Carmarthen St Ishmael 1 58.48x
Christchurch 1 11.64x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.10x
Dodington 1 500.00x
Fulham London 1 1.79x
Kingston 1 80.65x
Llanfair Fechan 1 37.17x
Llanvair Kilgedin 1 250.00x
Maidstone 1 2.56x
Malew 1 16.05x
Newington 1 0.70x
Reading St Lawrence 1 16.21x
Ruscombe 1 204.08x
St Woollos 1 3.22x
Streatham 1 3.51x
Tynemouth 1 3.27x
Wantage 1 21.74x
Wickwar 1 82.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 29
James 20
John 20
George 18
Charles 12
Henry 8
Thomas 8
Joseph 7
Robert 6
Frederick 5
Edward 4
Francis 4
Stephen 4
Alexander 3
Frank 3
Samuel 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Edgar 2
Richard 2
Sydney 2
Albert 1
Alfd. 1
Ambrose 1
Anthony 1
Archibald 1
Arundel 1
Bertram 1
Chas.F. 1
Chas.O. 1
Crispen 1
Earnest 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Farly 1
Jonas 1
Josh. 1
Philip 1
R. 1
Roland 1
Saml.J. 1
Stainsby 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Garraway surname: questions and answers

How common was the Garraway surname in 1881?

In 1881, 393 people were recorded with the Garraway surname. That placed it at #8,068 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Garraway surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 622 in 2016. That gives Garraway a modern rank of #8,471.

What does the Garraway surname mean?

A locative surname derived from the Welsh word "gwarr" meaning a bend or curve in a river.

What does the Garraway map show?

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