NameCensus.

UK surname

Gartland

An Irish surname derived from gartan, meaning "enclosed field."

In the 1881 census there were 278 people recorded with the Gartland surname, ranking it #10,259 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 929, ranked #6,153, up from #10,259 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Halifax, Middlesborough and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, Bradford and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gartland is 987 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 234.2%.

1881 census count

278

Ranked #10,259

Modern count

929

2016, ranked #6,153

Peak year

2010

987 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gartland had 278 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,259 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 929 in 2016, ranked #6,153.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 397 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Gartland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gartland surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gartland 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 62 #22,232
1861 historical 104 #20,477
1881 historical 278 #10,259
1891 historical 366 #9,508
1901 historical 397 #9,521
1911 historical 375 #9,747
1997 modern 879 #6,077
1998 modern 905 #6,135
1999 modern 926 #6,070
2000 modern 933 #6,020
2001 modern 899 #6,096
2002 modern 917 #6,116
2003 modern 883 #6,173
2004 modern 891 #6,148
2005 modern 883 #6,105
2006 modern 882 #6,127
2007 modern 890 #6,139
2008 modern 899 #6,132
2009 modern 946 #6,016
2010 modern 987 #5,938
2011 modern 964 #5,992
2012 modern 925 #6,121
2013 modern 958 #6,031
2014 modern 949 #6,129
2015 modern 939 #6,130
2016 modern 929 #6,153

Geography

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Where Gartlands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Halifax, Middlesborough, Glasgow, Liverpool and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale, Bradford, County Durham and Doncaster. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Middlesborough Durham
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 004 Allerdale
2 Bradford 026 Bradford
3 County Durham 017 County Durham
4 Allerdale 005 Allerdale
5 Doncaster 009 Doncaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gartland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gartland

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gartland, 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 Gartland surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Gartland 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Gartland is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gartland is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Gartland

The surname Gartland has its origins in Ireland, originating in the medieval era. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic words "gárt" meaning "field" and "land" meaning "land" or "territory," indicating that the name likely referred to someone who lived near or owned a field or area of land.

The name first appeared in written records in County Leitrim, Ireland, in the late 12th century. The earliest known spelling variations include Gartlan, Gartland, and Gairtland. The name was also found in neighboring counties such as Sligo and Roscommon.

One of the earliest documented references to the name can be found in the Irish Annals, where a Muircheartach Gartland is mentioned in the year 1227 as taking part in a conflict between rival clans in County Leitrim.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with the surname was Fergus Gartland, a celebrated poet and bard who composed works in the Irish language. He was born around 1520 in County Leitrim and was renowned for his skill in composing elegies and laments.

During the 17th century, the Gartland family was among the Irish families transplanted to the province of Connacht as part of the Cromwellian Settlement. This led to the surname becoming more widespread in counties such as Mayo and Galway.

In the 18th century, a prominent member of the Gartland family was Reverend Thomas Gartland, born in 1720 in County Leitrim. He was a Catholic priest and scholar who wrote extensively on Irish history and literature.

Another notable figure was Captain John Gartland, born in 1785 in County Roscommon. He served in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded the Military General Service Medal for his service at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

As the centuries passed, the Gartland surname spread beyond Ireland, with many individuals bearing the name emigrating to other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gartland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gartland 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. Durham leads with 83 Gartlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.25x.

County Total Index
Durham 83 10.25x
Lancashire 41 1.27x
Yorkshire 33 1.22x
Cheshire 23 3.83x
Lanarkshire 18 2.05x
Cumberland 15 6.40x
Hampshire 15 2.69x
Northumberland 12 2.96x
Surrey 10 0.75x
Angus 9 3.57x
Middlesex 6 0.22x
Ayrshire 4 1.96x
Devon 3 0.53x
Kent 3 0.32x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.85x
Midlothian 1 0.27x
Royal Navy 1 3.08x
Staffordshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stockton On Tees in Durham leads with 19 Gartlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 48.68x.

Place Total Index
Stockton On Tees 19 48.68x
Birkenhead 18 37.59x
Bishopwearmouth 15 21.58x
Glasgow 12 7.68x
Liverpool 12 6.12x
Battersea 10 9.99x
Iveston 10 268.10x
Widley 10 1000.00x
Sunderland 9 62.94x
Dearham 8 258.90x
Liff Benvie 8 20.90x
Southowram 8 97.21x
Clayton 7 106.06x
North Bedburn 7 309.73x
Barony 6 2.69x
Great Bolton 6 14.03x
Heworth 6 37.62x
Longbenton 6 34.99x
Parr 6 51.95x
Seaton 6 219.78x
West Derby 6 6.35x
Worsbrough 6 75.95x
Cowpen Bewley 5 543.48x
Dukinfield 5 18.01x
Lockwood 5 51.55x
Kilwinning 4 60.79x
Old Park 4 465.12x
Preston 4 4.63x
Ryhope 4 71.17x
Westgate 4 15.95x
Barnstaple 3 33.75x
Leeds 3 1.97x
Todmorden Walsden 3 34.68x
Woolwich 3 8.74x
Aldershot 2 10.70x
Brandon Byshottles 2 19.72x
Paddington London 2 2.00x
St Clement Danes London 2 35.52x
Wortley In Bramley 2 9.36x
Brading 1 13.50x
Cheetham 1 4.15x
Dundee 1 1.06x
Elswick 1 3.09x
Farnborough 1 17.06x
Gateshead 1 1.65x
Harborne 1 3.40x
Hunslet 1 2.38x
Isleworth 1 8.26x
Kimblesworth 1 92.59x
Longwood 1 22.99x
Manchester 1 0.69x
Old Alresford 1 217.39x
Ramsey 1 23.09x
Riddells Quarter 1 833.33x
Royal Navy 1 3.61x
South Leith 1 2.44x
St Marylebone London 1 0.69x
Toxteth Park 1 0.91x
Warrington 1 2.61x
Workington 1 7.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Margaret 9
Jane 8
Ellen 7
Ann 6
Catherine 6
Sarah 6
Elizabeth 5
Alice 4
Eliza 4
Annie 3
Bridget 3
Clara 2
Fanny 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Rose 2
Susan 2
Agnes 1
Barbara 1
Bessie 1
Cath 1
Cath. 1
Charlotte 1
Deasey 1
E. 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Eliz. 1
Esther 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Helena 1
Johanna 1
Kate 1
Margart 1
Margt. 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Rebecca 1
Rosanna 1
Rosey 1
Selina 1
Selnia 1
Thrasa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 21
Thomas 14
James 11
Patrick 7
Peter 6
Joseph 5
Michael 5
Francis 4
George 4
Owen 3
William 3
Alexander 2
Andrew 2
Bernard 2
Christopher 2
Edward 2
Mathew 2
Richard 2
Allen 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
E. 1
Felix 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Hone 1
Hugh 1
Ian 1
Ildephonsus 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Jno.Thos. 1
Martin 1
Matthew 1
Michl. 1
Nicholas 1
P. 1
Pat 1
Phelix 1
Terrance 1
Thos.Edward 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Gartland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gartland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 278 people were recorded with the Gartland surname. That placed it at #10,259 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gartland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 929 in 2016. That gives Gartland a modern rank of #6,153.

What does the Gartland surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from gartan, meaning "enclosed field."

What does the Gartland map show?

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