NameCensus.

UK surname

Gary

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "triangular plot of land" or "spearpoint."

In the 1881 census there were 83 people recorded with the Gary surname, ranking it #21,808 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 224, ranked #18,164, up from #21,808 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Odiham and St Leonard Shoreditch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Basingstoke and Deane, Enfield and Gosport.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gary is 516 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 169.9%.

1881 census count

83

Ranked #21,808

Modern count

224

2016, ranked #18,164

Peak year

1861

516 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gary had 83 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,808 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 224 in 2016, ranked #18,164.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 516 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Gary surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gary surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gary 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 141 #13,507
1861 historical 516 #5,072
1881 historical 83 #21,808
1891 historical 207 #14,546
1901 historical 127 #19,893
1911 historical 121 #20,336
1997 modern 165 #19,861
1998 modern 149 #21,755
1999 modern 146 #22,202
2000 modern 129 #23,901
2001 modern 112 #25,644
2002 modern 117 #25,494
2003 modern 117 #25,282
2004 modern 131 #23,756
2005 modern 129 #23,963
2006 modern 132 #23,834
2007 modern 140 #23,231
2008 modern 140 #23,511
2009 modern 151 #22,816
2010 modern 150 #23,482
2011 modern 158 #22,473
2012 modern 190 #19,864
2013 modern 191 #20,124
2014 modern 205 #19,375
2015 modern 201 #19,494
2016 modern 224 #18,164

Geography

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Where Garys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Odiham, St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Basingstoke and Deane, Enfield, Gosport and Cornwall. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Odiham Hampshire
3 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Basingstoke and Deane 017 Basingstoke and Deane
2 Enfield 006 Enfield
3 Gosport 008 Gosport
4 Cornwall 072 Cornwall
5 Enfield 010 Enfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gary

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gary

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Gary surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Gary household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Gary is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gary is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gary falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gary is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Gary

The surname Gary originated in England during the medieval period, likely in the 10th or 11th century. It is derived from the Old English word "garan" or "garen," which means "triangular piece of ground." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived on or near a triangular-shaped plot of land or field.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gary can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book mentions a landholder named "Garei" in Lincolnshire. This spelling variation likely represents an early form of the Gary surname.

During the Middle Ages, the Gary surname was primarily concentrated in the English counties of Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and Yorkshire. Several place names in these regions, such as Garthorpe and Gartree, may have influenced the development of the Gary surname or been derived from the same Old English root.

One notable historical figure with the Gary surname was Sir Thomas Gary (c. 1495-1544), an English courtier and diplomat during the reign of Henry VIII. He served as Lord of the Privy Seal and was involved in negotiations with Scotland and France.

Another prominent individual was Robert Gary (c. 1540-1622), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I. He was also a member of the Council of the North and held various administrative positions in Yorkshire.

In the 17th century, the Gary surname is recorded in the parish registers of Barwick-in-Elmet, a village in West Yorkshire. One entry from 1638 mentions the marriage of Robert Gary and Elizabeth Thwaites.

During the 18th century, a notable figure with the Gary surname was Sir John Gary (1691-1768), an English lawyer and judge who served as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas from 1742 until his death.

The Gary surname also has a connection to the American Revolutionary War, with Elbert Gary (1744-1800) serving as a colonel in the Continental Army and participating in several major battles, including the Siege of Savannah.

Over the centuries, the Gary surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as Garie, Garye, and Garey, reflecting the evolving nature of surnames and regional dialects. However, the core meaning and origins of the name can be traced back to its Old English roots and the triangular piece of ground it once described.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gary families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gary 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. Hampshire leads with 15 Garys recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.62x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 15 9.62x
Lancashire 10 1.11x
Devon 8 5.05x
Middlesex 6 0.79x
Cheshire 5 2.98x
Lanarkshire 5 2.03x
Leicestershire 5 5.93x
Ayrshire 4 7.03x
Cambridgeshire 3 6.23x
Kent 2 0.77x
Nottinghamshire 2 1.95x
Surrey 2 0.54x
Yorkshire 2 0.27x
Angus 1 1.42x
Argyllshire 1 4.72x
Derbyshire 1 0.84x
Durham 1 0.44x
Lincolnshire 1 0.82x
Monmouthshire 1 1.82x
Northumberland 1 0.88x
Somerset 1 0.82x
Sussex 1 0.78x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Maplederwell in Hampshire leads with 11 Garys recorded in 1881 and an index of 18333.33x.

Place Total Index
Maplederwell 11 18333.33x
Barony 5 8.03x
Sileby 5 943.40x
Coryton 4 6666.67x
Up Nately 4 13333.33x
Widnes 4 61.44x
Duxford 3 1500.00x
Girvan 3 209.79x
Manchester 3 7.39x
Mile End Old Town London 3 18.53x
Runcorn 3 77.52x
Bethnal Green London 2 6.05x
Mansfield 2 56.34x
Newington 2 7.12x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 16.39x
Carnaby 1 2000.00x
Claughton With Grange 1 131.58x
Dover St James 1 87.72x
Dundee 1 3.80x
Dunoon Kilmun 1 60.61x
Great Grimsby 1 12.95x
Hopton 1 3333.33x
Hove 1 17.76x
Monks Coppenhall 1 15.77x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 14.79x
Odcombe 1 625.00x
Plumstead 1 11.56x
Salford 1 3.77x
Sheffield 1 4.17x
Shoreditch London 1 3.03x
St Mellons 1 625.00x
Stoke Damerel 1 9.03x
Sunderland 1 25.00x
Tarbolton 1 106.38x
Totnes 1 107.53x
Walton On Hill 1 20.45x
Worsthorne Cum 1 344.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Elizabeth 3
Ann 2
Catherine 2
Abigail 1
Adeline 1
Agnes 1
Angelina 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Augusta 1
Eliza 1
Elizebeth 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Henrietta 1
Jane 1
Martha 1
Marther 1
Maudy 1
Rachel 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 6
William 6
John 3
Charles 2
Frank 2
Alfred 1
Edwin 1
Ephriam 1
Frederick 1
Jno. 1
Joseph 1
Michael 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Stanley 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Gary surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gary surname in 1881?

In 1881, 83 people were recorded with the Gary surname. That placed it at #21,808 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gary surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 224 in 2016. That gives Gary a modern rank of #18,164.

What does the Gary surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "triangular plot of land" or "spearpoint."

What does the Gary map show?

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