NameCensus.

UK surname

Gatherum

A locational surname referring to someone from a place called Gatherum or Gatherholme.

In the 1881 census there were 71 people recorded with the Gatherum surname, ranking it #23,517 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 101, ranked #30,929, down from #23,517 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ceres, Kilconquhar and Largo. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Anstruther, St Andrews South East and Windygates and Coaltown.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gatherum is 112 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.3%.

1881 census count

71

Ranked #23,517

Modern count

101

2016, ranked #30,929

Peak year

1901

112 bearers

Map years

2

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gatherum had 71 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,517 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016, ranked #30,929.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 112 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Gatherum surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gatherum surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gatherum 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 28 #28,274
1861 historical 47 #28,023
1881 historical 71 #23,517
1891 historical 99 #24,200
1901 historical 112 #21,382
1911 historical 13 #32,172
1997 modern 86 #28,876
1998 modern 95 #28,303
1999 modern 103 #27,305
2000 modern 89 #29,173
2001 modern 98 #27,672
2002 modern 99 #28,082
2003 modern 96 #28,381
2004 modern 97 #28,455
2005 modern 93 #29,133
2006 modern 86 #30,425
2007 modern 90 #30,228
2008 modern 88 #30,857
2009 modern 95 #30,393
2010 modern 97 #30,697
2011 modern 93 #31,169
2012 modern 107 #29,017
2013 modern 103 #30,235
2014 modern 104 #30,365
2015 modern 103 #30,444
2016 modern 101 #30,929

Geography

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Where Gatherums are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ceres, Kilconquhar, Largo, Abbots Langley and St. Andrews and St Leonards. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Anstruther, St Andrews South East, Windygates and Coaltown, East Riding of Yorkshire and St Andrews Central. 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 Ceres Fife
2 Kilconquhar Fife
3 Largo Fife
4 Abbots Langley Hertfordshire
5 St. Andrews and St Leonards Fife

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Anstruther Fife
2 St Andrews South East Fife
3 Windygates and Coaltown Fife
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 015 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 St Andrews Central Fife

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gatherum

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gatherum

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Gatherum surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Gatherum household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Gatherum is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Gatherum 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

Gatherum falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gatherum is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 20-25 mbit/s.

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

4
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gatherum

The surname GATHERUM is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from the Old English words "gæderen" meaning "to gather" and "ham" meaning "homestead" or "village." This suggests that the name may have referred to a person who lived in a village or hamlet where people gathered for some purpose, perhaps a market or fair.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name GATHERUM can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1170, where a Thomas de Gatherum is mentioned. This indicates that the name was already well-established in the region by the 12th century. The Pipe Rolls were financial records kept by the English Exchequer, making them a valuable source for tracking the spread and prevalence of surnames during this period.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various forms such as Gatherham, Gaderham, and Gayterham, reflecting the fluidity of spelling conventions at the time. The Hundred Rolls of 1273, a census-like record of landowners in England, lists a William de Gaderham as holding land in the county of Norfolk.

During the 14th century, the surname GATHERUM is found in several historical records, including the Poll Tax Returns of 1379. This tax was levied on all adults over the age of 14, providing a valuable snapshot of the population at the time. The returns list a John Gatherham residing in the village of Cressingham in Norfolk.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the surname GATHERUM was William Gatherum (c. 1510-1572), a merchant and alderman in the city of Norwich. He served as mayor of Norwich in 1563 and was involved in various civic affairs during his lifetime.

Another individual of note was Robert Gatherum (1572-1637), a clergyman who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. He was known for his theological writings and was a prominent figure in the Church of England during the early 17th century.

In the 18th century, a family of GATHERUMS resided in the village of Cressing in Essex. John Gatherum (1712-1783) was a prosperous farmer and landowner in the area, and his son, also named John Gatherum (1745-1821), continued the family's agricultural pursuits.

Throughout its history, the surname GATHERUM has been associated with various places, particularly in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. While not a particularly common name, it has persisted for centuries and continues to be found in various parts of England and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gatherum families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gatherum 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. Fife leads with 49 Gatherums recorded in 1881 and an index of 119.54x.

County Total Index
Fife 49 119.54x
Yorkshire 8 1.17x
Hertfordshire 7 14.67x
Midlothian 4 4.31x
Angus 1 1.56x
Lancashire 1 0.12x
Perthshire 1 3.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kilconquhar in Fife leads with 17 Gatherums recorded in 1881 and an index of 3469.39x.

Place Total Index
Kilconquhar 17 3469.39x
Largo 10 1886.79x
Ceres 8 1632.65x
Clapham Cum Newby 8 5000.00x
Abbots Langley 7 985.92x
St Andrews 7 376.34x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 10.72x
Markinch 3 215.83x
Cameron 1 416.67x
Flisk 1 1666.67x
Kilrenny 1 131.58x
Kinclaven 1 714.29x
Leuchars 1 192.31x
Liff Benvie 1 10.27x
North Meols 1 12.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Barbara 3
Jessie 2
Elizabeth 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
James 2
David 1
Frank 1
Thomas 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 Gatherum households.

FAQ

Gatherum surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gatherum surname in 1881?

In 1881, 71 people were recorded with the Gatherum surname. That placed it at #23,517 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gatherum surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016. That gives Gatherum a modern rank of #30,929.

What does the Gatherum surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from a place called Gatherum or Gatherholme.

What does the Gatherum map show?

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