NameCensus.

UK surname

Garrity

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Gearaíodh," meaning "descendant of Gearaídh" (a personal name of uncertain meaning).

In the 1881 census there were 534 people recorded with the Garrity surname, ranking it #6,436 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,430, ranked #4,280, up from #6,436 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and Wigan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan, Dover and Rotherham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Garrity is 1,468 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 167.8%.

1881 census count

534

Ranked #6,436

Modern count

1,430

2016, ranked #4,280

Peak year

2010

1,468 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Garrity had 534 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,436 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,430 in 2016, ranked #4,280.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 933 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Garrity surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Garrity surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Garrity 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 92 #18,050
1861 historical 169 #13,823
1881 historical 534 #6,436
1891 historical 640 #6,055
1901 historical 933 #5,002
1911 historical 647 #6,468
1997 modern 1,326 #4,333
1998 modern 1,347 #4,419
1999 modern 1,375 #4,369
2000 modern 1,367 #4,377
2001 modern 1,334 #4,384
2002 modern 1,360 #4,398
2003 modern 1,327 #4,408
2004 modern 1,325 #4,417
2005 modern 1,318 #4,392
2006 modern 1,304 #4,431
2007 modern 1,334 #4,393
2008 modern 1,345 #4,392
2009 modern 1,426 #4,275
2010 modern 1,468 #4,256
2011 modern 1,460 #4,224
2012 modern 1,394 #4,322
2013 modern 1,399 #4,373
2014 modern 1,425 #4,335
2015 modern 1,414 #4,329
2016 modern 1,430 #4,280

Geography

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Where Garritys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Gateshead, Wigan, Manchester and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan, Dover, Rotherham and Liverpool. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Wigan Lancashire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 024 Wigan
2 Dover 006 Dover
3 Rotherham 008 Rotherham
4 Liverpool 014 Liverpool
5 Wigan 012 Wigan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Garrity

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Garrity

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Garrity surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Garrity household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Garrity is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Garrity 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

Garrity 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 Garrity is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Garrity

The surname Garrity is of Irish origin and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Gaelic surname Ó Gairbhíth, which means "descendant of Gairbhíth," a personal name that means "rough" or "coarse." The name is believed to have originated in County Westmeath, Ireland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Garrity surname can be found in the Fiants of the Reign of Elizabeth I, a collection of official documents from the late 16th century. In these records, the name appears as "O'Garvie" and "O'Garvey," which are anglicized versions of the original Irish form.

The Garrity name has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. In the 17th century, Sir William Garrity was a prominent landowner and member of the Irish Parliament. He played a significant role in the Irish Rebellion of 1641 and was eventually executed for his involvement.

Another notable Garrity was John Garrity, a 19th-century Irish-American politician who served as the Mayor of San Francisco from 1871 to 1875. He was instrumental in the development of the city's infrastructure and public transportation system.

In the literary world, Patrick Garrity (1926-2003) was a renowned Irish poet and playwright. His works, such as "The Autobiography of a Novelist" and "The Flower of Silence," explored themes of identity, loss, and the human condition.

The Garrity surname has also been associated with various place names in Ireland. For example, Garritylough, a townland in County Mayo, derives its name from the Irish "Garbhthach Locha," which means "rough lake."

Another notable figure with the Garrity surname was Michael Garrity (1835-1920), an Irish-American labor leader and politician. He played a significant role in the labor movement in the United States and served as the President of the American Federation of Labor from 1882 to 1886.

While the Garrity surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Irish immigration to countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Garrity families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Garrity 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. Lancashire leads with 252 Garritys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.08x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 252 4.08x
Lanarkshire 105 6.23x
Yorkshire 44 0.85x
Northumberland 18 2.32x
Durham 13 0.84x
Cumberland 10 2.23x
Stirlingshire 10 5.20x
Cheshire 9 0.78x
Shropshire 9 2.00x
Surrey 8 0.32x
Warwickshire 8 0.61x
Midlothian 7 1.00x
Worcestershire 7 1.03x
Devon 6 0.55x
Middlesex 5 0.10x
Hampshire 4 0.37x
Bedfordshire 3 1.11x
Essex 3 0.29x
Kent 3 0.17x
Renfrewshire 3 0.74x
Angus 2 0.41x
Leicestershire 2 0.35x
Ayrshire 1 0.26x
Royal Navy 1 1.61x
Staffordshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 81 Garritys recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.58x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 81 21.58x
Glasgow 31 10.36x
Manchester 29 10.43x
Old Monkland 23 34.41x
Govan 19 4.56x
Widnes 15 33.65x
Stranton 12 23.00x
Oldham 11 5.51x
Denny 10 97.85x
Barony 9 2.11x
Blackburn 9 5.47x
Bridgnorth St Leonard 9 176.47x
Kirkdale 9 8.66x
North Shields 9 58.18x
Alnwick 8 60.02x
Aston 8 2.21x
Golborne 8 99.26x
Little Bolton 8 10.07x
Preston Quarter 8 63.64x
Chorlton On Medlock 7 7.13x
Hamilton 7 14.90x
Hulme 7 5.42x
Middlesbrough 7 10.41x
Oldbury 7 20.91x
Rotherhithe 7 10.88x
Stansfield 7 36.84x
Warrington 7 9.55x
Ardwick 6 10.76x
Blantyre 6 34.21x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 6 36.34x
Halewood 6 181.27x
Barnsley 5 9.39x
Bothwell 5 10.94x
Everton 5 2.54x
Exeter St Paul 5 232.56x
Thornaby 5 25.92x
Walton On Hill 5 14.93x
Doncaster 4 10.61x
Farnworth 4 10.80x
Gorton 4 6.88x
Great Bolton 4 4.89x
Liscard 4 19.31x
Toxteth Park 4 1.91x
Bedford St Paul 3 16.22x
Halstead 3 25.02x
Leeds 3 1.03x
New Monkland 3 6.02x
Prescot 3 26.83x
Southampton St Mary 3 4.47x
Wath On Dearne 3 29.13x
Windle 3 8.63x
Garston 2 10.96x
Halifax 2 2.64x
Ince In Makerfield 2 6.95x
Leicester St Margaret 2 1.42x
Liff Benvie 2 2.73x
Rochester St Margaret 2 10.67x
Salford 2 1.10x
Shoreditch London 2 0.89x
Wakefield 2 5.05x
West Derby 2 1.11x
Whitehaven 2 8.37x
Wigan 2 2.32x
All Hallows London Wall 1 175.44x
Ballantrae 1 38.76x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 2.04x
Bradford 1 0.80x
Eaglesham 1 40.49x
Fulham London 1 1.32x
Gate Fulford 1 8.30x
Great Budworth 1 49.02x
Guisbrough 1 8.87x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 1.49x
Hendon 1 5.34x
Heptonstall 1 13.81x
Holy Trinity 1 0.81x
Portsmouth 1 4.07x
Royal Navy 1 1.88x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 0.54x
Thornton Hough 1 121.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 49
Catherine 16
Margaret 16
Ann 14
Elizabeth 13
Ellen 9
Bridget 8
Sarah 8
Annie 7
Emily 4
Jane 4
Kate 4
Rose 4
Agnes 3
Maria 3
Martha 3
Alice 2
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Esther 2
Norah 2
Anne 1
Carine 1
Catharine 1
Cathne. 1
Cathrine 1
Cecilia 1
Deley 1
Dorothy 1
Elizbh. 1
Emely 1
Garrity 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Janey 1
Joanne 1
Johannah 1
Katherine 1
Leah 1
Lilley 1
Margery 1
Margreat 1
Margret 1
Nelly 1
Rathren 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1
Teresa 1
Wendford 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 27
Thomas 24
John 23
Patrick 20
Michael 14
Edward 12
Peter 12
William 10
Joseph 6
Thos. 5
George 4
Arthur 3
Daniel 3
Henry 3
Hugh 3
Alexander 2
Andrew 2
Bernard 2
Charles 2
Francis 2
Jas. 2
Lawrence 2
Martin 2
Richard 2
Stephen 2
Alfred 1
Austin 1
Christopher 1
Frank 1
Geo. 1
Henery 1
Luke 1
Michal 1
Phillip 1
Robert 1
Tho. 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Garrity surname: questions and answers

How common was the Garrity surname in 1881?

In 1881, 534 people were recorded with the Garrity surname. That placed it at #6,436 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Garrity surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,430 in 2016. That gives Garrity a modern rank of #4,280.

What does the Garrity surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Gearaíodh," meaning "descendant of Gearaídh" (a personal name of uncertain meaning).

What does the Garrity map show?

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