NameCensus.

UK surname

Garrow

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "triangular piece of land" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 347 people recorded with the Garrow surname, ranking it #8,811 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 428, ranked #11,234, down from #8,811 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dallas, Aberlour and Cromdale, Inverallan and Advie. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rafford, Dallas, Dyke to Dava, Badenoch and Strathspey Central and Heldon West, Fogwatt to Inchberry.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Garrow is 487 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.3%.

1881 census count

347

Ranked #8,811

Modern count

428

2016, ranked #11,234

Peak year

1891

487 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Garrow had 347 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,811 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 428 in 2016, ranked #11,234.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 487 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Garrow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Garrow surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Garrow 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 337 #6,953
1861 historical 395 #6,492
1881 historical 347 #8,811
1891 historical 487 #7,590
1901 historical 376 #9,899
1911 historical 87 #24,147
1997 modern 413 #10,743
1998 modern 440 #10,581
1999 modern 432 #10,827
2000 modern 451 #10,412
2001 modern 416 #10,898
2002 modern 423 #10,975
2003 modern 411 #11,044
2004 modern 417 #10,943
2005 modern 422 #10,739
2006 modern 423 #10,765
2007 modern 423 #10,888
2008 modern 413 #11,185
2009 modern 410 #11,503
2010 modern 433 #11,242
2011 modern 430 #11,178
2012 modern 418 #11,318
2013 modern 425 #11,382
2014 modern 422 #11,516
2015 modern 423 #11,392
2016 modern 428 #11,234

Geography

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Where Garrows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dallas, Aberlour, Cromdale, Inverallan and Advie, Edinburgh and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rafford, Dallas, Dyke to Dava, Badenoch and Strathspey Central, Heldon West, Fogwatt to Inchberry, Forres Central East and seaward and South Speyside and the Cabrach. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Dallas Elgin
2 Aberlour Banff
3 Cromdale, Inverallan and Advie Elgin
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rafford, Dallas, Dyke to Dava Moray
2 Badenoch and Strathspey Central Highland
3 Heldon West, Fogwatt to Inchberry Moray
4 Forres Central East and seaward Moray
5 South Speyside and the Cabrach Moray

Forenames

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First names often paired with Garrow

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Garrow

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Garrow, 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 Garrow surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Garrow 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Garrow is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Garrow is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Garrow

The surname Garrow has its origins in England, with roots that can be traced back to the 12th century. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English word "gara," meaning "triangular piece of land," or the Old Norse word "gera," meaning "a triangular strip of land." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived on or owned a triangular plot of land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Gara" and "Gare." Over time, the spelling evolved into various forms, such as Garrow, Garrawe, and Garrowe.

In the 13th century, the name Garrow can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, where it is recorded as "Garewe." This indicates that the name was present in the county of Norfolk during that period.

In the 14th century, the name Garrow appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire, suggesting that the name had spread to other parts of England by that time.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname Garrow was Sir William Garrow (1760-1840), an English lawyer and judge who played a significant role in reforming the English legal system. He is credited with introducing the concept of allowing defendants to be represented by counsel in felony cases.

Another prominent individual with the surname Garrow was David Garrow (1786-1875), a Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh, including the Royal Institution and the Commercial Bank of Scotland.

In the 19th century, John Garrow (1810-1886), an English surgeon, made significant contributions to the field of medicine, particularly in the treatment of diseases of the eye.

The surname Garrow also appears in the arts, with William Garrow (1839-1898), an English painter known for his landscapes and marine scenes.

In the 20th century, David J. Garrow (born 1953) is a notable American historian and biographer who won the Pulitzer Prize for his work on Martin Luther King Jr.

While the surname Garrow has evolved over the centuries and spread to various parts of the world, its origins can be traced back to the Old English and Old Norse words related to triangular pieces of land, reflecting the name's connection to the geographical features of its early bearers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Garrow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Garrow 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 89 Garrows recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.39x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 89 28.39x
Morayshire 63 119.79x
Banffshire 50 71.21x
Lanarkshire 24 2.19x
Midlothian 22 4.85x
Middlesex 17 0.50x
Lancashire 16 0.40x
Yorkshire 11 0.33x
Hampshire 9 1.30x
Inverness-shire 8 7.91x
Ross-shire 6 6.46x
Caithness 4 8.63x
Clackmannanshire 4 14.31x
Durham 4 0.40x
Cumberland 3 1.03x
Fife 3 1.50x
Surrey 3 0.18x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.44x
Angus 1 0.32x
Argyllshire 1 1.06x
Denbighshire 1 0.78x
Kent 1 0.09x
Northamptonshire 1 0.31x
Roxburghshire 1 1.63x
Royal Navy 1 2.48x
Somerset 1 0.18x
Stirlingshire 1 0.80x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen St Nicholas in Aberdeenshire leads with 23 Garrows recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.22x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen St Nicholas 23 39.22x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 19 10.42x
Aberlour 15 672.65x
Cromdale 14 330.97x
Barony 13 4.69x
Dallas 12 1121.50x
Elgin 12 117.30x
Edinkillie 10 729.93x
Govan 10 3.69x
Insch 10 561.80x
Mortlach 10 291.55x
Aberdeen Old Machar 9 13.75x
Belhelvie 9 420.56x
St Faith Winchester 9 278.64x
Keith 8 106.95x
Huntly 7 137.25x
Auchindoir Kearn 6 340.91x
Bethnal Green London 6 4.08x
Ellon 6 139.21x
Inveravon 6 200.67x
Wortley In Wortley 6 454.55x
Clerkenwell London 5 6.26x
Inverness 5 19.67x
Newhills 5 77.88x
Turriff 5 98.81x
West Derby 5 4.26x
Alloa 4 29.50x
Kinloss 4 320.00x
Logie Easter 4 412.37x
Marnoch 4 106.10x
Salford 4 3.39x
Wick 4 26.72x
Bishopwearmouth 3 3.47x
Brampton 3 75.19x
Dunfermline 3 9.74x
Duthil 3 155.44x
Edinburgh St Marys 3 34.05x
Forres 3 54.25x
Kensington London 3 1.59x
Knockando 3 140.19x
Liverpool 3 1.23x
St Andrews Lhanbryd 3 185.19x
Toxteth Park 3 2.21x
Banff 2 32.79x
Bilsthorpe 2 909.09x
Botriphnie 2 246.91x
Cairney 2 109.29x
Camberwell 2 0.93x
Clatt 2 384.62x
Duffus 2 43.20x
Fearn 2 80.65x
Sheffield 2 1.87x
Tullynessle Forbes 2 173.91x
Campbeltown 1 8.80x
Darlington 1 2.57x
Denbigh 1 19.49x
Dundee 1 0.85x
Dyce 1 74.07x
Everton 1 0.78x
Fordyce 1 19.80x
Glasgow 1 0.51x
Goole 1 17.79x
Grange 1 48.54x
Islington London 1 0.30x
Norton Sub Hamdon 1 161.29x
Paddington London 1 0.80x
Rathven 1 7.58x
Rhynie 1 76.34x
Sculcoates 1 1.88x
Skipton 1 9.48x
St Ninians 1 8.08x
St Pancras London 1 0.37x
Streatham 1 3.98x
Tarves 1 33.78x
Tonbridge 1 2.40x
Weston By Welland 1 400.00x
Wilton 1 14.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Ann 3
Annie 2
Cathrine 2
Frances 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Jessie 1
Lasilla 1
Maria 1
Ruth 1
Sarah 1
Tamar 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 8
John 4
William 4
Albert 3
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
Fredk.I. 1
George 1
Herbert 1
J. 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Garrow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Garrow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 347 people were recorded with the Garrow surname. That placed it at #8,811 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Garrow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 428 in 2016. That gives Garrow a modern rank of #11,234.

What does the Garrow surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "triangular piece of land" in Old English.

What does the Garrow map show?

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