UK surname
A variant spelling of the English surname Gammill, likely of Anglo-Saxon origin meaning dweller near a crooked or fork-shaped hill.
In the 1881 census there were 273 people recorded with the Gemmel surname, ranking it #10,390 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 46, ranked #35,126, down from #10,390 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Bothwell, Beith and Borrowstounness and Carriden. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gemmel is 418 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 83.2%.
1881 census count
273
Ranked #10,390
Modern count
46
2016, ranked #35,126
Peak year
1851
418 bearers
Map years
5
1851 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Gemmel surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Gemmel surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 418 | #5,816 |
| 1861 | historical | 388 | #6,602 |
| 1881 | historical | 273 | #10,390 |
| 1891 | historical | 214 | #14,214 |
| 1901 | historical | 256 | #12,934 |
| 1911 | historical | 22 | #31,030 |
| 1997 | modern | 63 | #31,335 |
| 1998 | modern | 64 | #31,562 |
| 1999 | modern | 69 | #31,223 |
| 2000 | modern | 66 | #31,553 |
| 2001 | modern | 63 | #31,693 |
| 2002 | modern | 70 | #31,432 |
| 2003 | modern | 59 | #32,530 |
| 2004 | modern | 63 | #32,380 |
| 2005 | modern | 58 | #33,094 |
| 2006 | modern | 54 | #33,780 |
| 2007 | modern | 54 | #34,042 |
| 2008 | modern | 51 | #34,439 |
| 2009 | modern | 56 | #34,278 |
| 2010 | modern | 61 | #34,143 |
| 2011 | modern | 51 | #34,751 |
| 2012 | modern | 53 | #34,657 |
| 2013 | modern | 49 | #34,952 |
| 2014 | modern | 49 | #34,991 |
| 2015 | modern | 48 | #35,004 |
| 2016 | modern | 46 | #35,126 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Bothwell, Beith, Borrowstounness and Carriden, Govan Combination and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bothwell | Lanark |
| 2 | Beith | Ayr |
| 3 | Borrowstounness and Carriden | Linlithgow |
| 4 | Govan Combination | Lanark |
| 5 | Glasgow | Lanark |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Gemmel surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gemmel, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Gemmel surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Gemmel household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Gemmel is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gemmel is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Gemmel, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Gemmel originated in Scotland and is a variant spelling of the name Gemmell, which itself is believed to be derived from the Old French word "gemel," meaning "twin" or "double." This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon a pair of twins or someone who had a twin sibling.
The earliest known record of the Gemmel surname dates back to the 13th century in the Scottish county of Ayrshire. In 1296, a man named Robert Gemmyll is mentioned in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of homage rolls from Scottish nobles pledging allegiance to King Edward I of England.
Throughout the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance period, the Gemmel family held lands and estates in various parts of Scotland, particularly in the regions of Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, and Lanarkshire. The name can be found in several historical documents and records from that time, such as the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland and the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland.
One notable bearer of the Gemmel surname was John Gemmel, a Scottish merchant and burgess of Glasgow, who lived in the late 16th century. He was a prominent figure in the city's trade and civic affairs.
In the 17th century, the Gemmels were involved in the Covenanting movement, a Scottish Presbyterian movement that sought to protect the Church of Scotland from the interference of the English crown. Several members of the family, including James Gemmel and Robert Gemmel, were signatories of the National Covenant of 1638.
Another notable Gemmel was William Gemmel, a Scottish soldier and author who lived in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He served in the Wars of the Grand Alliance and the War of the Spanish Succession and wrote a memoir titled "A Journey Through the Western Islands of Scotland" in 1707.
As the Gemmel surname spread beyond Scotland, it underwent various spelling variations, including Gemmell, Gemmill, and Gemmel. The name has been found in historical records throughout the British Isles and in areas where Scottish immigrants settled, such as North America and Australia.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gemmel surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lanarkshire leads with 109 Gemmels recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.84x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lanarkshire | 109 | 12.84x |
| Ayrshire | 64 | 32.59x |
| Renfrewshire | 24 | 11.80x |
| Midlothian | 17 | 4.84x |
| West Lothian | 13 | 32.89x |
| Lancashire | 9 | 0.29x |
| Kirkcudbrightshire | 6 | 15.80x |
| Argyllshire | 5 | 6.85x |
| Angus | 4 | 1.65x |
| Dumfriesshire | 4 | 6.90x |
| Stirlingshire | 4 | 4.13x |
| Banffshire | 3 | 5.51x |
| Aberdeenshire | 2 | 0.82x |
| Inverness-shire | 1 | 1.28x |
| Middlesex | 1 | 0.04x |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 0.28x |
| Perthshire | 1 | 0.85x |
| Roxburghshire | 1 | 2.10x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 28 Gemmels recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.34x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Govan | 28 | 13.34x |
| Barony | 21 | 9.78x |
| Glasgow | 16 | 10.62x |
| Newton On Ayr | 12 | 204.08x |
| Dalmellington | 10 | 173.31x |
| Kilmarnock | 10 | 42.79x |
| Old Monkland | 10 | 29.69x |
| Bothwell | 9 | 39.11x |
| Dundonald | 9 | 124.31x |
| West Greenock | 8 | 21.92x |
| Coylton | 6 | 215.05x |
| Corstorphine | 5 | 257.73x |
| Rutherglen | 5 | 40.16x |
| Salford | 5 | 5.46x |
| West Calder | 5 | 72.15x |
| Ayr | 4 | 43.15x |
| Bathgate | 4 | 46.62x |
| Boness | 4 | 73.39x |
| East Kilbride | 4 | 110.19x |
| Eastwood | 4 | 31.95x |
| Neilston | 4 | 39.18x |
| St Ninians | 4 | 41.71x |
| Stewarton | 4 | 102.83x |
| Anwoth | 3 | 461.54x |
| Blantyre | 3 | 33.98x |
| Carmunnock | 3 | 461.54x |
| Dundee | 3 | 3.31x |
| Dunoon | 3 | 200.00x |
| Edinburgh St Cuthberts | 3 | 2.12x |
| Grange | 3 | 188.68x |
| Hamilton | 3 | 12.67x |
| Largs | 3 | 64.79x |
| Linlithgow | 3 | 59.17x |
| Paisley Middle Church | 3 | 25.34x |
| Port Glasgow | 3 | 30.52x |
| Sanquhar | 3 | 147.06x |
| Dunoon Kilmun | 2 | 35.09x |
| Kirkmabreck | 2 | 120.48x |
| Manchester | 2 | 1.43x |
| Mauchline | 2 | 88.50x |
| Shotts | 2 | 19.69x |
| Whitburn | 2 | 35.03x |
| Aberdeen Old Machar | 1 | 1.97x |
| Aberdeen St Nicholas | 1 | 2.20x |
| Beith | 1 | 17.06x |
| Cambusnethan | 1 | 5.31x |
| Dalry | 1 | 112.36x |
| Dumfries | 1 | 17.48x |
| Eaglesham | 1 | 80.00x |
| Edinburgh St Georges | 1 | 13.70x |
| Edinburgh St Stephens | 1 | 14.45x |
| Hawick | 1 | 9.40x |
| Kilbarchan | 1 | 16.18x |
| Kilwinning | 1 | 15.77x |
| Lanark | 1 | 14.64x |
| Lasswade | 1 | 12.44x |
| Lesmahagow | 1 | 11.15x |
| Liverpool | 1 | 0.53x |
| Lochee | 1 | 46.08x |
| Logie | 1 | 23.64x |
| Maryhill | 1 | 6.02x |
| Maybole | 1 | 16.72x |
| Muirkirk | 1 | 21.69x |
| New Monkland | 1 | 3.99x |
| Nottingham St Mary | 1 | 1.09x |
| Penicuik | 1 | 20.92x |
| Preston | 1 | 1.20x |
| South Uist | 1 | 18.28x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 0.47x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Gemmel surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Gemmel surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Gemmel households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 2 |
| (...) Sells Newspapers | 1 |
| Charwoman | 1 |
| Cotton Weaver | 1 |
| Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Draughtsman | 1 |
| Gentleman | 1 |
| Iron Moulder | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 273 people were recorded with the Gemmel surname. That placed it at #10,390 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 46 in 2016. That gives Gemmel a modern rank of #35,126.
A variant spelling of the English surname Gammill, likely of Anglo-Saxon origin meaning dweller near a crooked or fork-shaped hill.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Gemmel bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.