NameCensus.

UK surname

Gemmill

A Scottish surname derived from an old Scots phrase meaning "mill keeper" or "miller."

In the 1881 census there were 437 people recorded with the Gemmill surname, ranking it #7,472 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 337, ranked #13,552, down from #7,472 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Fenwick, Govan Combination and Dundonald. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Epping Forest, Uttlesford and Chelmsford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gemmill is 437 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 22.9%.

1881 census count

437

Ranked #7,472

Modern count

337

2016, ranked #13,552

Peak year

1881

437 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gemmill had 437 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,472 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 337 in 2016, ranked #13,552.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 437 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Gemmill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gemmill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gemmill 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 258 #8,568
1861 historical 377 #6,777
1881 historical 437 #7,472
1891 historical 349 #9,857
1901 historical 285 #12,063
1911 historical 53 #27,508
1997 modern 303 #13,433
1998 modern 331 #13,018
1999 modern 324 #13,288
2000 modern 328 #13,129
2001 modern 327 #12,970
2002 modern 312 #13,639
2003 modern 323 #13,161
2004 modern 326 #13,122
2005 modern 318 #13,302
2006 modern 300 #13,911
2007 modern 314 #13,618
2008 modern 324 #13,437
2009 modern 344 #13,138
2010 modern 340 #13,498
2011 modern 336 #13,498
2012 modern 326 #13,691
2013 modern 324 #13,961
2014 modern 339 #13,581
2015 modern 331 #13,739
2016 modern 337 #13,552

Geography

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Where Gemmills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Fenwick, Govan Combination, Dundonald, West Kilbride and Dunlop. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Epping Forest, Uttlesford, Chelmsford, St Edmundsbury and Holytown. 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 Fenwick Ayr
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Dundonald Ayr
4 West Kilbride Ayr
5 Dunlop Ayr

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Epping Forest 003 Epping Forest
2 Uttlesford 006 Uttlesford
3 Chelmsford 011 Chelmsford
4 St Edmundsbury 010 St Edmundsbury
5 Holytown North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gemmill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gemmill

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Gemmill surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Gemmill household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Gemmill is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gemmill 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

Gemmill falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gemmill 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 Gemmill, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Gemmill

The surname Gemmill originated from Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is a territorial name derived from the lands of Gemmills, located near the town of Beith, in Ayrshire. The name is believed to have come from the Gaelic words "gamhuinn" meaning "a stout little cow" and "ail" meaning "rock or rocky place," suggesting that the name referred to a rocky area where stout little cows grazed.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Gemmill can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which list individuals who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "Gemill" in these rolls. Another early record is the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1366, which mention a "William de Gemmyll" as a landowner in Ayrshire.

In the 16th century, the spelling of the name evolved into its modern form, "Gemmill." Records from this period include a mention of a John Gemmill, who was a burgess of Glasgow in 1587. Another notable individual was Robert Gemmill, who was a minister in Stirling in the 1600s.

During the 17th century, the Gemmills were a prominent family in Ayrshire, with several members holding positions of importance. One such individual was John Gemmill (c. 1640-1715), who was a Scottish writer and minister. He authored several works on religious topics and was known for his eloquent sermons.

In the 18th century, a branch of the Gemmill family emigrated to Ireland, where they settled in County Antrim. One notable member of this branch was James Gemmill (1768-1845), a Scottish-Irish Presbyterian minister who was involved in the establishment of several churches in Ulster.

The 19th century saw the spread of the Gemmill name to various parts of the world due to emigration. One notable figure from this period was Robert Gemmill (1813-1887), a Scottish-Australian explorer and surveyor who played a significant role in the exploration and mapping of Western Australia.

Other notable individuals with the surname Gemmill throughout history include:

1. Frederick Gemmill (1867-1930), a British writer and journalist who wrote extensively about the British Empire. 2. Jane Gemmill (1910-1999), a Scottish artist known for her landscape paintings and portraits. 3. William Gemmill (1837-1919), a Scottish-American businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of St. Louis, Missouri. 4. Peter Gemmill (1923-2003), a Scottish football player who played for Rangers F.C. and the Scottish national team. 5. Euan Gemmill (born 1977), a Scottish cricket player who represented Scotland in international competitions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gemmill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gemmill 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. Ayrshire leads with 143 Gemmills recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.82x.

County Total Index
Ayrshire 143 44.82x
Lanarkshire 137 9.94x
Renfrewshire 92 27.85x
Midlothian 19 3.33x
Dunbartonshire 14 12.22x
Durham 9 0.71x
Clackmannanshire 6 17.04x
Buteshire 4 15.49x
Perthshire 3 1.57x
Wigtownshire 2 3.53x
Argyllshire 1 0.84x
Devon 1 0.11x
Lancashire 1 0.02x
Middlesex 1 0.02x
Roxburghshire 1 1.30x
Stirlingshire 1 0.64x
Surrey 1 0.05x
Warwickshire 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. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 55 Gemmills recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.13x.

Place Total Index
Govan 55 16.13x
Barony 38 10.89x
Fenwick 28 1656.80x
Glasgow 27 11.03x
Kilmarnock 26 68.48x
West Kilbride 17 559.21x
Kilbarchan 16 159.52x
Dunlop 14 703.52x
Loudoun 13 169.49x
Paisley Middle Church 12 62.40x
Abbey 11 21.82x
Eaglesham 11 544.55x
Beith 10 105.04x
Ardrossan 9 81.52x
Cathcart 9 50.36x
Gateshead 9 9.48x
Cockpen 8 119.94x
Paisley High Church 8 30.42x
Paisley Low Church 8 76.48x
Temple 8 352.42x
Cambuslang 7 50.36x
Hamilton 7 18.21x
Riccarton 7 145.53x
Row 7 47.23x
Alloa 6 35.15x
Eastwood 6 29.48x
Mauchline 6 163.49x
Old Kilpatrick 6 44.31x
Dundonald 5 42.52x
East Greenock 4 12.82x
Rothesay 4 31.97x
Sorn 4 63.80x
Inverkip 3 38.51x
New Monkland 3 7.36x
Perth East Church 3 16.63x
West Greenock 3 5.06x
Bonhill 1 5.44x
Edgbaston 1 3.00x
Edinburgh St Marys 1 9.01x
Exeter St Thomas The 1 11.05x
Hawick 1 5.79x
Inveresk 1 6.47x
Irvine 1 11.29x
Kilcalmonell 1 37.17x
Kilmalcolm 1 25.25x
Kirkmaiden 1 27.93x
Lambeth 1 0.27x
Liberton 1 11.34x
Maybole 1 10.30x
Newton On Ayr 1 10.47x
Paddington London 1 0.64x
Salford 1 0.67x
Stewarton 1 15.85x
Stirling 1 5.05x
Stoneykirk 1 24.69x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emma 2
Isabella 1
Lucinder 1
Margaret 1
Rhoda 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2
George 1
James 1
Peter 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1
William 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 Gemmill households.

FAQ

Gemmill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gemmill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 437 people were recorded with the Gemmill surname. That placed it at #7,472 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gemmill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 337 in 2016. That gives Gemmill a modern rank of #13,552.

What does the Gemmill surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from an old Scots phrase meaning "mill keeper" or "miller."

What does the Gemmill map show?

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