NameCensus.

UK surname

Getty

Derived from a Welsh place name meaning "boundary" or "border," likely referring to someone who lived near a border.

In the 1881 census there were 121 people recorded with the Getty surname, ranking it #17,671 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 461, ranked #10,625, up from #17,671 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Greenock, Glasgow and West Derby. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Clober and Mains Estate, Douglas West and Keystone and Dougalston.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Getty is 461 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 281.0%.

1881 census count

121

Ranked #17,671

Modern count

461

2016, ranked #10,625

Peak year

2016

461 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Getty had 121 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,671 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 461 in 2016, ranked #10,625.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 172 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Getty surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Getty surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Getty 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 36 #26,838
1861 historical 48 #27,896
1881 historical 121 #17,671
1891 historical 152 #18,163
1901 historical 172 #16,643
1911 historical 63 #26,537
1997 modern 376 #11,533
1998 modern 388 #11,612
1999 modern 385 #11,771
2000 modern 387 #11,692
2001 modern 371 #11,881
2002 modern 413 #11,170
2003 modern 406 #11,150
2004 modern 409 #11,095
2005 modern 407 #11,041
2006 modern 399 #11,282
2007 modern 416 #11,020
2008 modern 403 #11,398
2009 modern 429 #11,094
2010 modern 430 #11,306
2011 modern 420 #11,402
2012 modern 437 #10,915
2013 modern 440 #11,031
2014 modern 451 #10,882
2015 modern 456 #10,715
2016 modern 461 #10,625

Geography

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Where Gettys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Greenock, Glasgow, West Derby, Paisley Abbey and Sefton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Clober and Mains Estate, Douglas West, Keystone and Dougalston, Whitfield and Logie and Blackness. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Greenock Renfrew
2 Glasgow Lanark
3 West Derby Lancashire
4 Paisley Abbey Renfrew
5 Sefton Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Clober and Mains Estate East Dunbartonshire
2 Douglas West Dundee City
3 Keystone and Dougalston East Dunbartonshire
4 Whitfield Dundee City
5 Logie and Blackness Dundee City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Getty

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Getty

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Getty 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

Getty 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

Getty 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 Getty 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Getty

The surname Getty originated in England during the medieval period, specifically in the county of Oxfordshire. It is derived from the Old English words "geat" meaning "gate" and "hyrde" meaning "keeper" or "guardian." The name likely referred to someone who guarded the gates of a town or manor.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Getty dates back to the 13th century in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "William le Gatehyrde." This document was a census and tax record compiled during the reign of King Edward I.

In the 14th century, the name was also found in the Cartulary of Oseney Abbey, a medieval monastic manuscript from Oxfordshire, where it was spelled as "Gatehuerd." This variation highlights the fluidity of spelling during that time period.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname Getty was John Getty, a 16th-century English politician and landowner from Oxfordshire. He served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Woodstock in 1563 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another prominent individual with the surname was Sir William Getty, who lived in the 17th century. He was a wealthy merchant and landowner in Oxfordshire and played a crucial role in the English Civil War, supporting the Parliamentarian cause against King Charles I.

In the 18th century, the name was found in various parish records and legal documents across Oxfordshire and neighboring counties, such as Berkshire and Buckinghamshire. Spellings included "Gettie," "Gettye," and "Getty."

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Getty was John Paul Getty, an American-born British philanthropist, art collector, and book collector who lived from 1892 to 1976. He founded the Getty Oil Company and was once the richest person in the world.

Another notable figure was Gordon Getty, born in 1933, an American businessman, philanthropist, and classical music composer. He is the son of J. Paul Getty and has continued his father's legacy as a prominent member of the Getty family.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Getty families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Getty 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. Renfrewshire leads with 35 Gettys recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.27x.

County Total Index
Renfrewshire 35 38.27x
Lancashire 28 2.00x
Lanarkshire 27 7.07x
Dunbartonshire 6 18.92x
Stirlingshire 6 13.78x
Hampshire 5 2.07x
Middlesex 4 0.34x
Glamorgan 2 0.97x
Northumberland 2 1.14x
Surrey 2 0.35x
Kent 1 0.25x
Northamptonshire 1 0.90x
Pembrokeshire 1 2.67x
Sussex 1 0.50x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 16 Gettys recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.56x.

Place Total Index
Barony 16 16.56x
Great Crosby 11 287.96x
West Greenock 8 48.72x
East Greenock 7 81.02x
West Derby 7 17.09x
Abbey 6 42.98x
Barrow In Furness 6 31.50x
Campsie 6 251.05x
Glasgow 6 8.85x
New Kilpatrick 6 198.68x
Paisley Low Church 5 172.41x
Paisley Middle Church 5 93.81x
Portsea 5 10.55x
Cathcart 4 80.81x
Maryhill 3 40.16x
Much Woolton 3 157.89x
St Marylebone London 3 4.76x
Blantyre 2 50.38x
Wallsend 2 35.91x
Ystradyfodwg 2 11.09x
Battersea 1 2.30x
Hackney London 1 1.51x
Lambeth 1 0.97x
Milford Haven 1 333.33x
Peterborough 1 12.44x
Rye 1 52.91x
Walton On Hill 1 13.18x
Woolwich 1 6.72x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Anna 2
Ellen 2
Jane 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Eliza 1
Ellinor 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Evelyn 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
J.Emily 1
Julia 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 6
George 2
James 2
Robert 2
William 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
David 1
Edwd.R. 1
Frank 1
Harry 1
Hugh 1
Joseph 1
Walter 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 Getty households.

FAQ

Getty surname: questions and answers

How common was the Getty surname in 1881?

In 1881, 121 people were recorded with the Getty surname. That placed it at #17,671 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Getty surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 461 in 2016. That gives Getty a modern rank of #10,625.

What does the Getty surname mean?

Derived from a Welsh place name meaning "boundary" or "border," likely referring to someone who lived near a border.

What does the Getty map show?

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