NameCensus.

UK surname

Gerry

Derived from a Germanic personal name meaning "spear" or "spear-ruler," originally referring to someone bearing that name.

In the 1881 census there were 575 people recorded with the Gerry surname, ranking it #6,056 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 674, ranked #7,950, down from #6,056 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Agnes, St Austell and Devonport Stoke Damerel. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Torridge and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gerry is 728 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.2%.

1881 census count

575

Ranked #6,056

Modern count

674

2016, ranked #7,950

Peak year

2002

728 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gerry had 575 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,056 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 674 in 2016, ranked #7,950.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 721 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gerry surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gerry surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gerry 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 390 #6,155
1861 historical 427 #6,020
1881 historical 575 #6,056
1891 historical 721 #5,469
1901 historical 712 #6,199
1911 historical 692 #6,137
1997 modern 680 #7,410
1998 modern 709 #7,398
1999 modern 690 #7,604
2000 modern 703 #7,463
2001 modern 695 #7,414
2002 modern 728 #7,277
2003 modern 703 #7,367
2004 modern 689 #7,504
2005 modern 683 #7,497
2006 modern 695 #7,396
2007 modern 684 #7,568
2008 modern 669 #7,743
2009 modern 693 #7,697
2010 modern 693 #7,842
2011 modern 688 #7,791
2012 modern 664 #7,933
2013 modern 680 #7,917
2014 modern 679 #7,969
2015 modern 667 #8,026
2016 modern 674 #7,950

Geography

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Where Gerrys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Agnes, St Austell, Devonport Stoke Damerel, Thurso and Holsworthy. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Torridge and County Durham. 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 St Agnes Cornwall
2 St Austell Cornwall
3 Devonport Stoke Damerel Devon
4 Thurso Caithness
5 Holsworthy Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 005 Cornwall
2 Torridge 009 Torridge
3 County Durham 006 County Durham
4 Cornwall 004 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 012 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gerry

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gerry

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gerry, 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 Gerry surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Gerry 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, Gerry 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

Gerry is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gerry 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 Gerry 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 Gerry, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Gerry

The surname Gerry originated in Ireland and has its roots in the Gaelic language. It is a variant of the Irish name Ó Geirí, which means "descendant of Geirí." The name Geirí itself is derived from the Old Irish word "gair," meaning "calling" or "shouting."

The earliest recorded instances of the name Gerry can be traced back to the 13th century in County Mayo, Ireland. The name was prominent among the ruling Gaelic families in the region during this period.

In medieval Irish records, the name was often spelled as "O'Gerry" or "O'Gairry." These spellings reflect the Anglicization of the original Irish name, which occurred as English influence grew in Ireland.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Muircheartach Ó Geirí, a prominent chieftain who lived in the 13th century. He was a member of the Uí Briúin Aí dynasty, which ruled over parts of County Mayo.

Another notable figure was Eoghan Ó Geirí, a 16th-century Irish poet and scholar. He was renowned for his works in the Irish language and his contributions to preserving the rich literary traditions of his time.

In the 17th century, the surname Gerry gained prominence in Munster, particularly in County Clare. During the Irish Confederate Wars (1641-1653), Donough Gerry was a notable military leader who fought against the English forces.

The name Gerry has also been associated with several place names in Ireland, such as Gerry's Island in County Mayo and Gerryloughra in County Kerry. These place names likely derived from the presence of Gerry families in those areas.

Other notable individuals with the surname Gerry include Elbridge Gerry (1744-1814), an American statesman and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He served as the 5th Vice President under James Madison.

In more recent times, Gerard Gerry (1914-1998) was a renowned Irish actor and playwright. He was best known for his work in the Abbey Theatre and his contributions to the Irish literary scene.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gerry families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gerry 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. Devon leads with 254 Gerrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.75x.

County Total Index
Devon 254 21.75x
Cornwall 176 27.72x
Caithness 22 28.65x
Middlesex 21 0.37x
Yorkshire 14 0.25x
Berkshire 10 2.38x
Glamorgan 10 1.02x
Lancashire 10 0.15x
Staffordshire 8 0.42x
Northumberland 7 0.84x
Banffshire 6 5.16x
Sussex 6 0.63x
Lanarkshire 4 0.22x
Somerset 4 0.44x
Hampshire 3 0.26x
Midlothian 3 0.40x
Wiltshire 3 0.60x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.39x
Gloucestershire 2 0.18x
Surrey 2 0.07x
Angus 1 0.19x
Bedfordshire 1 0.34x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.42x
Cheshire 1 0.08x
Denbighshire 1 0.47x
Essex 1 0.09x
Fife 1 0.30x
Kent 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Plymouth St Andrew in Devon leads with 29 Gerrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.24x.

Place Total Index
Plymouth St Andrew 29 32.24x
Ashwater 25 1506.02x
Linkinhorne 24 542.99x
St Agnes 21 236.22x
Thurso 21 175.29x
St Neot 19 760.00x
Calstock 18 144.58x
Stoke Damerel 18 22.03x
Tormoham 16 32.39x
St Columb Minor 14 262.66x
Bideford 13 103.92x
Holsworthy 11 334.35x
Sutcombe 11 1375.00x
Tavistock 11 82.71x
Plymouth Charles The 10 19.44x
Madron 9 175.44x
St Austell 9 41.46x
Sparsholt 8 952.38x
Walsall Foreign 8 8.18x
Werrington 8 634.92x
Langcliffe 7 526.32x
Stoke Climsland 7 172.41x
West Teignmouth 7 78.39x
Bradworthy 6 352.94x
Broadwoodwidger 6 454.55x
Dawlish 6 68.89x
Illogan 6 35.69x
Little Bolton 6 7.01x
Merthyr Tydfil 6 6.39x
Okehampton 6 136.36x
Rathven 6 27.45x
Ashburton 5 89.61x
Boyton 5 675.68x
Coryton 5 1162.79x
East Grinstead 5 37.34x
Marytavy 5 290.70x
Abbots Bickington 4 4444.44x
Breage 4 68.97x
Falmouth 4 17.79x
Frithelstock 4 370.37x
Germansweek 4 784.31x
Govan 4 0.89x
Halwell 4 312.50x
Holywell 4 93.24x
Kilkhampton 4 213.90x
Lezant 4 281.69x
Southill 4 412.37x
St Mary Magdalene 4 85.65x
St Marylebone London 4 1.34x
Clerkenwell London 3 2.27x
Cudworth 3 150.00x
East Stonehouse 3 13.04x
Edmonton 3 6.64x
Hackney London 3 0.95x
Hunslet 3 3.46x
Lanhydrock 3 833.33x
Llantwit Lower 3 34.97x
Portsea 3 1.33x
South Molton 3 46.80x
Thornbury 3 500.00x
Yealmpton 3 167.60x
Yeovil 3 16.35x
Aberdeen Old Machar 2 1.84x
Bristol Temple 2 27.62x
Chudleigh 2 53.91x
Cramlington 2 18.13x
Islington London 2 0.37x
Liverpool 2 0.49x
Madron Penzance 2 8.66x
Marystow 2 266.67x
Milton Damerel 2 219.78x
Morwenstow 2 128.21x
Redruth 2 11.14x
Sourton 2 202.02x
South Leith 2 2.37x
St Gennys 2 210.53x
St Pancras London 2 0.44x
Whitechapel London 2 3.62x
Hollacombe 1 454.55x
St Mabyn 1 102.04x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 46
John 37
Thomas 22
James 18
George 16
Charles 9
Richard 9
Samuel 8
Henry 6
Alfred 4
Benjamin 3
Isaac 3
Thos. 3
Albert 2
Daniel 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Fredrick 2
Harry 2
Leonard 2
Louis 2
Nicholas 2
Peter 2
Robert 2
Sidney 2
Walter 2
Willm. 2
B. 1
Bawden 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Elijah 1
Frederick 1
Fredk.J. 1
Haman 1
Jabez 1
Jacob 1
Jesse 1
Jethro 1
Joseph 1
Lewis 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Oliver 1
Patrick 1
Rignald 1
Saml. 1
Shadrack 1
Sydney 1
Wm.R. 1

FAQ

Gerry surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gerry surname in 1881?

In 1881, 575 people were recorded with the Gerry surname. That placed it at #6,056 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gerry surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 674 in 2016. That gives Gerry a modern rank of #7,950.

What does the Gerry surname mean?

Derived from a Germanic personal name meaning "spear" or "spear-ruler," originally referring to someone bearing that name.

What does the Gerry map show?

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