NameCensus.

UK surname

Garrison

A surname referring to someone who lived or worked at a military fort or garrison.

In the 1881 census there were 138 people recorded with the Garrison surname, ranking it #16,292 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 388, ranked #12,133, up from #16,292 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Warwick St Nicholas, Yardley and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sandwell, Stratford-on-Avon and Rotherham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Garrison is 388 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 181.2%.

1881 census count

138

Ranked #16,292

Modern count

388

2016, ranked #12,133

Peak year

2016

388 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Garrison had 138 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,292 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 388 in 2016, ranked #12,133.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 198 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Garrison surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Garrison surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Garrison 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 63 #22,069
1861 historical 154 #14,963
1881 historical 138 #16,292
1891 historical 158 #17,705
1901 historical 198 #15,213
1911 historical 196 #15,150
1997 modern 305 #13,377
1998 modern 319 #13,330
1999 modern 323 #13,315
2000 modern 329 #13,090
2001 modern 335 #12,759
2002 modern 343 #12,803
2003 modern 335 #12,815
2004 modern 333 #12,927
2005 modern 347 #12,436
2006 modern 366 #12,042
2007 modern 358 #12,383
2008 modern 351 #12,661
2009 modern 365 #12,558
2010 modern 382 #12,410
2011 modern 366 #12,667
2012 modern 356 #12,784
2013 modern 370 #12,626
2014 modern 383 #12,390
2015 modern 387 #12,218
2016 modern 388 #12,133

Geography

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Where Garrisons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Warwick St Nicholas, Yardley, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Cheltenham and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sandwell, Stratford-on-Avon, Rotherham and Warwick. 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 Warwick St Nicholas Warwickshire
2 Yardley Warwickshire
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 Cheltenham Gloucestershire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sandwell 023 Sandwell
2 Stratford-on-Avon 015 Stratford-on-Avon
3 Rotherham 018 Rotherham
4 Rotherham 021 Rotherham
5 Warwick 011 Warwick

Forenames

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First names often paired with Garrison

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Garrison

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Garrison surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Garrison household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Garrison is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Garrison 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

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

Meaning and origin of Garrison

The surname Garrison originates from the French language and can be traced back to the 11th century in Normandy, France. The name is derived from the Old French word "garir," meaning "to protect" or "to defend," combined with the word "son," indicating a profession or occupation. It likely referred to a person who guarded or protected a specific location or fortress.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Garrison can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey commissioned by William the Conqueror after the Norman conquest of England. The name appears as "Garissun" in this historical document, indicating its presence in England during the Norman period.

In the 13th century, the surname Garrison was associated with various place names in England, such as Garston in Hertfordshire and Garsdon in Wiltshire. These place names often derived from the Old English words "gaer" and "tun," meaning "triangular piece of land" and "settlement," respectively.

Notable individuals with the surname Garrison throughout history include:

1. William Lloyd Garrison (1805-1879), a prominent American abolitionist and social reformer, known for his unwavering stance against slavery and his publication of the anti-slavery newspaper "The Liberator."

2. Lindley Miller Garrison (1864-1932), an American lawyer and politician who served as the 47th United States Secretary of War under President Woodrow Wilson from 1913 to 1916.

3. Sir William Edmunds Garrison (1837-1909), a British civil servant and colonial administrator who served as the 14th Governor of Bermuda from 1899 to 1904.

4. Fielding Hudson Garrison (1870-1935), an American librarian and historian, known for his contributions to the field of medical history and his book "An Introduction to the History of Medicine."

5. Winifred Garrison (1899-1969), an American children's book author and illustrator, best known for her work "Willow Hill," which won the Newbery Medal in 1950.

The surname Garrison has also been associated with various military installations and forts throughout history, reflecting its origins related to defense and protection. Examples include Fort Garrison in Massachusetts, Garrison Savannah in Jamaica, and the Garrison Church in Bermuda.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Garrison families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Garrison 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. Warwickshire leads with 40 Garrisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.78x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 40 11.78x
Middlesex 23 1.71x
Worcestershire 20 11.38x
Gloucestershire 13 4.92x
Yorkshire 11 0.82x
Cornwall 7 4.59x
Lancashire 7 0.44x
Staffordshire 7 1.54x
Durham 3 0.75x
Essex 2 0.75x
Surrey 2 0.30x
Derbyshire 1 0.47x
Devon 1 0.36x
Midlothian 1 0.55x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 21 Garrisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.56x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 21 18.56x
Cheltenham 12 58.91x
Shoreditch London 10 17.14x
Oldbury 7 80.92x
St Columb Major 7 555.56x
Wellesbourne Mountford 7 2187.50x
Yardley 7 155.56x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 6 48.27x
St Pancras London 6 5.54x
Rotherham 5 66.49x
Claines 4 82.99x
North Meols 4 25.58x
St Marylebone London 4 5.57x
Aston 3 3.21x
Warwick St Mary 3 101.69x
Warwick St Nicholas 3 120.48x
Wednesbury 3 26.41x
Colchester St Giles 2 76.05x
Paddington London 2 4.04x
Stoke Upon Trent 2 4.15x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 2.86x
Baslow With Bubnell 1 256.41x
Blackburn 1 2.35x
Castle Church 1 36.63x
Conside Knitsley 1 32.15x
Coventry Holy Trinity 1 9.86x
Crossgate 1 57.14x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 1.38x
Handsworth 1 8.93x
Hartlepool 1 17.57x
Kings Norton 1 6.35x
Kingsbury 1 136.99x
Lambeth 1 0.85x
Mile End Old Town London 1 3.49x
Preston 1 2.34x
Richmond 1 10.88x
Solihull 1 40.98x
Stourbridge 1 22.12x
Tewkesbury 1 42.37x
Wolborough 1 28.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 13
Mary 9
Emma 5
Sarah 5
Harriet 4
Ann 3
Catherine 3
Eliza 3
Anne 2
Annie 2
Elizh. 2
Ellen 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Margaret 2
Alice 1
Amelia 1
E. 1
Eleanor 1
Elenor 1
Elizth.M. 1
Ena 1
Frances 1
Jane 1
Judith 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Marian 1
Martha 1
Rosa 1
Selina 1
Sophia 1
T. 1
Vina 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Garrison surname: questions and answers

How common was the Garrison surname in 1881?

In 1881, 138 people were recorded with the Garrison surname. That placed it at #16,292 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Garrison surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 388 in 2016. That gives Garrison a modern rank of #12,133.

What does the Garrison surname mean?

A surname referring to someone who lived or worked at a military fort or garrison.

What does the Garrison map show?

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