NameCensus.

UK surname

Gaskill

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of a type of wooden cask called a "gask."

In the 1881 census there were 535 people recorded with the Gaskill surname, ranking it #6,427 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 403, ranked #11,815, down from #6,427 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Stockport and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Derby and Trafford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gaskill is 615 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 24.7%.

1881 census count

535

Ranked #6,427

Modern count

403

2016, ranked #11,815

Peak year

1901

615 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gaskill had 535 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,427 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 403 in 2016, ranked #11,815.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 615 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Gaskill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gaskill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gaskill 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 507 #4,933
1861 historical 581 #4,540
1881 historical 535 #6,427
1891 historical 614 #6,271
1901 historical 615 #6,942
1911 historical 510 #7,718
1997 modern 436 #10,327
1998 modern 477 #9,955
1999 modern 470 #10,120
2000 modern 462 #10,212
2001 modern 450 #10,226
2002 modern 458 #10,295
2003 modern 436 #10,552
2004 modern 431 #10,680
2005 modern 396 #11,271
2006 modern 404 #11,159
2007 modern 404 #11,290
2008 modern 406 #11,328
2009 modern 427 #11,129
2010 modern 436 #11,189
2011 modern 425 #11,285
2012 modern 413 #11,451
2013 modern 426 #11,350
2014 modern 420 #11,567
2015 modern 411 #11,666
2016 modern 403 #11,815

Geography

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Where Gaskills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Stockport, London parishes and Eccles. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Derby, Trafford and Salford. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Stockport Cheshire
3 Stockport Derbyshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Eccles Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 045 County Durham
2 Derby 025 Derby
3 County Durham 010 County Durham
4 Trafford 017 Trafford
5 Salford 024 Salford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gaskill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gaskill

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Gaskill surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Gaskill household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Gaskill is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gaskill is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gaskill falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gaskill

The surname Gaskill has its origins in the north of England, particularly in Lancashire and Yorkshire, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "gærs" meaning grass and "scill" meaning a small hut or dwelling, suggesting that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a grassy area or near a meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name comes from the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire in 1332, where a Robert del Gaskill is mentioned. This early spelling variation, "del Gaskill," reflects the Norman-French influence on English surnames during that period.

The Gaskill surname has also been associated with the town of Gaskill or Gaskell in Cheshire, which is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Casegehil." This place name likely originated from the Old English "cæse" meaning cheese and "hyll" meaning hill, suggesting a possible connection between the surname and a cheese-making settlement on a hill.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various records, such as the Parish Registers of Wigan in Lancashire, where a Richard Gaskill is recorded in 1592. During this time, the spelling variation "Gaskell" also emerged, particularly in the Cheshire and Lancashire regions.

Notable individuals with the surname Gaskill include:

1. Thomas Gaskill (1619-1687), an English Quaker minister and author from Yorkshire. 2. John Gaskill (1737-1798), an American Revolutionary War soldier from New Jersey. 3. George Gaskill (1809-1888), a British painter and engraver from London. 4. Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell (1810-1865), a renowned English novelist and biographer, best known for her novel "Cranford." 5. Walter Holbrook Gaskill (1847-1914), an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Ohio.

Throughout its history, the Gaskill surname has maintained a strong presence in northern England, particularly in Lancashire and Yorkshire, as well as in parts of the United States, where it was carried by early English settlers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gaskill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gaskill 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. Lancashire leads with 280 Gaskills recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.53x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 280 4.53x
Cheshire 44 3.83x
Yorkshire 40 0.77x
Staffordshire 39 2.22x
Derbyshire 35 4.29x
Surrey 23 0.91x
Durham 14 0.90x
Nottinghamshire 14 1.99x
Middlesex 9 0.17x
Kent 7 0.39x
Lincolnshire 7 0.84x
Leicestershire 6 1.04x
Westmorland 6 5.24x
Glamorgan 4 0.44x
Northumberland 4 0.52x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.32x
Lanarkshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Everton in Lancashire leads with 27 Gaskills recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.71x.

Place Total Index
Everton 27 13.71x
Burslem 24 47.65x
Liverpool 20 5.33x
Beard 14 528.30x
Worsley 14 36.75x
Salford 13 7.15x
Spotland 13 18.92x
Toxteth Park 13 6.21x
North Meols 12 19.83x
Stockport 12 20.28x
Lambeth 11 2.42x
Pendlebury 11 84.29x
Gorton 10 17.21x
Oldham 10 5.01x
Kirkdale 9 8.66x
Bury 8 11.33x
Exelby Leeming Newton 8 650.41x
Halifax 8 10.56x
Rochdale 8 177.38x
Bexley 7 44.56x
Bowes 7 583.33x
Chorlton On Medlock 7 7.13x
Derby St Werburgh 7 14.87x
Dukinfield 7 13.18x
Marple 7 88.72x
Norton 7 122.81x
Nottingham St Mary 7 3.85x
Rusholme 7 42.45x
Sharples 7 104.48x
Barton Upon Irwell 6 12.89x
Camberwell 6 1.80x
Chapel En Le Frith 6 80.54x
Fazakerley 6 625.00x
Newington 6 3.12x
Stapleford 6 105.26x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 5 26.67x
Ashton Under Lyne 5 3.70x
Ashworth 5 2000.00x
Birtle Cum Bamford 5 124.07x
Carlton 5 1020.41x
Eccleston In Prescot 5 16.11x
Harpurhey 5 58.28x
Horncastle 5 58.14x
Norton In Moors 5 53.71x
Whitworth 5 44.05x
Brightside Bierlow 4 3.95x
Glossop Dale 4 10.47x
Halliwell 4 17.78x
Handsworth 4 9.23x
Heaton Norris 4 11.37x
Kendal 4 19.08x
Upholland 4 50.51x
Cramlington 3 29.30x
Hurdsfield 3 42.37x
Islington London 3 0.59x
Litchurch 3 9.14x
Lymm 3 35.89x
Manchester 3 1.08x
Much Woolton 3 35.76x
Openshaw 3 10.36x
Poplar London 3 3.05x
Sutton 3 14.47x
Windle 3 8.63x
Broughton In Salford 2 3.54x
Cheadle 2 9.11x
Colsterworth 2 113.64x
Dodworth 2 37.31x
Gateshead 2 1.72x
Horton 2 93.02x
Kirkby 2 80.00x
Kirkby Ireleth 2 64.94x
Lancaster 2 5.44x
Leek Lowe 2 8.55x
Melsonby 2 210.53x
Merthyr Tydfil 2 2.29x
Sale 2 14.17x
Skelmersdale 2 19.42x
Stretford 2 5.88x
Underbarrow Bradley 2 240.96x
Westminster St John 2 3.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 30
Sarah 25
Elizabeth 21
Margaret 15
Ellen 12
Hannah 12
Alice 11
Annie 11
Jane 11
Ann 10
Martha 10
Eliza 7
Betty 5
Elizth. 5
Clara 4
Edith 4
Emma 4
Fanny 4
Harriet 4
Isabella 4
Agnes 3
Anna 3
Caroline 3
Edna 3
Frances 3
Jessie 3
Ada 2
Amy 2
Eleanor 2
Emily 2
Esther 2
Lizzie 2
Minnie 2
Anie 1
Betsy 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Elizbth. 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Emmeline 1
Emmily 1
Isabel 1
Janet 1
Jenny 1
Julia 1
Kezia 1
Lavina 1
Lavinia 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 40
William 35
James 23
Thomas 19
Joseph 15
Samuel 10
George 9
Richard 8
Charles 6
Peter 6
Robert 6
Edwin 5
Albert 4
Edward 4
Henry 4
Jonathan 4
Wm. 4
Arthur 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Walter 3
Fred 2
Herbert 2
Hugh 2
Jackson 2
Stanley 2
Alfred 1
Cephas 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
Evelyn 1
Geo. 1
Gerald 1
Gilbert 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Irvine 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Jane 1
Janes 1
Jer. 1
Johnathan 1
Leonard 1
Matthew 1
Nathan 1
Oliver 1
Richd. 1
Roger 1
Simeon 1

FAQ

Gaskill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gaskill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 535 people were recorded with the Gaskill surname. That placed it at #6,427 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gaskill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 403 in 2016. That gives Gaskill a modern rank of #11,815.

What does the Gaskill surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of a type of wooden cask called a "gask."

What does the Gaskill map show?

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