NameCensus.

UK surname

Gent

An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a common pasture or heath.

In the 1881 census there were 2,565 people recorded with the Gent surname, ranking it #1,743 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,583, ranked #1,893, down from #1,743 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wellingborough, Normanton, South and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Wellingborough and Ashfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gent is 3,866 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.7%.

1881 census count

2,565

Ranked #1,743

Modern count

3,583

2016, ranked #1,893

Peak year

1999

3,866 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gent had 2,565 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,743 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,583 in 2016, ranked #1,893.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,692 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gent surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gent surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gent 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 1,662 #1,731
1861 historical 1,565 #1,821
1881 historical 2,565 #1,743
1891 historical 2,773 #1,701
1901 historical 3,258 #1,709
1911 historical 3,692 #1,407
1997 modern 3,675 #1,765
1998 modern 3,850 #1,750
1999 modern 3,866 #1,761
2000 modern 3,801 #1,779
2001 modern 3,744 #1,760
2002 modern 3,770 #1,800
2003 modern 3,677 #1,805
2004 modern 3,624 #1,825
2005 modern 3,579 #1,825
2006 modern 3,569 #1,828
2007 modern 3,562 #1,852
2008 modern 3,539 #1,874
2009 modern 3,614 #1,886
2010 modern 3,701 #1,877
2011 modern 3,648 #1,882
2012 modern 3,600 #1,868
2013 modern 3,665 #1,873
2014 modern 3,657 #1,886
2015 modern 3,600 #1,891
2016 modern 3,583 #1,893

Geography

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Where Gents are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wellingborough, Normanton, South, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Wellingborough, Ashfield, Newark and Sherwood and Amber Valley. 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 Wellingborough Northamptonshire
2 Normanton, South Nottinghamshire
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 045 County Durham
2 Wellingborough 008 Wellingborough
3 Ashfield 009 Ashfield
4 Newark and Sherwood 003 Newark and Sherwood
5 Amber Valley 005 Amber Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gent

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gent

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Gent surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Gent household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Gent is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Gent 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

Gent falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gent

The surname Gent is of English origin and has its roots in the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "gent," meaning people or individuals, which in turn comes from the Latin word "gens," meaning race or clan. The name likely originated as a descriptive surname, referring to someone who was considered part of the gentry or upper class.

In its earliest recorded uses, the name appeared in various spellings such as Gente, Gente, and Gent. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1176, where a person named William Gent is mentioned.

The name Gent also appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were a census-like record of landowners in medieval England. This suggests that some individuals bearing the name were landowners or part of the local gentry during that time period.

Over the centuries, the surname Gent has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest recorded examples is Sir Thomas Gent (c. 1480-1549), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII. Another early bearer of the name was William Gent (c. 1535-1609), an English botanist and writer who published one of the earliest treatises on gardening.

In the 17th century, Thomas Gent (1693-1778) was a prominent printer and author in York, England, known for his works on local history and antiquities. A century later, Edward Gent (1795-1844) was a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812.

Moving into more recent history, Sir Alfred Gent (1862-1936) was a British businessman and philanthropist who founded the electrical engineering company, GEC (General Electric Company), which later became part of the multinational corporation, Marconi.

Throughout its long history, the surname Gent has been associated with various place names and geographical locations in England, such as Gent in Shropshire and Gent's Hill in Lincolnshire, possibly reflecting areas where early bearers of the name resided or held land.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gent families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gent 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. Lancashire leads with 366 Gents recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.23x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 366 1.23x
Durham 201 2.69x
Nottinghamshire 186 5.50x
Derbyshire 182 4.64x
Norfolk 167 4.33x
Middlesex 148 0.59x
Yorkshire 141 0.57x
Leicestershire 139 5.00x
Northamptonshire 127 5.38x
Surrey 117 0.96x
Sussex 103 2.44x
Devon 98 1.88x
Staffordshire 78 0.92x
Warwickshire 68 1.08x
Lincolnshire 66 1.65x
Cambridgeshire 62 3.90x
Somerset 48 1.19x
Kent 37 0.43x
Northumberland 35 0.94x
Cheshire 28 0.51x
Cornwall 24 0.85x
Suffolk 23 0.75x
Essex 20 0.40x
Gloucestershire 15 0.30x
Dorset 14 0.85x
Glamorgan 11 0.25x
Hertfordshire 11 0.64x
Buckinghamshire 10 0.66x
Hampshire 8 0.16x
Midlothian 7 0.21x
Worcestershire 7 0.21x
Channel Islands 6 0.81x
Berkshire 5 0.27x
Cumberland 4 0.19x
Herefordshire 3 0.29x
Shropshire 2 0.09x
Brecknockshire 1 0.20x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.18x
Monmouthshire 1 0.06x
Royal Navy 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chorley in Lancashire leads with 119 Gents recorded in 1881 and an index of 71.26x.

Place Total Index
Chorley 119 71.26x
Wellingborough 65 54.80x
Lambeth 41 1.87x
South Normanton 41 148.66x
Burbage 40 275.48x
Pinxton 39 195.39x
Adlington 33 118.41x
Great Torrington 31 104.73x
Bulwell 29 39.46x
Brightside Bierlow 28 5.74x
Codnor Park 28 304.02x
Croydon 27 3.98x
Wood Ditton 27 203.31x
Darlington 22 7.64x
Lower Beeding 22 195.73x
Selston 22 58.26x
Islington London 21 0.86x
Preston 21 2.64x
Antony 20 72.94x
Aston 20 1.15x
Great Bolton 19 4.82x
Wolferton 19 1194.97x
Bishop Auckland 18 17.98x
Leicester St Mary 18 8.01x
Nottingham St Mary 18 2.06x
Paddington London 17 1.84x
Gainford 16 207.79x
Ilkeston 16 14.53x
Leicester St Margaret 16 2.36x
Fulmodestone Cum Croxton 15 483.87x
Holbeach 15 33.59x
St Pancras London 15 0.74x
Terrington St Clement 15 86.11x
West Ham 15 1.37x
Chesterton 14 28.58x
Downham Market 14 52.85x
Manchester 14 1.05x
Sheepshed 14 36.74x
Arundel 13 54.90x
Cockerton 13 54.33x
Congleton 13 13.59x
Eldon 13 109.98x
Middlesbrough 13 4.02x
Northampton Priory St 13 9.18x
Sherborne 13 26.82x
Alfreton 12 10.06x
Aller 12 295.57x
Barnard Castle 12 32.54x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 12 10.37x
Lenton 12 15.07x
Pentrich 12 54.30x
Stranton 12 4.78x
West Rudham 12 295.57x
Kirkby In Ashfield 11 30.42x
Leeds 11 0.78x
Plymouth St Andrew 11 2.74x
St George Hanover Square 11 2.49x
Whittle Le Woods 11 111.56x
Averham 10 709.22x
Bedminster 10 2.64x
Bishops Tawton 10 61.39x
Bishopwearmouth 10 1.56x
Brighton 10 1.17x
Burton Upon Trent 10 5.05x
Feltwell 10 133.69x
Northampton St Giles 10 11.13x
Sadberge 10 313.48x
South Gosforth 10 230.41x
Sunderland 10 7.59x
Tudhoe 10 15.32x
Windle 10 5.97x
Blackburn 9 1.14x
Bleasby 9 354.33x
Deptford St Paul 9 1.36x
Dyrham Hinton 9 261.63x
Kingston On Thames 9 3.07x
Long Eaton 9 17.36x
Nether Seal 9 184.05x
Sheffield 9 1.14x
St Giles Cambridge 9 43.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 169
Elizabeth 105
Sarah 96
Ann 66
Eliza 51
Alice 46
Jane 42
Hannah 36
Annie 35
Emma 34
Martha 32
Ellen 31
Emily 23
Margaret 22
Agnes 16
Charlotte 16
Ada 15
Florence 15
Fanny 14
Harriet 13
Louisa 13
Lucy 12
Clara 11
Edith 11
Kate 11
Maria 11
Caroline 10
Catherine 10
Esther 10
Ethel 10
Frances 10
Harriett 10
Anne 8
Elizth. 7
Amelia 6
Isabella 6
Jessie 6
Matilda 6
Rose 6
Susan 6
Susannah 6
Bertha 5
Eleanor 5
Lydia 5
Rebecca 5
Amy 4
Flora 4
Grace 4
Lilian 4
Minnie 4

Top male names

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

FAQ

Gent surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gent surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,565 people were recorded with the Gent surname. That placed it at #1,743 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gent surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,583 in 2016. That gives Gent a modern rank of #1,893.

What does the Gent surname mean?

An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a common pasture or heath.

What does the Gent map show?

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