NameCensus.

UK surname

Geater

English surname derived from an obsolete term meaning "gatekeeper" or "guard".

In the 1881 census there were 115 people recorded with the Geater surname, ranking it #18,230 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 236, ranked #17,470, up from #18,230 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Newbury and Leiston with Sizewell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bristol, Suffolk Coastal and West Berkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Geater is 285 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 105.2%.

1881 census count

115

Ranked #18,230

Modern count

236

2016, ranked #17,470

Peak year

1998

285 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Geater had 115 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,230 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 236 in 2016, ranked #17,470.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 230 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Geater surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Geater surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Geater 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 70 #21,020
1861 historical 122 #18,036
1881 historical 115 #18,230
1891 historical 176 #16,404
1901 historical 228 #13,929
1911 historical 230 #13,686
1997 modern 276 #14,290
1998 modern 285 #14,351
1999 modern 281 #14,578
2000 modern 283 #14,488
2001 modern 273 #14,614
2002 modern 279 #14,693
2003 modern 273 #14,715
2004 modern 272 #14,843
2005 modern 255 #15,437
2006 modern 258 #15,402
2007 modern 260 #15,476
2008 modern 261 #15,597
2009 modern 273 #15,436
2010 modern 278 #15,567
2011 modern 275 #15,517
2012 modern 253 #16,377
2013 modern 255 #16,551
2014 modern 249 #16,954
2015 modern 237 #17,413
2016 modern 236 #17,470

Geography

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Where Geaters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Newbury, Leiston with Sizewell, London parishes and Theberton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bristol, Suffolk Coastal, West Berkshire and Reading. 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 Newbury Berkshire
3 Leiston with Sizewell Suffolk
4 London parishes London 3
5 Theberton Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bristol 008 Bristol, City of
2 Suffolk Coastal 004 Suffolk Coastal
3 West Berkshire 004 West Berkshire
4 Reading 006 Reading
5 West Berkshire 013 West Berkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Geater

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Geater

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Geater, 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 Geater surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Geater 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Geater is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Geater is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Geater falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Geater is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Geater

The surname Geater originated in England, with its earliest known records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be a variant spelling of the occupational surname "Gater," derived from the Old English word "geat," meaning "gate," likely referring to a gatekeeper or someone who lived near a gate.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Geater surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, a census-like record from 1273, which mentions a "William le Gater." This suggests that the name was already established in parts of England by the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the Geater surname appeared in various historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a "John le Gater" was listed. The name was also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379, indicating its spread across different regions of England.

During the 16th century, the surname Geater began to appear in its more modern spelling. One notable individual from this period was William Geater, a yeoman from Gloucestershire, who was mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1524.

In the 17th century, the surname Geater continued to be recorded in various parish records and legal documents. One example is John Geater, a merchant from London, who was mentioned in the Court of Orphans records in 1677.

The 18th century saw the emergence of several notable individuals bearing the Geater surname. One such person was Thomas Geater (1701-1778), a clergyman and author from Suffolk, who wrote several religious works and served as the vicar of Chediston.

Another prominent figure was Sir William Geater (1735-1812), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. He rose to the rank of Admiral and was knighted for his distinguished service.

In the 19th century, the Geater surname continued to be found across England. One individual of note was John Geater (1828-1901), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Somerset, who founded the Geater Almshouses in Shepton Mallet to provide housing for the poor and elderly.

Throughout history, the Geater surname has also been associated with various place names and locations in England, such as Geater's Green in Buckinghamshire and Geater's Farm in Gloucestershire, further solidifying its English origins and historical presence.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Geater families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Geater 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. Berkshire leads with 22 Geaters recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.13x.

County Total Index
Berkshire 22 26.13x
Suffolk 20 14.64x
Aberdeenshire 18 17.32x
Lancashire 12 0.90x
Sussex 10 5.29x
Middlesex 9 0.80x
Surrey 9 1.65x
Gloucestershire 7 3.18x
Warwickshire 5 1.77x
Kent 1 0.26x
Worcestershire 1 0.68x
Yorkshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen St Nicholas in Aberdeenshire leads with 13 Geaters recorded in 1881 and an index of 66.87x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen St Nicholas 13 66.87x
Newbury 13 481.48x
Ardwick 9 74.94x
Islington London 8 7.36x
Theberton 8 3478.26x
Middleton 7 3684.21x
Penge 7 97.63x
Westbury On Trym 6 80.54x
Aberdeen Old Machar 5 23.05x
Aston 5 6.42x
Frant 5 373.13x
Cookham 4 152.09x
Blackburn 3 8.47x
Brighton 3 7.86x
Reading St Giles 3 36.32x
Reading St Mary 2 29.67x
Streatham 2 24.04x
Yoxford 2 487.80x
Bristol St John Baptist 1 500.00x
Great Malvern 1 32.68x
Greenwich 1 5.60x
Hove 1 12.05x
Ipswich St Mary At Tower 1 333.33x
Ipswich St Peter 1 54.35x
Leeds 1 1.59x
Rotherfield 1 59.88x
Shoreditch London 1 2.06x
Westerfield 1 769.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 12
Sarah 5
Alice 3
Charlotte 2
Emily 2
Florence 2
Jane 2
Martha 2
Mary 2
Susan 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Beatrice 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Katherine 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Rosa 1
Rose 1
Selinda 1
William 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 7
William 5
Alfred 4
John 4
Albert 3
Henry 3
David 2
James 2
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Danl. 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Fredric 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hezekiah 1
Shadrach 1
Sidney 1
Thomas 1
Thos.Saml. 1

FAQ

Geater surname: questions and answers

How common was the Geater surname in 1881?

In 1881, 115 people were recorded with the Geater surname. That placed it at #18,230 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Geater surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 236 in 2016. That gives Geater a modern rank of #17,470.

What does the Geater surname mean?

English surname derived from an obsolete term meaning "gatekeeper" or "guard".

What does the Geater map show?

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