NameCensus.

UK surname

Garvie

A Scottish surname derived from a place name meaning "rough point of land".

In the 1881 census there were 530 people recorded with the Garvie surname, ranking it #6,481 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 789, ranked #6,999, down from #6,481 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dalmeny and Queensferry, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gannochy and Walnut Grove, Viewlands, Craigie and Wellshill and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Garvie is 800 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 48.9%.

1881 census count

530

Ranked #6,481

Modern count

789

2016, ranked #6,999

Peak year

2000

800 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Garvie had 530 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,481 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 789 in 2016, ranked #6,999.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 686 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Garvie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Garvie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Garvie 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 393 #6,118
1861 historical 460 #5,647
1881 historical 530 #6,481
1891 historical 622 #6,214
1901 historical 686 #6,384
1911 historical 97 #23,076
1997 modern 769 #6,748
1998 modern 794 #6,788
1999 modern 798 #6,805
2000 modern 800 #6,778
2001 modern 783 #6,756
2002 modern 762 #7,023
2003 modern 749 #7,027
2004 modern 760 #6,956
2005 modern 763 #6,859
2006 modern 788 #6,710
2007 modern 767 #6,926
2008 modern 754 #7,077
2009 modern 778 #7,041
2010 modern 789 #7,107
2011 modern 772 #7,149
2012 modern 763 #7,136
2013 modern 789 #7,043
2014 modern 788 #7,094
2015 modern 788 #7,016
2016 modern 789 #6,999

Geography

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Where Garvies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dalmeny and Queensferry, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Perth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gannochy and Walnut Grove, Viewlands, Craigie and Wellshill, Cornwall, Corby and Western Edge. 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 Dalmeny and Queensferry Linlithgow
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Perth Perth

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gannochy and Walnut Grove Perth and Kinross
2 Viewlands, Craigie and Wellshill Perth and Kinross
3 Cornwall 001 Cornwall
4 Corby 002 Corby
5 Western Edge Perth and Kinross

Forenames

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First names often paired with Garvie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Garvie

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Garvie is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

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

Garvie is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Garvie 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 Garvie is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Garvie

The surname Garvie originated in Scotland, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the Scottish Gaelic words "garbh" meaning rough or rugged, and "àth" meaning a ford or crossing, referring to a rough or rugged ford across a river or stream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Garvie can be found in the Regality of Dunfermline Court Book from 1531, which mentions a certain John Garvie. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region of Fife, Scotland, by that time.

The name Garvie is also closely associated with the village of Garvie, located in the parish of Inverkeithing, Fife. It is likely that the surname originated from this place name, with early bearers taking on the name to identify their place of residence or origin.

In the 17th century, the Garvie surname appeared in several records, including the Parish Register of Inverkeithing in 1647, which listed the baptism of Margaret Garvie, daughter of John Garvie. Another notable figure from this period was Robert Garvie, a merchant and burgess of Inverkeithing, who was mentioned in the Burgh Records of Inverkeithing in 1678.

During the 18th century, the surname Garvie continued to be prevalent in the Fife area. One notable individual was John Garvie (1692-1766), a minister of the Church of Scotland who served in the parishes of Dunfermline and Kinghorn.

In the 19th century, the Garvie surname spread beyond Scotland, with individuals bearing the name appearing in various parts of the British Empire. James Garvie (1812-1886), a Scottish-born merchant and philanthropist, made a significant impact in Australia, where he established the Garvie Institute in Gawler, South Australia.

Another notable figure from this period was James Garvie (1845-1931), a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the South Australian House of Assembly and was involved in the establishment of the Commonwealth of Australia.

While the Garvie surname has its roots firmly planted in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, with bearers of the name making their mark in various fields and industries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Garvie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Garvie 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. Perthshire leads with 130 Garvies recorded in 1881 and an index of 56.34x.

County Total Index
Perthshire 130 56.34x
Angus 84 17.64x
Lanarkshire 82 4.93x
Midlothian 50 7.26x
Aberdeenshire 37 7.77x
Fife 30 9.86x
West Lothian 25 32.29x
Dunbartonshire 14 10.13x
Renfrewshire 14 3.51x
Stirlingshire 13 6.86x
Ayrshire 9 2.34x
Middlesex 8 0.16x
Kincardineshire 7 11.18x
Northumberland 6 0.78x
Argyllshire 5 3.49x
Glamorgan 3 0.34x
Kent 3 0.17x
Westmorland 2 1.77x
Cumberland 1 0.23x
Devon 1 0.09x
Durham 1 0.07x
Inverness-shire 1 0.65x
Surrey 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 41 Garvies recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.97x.

Place Total Index
Govan 41 9.97x
Dundee 33 18.56x
Liff Benvie 29 40.11x
Perth East Church 27 124.14x
Perth West Church 25 228.31x
Barony 23 5.47x
Perth Middle Church 23 264.98x
Aberdeen Old Machar 22 22.13x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 19 6.86x
Queensferry 16 846.56x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 14 15.72x
Glasgow 14 4.74x
South Leith 14 18.06x
Dunipace 11 331.33x
Kinclaven 11 1047.62x
Auchtergaven 8 206.72x
Cardross 8 48.22x
Monifieth 8 47.56x
Inverkeillor 7 237.29x
Tibbermore 7 211.48x
Boness 6 56.23x
Pittenweem 6 160.00x
Port Glasgow 6 31.15x
Galston 5 47.53x
Kinnoull 5 82.37x
Kirkcaldy 5 33.13x
Morpeth 5 55.62x
Stow 5 141.24x
Campbeltown 4 23.18x
Crieff 4 46.62x
New Kilpatrick 4 30.44x
Ratho 4 124.61x
Scone 4 97.56x
Scoonie 4 60.70x
St Martins 4 305.34x
Auchterderran 3 39.22x
Auchtermuchty 3 73.35x
Dalkeith 3 22.08x
Dunfermline 3 6.41x
Kirkliston 3 66.37x
Liberton 3 28.22x
Menmuir 3 225.56x
St George Hanover Square 3 3.31x
Swansea St Thomas 3 33.37x
Abbotshall 2 17.59x
Anstruther Easter 2 90.91x
Cathcart 2 9.28x
Coupar Angus 2 44.35x
Dumbarton 2 10.40x
Falkirk 2 4.51x
Fordoun 2 56.98x
Forteviot 2 181.82x
Greenwich 2 2.44x
Kinnaird 2 434.78x
Mallerstang 2 416.67x
Marykirk 2 77.52x
Montrose 2 6.93x
Redgorton 2 78.13x
Renfrew 2 15.20x
Rutherglen 2 8.20x
St Mildred Poultry London 2 3333.33x
St Quivox 2 15.37x
Abbey 1 1.65x
Ayr 1 5.51x
Bothwell 1 2.22x
Deptford St Paul 1 0.74x
Dunbarney 1 75.19x
Dysart 1 4.88x
East Greenock 1 2.66x
East Stonehouse 1 4.74x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 1 6.14x
Kensington London 1 0.35x
Kilmallie 1 13.59x
Lambeth 1 0.22x
Laurencekirk 1 27.55x
Leslie 1 12.97x
Methlick 1 26.25x
North Leith 1 3.14x
Paisley High Church 1 3.15x
Sunderland 1 3.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 4
Sarah 2
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Jessie 1
Margaret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
William 3
Thomas 2
Alexr. 1
Frank 1
George 1
James 1
Peter 1
Robert 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Garvie households.

FAQ

Garvie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Garvie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 530 people were recorded with the Garvie surname. That placed it at #6,481 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Garvie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 789 in 2016. That gives Garvie a modern rank of #6,999.

What does the Garvie surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a place name meaning "rough point of land".

What does the Garvie map show?

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