NameCensus.

UK surname

Gaynor

A surname of Welsh origin derived from the given name Einior, Eignon, or Geinor, meaning "anvil" or "engineer."

In the 1881 census there were 322 people recorded with the Gaynor surname, ranking it #9,262 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,220, ranked #4,880, up from #9,262 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Halifax and Ryton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hyndburn, Rotherham and Gateshead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gaynor is 1,290 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 278.9%.

1881 census count

322

Ranked #9,262

Modern count

1,220

2016, ranked #4,880

Peak year

1999

1,290 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gaynor had 322 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,262 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,220 in 2016, ranked #4,880.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 444 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Gaynor surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gaynor surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gaynor 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 130 #14,314
1861 historical 149 #15,373
1881 historical 322 #9,262
1891 historical 390 #9,058
1901 historical 436 #8,907
1911 historical 444 #8,598
1997 modern 1,209 #4,679
1998 modern 1,261 #4,690
1999 modern 1,290 #4,627
2000 modern 1,275 #4,657
2001 modern 1,239 #4,672
2002 modern 1,273 #4,663
2003 modern 1,234 #4,698
2004 modern 1,238 #4,677
2005 modern 1,211 #4,729
2006 modern 1,236 #4,659
2007 modern 1,268 #4,578
2008 modern 1,254 #4,662
2009 modern 1,270 #4,715
2010 modern 1,271 #4,806
2011 modern 1,258 #4,793
2012 modern 1,251 #4,743
2013 modern 1,266 #4,775
2014 modern 1,269 #4,788
2015 modern 1,247 #4,818
2016 modern 1,220 #4,880

Geography

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Where Gaynors are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Halifax, Ryton, Edinburgh and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hyndburn, Rotherham, Gateshead and Halton. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Ryton Durham
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hyndburn 004 Hyndburn
2 Rotherham 015 Rotherham
3 Gateshead 002 Gateshead
4 Halton 011 Halton
5 Hyndburn 003 Hyndburn

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gaynor

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gaynor

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Gaynor surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Gaynor household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Gaynor 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

Gaynor 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

Gaynor 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 Gaynor 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
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gaynor

The surname Gaynor has its origins in Ireland, deriving from the Irish Gaelic personal name 'Geanóir', which itself comes from the old Irish word 'gean' meaning 'smile' or 'good humor'. The name Gaynor is thought to have first emerged in the 12th century in the northern Irish province of Ulster.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gaynor appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a historical chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The annals mention a 'Geanóir Mac Murcadha' who was involved in conflicts in the year 1233.

The Gaynor name can also be traced to the Irish clan system, with several prominent families bearing the name hailing from counties Donegal and Tyrone. One such family, the Gaynors of Tirconnell (modern-day County Donegal), held lands and power in the region during the 14th and 15th centuries.

As the Gaynor name spread beyond Ireland, variations in spelling emerged, including Gaynor, Gaynore, Gainer, and Gainor. In parts of Scotland, the name took on the form of Gayner or Gainer, likely due to the influence of Scottish Gaelic pronunciation.

Notable historical figures with the surname Gaynor include William Gaynor (1851-1913), who served as the 94th Mayor of New York City from 1910 until his assassination in 1913. Another prominent Gaynor was John Gaynor (1837-1890), an Irish-American Civil War veteran and recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Chancellorsville in 1863.

In the realm of arts and culture, the American singer and actress Gloria Gaynor (born 1949) is perhaps the most famous bearer of the name, best known for her hit disco anthem "I Will Survive". Other notable figures include Dan Gaynor (1905-1980), an American baseball player who spent his entire career with the Boston Red Sox, and Mary Gaynor (1881-1959), an Irish-born American film actress who appeared in numerous silent films in the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gaynor families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gaynor 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 134 Gaynors recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.64x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 134 3.64x
Yorkshire 39 1.27x
Durham 32 3.47x
Middlesex 20 0.64x
Surrey 20 1.32x
Ayrshire 11 4.74x
Cheshire 9 1.31x
Midlothian 8 1.93x
Sussex 8 1.53x
Northumberland 5 1.08x
Devon 4 0.62x
Warwickshire 4 0.51x
Kent 3 0.28x
Leicestershire 3 0.87x
Staffordshire 3 0.29x
Cornwall 2 0.57x
Gloucestershire 2 0.33x
Hampshire 2 0.31x
Berkshire 1 0.43x
Essex 1 0.16x
Lanarkshire 1 0.10x
Lincolnshire 1 0.20x
Norfolk 1 0.21x
Northamptonshire 1 0.34x
Royal Navy 1 2.71x
Somerset 1 0.20x
Worcestershire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 36 Gaynors recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.10x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 36 16.10x
Ryton 19 586.42x
Burnley 15 48.39x
Dailly 11 464.14x
Manchester 10 6.04x
Blackburn 8 8.17x
Winlaton 8 90.40x
Doncaster 7 31.17x
Northowram 7 32.48x
Paddington London 7 6.14x
Sheffield 7 7.15x
Stretford 7 34.57x
Bermondsey 6 6.50x
Chadderton 6 33.35x
Kirkdale 6 9.69x
Southcoates 6 35.17x
Wigan 6 11.66x
Garston 5 46.04x
Lambeth 5 1.85x
Openshaw 5 29.00x
Stannington 5 454.55x
Willesden 5 17.10x
Birkenhead 4 7.33x
Bradford 4 5.38x
Brighton 4 3.79x
Clapham 4 10.31x
Edinburgh Canongate 4 37.81x
Kensington London 4 2.32x
Liscard 4 32.41x
Stoke Damerel 4 8.85x
Thornaby 4 34.81x
Ashton In Makerfield 3 28.63x
Birmingham 3 1.15x
Bishopwearmouth 3 3.79x
Bury 3 7.13x
Gillingham 3 13.75x
Hulme 3 3.90x
Humberstone 3 106.01x
Newchurch 3 9.96x
Oldham 3 2.53x
Ardwick 2 6.02x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 1.20x
Everton 2 1.70x
Halifax 2 4.43x
Hammersmith London 2 2.62x
Ince In Makerfield 2 11.68x
Lichfield St Mary 2 66.23x
Pennington In Leigh 2 28.33x
Portsea 2 1.61x
Richmond 2 9.44x
Sithney 2 56.34x
South Leith 2 4.28x
Stapleton 2 17.33x
Aston 1 0.46x
Binfield 1 55.87x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 3.42x
Elvet 1 15.02x
Gorton 1 2.89x
Great Yarmouth 1 2.53x
Habergham Eaves 1 2.97x
Hastings St Mary In The 1 8.96x
Heaton Norris 1 4.77x
Hove 1 4.36x
Kellington 1 303.03x
Kings Norton 1 2.75x
Kingston On Thames 1 2.75x
Lanark 1 12.39x
Lichfield St Michael 1 30.40x
Long Ditton 1 40.49x
Northampton St Sepulchre 1 6.74x
Royal Navy 1 3.16x
South Shoebury 1 40.65x
St Pancras London 1 0.40x
Subdeanery 1 25.19x
Usworth 1 20.41x
Walton On Hill 1 5.02x
West Derby 1 0.93x
Westminster St James 1 3.14x
Willingham 1 204.08x
York Holy Trinity 1 37.59x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 31
Ellen 14
Catherine 13
Ann 11
Elizabeth 11
Margaret 9
Sarah 9
Bridget 6
Jane 6
Alice 4
Annie 3
Emily 3
Isabella 3
Louisa 3
Maria 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Beatrice 2
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Esther 2
Frances 2
Julia 2
Amy 1
Anne 1
Barbara 1
Caroline 1
Cathe. 1
Clara 1
Dora 1
Dorreter 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Harriett 1
Johana 1
Johanna 1
Kate 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Marcella 1
Martha 1
Maryan 1
Rose 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Gaynor surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gaynor surname in 1881?

In 1881, 322 people were recorded with the Gaynor surname. That placed it at #9,262 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gaynor surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,220 in 2016. That gives Gaynor a modern rank of #4,880.

What does the Gaynor surname mean?

A surname of Welsh origin derived from the given name Einior, Eignon, or Geinor, meaning "anvil" or "engineer."

What does the Gaynor map show?

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