NameCensus.

UK surname

Gaw

A toponymic surname referring to someone who lived on a hill or upland area.

In the 1881 census there were 58 people recorded with the Gaw surname, ranking it #25,428 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 356, ranked #12,978, up from #25,428 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kelton, Govan Combination and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Machars South, Dreghorn and Irvine Castlepark South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gaw is 361 in 2007. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 513.8%.

1881 census count

58

Ranked #25,428

Modern count

356

2016, ranked #12,978

Peak year

2007

361 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gaw had 58 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,428 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 356 in 2016, ranked #12,978.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 235 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Gaw surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gaw surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Gaw 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 105 #16,618
1881 historical 58 #25,428
1891 historical 134 #19,777
1901 historical 235 #13,662
1997 modern 336 #12,549
1998 modern 353 #12,470
1999 modern 347 #12,696
2000 modern 356 #12,408
2001 modern 338 #12,669
2002 modern 347 #12,699
2003 modern 335 #12,815
2004 modern 350 #12,449
2005 modern 338 #12,698
2006 modern 349 #12,473
2007 modern 361 #12,303
2008 modern 355 #12,565
2009 modern 354 #12,858
2010 modern 358 #13,001
2011 modern 337 #13,463
2012 modern 343 #13,158
2013 modern 352 #13,130
2014 modern 351 #13,227
2015 modern 355 #13,033
2016 modern 356 #12,978

Geography

Back to top

Where Gaws are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kelton, Govan Combination, London parishes, Glasgow and Stevenston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Machars South, Dreghorn, Irvine Castlepark South, Irvine Perceton and Lawthorn and Irvine Fullarton. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Kelton Kirkcudbright
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 London parishes London 3
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Stevenston Ayr

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Machars South Dumfries and Galloway
2 Dreghorn North Ayrshire
3 Irvine Castlepark South North Ayrshire
4 Irvine Perceton and Lawthorn North Ayrshire
5 Irvine Fullarton North Ayrshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Gaw

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Gaw

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Gaw 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

Gaw 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

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

Meaning and origin of Gaw

The surname Gaw has its origins tracing back to the northern regions of England and Scotland, emerging in the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "gau," which referred to a small valley or pass between hills. This suggests that the name may have originally been a topographic descriptor for someone who lived in such a location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gaw can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "Gau." This document was a census-like record of landowners and their holdings, indicating that the Gaw family had already established roots in the region by that time.

The surname Gaw has several variations in spelling, including Gawe, Gawgh, and Gaugh, which were common in medieval records. These variations likely arose due to inconsistencies in written records and regional dialects of the time.

A notable historical figure bearing the surname Gaw was John Gaw (c. 1505 - 1586), a Scottish Protestant reformer and clergyman. He was a prominent figure in the Scottish Reformation and played a significant role in the establishment of Presbyterianism in Scotland.

Another individual of note was William Gaw (1756 - 1828), a Scottish-born American architect and civil engineer. He is best known for his work on the design and construction of the Erie Canal in New York, a monumental engineering feat of the early 19th century.

In the literary world, John Gaw (1832 - 1899) was a Scottish-American author and journalist. He wrote several novels and short stories, many of which drew inspiration from his experiences as a pioneer settler in the American West.

The name Gaw has also been associated with places, such as Gaw Hill in Yorkshire, England, and Gaw Burn, a small stream in Northumberland, England. These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and geographic features like valleys and passes.

Throughout history, the Gaw surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including clergymen, architects, authors, and likely many others whose stories have been lost to time. While not a widespread surname, it has left its mark on the historical records of England, Scotland, and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Gaw families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gaw 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. Ayrshire leads with 33 Gaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.40x.

County Total Index
Ayrshire 33 25.40x
Lanarkshire 31 5.52x
Kirkcudbrightshire 20 79.59x
Lancashire 18 0.87x
Midlothian 14 6.02x
Hampshire 13 3.65x
Fife 8 7.78x
Northumberland 7 2.71x
Middlesex 6 0.35x
Durham 5 0.97x
Morayshire 4 14.83x
Dumfriesshire 3 7.82x
East Lothian 3 13.04x
Glamorgan 2 0.66x
Leicestershire 2 1.04x
Renfrewshire 2 1.49x
Yorkshire 2 0.12x
Argyllshire 1 2.07x
Cheshire 1 0.26x
Cumberland 1 0.67x
Perthshire 1 1.28x
Wigtownshire 1 4.34x

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 24 Gaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.28x.

Place Total Index
Govan 24 17.28x
Dalry 15 245.50x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 10 10.69x
Stevenston 10 294.99x
Kelton 9 436.89x
Aldershot 8 67.11x
Dunfermline 8 50.63x
Elswick 7 33.95x
Kirkpatrick Durham 6 769.23x
Blackburn 5 9.12x
Carisbrooke 5 101.21x
Pendleton In Salford 5 20.37x
St Quivox 5 113.90x
Westminster St John 5 23.65x
Barrow In Furness 4 14.28x
Blantyre 4 68.38x
Brandon Byshottles 4 61.82x
Elgin 4 76.19x
South Leith 4 15.28x
Tranent 3 96.46x
Barony 2 1.41x
Cardiff St Mary 2 12.01x
Glencairn 2 194.17x
Greenock Oldor West 2 540.54x
Leeds 2 2.06x
Loughborough 2 22.88x
Monkton Prestwick 2 158.73x
Salford 2 3.30x
Ayr 1 16.31x
Crieff 1 34.48x
Crossmichael 1 126.58x
Dunoon 1 101.01x
Egremont 1 28.09x
Everton 1 1.52x
Farington 1 83.33x
Glasgow 1 1.00x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 4.47x
Irongray 1 212.77x
Kirkcudbright 1 48.08x
Kirkmabreck 1 90.91x
Mochrum 1 72.46x
Morton 1 78.74x
Rerrick 1 92.59x
St George Hanover Square 1 3.27x
Stockport 1 5.07x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 6
James 5
John 5
David 3
Albert 1
Alex 1
Alexander 1
Emele 1
Harry 1
Louis 1
Ralph 1
Robert 1
Robt. 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 Gaw households.

FAQ

Gaw surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gaw surname in 1881?

In 1881, 58 people were recorded with the Gaw surname. That placed it at #25,428 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gaw surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 356 in 2016. That gives Gaw a modern rank of #12,978.

What does the Gaw surname mean?

A toponymic surname referring to someone who lived on a hill or upland area.

What does the Gaw map show?

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