NameCensus.

UK surname

Gething

An English surname alluding to someone from a location called Gething.

In the 1881 census there were 484 people recorded with the Gething surname, ranking it #6,939 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 581, ranked #8,925, down from #6,939 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean, Aberdare and Handsworth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, Monmouthshire and Middlesbrough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gething is 655 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 20.0%.

1881 census count

484

Ranked #6,939

Modern count

581

2016, ranked #8,925

Peak year

1998

655 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gething had 484 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,939 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 581 in 2016, ranked #8,925.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 627 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gething surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gething surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gething 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 358 #6,604
1861 historical 292 #8,626
1881 historical 484 #6,939
1891 historical 515 #7,249
1901 historical 595 #7,117
1911 historical 627 #6,613
1997 modern 595 #8,199
1998 modern 655 #7,854
1999 modern 655 #7,905
2000 modern 640 #8,031
2001 modern 616 #8,128
2002 modern 636 #8,107
2003 modern 599 #8,351
2004 modern 603 #8,322
2005 modern 589 #8,388
2006 modern 603 #8,256
2007 modern 597 #8,383
2008 modern 606 #8,343
2009 modern 609 #8,494
2010 modern 607 #8,710
2011 modern 600 #8,696
2012 modern 586 #8,757
2013 modern 605 #8,691
2014 modern 607 #8,721
2015 modern 587 #8,875
2016 modern 581 #8,925

Geography

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Where Gethings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean, Aberdare, Handsworth, St Woollos (incl. Newport) and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, Monmouthshire, Middlesbrough, Cornwall and Newcastle-under-Lyme. 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 Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean Monmouthshire
2 Aberdare Glamorganshire
3 Handsworth Staffordshire
4 St Woollos (incl. Newport) Monmouthshire
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 031 Doncaster
2 Monmouthshire 003 Monmouthshire
3 Middlesbrough 007 Middlesbrough
4 Cornwall 023 Cornwall
5 Newcastle-under-Lyme 013 Newcastle-under-Lyme

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gething

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gething

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

Gething 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

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

Meaning and origin of Gething

The surname Gething is of English origin, first appearing in historical records during the 14th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "geyting," meaning "a goat-herd" or "one who kept goats." This occupational surname likely referred to someone whose primary occupation was tending to goats.

The earliest documented instances of the Gething surname can be found in various medieval records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, where a William Geyting is mentioned. The surname also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1332, listing a John Geytyng as a taxpayer.

In the 16th century, the surname began appearing with its modern spelling of "Gething." One notable example is Thomas Gething, who was born around 1520 in Gloucestershire. He served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Tewkesbury in 1571.

The Gething surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. John Gething, born in 1638 in Worcestershire, was a prominent English clergyman and academic who served as the Archdeacon of Berkshire from 1695 until his death in 1720.

Another noteworthy figure was Richard Gething, born in 1711 in Somerset. He was a successful merchant and philanthropist, known for his charitable contributions to various institutions in Bristol, where he lived and worked.

In the 19th century, the Gething surname gained further recognition through the work of Samuel Gething, born in 1818 in Gloucestershire. He was a renowned architect who designed numerous prominent buildings, including the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, which was completed in 1864.

The Gething surname has also been associated with certain place names, such as Gethinghill and Gethingcroft, both located in Staffordshire. These place names likely originated from individuals bearing the Gething surname who once resided or owned land in those areas.

While the Gething surname may have originated as an occupational name for a goatherd, it has since evolved to become a well-established family name with a rich history spanning several centuries. Notable individuals bearing this surname have made significant contributions across various fields, including politics, religion, business, and architecture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gething families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gething 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. Staffordshire leads with 116 Gethings recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.28x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 116 7.28x
Glamorgan 104 12.65x
Monmouthshire 40 11.72x
Warwickshire 29 2.44x
Lancashire 24 0.43x
Yorkshire 23 0.49x
Nottinghamshire 22 3.46x
Gloucestershire 21 2.27x
Worcestershire 18 2.92x
Shropshire 15 3.68x
Surrey 12 0.52x
Derbyshire 11 1.49x
Brecknockshire 9 9.53x
Essex 8 0.86x
Durham 7 0.50x
Kent 6 0.37x
Middlesex 6 0.13x
Cheshire 5 0.48x
Suffolk 2 0.35x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.35x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.33x
Cornwall 1 0.19x
Hampshire 1 0.10x
Northamptonshire 1 0.23x
Radnorshire 1 2.63x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdare in Glamorgan leads with 29 Gethings recorded in 1881 and an index of 51.39x.

Place Total Index
Aberdare 29 51.39x
St Woollos 25 65.63x
West Bromwich 25 27.40x
Birmingham 19 4.79x
Stoke Upon Trent 14 8.28x
West Dean 14 93.09x
Handsworth 12 30.55x
Neath 12 71.73x
Kingswinford 11 19.01x
Clase 10 32.71x
Oldbury 10 32.97x
Lower Ystradgynlais 9 154.64x
Chelmarsh 8 1038.96x
Hucknall Torkard 8 49.57x
Normanton 8 128.21x
Toxteth Park 8 4.22x
Walsall Foreign 8 9.72x
Wolverhampton 8 6.53x
Blaenhonddan 7 182.77x
Llandilo Talybont 7 162.04x
Amblecote 6 132.16x
Coxhoe 6 150.38x
Greasley 6 41.78x
Lambeth 6 1.46x
Lewisham 6 6.98x
Llantwit Lower 6 82.99x
Llanwonno 6 20.31x
Mamhilad 6 1176.47x
Michaelstone Super Avon 6 67.42x
Morley 6 24.67x
Skerton 6 130.43x
Wednesbury 6 15.06x
Aberavon 5 66.14x
Lichfield St Michael 5 100.00x
Mexborough 5 53.82x
Shifnal 5 45.17x
Springfield 5 122.55x
Wolstanton 5 10.33x
Bristol St George 4 9.34x
Dylais Higher 4 291.97x
Lichfield Close 4 1081.08x
Linthorpe 4 14.33x
Prestwich 4 28.61x
Teversall 4 597.01x
Bolehall Glascote 3 59.52x
Camberwell 3 0.99x
Chorlton 3 491.80x
Ecclesall Bierlow 3 3.15x
Everton 3 1.68x
Hoole 3 76.14x
Kidderminster Foreign 3 34.40x
Leamington Priors 3 10.24x
West Ham 3 1.46x
Ystradyfodwg 3 4.16x
Aston 2 0.61x
Baglan Higher 2 869.57x
Barlborough 2 73.26x
Brewood 2 43.57x
Briton Ferry 2 20.39x
Broseley 2 27.59x
Cilybebill 2 63.69x
Hemsworth 2 74.35x
Kidderminster Borough 2 5.54x
Llanbaddock 2 317.46x
Llangattock 2 487.80x
Monks Coppenhall 2 5.09x
Newport 2 12.29x
Nottingham St Mary 2 1.22x
Penge 2 6.63x
Smallthorne 2 33.84x
St Andrew Holborn London 2 9.78x
Wednesfield 2 8.53x
West Derby 2 1.22x
Beccles 1 10.80x
Bromsgrove 1 4.82x
Christchurch 1 9.47x
Llanellen 1 169.49x
Radford 1 3.09x
Ribbesford 1 19.49x
Trevethin 1 3.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 42
Sarah 22
Elizabeth 15
Jane 12
Ann 9
Emma 8
Hannah 8
Margaret 8
Eliza 7
Martha 7
Annie 6
Caroline 5
Harriet 5
Maria 4
Charlotte 3
Edith 3
Ellen 3
Fanny 3
Louisa 3
Matilda 3
Alice 2
Anne 2
Blanche 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Emily 2
Esther 2
Gertrude 2
Grace 2
Gwenllian 2
Harriett 2
Isabella 2
Kate 2
Lilian 2
Lucy 2
Mabel 2
Maggie 2
Marion 2
Rachel 2
Agness 1
Amy 1
Averill 1
Bertha 1
Betrice 1
Constance 1
Diana 1
E. 1
Eleanor 1
Elenor 1
Ida 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 32
John 17
Thomas 15
George 12
Joseph 12
James 11
Henry 10
Charles 9
David 7
Robert 7
Arthur 6
Daniel 6
Frederick 6
Samuel 5
Alfred 4
Edward 4
Harry 4
Richard 4
Evan 3
Frederic 3
Owen 3
Benjm. 2
Elias 2
Enoch 2
Hiram 2
Isaac 2
Lewis 2
Willm. 2
Caleb 1
Earnest 1
Edwin 1
Eliga 1
Emanuel 1
Ezekiel 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
Glyn 1
Herbert 1
Hy.Edwd. 1
J.E.K. 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Jonah 1
Jonathan 1
Joshua 1
Josiah 1
Mark 1
Meredith 1
Morgan 1
Noah 1

FAQ

Gething surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gething surname in 1881?

In 1881, 484 people were recorded with the Gething surname. That placed it at #6,939 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gething surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 581 in 2016. That gives Gething a modern rank of #8,925.

What does the Gething surname mean?

An English surname alluding to someone from a location called Gething.

What does the Gething map show?

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