NameCensus.

UK surname

Gayner

A variant spelling of the English surname Gainer, which referred to someone who earned their livelihood.

In the 1881 census there were 162 people recorded with the Gayner surname, ranking it #14,746 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 98, ranked #31,470, down from #14,746 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Lyncombe and Widcombe. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Reigate and Banstead, Kensington and Chelsea and Bristol.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gayner is 165 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 39.5%.

1881 census count

162

Ranked #14,746

Modern count

98

2016, ranked #31,470

Peak year

1911

165 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2006

Key insights

  • Gayner had 162 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,746 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 98 in 2016, ranked #31,470.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 165 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Gayner surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gayner surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gayner 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 126 #14,626
1861 historical 114 #19,011
1881 historical 162 #14,746
1891 historical 112 #22,291
1901 historical 146 #18,335
1911 historical 165 #16,808
1997 modern 117 #24,553
1998 modern 128 #23,828
1999 modern 118 #25,227
2000 modern 128 #24,015
2001 modern 131 #23,343
2002 modern 139 #22,991
2003 modern 136 #23,045
2004 modern 135 #23,326
2005 modern 123 #24,663
2006 modern 127 #24,384
2007 modern 112 #26,800
2008 modern 107 #27,844
2009 modern 116 #27,062
2010 modern 120 #27,124
2011 modern 124 #26,367
2012 modern 112 #28,174
2013 modern 106 #29,740
2014 modern 105 #30,204
2015 modern 103 #30,444
2016 modern 98 #31,470

Geography

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Where Gayners are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Lyncombe and Widcombe, Thornbury, Rockhampton and Walcott, Charlcome. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Reigate and Banstead, Kensington and Chelsea, Bristol, Southend-on-Sea and Hammersmith and Fulham. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Lyncombe and Widcombe Somerset
4 Thornbury, Rockhampton Gloucestershire
5 Walcott, Charlcome Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Reigate and Banstead 006 Reigate and Banstead
2 Kensington and Chelsea 019 Kensington and Chelsea
3 Bristol 003 Bristol, City of
4 Southend-on-Sea 002 Southend-on-Sea
5 Hammersmith and Fulham 025 Hammersmith and Fulham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gayner

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gayner

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Gayner surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Gayner 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Gayner is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

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

Gayner is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gayner falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gayner

The surname Gayner is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "gagel," which referred to a type of willow tree. The name likely originated as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near a willow tree or a location associated with willows.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gayner can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "Gaghelynere." This early spelling variation provides insight into the name's evolution over time and its connection to the Old English "gagel."

Historically, the Gayner surname was concentrated in the counties of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Berkshire, where various branches of the family settled and established themselves. Some notable early bearers of the name include Robert Gayner, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1327, and John Gaynor, recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1379.

In the 16th century, the Gayner family played a role in the English Reformation. Thomas Gayner (c. 1500-1556) was a Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake in Brentwood, Essex, for his religious beliefs during the reign of Queen Mary I.

Another notable figure bearing the Gayner surname was John Gayner (1597-1665), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of St. Margaret's Church in Leicester. He published several works, including "The Grounds of Obedience and Government" in 1661.

During the 17th century, the Gayner family established roots in the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Edward Gayner, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 and settled in the Jamestown area.

In the 18th century, a branch of the Gayner family gained prominence in the legal profession. John Gayner (1713-1784) was an English lawyer and judge who served as the Recorder of Bristol and later as a Baron of the Exchequer.

As the Gayner surname spread across England and later to other parts of the world, various spelling variations emerged, such as Gaynor, Gaynour, and Gainer. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remained rooted in its connection to the Old English word "gagel" and its association with willows.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gayner families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gayner 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. Gloucestershire leads with 49 Gayners recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.31x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 49 16.31x
Middlesex 36 2.35x
Somerset 14 5.68x
Essex 10 3.31x
Durham 9 1.98x
Lancashire 8 0.44x
Norfolk 8 3.40x
Kent 7 1.34x
Surrey 5 0.67x
Yorkshire 5 0.33x
Northumberland 3 1.32x
Lanarkshire 1 0.20x
Suffolk 1 0.54x
Sussex 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St James In in Gloucestershire leads with 12 Gayners recorded in 1881 and an index of 271.49x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St James In 12 271.49x
Bristol St Paul In 10 125.00x
Walcot 10 76.16x
Mile End Old Town London 9 27.62x
Thornbury 9 439.02x
Bishopwearmouth 8 20.46x
Bristol St George 8 57.60x
Great Yarmouth 8 41.03x
Chatham 7 48.71x
Chelsea London 7 15.17x
Hackney London 6 6.99x
Prittlewell 6 143.20x
Almondsbury 5 434.78x
Croydon 5 12.07x
St Pancras London 5 4.06x
Clifton 4 26.35x
Lyncombe Widcombe 4 62.02x
Poplar London 4 13.84x
Leeds 3 3.50x
Maldon St Marys 3 416.67x
Widnes 3 22.88x
Bethnal Green London 2 3.01x
Newcastle On Tyne St 2 16.93x
Berwick Upon Tweed 1 20.70x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 6.93x
Filton 1 625.00x
Govan 1 0.82x
Great Ayton 1 107.53x
Ipswich St Clement 1 21.10x
Liverpool 1 0.91x
Manchester 1 1.22x
Preston 1 22.17x
Skelmersdale 1 33.00x
St Martin In Fields 1 10.91x
Stockton On Tees 1 4.55x
West Derby 1 1.88x
West Ham 1 1.50x
Westminster St James 1 6.35x
Whitechapel London 1 6.63x
York St Mary 1 15.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Elizabeth 5
Ellen 5
Lucy 5
Sarah 5
Emily 4
Alice 3
Eliza 3
Martha 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Harriett 2
Jane 2
Laura 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Ada 1
Aimye 1
Anne 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Elenor 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Frances 1
Georgina 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Henrietta 1
Isabel 1
Jenny 1
Juliet 1
Kate 1
Kathleen 1
Leah 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Minnie 1
Rose 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 8
John 7
Henry 5
James 4
Walter 4
Charles 3
Matthew 3
Robert 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
George 2
Joseph 2
Phillip 2
Richard 2
Thomas 2
Abraham 1
Albert 1
Chinery 1
Edward 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Jera. 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Rd. 1
Robt. 1

FAQ

Gayner surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gayner surname in 1881?

In 1881, 162 people were recorded with the Gayner surname. That placed it at #14,746 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gayner surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 98 in 2016. That gives Gayner a modern rank of #31,470.

What does the Gayner surname mean?

A variant spelling of the English surname Gainer, which referred to someone who earned their livelihood.

What does the Gayner map show?

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