NameCensus.

UK surname

Gellatly

A Scottish surname derived from a place name, possibly related to the Gaelic "gille Laidhe" meaning "servant of Laidhe".

In the 1881 census there were 412 people recorded with the Gellatly surname, ranking it #7,814 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 467, ranked #10,522, down from #7,814 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Alyth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ardler and St Marys, Linlathen and Midcraigie and Blairgowrie West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gellatly is 528 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.3%.

1881 census count

412

Ranked #7,814

Modern count

467

2016, ranked #10,522

Peak year

1901

528 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gellatly had 412 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,814 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 467 in 2016, ranked #10,522.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 528 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Gellatly surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gellatly surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gellatly 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 284 #7,977
1861 historical 292 #8,626
1881 historical 412 #7,814
1891 historical 445 #8,134
1901 historical 528 #7,740
1911 historical 83 #24,531
1997 modern 419 #10,625
1998 modern 454 #10,338
1999 modern 454 #10,380
2000 modern 438 #10,669
2001 modern 429 #10,634
2002 modern 444 #10,553
2003 modern 444 #10,393
2004 modern 454 #10,229
2005 modern 456 #10,111
2006 modern 447 #10,289
2007 modern 461 #10,153
2008 modern 462 #10,223
2009 modern 467 #10,372
2010 modern 480 #10,353
2011 modern 464 #10,524
2012 modern 454 #10,588
2013 modern 458 #10,694
2014 modern 463 #10,659
2015 modern 458 #10,678
2016 modern 467 #10,522

Geography

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Where Gellatlys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Alyth, Brechin and Perth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ardler and St Marys, Linlathen and Midcraigie, Blairgowrie West, Dairsie Ceres and Dunino and Stobswell. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Edinburgh Edinburgh
2 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
3 Alyth Perth
4 Brechin Forfar
5 Perth Perth

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ardler and St Marys Dundee City
2 Linlathen and Midcraigie Dundee City
3 Blairgowrie West Perth and Kinross
4 Dairsie Ceres and Dunino Fife
5 Stobswell Dundee City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gellatly

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gellatly

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Gellatly is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Gellatly 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

Gellatly 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 Gellatly is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gellatly

The surname Gellatly is of Scottish origin, originating from the Galloway region in southwestern Scotland. It is thought to be derived from the Gaelic words "geal" meaning "bright" or "white" and "ath" meaning "ford" or "stream." The name is believed to have originated from a specific location, perhaps referring to a bright or white stream or a ford near a stream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gellatly appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name is listed as "William de Gellatlye" in this historical document, suggesting the presence of the name in Scotland during the late 13th century.

In the 16th century, the name Gellatly is found in various records from the Scottish Borders region, including the Privy Council Registers and the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland. These records mention individuals with the surname Gellatly holding land or involved in legal disputes.

Notable individuals with the surname Gellatly include: 1. John Gellatly (1853-1914), a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. 2. Sir Walter Gellatly (1892-1971), a British civil servant and diplomat who served as Governor of Southern Rhodesia from 1946 to 1954. 3. James Gellatly (1907-1983), a Scottish footballer who played for Aberdeen F.C. and the Scotland national team in the 1930s. 4. David Gellatly (1943-2005), a Scottish actor known for his roles in films like "Trainspotting" and television series like "Taggart." 5. Robert Gellatly (1866-1942), a Scottish-born American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Gellatly Nut Company in Washington.

The name Gellatly has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Gellatly Burn, a stream in the Scottish Borders region, and Gellatly Hill, a hill near the town of Moffat in Dumfries and Galloway.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gellatly families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gellatly 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. Angus leads with 167 Gellatlys recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.96x.

County Total Index
Angus 167 44.96x
Perthshire 137 76.14x
Midlothian 25 4.66x
Lanarkshire 16 1.23x
Middlesex 13 0.32x
Renfrewshire 10 3.22x
Fife 7 2.95x
Essex 6 0.76x
Kent 4 0.29x
Stirlingshire 4 2.71x
West Lothian 4 6.63x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.81x
East Lothian 3 5.65x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.79x
Dunbartonshire 2 1.86x
Cheshire 1 0.11x
Derbyshire 1 0.16x
Dumfriesshire 1 1.13x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 1.72x
Northumberland 1 0.17x
Royal Navy 1 2.09x
Selkirkshire 1 2.76x
Warwickshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 74 Gellatlys recorded in 1881 and an index of 53.37x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 74 53.37x
Perth East Church 24 141.51x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 18 8.33x
Brechin 16 109.59x
Kinclaven 15 1829.27x
Blairgowrie 13 182.58x
Forfar 13 64.64x
Monifieth 12 91.46x
Liff Benvie 11 19.51x
Perth West Church 11 128.81x
Methven 10 378.79x
Tibbermore 10 387.60x
Eastwood 9 47.05x
Longforgan 9 354.33x
Monikie 9 461.54x
Alyth 8 165.29x
Kirkmichael 8 683.76x
Auchtergaven 7 231.79x
Caputh 7 17500.00x
Perth St Pauls 7 167.87x
Glasgow 6 2.61x
Kirriemuir 6 65.50x
Loughton 6 153.45x
Glenisla 5 458.72x
Leuchars 5 166.67x
Lintrathen 5 568.18x
South Leith 5 8.27x
Willesden 5 13.23x
Dunkeld 4 800.00x
Govan 4 1.25x
Plumstead 4 8.77x
Torphichen 4 190.48x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 3 4.32x
Aberlady 3 217.39x
Larbert 3 33.94x
St Giles Cripplegate 3 56.39x
St Giles In Fields London 3 15.25x
Barony 2 0.61x
Caputh 2 70.67x
Coupar Angus 2 56.98x
Edinburgh St Stephens 2 18.92x
Kensington London 2 0.90x
Maryhill 2 7.88x
Meigle 2 149.25x
Panbride 2 103.63x
Perth Middle Church 2 29.54x
Rattray 2 47.73x
Sawston 2 81.63x
St Vigeans 2 9.98x
Annan 1 13.14x
Arbroath 1 8.12x
Auchterderran 1 16.75x
Barry 1 22.42x
Birkenhead 1 1.42x
Blantyre 1 7.41x
Collace 1 178.57x
Derby St Werburgh 1 2.76x
Dumbarton 1 6.67x
Dunblane 1 23.20x
Elswick 1 2.10x
Kilrenny 1 22.78x
Kirkcudbright 1 20.83x
Lesmahagow 1 7.29x
Little Dunkeld 1 32.79x
Old Kilpatrick 1 7.86x
Rugby 1 7.31x
Selkirk 1 9.78x
St Ninians 1 6.82x
Strathmartine 1 60.61x
West Greenock 1 1.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 4
Charles 1
David 1
Herbert 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Peter 1
Thom. 1
Walter 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 Gellatly households.

FAQ

Gellatly surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gellatly surname in 1881?

In 1881, 412 people were recorded with the Gellatly surname. That placed it at #7,814 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gellatly surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 467 in 2016. That gives Gellatly a modern rank of #10,522.

What does the Gellatly surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a place name, possibly related to the Gaelic "gille Laidhe" meaning "servant of Laidhe".

What does the Gellatly map show?

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