NameCensus.

UK surname

Gerrie

A surname derived from the Scottish word "gair" meaning a triangular piece of ground or land.

In the 1881 census there were 339 people recorded with the Gerrie surname, ranking it #8,948 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 403, ranked #11,815, down from #8,948 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Culsamond, Elgin and Fyvie. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Portsoy, Fordyce and Cornhill, Deer and Mormond and Clashindarroch.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gerrie is 418 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.9%.

1881 census count

339

Ranked #8,948

Modern count

403

2016, ranked #11,815

Peak year

2014

418 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gerrie had 339 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,948 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 403 in 2016, ranked #11,815.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 383 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Gerrie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gerrie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gerrie 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 216 #9,818
1861 historical 271 #9,193
1881 historical 339 #8,948
1891 historical 383 #9,178
1901 historical 361 #10,196
1911 historical 43 #28,581
1997 modern 383 #11,359
1998 modern 406 #11,228
1999 modern 396 #11,527
2000 modern 385 #11,738
2001 modern 376 #11,753
2002 modern 374 #12,040
2003 modern 360 #12,152
2004 modern 369 #11,967
2005 modern 377 #11,714
2006 modern 375 #11,796
2007 modern 384 #11,726
2008 modern 387 #11,767
2009 modern 390 #11,950
2010 modern 409 #11,783
2011 modern 399 #11,882
2012 modern 382 #12,127
2013 modern 396 #12,015
2014 modern 418 #11,614
2015 modern 401 #11,889
2016 modern 403 #11,815

Geography

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Where Gerries are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Culsamond, Elgin, Fyvie, Monquitter and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Portsoy, Fordyce and Cornhill, Deer and Mormond, Clashindarroch, Inverurie South and Peterhead Harbour. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Culsamond Aberdeen
2 Elgin Elgin
3 Fyvie Aberdeen
4 Monquitter Aberdeen
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Portsoy, Fordyce and Cornhill Aberdeenshire
2 Deer and Mormond Aberdeenshire
3 Clashindarroch Aberdeenshire
4 Inverurie South Aberdeenshire
5 Peterhead Harbour Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gerrie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gerrie

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

London Fringe

Within London, Gerrie is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Gerrie 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

Gerrie falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gerrie

The surname GERRIE originated in Scotland during the late 16th century. It is believed to be a variant spelling of the Scottish surname Gerry, which is derived from the Old Norse personal name Gerr or Gerrir. This name likely originated as a nickname meaning "spear-bearer" or "warrior".

One of the earliest recorded instances of the GERRIE surname can be found in the Scottish parish records from the 17th century. In 1635, a John Gerrie was recorded in the parish of Kilmadock, Perthshire. Another early record dates back to 1683, when a William Gerrie was listed in the parish of Galston, Ayrshire.

The GERRIE surname was particularly prevalent in the regions of Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and Renfrewshire during the 17th and 18th centuries. It is possible that the name is connected to the village of Gerry in Ayrshire, which may have been named after an early bearer of the surname.

One notable figure in history with the GERRIE surname was Robert Gerrie (1737-1816), a Scottish minister and author who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1805. Another individual of note was John Gerrie (1786-1864), a Scottish merchant and businessman who founded a successful trading company in Glasgow.

In the 19th century, the GERRIE surname spread beyond Scotland as Scottish emigrants settled in various parts of the British Empire. For example, Alexander Gerrie (1812-1892) was a Scottish-born politician who served as a member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia.

Other individuals with the GERRIE surname include William Gerrie (1859-1938), a Scottish-born architect who worked in New Zealand, and James Gerrie (1871-1951), a Scottish-born politician and trade unionist who served as a member of the New Zealand Parliament.

While the GERRIE surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by Scottish emigrants and their descendants. Despite its relatively uncommon nature, the name has left a lasting mark in various fields throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gerrie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gerrie 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 240 Gerries recorded in 1881 and an index of 78.60x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 240 78.60x
Morayshire 32 62.46x
Banffshire 22 32.17x
Lanarkshire 10 0.94x
Yorkshire 9 0.28x
Warwickshire 5 0.60x
Ayrshire 4 1.62x
Kincardineshire 3 7.47x
Middlesex 3 0.09x
Lancashire 2 0.05x
Midlothian 2 0.45x
Argyllshire 1 1.09x
Cornwall 1 0.27x
Perthshire 1 0.68x
Renfrewshire 1 0.39x
Ross-shire 1 1.10x
Sussex 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Fyvie in Aberdeenshire leads with 44 Gerries recorded in 1881 and an index of 883.53x.

Place Total Index
Fyvie 44 883.53x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 40 70.02x
Aberdeen Old Machar 29 45.49x
Auchterless 17 702.48x
Elgin 14 140.42x
Premnay 13 1238.10x
Monquhitter 11 348.10x
Tyrie 11 287.21x
Midmar 10 847.46x
Marton In Middlesbrough 8 672.27x
Deskford 7 714.29x
Monymusk 7 534.35x
Rathen 7 218.75x
Barony 6 2.22x
Drainie 6 132.16x
Fordyce 6 121.95x
Birmingham 5 1.80x
Forres 5 92.94x
Glenmuick Tullich 5 227.27x
Inverurie 5 144.93x
Rathven 5 38.91x
King Edward 4 113.64x
Leslie 4 677.97x
Tough 4 519.48x
Kirkmichael 3 133.33x
Lumphanan 3 234.38x
Tarland 3 227.27x
Urquhart 3 123.97x
Ellon 2 47.62x
Fintray 2 170.94x
Forgue 2 72.99x
Huntly 2 40.24x
Insch 2 114.94x
Keith 2 27.43x
New Monkland 2 6.35x
New Spynie 2 108.70x
Peterhead 2 12.38x
Udny 2 108.11x
Walton On Hill 2 9.44x
Alvah 1 64.94x
Banchory Ternan 1 28.82x
Birnie 1 243.90x
Brighton 1 0.89x
Carstairs 1 45.25x
Chapel Of Garioch 1 46.08x
Chelsea London 1 1.01x
Coull 1 111.11x
Durris 1 86.96x
East Greenock 1 4.14x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 1 9.57x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.56x
Glasgow 1 0.53x
Kilmore Kilbride 1 17.15x
Kinellar 1 153.85x
Largs 1 17.21x
Leeds 1 0.54x
Maker 1 28.99x
Marnoch 1 27.25x
Maryculter 1 82.64x
Methlick 1 40.98x
Newhills 1 16.00x
Perth West Church 1 14.25x
Rhynie 1 78.74x
St Andrews Lhanbryd 1 63.29x
St Marylebone London 1 0.57x
St Pancras London 1 0.38x
Stornoway 1 8.47x
Tarves 1 34.60x
Towie 1 116.28x
Turriff 1 20.28x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Agnes 2
Alberta 1
Annie 1
Edith 1
Harriet 1
Ida 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 3
Alexander 2
George 2
Athelstone 1
Hugh 1
James 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 Gerrie households.

FAQ

Gerrie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gerrie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 339 people were recorded with the Gerrie surname. That placed it at #8,948 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gerrie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 403 in 2016. That gives Gerrie a modern rank of #11,815.

What does the Gerrie surname mean?

A surname derived from the Scottish word "gair" meaning a triangular piece of ground or land.

What does the Gerrie map show?

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