NameCensus.

UK surname

Germaine

A French surname derived from the Late Latin name "Germanus", meaning "a relative" or "sibling".

In the 1881 census there were 50 people recorded with the Germaine surname, ranking it #26,587 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 240, ranked #17,278, up from #26,587 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Cliffe, London parishes and Brighton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, Fylde and Bromley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Germaine is 262 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 380.0%.

1881 census count

50

Ranked #26,587

Modern count

240

2016, ranked #17,278

Peak year

2014

262 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Germaine had 50 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,587 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 240 in 2016, ranked #17,278.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 111 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Germaine surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Germaine surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Germaine 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 20 #29,743
1861 historical 36 #29,463
1881 historical 50 #26,587
1891 historical 99 #24,200
1901 historical 85 #24,636
1911 historical 111 #21,392
1997 modern 206 #17,315
1998 modern 210 #17,600
1999 modern 211 #17,662
2000 modern 214 #17,457
2001 modern 204 #17,736
2002 modern 202 #18,189
2003 modern 205 #17,851
2004 modern 210 #17,644
2005 modern 201 #18,080
2006 modern 212 #17,612
2007 modern 209 #17,951
2008 modern 217 #17,693
2009 modern 223 #17,735
2010 modern 224 #18,047
2011 modern 227 #17,733
2012 modern 249 #16,572
2013 modern 258 #16,421
2014 modern 262 #16,380
2015 modern 247 #16,941
2016 modern 240 #17,278

Geography

Back to top

Where Germaines are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Cliffe, London parishes, Brighton and Alne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, Fylde, Bromley, Leeds and Brent. 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 Cliffe Kent
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Brighton Sussex
5 Alne Yorkshire, North Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 034 Doncaster
2 Fylde 002 Fylde
3 Bromley 014 Bromley
4 Leeds 042 Leeds
5 Brent 030 Brent

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Germaine

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Germaine

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Germaine surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Germaine 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Germaine is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Germaine is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Germaine 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 Germaine is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Germaine

The surname Germaine is of French origin, derived from the Latin personal name "Germanus" meaning "brother" or "relative." This name was initially used as a nickname for a close friend or relative.

The earliest recorded examples of the Germaine surname can be traced back to the 12th century in various parts of France, particularly in the regions of Normandy, Brittany, and Picardy. It is believed that the name may have been adopted by families who had close connections or kinship ties with Germanic tribes or individuals during the early medieval period.

In the 13th century, the name Germaine appeared in various historical records and manuscripts, including the Cartulaire de l'abbaye de Saint-Germain-des-Prés, a collection of charters and documents related to the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris. This suggests that the surname may have been associated with individuals or families living in or around the abbey.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Germaine surname was Jean Germaine, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived in the city of Rouen, Normandy, in the late 14th century. Another notable figure was Philippe Germaine, a French explorer and navigator who accompanied Jacques Cartier on his voyages to the New World in the 16th century.

In the 17th century, the Germaine surname gained prominence through the works of the French philosopher and mathematician, René Descartes (1596-1650), who was born with the surname Descartes but later adopted the name "Renatus Cartesius," which is the Latin translation of "René Germaine."

Other notable individuals with the Germaine surname include:

1. Thomas Germaine (1673-1739), a French architect and engineer known for his contributions to the design of the Place Vendôme in Paris. 2. Sophie Germaine (1776-1831), a French mathematician and philosopher, recognized for her significant contributions to the theory of elasticity and number theory. 3. Lord George Germaine (1716-1785), a British politician and Secretary of State for the Colonies during the American Revolutionary War. 4. Lord Walter Germaine (1846-1912), a British soldier and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of British Guiana (now Guyana) from 1896 to 1901. 5. Edmond Germaine (1903-1983), a French painter and illustrator known for his portraits and landscapes.

The surname Germaine has also been associated with various place names in France, such as Germaine-la-Blanche in the department of Haute-Saône, and Germaine-sous-Coulombs in the department of Seine-et-Marne, further reinforcing its French origins and historical significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Germaine families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Germaine 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 31 Germaines recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.42x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 31 6.42x
Middlesex 10 2.05x
Gloucestershire 6 6.27x
Essex 1 1.04x
Herefordshire 1 5.00x
Kent 1 0.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 22 Germaines recorded in 1881 and an index of 80.65x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 22 80.65x
Alne 5 6250.00x
Bristol St George 4 90.50x
Mile End Old Town London 4 38.54x
Shadwell 3 1666.67x
Cheltenham 2 27.10x
Shoreditch London 2 9.46x
Clehonger 1 1428.57x
Clerkenwell London 1 8.69x
East Ham 1 55.87x
Hunslet 1 13.28x
Margate St John Baptist 1 32.79x
Paddington London 1 5.58x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 1 144.93x
St Pancras London 1 2.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Charlotte 2
Emma 2
Sarah 2
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Christiana 1
Clara 1
Elisy 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Jane 1
Margaret 1
Mary 1
Rosalia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
George 3
Thomas 3
Willm. 3
William 2
Albet 1
Alfred 1
Benjamin 1
Charles 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
James 1
Peter 1
Robert 1
Ted 1
Thos. 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 Germaine households.

FAQ

Germaine surname: questions and answers

How common was the Germaine surname in 1881?

In 1881, 50 people were recorded with the Germaine surname. That placed it at #26,587 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Germaine surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 240 in 2016. That gives Germaine a modern rank of #17,278.

What does the Germaine surname mean?

A French surname derived from the Late Latin name "Germanus", meaning "a relative" or "sibling".

What does the Germaine map show?

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