NameCensus.

UK surname

Garrish

An anglicized variation of the Irish surname Garaidh, meaning "rough" or "coarse".

In the 1881 census there were 82 people recorded with the Garrish surname, ranking it #21,957 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 96, ranked #31,684, down from #21,957 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Melksham, Rochester and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blaenau Gwent, Dudley and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Garrish is 133 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.1%.

1881 census count

82

Ranked #21,957

Modern count

96

2016, ranked #31,684

Peak year

1911

133 bearers

Map years

6

1861 to 2006

Key insights

  • Garrish had 82 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,957 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 96 in 2016, ranked #31,684.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 133 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Garrish surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Garrish surname density by area, 2006 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Garrish 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 51 #24,096
1861 historical 118 #18,512
1881 historical 82 #21,957
1891 historical 126 #20,604
1901 historical 128 #19,822
1911 historical 133 #19,214
1997 modern 110 #25,529
1998 modern 109 #26,273
1999 modern 104 #27,164
2000 modern 107 #26,700
2001 modern 102 #27,093
2002 modern 101 #27,766
2003 modern 104 #27,101
2004 modern 103 #27,503
2005 modern 104 #27,369
2006 modern 103 #27,785
2007 modern 107 #27,557
2008 modern 108 #27,684
2009 modern 113 #27,520
2010 modern 103 #29,780
2011 modern 107 #28,979
2012 modern 105 #29,362
2013 modern 104 #30,076
2014 modern 101 #30,855
2015 modern 98 #31,342
2016 modern 96 #31,684

Geography

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Where Garrishs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Melksham, Rochester, London parishes, St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford and Chagford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blaenau Gwent, Dudley, Cornwall, Knowsley and Adur. 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 Melksham Wiltshire
2 Rochester Kent
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford London (South Districts)
5 Chagford Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blaenau Gwent 008 Blaenau Gwent
2 Dudley 039 Dudley
3 Cornwall 066 Cornwall
4 Knowsley 004 Knowsley
5 Adur 002 Adur

Forenames

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First names often paired with Garrish

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Garrish

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Garrish is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Garrish is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Garrish falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Garrish is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Garrish

The surname GARRISH is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "gārrisc," which means "boundary marsh" or "marsh overgrown with sedges." This name likely originated as a toponymic surname, referring to someone who lived near or owned land situated by a boundary marsh.

The earliest recorded instance of the name GARRISH can be traced back to the 13th century in Oxfordshire, England. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a record of landowners and tenants, there is a mention of a "Willelmus de Garriz," which is believed to be an early variant spelling of GARRISH.

During the medieval period, the name appeared in various forms, such as Garrych, Garrishe, and Garryshe, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal variations of the time. One notable example is found in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1334, which recorded a "John Garrishe" residing in Worcestershire.

The GARRISH surname has been associated with several historical figures over the centuries. One prominent individual was Sir Edward Garrish (c. 1590-1670), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire during the reign of King Charles I. Another noteworthy bearer of the name was Robert Garrish (1677-1740), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Somerset, who played a significant role in the local community.

In the 17th century, the GARRISH name surfaced in the parish records of several counties, including Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. One such record from 1642 mentions the baptism of "Anne Garrish" in the parish of Bishops Cannings, Wiltshire.

As the name spread across England, it became associated with various place names, such as Garrish Marsh in Gloucestershire and Garrish Farm in Somerset. These place names likely evolved from the original meaning of the surname, reflecting the connection between the name and the marshlands.

Other notable individuals with the GARRISH surname include William Garrish (1785-1852), a successful industrialist and entrepreneur from Bristol, and Henry Garrish (1820-1901), a prominent architect responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in Gloucestershire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Garrish families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Garrish 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. Devon leads with 40 Garrishs recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.02x.

County Total Index
Devon 40 24.02x
Middlesex 10 1.25x
Suffolk 7 7.18x
Kent 6 2.20x
Nottinghamshire 6 5.56x
Hampshire 5 3.05x
Warwickshire 5 2.48x
Glamorgan 2 1.44x
Essex 1 0.63x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chagford in Devon leads with 27 Garrishs recorded in 1881 and an index of 6750.00x.

Place Total Index
Chagford 27 6750.00x
North Bovey 7 5833.33x
Nottingham St Mary 6 21.51x
Birmingham 5 7.44x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 4 218.58x
Deptford St Paul 4 19.00x
Hammersmith London 4 20.30x
Paddington London 4 13.60x
St Maurice Winchester 4 588.24x
Bury St Edmunds St James 3 115.38x
Cardiff St Mary 2 26.08x
Rochester St Margaret 2 69.44x
Tormoham 2 28.41x
Chigwell 1 67.11x
Devonport 1 52.36x
Exeter St Sidwell 1 26.25x
Holdenhurst 1 23.26x
Kensington London 1 2.25x
Moreton Hampstead 1 232.56x
St George Hanover Square 1 7.10x
Topsham 1 126.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 7
William 5
Frederick 3
Henry 3
John 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
James 2
Joseph 2
Thomas 2
Charles 1
Fredk.Geo. 1
Harrold 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Walter 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Garrish surname: questions and answers

How common was the Garrish surname in 1881?

In 1881, 82 people were recorded with the Garrish surname. That placed it at #21,957 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Garrish surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 96 in 2016. That gives Garrish a modern rank of #31,684.

What does the Garrish surname mean?

An anglicized variation of the Irish surname Garaidh, meaning "rough" or "coarse".

What does the Garrish map show?

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