NameCensus.

UK surname

Gerrity

A surname derived from an Irish-language phrase meaning "descendant of Gerard".

In the 1881 census there were 111 people recorded with the Gerrity surname, ranking it #18,597 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 138, ranked #25,127, down from #18,597 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Manchester and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stoke-on-Trent and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gerrity is 188 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.3%.

1881 census count

111

Ranked #18,597

Modern count

138

2016, ranked #25,127

Peak year

1901

188 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gerrity had 111 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,597 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016, ranked #25,127.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 188 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Gerrity surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gerrity surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gerrity 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 25 #28,853
1861 historical 32 #29,944
1881 historical 111 #18,597
1891 historical 144 #18,842
1901 historical 188 #15,742
1911 historical 135 #19,058
1997 modern 100 #26,901
1998 modern 123 #24,449
1999 modern 129 #23,907
2000 modern 133 #23,462
2001 modern 124 #24,114
2002 modern 124 #24,616
2003 modern 125 #24,265
2004 modern 125 #24,443
2005 modern 123 #24,663
2006 modern 118 #25,556
2007 modern 122 #25,353
2008 modern 120 #25,922
2009 modern 134 #24,711
2010 modern 139 #24,688
2011 modern 135 #24,922
2012 modern 127 #25,992
2013 modern 128 #26,336
2014 modern 135 #25,581
2015 modern 139 #24,956
2016 modern 138 #25,127

Geography

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Where Gerritys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Manchester, Liverpool, Chester St John the Baptist, St Mary-on-the-Hill, St Olave, St Michael, Spittle Boughton, Chester Ca and Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stoke-on-Trent and Leeds. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Chester St John the Baptist, St Mary-on-the-Hill, St Olave, St Michael, Spittle Boughton, Chester Ca Cheshire
5 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stoke-on-Trent 017 Stoke-on-Trent
2 Stoke-on-Trent 020 Stoke-on-Trent
3 Stoke-on-Trent 014 Stoke-on-Trent
4 Stoke-on-Trent 015 Stoke-on-Trent
5 Leeds 033 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gerrity

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gerrity

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Gerrity surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Gerrity household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Gerrity is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Gerrity 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

Gerrity 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 Gerrity is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gerrity

The surname Gerrity is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name "O'Gairbhith," meaning "the descendant of Gairbhith." The name Gairbhith itself is composed of the elements "garb," meaning "rough" or "rude," and "fith," meaning "poet" or "seer." This suggests that the original bearer of the name may have been a rough or uncouth poet or seer.

The name first appeared in historical records in County Mayo, Ireland, where the O'Gairbhith family held territories in the medieval period. One of the earliest known references to the name is found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions an O'Gairbhith chieftain in the 13th century.

Over time, the name evolved from its original Gaelic form, with various spellings emerging, such as O'Garvey, Garvey, and eventually Gerrity. This evolution was likely influenced by the anglicization of Irish names that occurred during the English conquest of Ireland.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Gerrity was John Gerrity, born around 1620 in County Mayo. He was a prominent landowner and supporter of the Irish Confederacy during the Irish Confederate Wars of the 1640s.

Another notable figure was Bridget Gerrity (1766-1845), a renowned Irish traditional singer and storyteller from County Mayo. Her repertoire of songs and tales helped preserve the rich oral tradition of the region.

In the 19th century, a significant number of Gerritys emigrated from Ireland to various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand, due to the Great Famine and other economic and political factors.

One prominent member of the Gerrity family was Michael Gerrity (1835-1913), an Irish-American businessman and politician. Born in County Mayo, he emigrated to the United States and became a successful real estate developer in New York City. He also served as a member of the New York State Assembly.

Another notable individual was James Gerrity (1875-1954), a Canadian educator and author. Born in Ontario to Irish immigrant parents, he became a respected teacher and principal, and wrote several books on education and philosophy.

Although not as prominent as some other Irish surnames, the Gerrity name has a rich history deeply rooted in Ireland's past, with various branches of the family leaving their mark in different parts of the world over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gerrity families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gerrity 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 60 Gerritys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.67x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 60 4.67x
Cheshire 20 8.37x
Lanarkshire 13 3.71x
Angus 4 3.99x
Flintshire 4 13.75x
Yorkshire 4 0.37x
Leicestershire 3 2.50x
Midlothian 3 2.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 13 Gerritys recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.66x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 13 16.66x
Chorlton On Medlock 11 53.90x
Manchester 10 17.31x
Chester St John Baptist 9 209.30x
Spotland 7 49.02x
Tranmere 6 68.34x
Birkenhead 5 26.25x
Dundee 4 10.68x
Govan 4 4.62x
Ormskirk 4 162.60x
Whitford 4 264.90x
Edinburgh Old Church 3 258.62x
Leeds 3 4.95x
Leicester St Margaret 3 10.25x
Lesmahagow 3 81.08x
Shotts 3 71.60x
Wardleworth 3 40.87x
Chorley 2 27.74x
Crumpsall 2 66.01x
Glasgow 2 3.22x
Bradford 1 3.85x
Cheetham 1 10.44x
Gorton 1 8.28x
Hulme 1 3.73x
Newchurch 1 9.51x
Oldham 1 2.41x
Parr 1 21.74x
Rutherglen 1 19.46x
Warrington 1 6.57x
West Derby 1 2.66x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Catherine 9
Mary 9
Ann 4
Bridget 4
Margaret 4
Elizabeth 3
Annie 2
Cath. 1
Emily 1
Francis 1
Jane 1
Judith 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Katie 1
Maggie 1
Maria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 7
John 7
Patrick 7
Martin 4
Thomas 4
Michael 2
Philip 2
Richard 2
William 2
Bernard 1
Berneard 1
Charles 1
Edward 1
Joseph 1
Phillip 1

FAQ

Gerrity surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gerrity surname in 1881?

In 1881, 111 people were recorded with the Gerrity surname. That placed it at #18,597 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gerrity surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016. That gives Gerrity a modern rank of #25,127.

What does the Gerrity surname mean?

A surname derived from an Irish-language phrase meaning "descendant of Gerard".

What does the Gerrity map show?

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