NameCensus.

UK surname

Gelder

A habitational surname derived from a location called Gelder.

In the 1881 census there were 832 people recorded with the Gelder surname, ranking it #4,530 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,216, ranked #4,893, down from #4,530 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Halifax, Silkstone and Luddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dudley, Wakefield and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gelder is 1,305 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 46.2%.

1881 census count

832

Ranked #4,530

Modern count

1,216

2016, ranked #4,893

Peak year

1998

1,305 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gelder had 832 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,530 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,216 in 2016, ranked #4,893.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,079 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Gelder surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gelder surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gelder 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 451 #5,469
1861 historical 388 #6,602
1881 historical 832 #4,530
1891 historical 795 #5,059
1901 historical 932 #5,007
1911 historical 1,079 #4,300
1997 modern 1,265 #4,504
1998 modern 1,305 #4,553
1999 modern 1,304 #4,588
2000 modern 1,297 #4,586
2001 modern 1,267 #4,588
2002 modern 1,287 #4,614
2003 modern 1,224 #4,723
2004 modern 1,234 #4,692
2005 modern 1,229 #4,663
2006 modern 1,205 #4,753
2007 modern 1,206 #4,795
2008 modern 1,210 #4,810
2009 modern 1,218 #4,881
2010 modern 1,271 #4,806
2011 modern 1,242 #4,849
2012 modern 1,261 #4,692
2013 modern 1,259 #4,794
2014 modern 1,252 #4,842
2015 modern 1,241 #4,830
2016 modern 1,216 #4,893

Geography

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Where Gelders are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Halifax, Silkstone, Luddington, Pontefract and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dudley, Wakefield, East Riding of Yorkshire and West Lindsey. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Silkstone Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Luddington Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Pontefract Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dudley 004 Dudley
2 Wakefield 026 Wakefield
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 041 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 West Lindsey 007 West Lindsey
5 Wakefield 022 Wakefield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gelder

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gelder

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Gelder surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Gelder household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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, Gelder 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

Gelder is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Gelder

The surname Gelder is of Dutch and Flemish origin, derived from the Middle Dutch word "ghelder," meaning "barren" or "sterile." It likely originated in the Netherlands and Flanders region during the medieval period.

In the early days, the name Gelder may have been an occupational surname given to farmers or landowners whose land was particularly infertile or barren. It could also have been a descriptive nickname for someone living in an area with poor soil conditions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gelder can be found in the Bruges registry of 1375, which mentions a Willem Ghelder. Other early mentions include Jan Ghelder in the Leiden records of 1407 and Heinric Ghelder in the Dordrecht archives from 1438.

The name Gelder has also been associated with various place names throughout the Netherlands and Flanders. For instance, the town of Geldrop in the province of North Brabant, Netherlands, derives its name from the combination of "gelder" and "op," meaning "barren area."

Among notable individuals bearing the surname Gelder, one can mention Arent de Gelder (1645-1727), a Dutch Golden Age painter known for his portraits and genre scenes. Another prominent figure was Jasper Gelder (1789-1852), a Dutch politician and lawyer who served as the mayor of Rotterdam from 1848 to 1852.

In the realm of literature, Theodoor van der Gelder (1873-1944) was a Dutch poet and writer famous for his contributions to the Tachtigers movement. Likewise, Pieter Jan Gelder (1744-1812) was a celebrated Dutch orientalist and scholar of Persian and Arabic languages.

Moving to more recent times, Cees Gelder (1899-1972) was a Dutch football player who represented the Netherlands national team in the 1920s and played professionally for various clubs, including Ajax Amsterdam.

It's worth noting that the surname Gelder has undergone various spelling variations over time, such as Ghelder, van Gelder, and de Gelder, reflecting regional dialects and naming conventions in different parts of the Low Countries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gelder families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gelder 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. Yorkshire leads with 640 Gelders recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.98x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 640 7.98x
Lincolnshire 57 4.40x
Lancashire 52 0.54x
Northamptonshire 13 1.71x
Norfolk 10 0.80x
Kent 8 0.29x
Surrey 8 0.20x
Durham 7 0.29x
Staffordshire 7 0.26x
Westmorland 6 3.37x
Essex 5 0.31x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.37x
Derbyshire 3 0.24x
Middlesex 3 0.04x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.41x
Cheshire 2 0.11x
Hampshire 1 0.06x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.62x
Northumberland 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barnsley in Yorkshire leads with 62 Gelders recorded in 1881 and an index of 74.92x.

Place Total Index
Barnsley 62 74.92x
Northowram 50 88.87x
Leeds 46 10.15x
Pontefract 32 185.19x
Blackburn 21 8.22x
Bradford 21 10.81x
Luddington 19 1151.52x
Almondbury 18 46.39x
Salford 17 6.02x
Stainbrough 17 1140.94x
Huddersfield 15 12.83x
Ardsley 14 151.35x
Hunslet 14 11.19x
Dodworth 13 156.06x
Sheffield 13 5.09x
Sturton Bransby 13 726.26x
West Clayton 12 301.51x
Whiston 11 284.97x
Fakenham 10 163.13x
Lockwood 10 34.64x
Sutton Stoneferry 10 43.55x
Warmington 10 523.56x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 9 24.15x
Wortley In Bramley 9 14.16x
Armley 8 22.61x
Manningham 8 8.09x
Shipley 8 19.21x
Shitlington 8 96.39x
Spofforth Cum Stockeld 8 629.92x
Worsbrough 8 34.03x
Wressell 8 769.23x
Barnby On Don 7 457.52x
Bentley Cum Arksey 7 167.06x
Brinsworth 7 188.17x
Darlaston 7 18.53x
Farnley Tyas 7 411.76x
Gillingham 7 12.29x
Halifax 7 5.94x
Holy Trinity 7 3.63x
Shepley 7 158.37x
Swinefleet 7 202.31x
Winterton 7 157.30x
Althorpe 6 203.39x
Crowle 6 76.14x
Gateshead 6 3.33x
Morley 6 14.39x
Rawmarsh 6 21.17x
Appleby St Michael 5 125.00x
Bingley 5 9.78x
Camberwell 5 0.97x
Coleby West Halton 5 724.64x
Dewsbury 5 6.08x
Gilberdike Bishopsoil 5 438.60x
Headingley Cum Burley 5 9.68x
Hipperholme Cum 5 14.18x
Ingbirchworth 5 537.63x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 5 17.45x
Rotherham 5 11.05x
Swinton In Rotherham 5 23.56x
York St Mary 5 15.05x
Barmby On Marsh 4 465.12x
Castleford 4 13.69x
Conisbrough 4 53.12x
Dalton In Huddersfield 4 22.26x
Everton 4 1.31x
Holbeck 4 7.53x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 4 19.76x
Monk Bretton 4 49.26x
Roxby Cum Risby 4 344.83x
Rusholme 4 15.61x
Ryhill 4 181.82x
Scriven Cum Tentergate 4 134.68x
Southcoates 4 8.98x
Walthamstow 4 6.95x
East Markham 3 144.23x
Eccleshill 3 15.36x
Habergham Eaves 3 3.42x
Newington 3 1.00x
Polebrook 3 240.00x
Walkington 3 110.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 53
Sarah 43
Ann 32
Elizabeth 26
Annie 18
Hannah 17
Ellen 15
Jane 14
Alice 11
Ada 10
Eliza 10
Emma 9
Emily 7
Harriet 7
Edith 5
Fanny 5
Florence 5
Martha 5
Rachel 5
Esther 4
Gertrude 4
Louisa 4
Lucy 4
Margaret 4
Maria 4
Rebecca 4
Anne 3
Bertha 3
Clara 3
Laura 3
Rose 3
Betsy 2
Charlotte 2
Evelyn 2
Frances 2
Georgina 2
Henrietta 2
Kate 2
Malinda 2
Minnie 2
Nancy 2
Selina 2
Betty 1
Caroline 1
Emm 1
Evelena 1
Jennett 1
Jessey 1
Jessie 1
Zilpah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 50
William 49
George 42
Thomas 22
James 16
Joseph 15
Henry 12
Charles 11
Arthur 10
Edward 10
Edwin 10
Fred 10
Alfred 9
Frederick 8
Walter 8
Robert 6
Tom 6
Benjamin 5
Frank 5
Herbert 5
Samuel 5
Albert 4
Geo. 4
Harry 4
Joe 4
Wm. 4
Edmund 3
Ernest 3
Jno. 3
Jonathan 3
Thos. 3
Wilfred 3
Francis 2
Joshua 2
Michael 2
Richard 2
Robt. 2
Sam 2
Ben 1
Christopher 1
Clifford 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Fred. 1
Fredk. 1
Guess 1
Josh. 1
Leonard 1
Luke 1
Wm.C. 1

FAQ

Gelder surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gelder surname in 1881?

In 1881, 832 people were recorded with the Gelder surname. That placed it at #4,530 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gelder surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,216 in 2016. That gives Gelder a modern rank of #4,893.

What does the Gelder surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a location called Gelder.

What does the Gelder map show?

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