NameCensus.

UK surname

Garrod

A locative surname derived from a place name containing the Old English word "gara", meaning "triangular piece of land".

In the 1881 census there were 1,575 people recorded with the Garrod surname, ranking it #2,687 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,372, ranked #2,764, down from #2,687 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Ipswich St Clement and Warren House. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Breckland and Waveney.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Garrod is 2,579 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 50.6%.

1881 census count

1,575

Ranked #2,687

Modern count

2,372

2016, ranked #2,764

Peak year

2002

2,579 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Garrod had 1,575 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,687 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,372 in 2016, ranked #2,764.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,144 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Garrod surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Garrod surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Garrod 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 1,365 #2,105
1861 historical 956 #2,902
1881 historical 1,575 #2,687
1891 historical 1,596 #2,790
1901 historical 2,098 #2,558
1911 historical 2,144 #2,345
1997 modern 2,490 #2,518
1998 modern 2,524 #2,588
1999 modern 2,532 #2,603
2000 modern 2,545 #2,574
2001 modern 2,499 #2,564
2002 modern 2,579 #2,546
2003 modern 2,447 #2,612
2004 modern 2,428 #2,632
2005 modern 2,352 #2,670
2006 modern 2,341 #2,691
2007 modern 2,332 #2,718
2008 modern 2,368 #2,703
2009 modern 2,387 #2,745
2010 modern 2,454 #2,737
2011 modern 2,397 #2,759
2012 modern 2,352 #2,759
2013 modern 2,399 #2,756
2014 modern 2,428 #2,745
2015 modern 2,395 #2,751
2016 modern 2,372 #2,764

Geography

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Where Garrods are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Ipswich St Clement and Warren House and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Breckland and Waveney. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Ipswich St Clement and Warren House Suffolk
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Breckland 010 Breckland
2 Waveney 011 Waveney
3 Waveney 004 Waveney
4 Breckland 007 Breckland
5 Waveney 009 Waveney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Garrod

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Garrod

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

Spacious Rural Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Garrod 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

Garrod is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Garrod falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Garrod 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 Garrod, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Garrod

The surname GARROD has its origins in England and first appeared during the late medieval period. It is believed to derive from the Old English words 'gara' meaning 'triangular piece of land' and 'rod' meaning 'clearing', suggesting an early bearer lived near a triangular shaped clearing or field.

The name is thought to have originated in the county of Suffolk, where early spellings such as Garraude, Garraud, and Garrod are found in records from the 13th century onwards. One of the earliest recorded instances is Walter Garrod, mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Suffolk in 1272.

In the 14th century, the GARROD surname appears in various legal documents and tax rolls, indicating its spread across East Anglia. For example, John Garrod is listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1327, while a Robert Garrod is recorded in the Pipe Rolls for Essex in 1379.

One notable bearer of the name was Sir Samuel Garrod (1619-1683), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Suffolk who served as Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk in 1671. His descendant, Sir Samuel Garrod (1766-1840), was a prominent physician who published influential works on gout and rheumatism.

The GARROD name can also be found in early parish records from the 16th century onwards, often linked to villages and towns with place names derived from the Old English words for 'clearing' or 'triangular shape', such as Garvestone in Norfolk and Garsdon in Wiltshire.

Other historical figures include John Garrod (1786-1856), an English botanist who published extensively on the flora of East Anglia, and Alfred Henry Garrod (1846-1879), a pioneering English physician who made significant contributions to the study of inborn errors of metabolism.

While less common today, the GARROD surname remains present in parts of England, particularly in the counties of Suffolk, Norfolk, and Essex, reflecting its deep-rooted history and connections to the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Garrod families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Garrod 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. Suffolk leads with 573 Garrods recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.68x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 573 30.68x
Middlesex 336 2.19x
Norfolk 233 9.88x
Surrey 106 1.42x
Essex 86 2.84x
Kent 40 0.76x
Yorkshire 34 0.22x
Northamptonshire 28 1.94x
Derbyshire 16 0.67x
Durham 16 0.35x
Gloucestershire 13 0.43x
Somerset 13 0.53x
Sussex 12 0.46x
Hertfordshire 10 0.95x
Cambridgeshire 8 0.82x
Lancashire 8 0.04x
Lincolnshire 7 0.29x
Berkshire 6 0.52x
Hampshire 6 0.19x
Wiltshire 4 0.30x
Cheshire 3 0.09x
Cornwall 2 0.12x
Renfrewshire 2 0.17x
Worcestershire 2 0.10x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.07x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.11x
Devon 1 0.03x
Leicestershire 1 0.06x
Northumberland 1 0.04x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.05x
Oxfordshire 1 0.11x
Royal Navy 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. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 65 Garrods recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.27x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 65 5.27x
Islington London 48 3.23x
Ipswich St Margaret 34 53.64x
Ipswich St Clement 33 69.50x
Ipswich St Mathew 31 59.23x
Lowestoft 28 31.74x
Great Yarmouth 27 13.82x
St Marylebone London 26 3.18x
Heigham 24 18.96x
Hackney London 21 2.44x
Tibenham 20 602.41x
Newington 19 3.35x
West Ham 19 2.84x
Camberwell 18 1.84x
Paddington London 15 2.66x
Ringshall 15 862.07x
Bethnal Green London 14 2.10x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 14 80.78x
Lakenham 14 41.79x
Acle 13 270.27x
Bildeston 13 317.07x
Great Cressingham 13 526.32x
Ipswich St Helen 13 58.72x
Layham 13 460.99x
Northwold 13 205.70x
Wattisham 13 1340.21x
Wetheringsett Cum 13 239.41x
Whitton 13 392.75x
Hintlesham 12 401.34x
Hornsey 12 6.19x
Kensington London 12 1.41x
Shotley 12 364.74x
Bromley London 11 3.26x
Chelmondiston 11 242.29x
Cowlinge 11 308.12x
Lambeth 11 0.82x
Leiston 11 85.74x
Richmond 10 9.55x
St Luke London 10 4.07x
Wellingborough 10 13.79x
Bawdsey 9 396.48x
Beccles 9 29.94x
Chedburgh 9 676.69x
Diss 9 44.53x
Fulham London 9 4.05x
Kingston On Thames 9 5.01x
Lawford 9 204.08x
Little Blakenham 9 989.01x
Naughton 9 1084.34x
Pettaugh 9 865.38x
Sloley 9 647.48x
Bermondsey 8 1.75x
Charing 8 112.99x
Clifton 8 5.26x
Deptford St Paul 8 1.98x
Foxhall 8 606.06x
Hadleigh 8 44.15x
Ipswich St Nicholas 8 77.75x
Shoreditch London 8 1.20x
South Normanton 8 47.42x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 2.59x
Twickenham 8 12.17x
Wells St Cuthbert 8 47.51x
Whittington 8 24.08x
Battersea 7 1.24x
Brightlingsea 7 40.46x
Clee With Weelsby 7 13.04x
Clerkenwell London 7 1.93x
Gooderstone 7 273.44x
Halstead 7 19.82x
Ipswich St Mary At Elms 7 118.04x
Sporle With Palgrave 7 182.77x
Westerfield 7 386.74x
Westminster St James 7 4.44x
Wickham Market 7 90.67x
Cockfield 6 122.45x
Great Ashfield 6 287.08x
Old Buckenham 6 99.34x
St George Martyr London 6 19.32x
Wortley In Bramley 6 4.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 74
Sarah 52
Elizabeth 48
Alice 43
Eliza 34
Emma 32
Ellen 30
Jane 27
Emily 26
Hannah 25
Annie 23
Harriet 19
Louisa 16
Ann 13
Charlotte 13
Martha 13
Edith 12
Anna 11
Florence 10
Maria 10
Caroline 9
Harriett 9
Kate 8
Ada 7
Clara 7
Frances 7
Laura 7
Lucy 7
Sophia 7
Amelia 6
Anne 6
Esther 6
Ruth 6
Ethel 5
Helen 5
Matilda 5
Rachel 5
Rose 5
Susannah 5
Catherine 4
Grace 4
Isabella 4
Julia 4
Lydia 4
Margaret 4
Agnes 3
Infant 3
Jessie 3
Minnie 3
Rosa 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 94
John 72
George 66
James 57
Robert 46
Thomas 34
Henry 33
Charles 32
Arthur 26
Edward 26
Alfred 25
Frederick 24
Joseph 18
Herbert 13
Walter 12
Harry 10
Albert 8
Samuel 7
Ernest 6
Richard 6
Edgar 5
Benjamin 4
Chas. 4
Frank 4
David 3
Elijah 3
Francis 3
Fred 3
Jesse 3
Thos. 3
Willie 3
Wm. 3
Archibald 2
Daniel 2
Earnest 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
Horace 2
Jerimiah 2
Jonathan 2
Nathan 2
Percy 2
Philander 2
Sidney 2
Wilfred 2
Willm. 2
C.E. 1
Carl 1
Dennis 1
Edmund 1

FAQ

Garrod surname: questions and answers

How common was the Garrod surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,575 people were recorded with the Garrod surname. That placed it at #2,687 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Garrod surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,372 in 2016. That gives Garrod a modern rank of #2,764.

What does the Garrod surname mean?

A locative surname derived from a place name containing the Old English word "gara", meaning "triangular piece of land".

What does the Garrod map show?

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