NameCensus.

UK surname

Gibbard

An English surname derived from the medieval given name Gibb, a diminutive of Gilbert.

In the 1881 census there were 728 people recorded with the Gibbard surname, ranking it #5,015 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,122, ranked #5,252, down from #5,015 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Padbury, Walthamstow, Low Leyton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Aylesbury Vale, Doncaster and Carmarthenshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gibbard is 1,189 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 54.1%.

1881 census count

728

Ranked #5,015

Modern count

1,122

2016, ranked #5,252

Peak year

2000

1,189 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gibbard had 728 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,015 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,122 in 2016, ranked #5,252.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,081 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gibbard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gibbard surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gibbard 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 389 #6,177
1861 historical 508 #5,149
1881 historical 728 #5,015
1891 historical 804 #5,008
1901 historical 954 #4,922
1911 historical 1,081 #4,294
1997 modern 1,098 #5,079
1998 modern 1,174 #4,968
1999 modern 1,187 #4,978
2000 modern 1,189 #4,945
2001 modern 1,154 #4,978
2002 modern 1,161 #5,053
2003 modern 1,154 #4,972
2004 modern 1,156 #4,978
2005 modern 1,140 #4,980
2006 modern 1,135 #4,993
2007 modern 1,120 #5,107
2008 modern 1,122 #5,132
2009 modern 1,131 #5,201
2010 modern 1,149 #5,245
2011 modern 1,158 #5,153
2012 modern 1,136 #5,147
2013 modern 1,153 #5,167
2014 modern 1,149 #5,204
2015 modern 1,136 #5,209
2016 modern 1,122 #5,252

Geography

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Where Gibbards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Padbury, Walthamstow, Low Leyton, London parishes, Tew, Great and Banbury. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Aylesbury Vale, Doncaster and Carmarthenshire. 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 Padbury Buckinghamshire
2 Walthamstow, Low Leyton Essex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Tew, Great Oxfordshire
5 Banbury Oxfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Aylesbury Vale 005 Aylesbury Vale
2 Aylesbury Vale 001 Aylesbury Vale
3 Doncaster 029 Doncaster
4 Carmarthenshire 012 Carmarthenshire
5 Aylesbury Vale 004 Aylesbury Vale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gibbard

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gibbard

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Gibbard 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

Gibbard 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

Gibbard falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gibbard

The surname Gibbard is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "gib" meaning "male goat" and "herd" meaning "keeper or tender." It originally referred to someone who tended or kept goats, suggesting the name's origins likely trace back to medieval times when goat herding was a common occupation in rural areas of England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Gibbard surname appears in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1279, where it is spelled "Gibherd." This suggests the name was already established in parts of eastern England by the late 13th century.

In the 16th century, the Gibbard surname is found in various records from Hertfordshire, including parish registers and tax rolls. This indicates the name had spread to other parts of southern and eastern England by this time.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England compiled in 1086, does not appear to contain any direct references to the Gibbard surname, likely due to its occupational origins emerging later in the medieval period.

Some notable individuals with the Gibbard surname throughout history include:

1. John Gibbard (1612-1677), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Archdeacon of Essex. 2. Edward Gibbard (1737-1806), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War. 3. William Gibbard (1781-1854), an English landscape painter known for his depictions of pastoral scenes. 4. Mary Gibbard (1838-1919), a British suffragette and activist for women's rights. 5. George Gibbard (1902-1976), an Australian cricketer who played domestic cricket for New South Wales.

While the Gibbard surname is not among the most common in English-speaking countries, it has a long history and can be traced back to its occupational roots in medieval England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gibbard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gibbard 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. Oxfordshire leads with 167 Gibbards recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.45x.

County Total Index
Oxfordshire 167 38.45x
Northamptonshire 99 14.97x
Middlesex 80 1.14x
Buckinghamshire 77 18.11x
Surrey 47 1.37x
Essex 35 2.52x
Warwickshire 35 1.97x
Staffordshire 29 1.22x
Yorkshire 24 0.34x
Lancashire 19 0.23x
Gloucestershire 18 1.30x
Kent 16 0.67x
Berkshire 13 2.46x
Bedfordshire 8 2.20x
Hertfordshire 8 1.65x
Suffolk 8 0.93x
Carmarthenshire 6 2.02x
Devon 6 0.41x
Hampshire 6 0.42x
Leicestershire 6 0.77x
Durham 5 0.24x
Worcestershire 4 0.44x
Sussex 2 0.17x
Cornwall 1 0.13x
Lincolnshire 1 0.09x
Royal Navy 1 1.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Padbury in Buckinghamshire leads with 43 Gibbards recorded in 1881 and an index of 3359.38x.

Place Total Index
Padbury 43 3359.38x
Gt Tew 24 2086.96x
Chalcombe 17 1574.07x
Manningham 17 19.80x
Northampton Priory St 16 40.31x
Sandford 16 1367.52x
Walthamstow 16 32.02x
Aston 13 2.66x
Mile End Old Town London 12 8.02x
Ardley 11 2820.51x
Harborne 11 14.46x
Barking 10 24.62x
Fringford 10 1010.10x
Somerton 10 1204.82x
Adstone 9 2500.00x
Neithrop 9 61.64x
Wandsworth 9 13.29x
Bethnal Green London 8 2.62x
Chalfont St Giles 8 262.30x
Cheltenham 8 7.52x
Deddington 8 169.85x
Gorleston 8 36.76x
Little Bolton 8 7.46x
Middleton Stoney 8 1126.76x
Noke 8 2857.14x
Warkworth 8 134.45x
Byfield 7 366.49x
Culworth 7 625.00x
Fritwell 7 518.52x
Grandborough 7 972.22x
Greenwich 7 6.25x
Handsworth 7 11.96x
Luton 7 11.10x
Newton Purcell 7 3043.48x
Oxford St Thomas 7 34.53x
Reading St Mary 7 16.55x
West Bromwich 7 5.15x
Wimbledon 7 18.19x
Wootton Wawen 7 125.22x
Banbury 6 68.97x
Bloxham 6 140.85x
Camberwell 6 1.34x
Exeter St Sidwell 6 17.89x
Limehouse London 6 7.77x
Markfield 6 155.04x
Northampton All Sts 6 26.73x
Pembrey 6 44.02x
Towcester 6 87.98x
West Ham 6 1.96x
Wortley In Bramley 6 10.87x
Bedford 5 28.64x
Bermondsey 5 2.39x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 3.85x
Edmonton 5 8.82x
Hammersmith London 5 2.89x
Kingston On Thames 5 6.07x
Launton 5 349.65x
Lillingstone Lovell 5 1282.05x
Passenham 5 183.82x
Radclive 5 1041.67x
St Albans 5 50.35x
St Andrew Holborn London 5 16.42x
Stockton On Tees 5 4.96x
Strixton 5 2777.78x
Thorpe Mandeville 5 980.39x
Tottenham 5 4.46x
Darlaston 4 12.19x
Middleton Cheney 4 138.89x
Oldbury 4 8.85x
Paddington London 4 1.55x
Richmond 4 8.33x
St Clement Danes London 4 27.47x
Stourton 4 869.57x
Upton 4 400.00x
Whaddon 4 408.16x
Widnes 4 6.65x
Buckingham 3 34.68x
Lambeth 3 0.49x
Newington 3 1.15x
St George Hanover Square 3 2.42x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 46
Elizabeth 28
Ann 18
Eliza 16
Sarah 16
Emily 15
Emma 14
Ellen 13
Jane 12
Louisa 12
Charlotte 9
Hannah 8
Anne 7
Alice 6
Caroline 6
Martha 6
Matilda 6
Harriet 5
Lucy 5
Agnes 4
Amelia 4
Annie 4
Clara 4
Edith 4
Fanny 4
Florence 4
Harriett 4
Esther 3
Helen 3
Kate 3
Lizzie 3
Rose 3
Susan 3
Ada 2
Beatrice 2
Bertha 2
E. 2
Ethel 2
Georgina 2
Letitia 2
Lydia 2
Maria 2
Ruth 2
Sophia 2
Betty 1
Elizebth 1
Emaley 1
Johanna 1
Julia 1
Zipporah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 47
William 47
George 35
Thomas 31
Charles 17
James 17
Henry 11
Richard 10
Joseph 9
Walter 8
Alfred 7
Arthur 7
Edward 7
Frederick 7
Albert 6
Daniel 5
David 5
Fred 5
Robert 5
Edwin 4
Ernest 4
Frank 4
Caleb 3
Jesse 3
Job 3
Fredrick 2
Harry 2
Leonard 2
Newman 2
Samuel 2
Amos 1
Ann 1
Bertie 1
Dan. 1
Eli 1
Eustia 1
Francis 1
Fredk.G. 1
Gibbert 1
Jas.Henry 1
Jeremiah 1
Jess 1
Joe 1
Mark 1
Morris 1
Neuman 1
Percival 1
Peter 1
Phillip 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Gibbard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gibbard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 728 people were recorded with the Gibbard surname. That placed it at #5,015 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gibbard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,122 in 2016. That gives Gibbard a modern rank of #5,252.

What does the Gibbard surname mean?

An English surname derived from the medieval given name Gibb, a diminutive of Gilbert.

What does the Gibbard map show?

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