NameCensus.

UK surname

Gibbings

A surname derived from the medieval name Gibson, meaning son of Gilbert or son of Given.

In the 1881 census there were 415 people recorded with the Gibbings surname, ranking it #7,763 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 339, ranked #13,492, down from #7,763 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Tormoham with Torquay and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Devon, Exeter and North Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gibbings is 501 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 18.3%.

1881 census count

415

Ranked #7,763

Modern count

339

2016, ranked #13,492

Peak year

1901

501 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gibbings had 415 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,763 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 339 in 2016, ranked #13,492.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 501 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gibbings surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gibbings surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gibbings 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 291 #7,827
1861 historical 371 #6,875
1881 historical 415 #7,763
1891 historical 409 #8,712
1901 historical 501 #8,045
1911 historical 499 #7,846
1997 modern 355 #12,040
1998 modern 359 #12,321
1999 modern 365 #12,245
2000 modern 338 #12,877
2001 modern 340 #12,620
2002 modern 341 #12,864
2003 modern 324 #13,135
2004 modern 310 #13,589
2005 modern 308 #13,590
2006 modern 307 #13,695
2007 modern 304 #13,927
2008 modern 302 #14,069
2009 modern 314 #13,985
2010 modern 322 #14,034
2011 modern 314 #14,165
2012 modern 315 #14,031
2013 modern 325 #13,924
2014 modern 333 #13,770
2015 modern 329 #13,800
2016 modern 339 #13,492

Geography

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Where Gibbings' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Tormoham with Torquay, London parishes, Exbourne and Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Devon, Exeter, North Devon and Basingstoke and Deane. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 Exbourne Devon
5 Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Devon 006 West Devon
2 Exeter 013 Exeter
3 North Devon 014 North Devon
4 Exeter 003 Exeter
5 Basingstoke and Deane 003 Basingstoke and Deane

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gibbings

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gibbings

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Gibbings is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gibbings is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gibbings 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 Gibbings is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gibbings

The surname Gibbings is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest records dating back to the 13th century. The name is thought to derive from the Old English word "gibb," meaning a male goat, and the suffix "-ing," which was commonly used to form patronymic surnames.

One of the earliest known references to the name Gibbings can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mention a Richard Gibbinges. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by that time.

Throughout the medieval period, the Gibbings surname appeared in various records and documents across England, particularly in the counties of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Gloucestershire. Some variations in spelling, such as Gibbing, Gibbings, and Gybbynges, were common during this time.

In the 16th century, the Gibbings family was known to have held land and property in the village of Ibstone, Buckinghamshire. A notable member of the family during this period was John Gibbings, who was born in Ibstone around 1530 and served as a local constable.

Another significant figure with the Gibbings surname was Robert Gibbings, a renowned wood engraver, author, and artist who lived from 1889 to 1958. He was born in Cork, Ireland, but spent much of his life in England, where he made significant contributions to the arts and literature.

In the 17th century, the Gibbings name appears in the records of several English parishes, including those of Bledlow in Buckinghamshire and Shipton-under-Wychwood in Oxfordshire. One notable individual from this period was William Gibbings, who was born in Bledlow in 1632 and served as a church warden in the village.

Another important figure was Richard Gibbings, a British soldier and writer who lived from 1653 to 1724. He served in the Nine Years' War and later wrote several books on military tactics and strategy.

In the 19th century, the Gibbings surname was found throughout various parts of England, with concentrations in the counties of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Gloucestershire. One notable individual from this era was Alfred Gibbings, an English architect and surveyor who was born in 1842 and designed several notable buildings in London.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gibbings families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gibbings 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 246 Gibbings' recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.05x.

County Total Index
Devon 246 29.05x
Middlesex 35 0.86x
Gloucestershire 19 2.38x
Essex 17 2.12x
Somerset 14 2.14x
Sussex 14 2.04x
Berkshire 11 3.60x
Glamorgan 9 1.27x
Surrey 9 0.45x
Hampshire 7 0.84x
Oxfordshire 6 2.39x
Lancashire 5 0.10x
Lincolnshire 4 0.62x
Anglesey 3 4.16x
Cornwall 3 0.65x
Dorset 3 1.12x
Lanarkshire 3 0.23x
Kent 2 0.14x
Royal Navy 2 4.13x
Yorkshire 2 0.05x
Derbyshire 1 0.16x
Staffordshire 1 0.07x
Wiltshire 1 0.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Tawton in Devon leads with 18 Gibbings' recorded in 1881 and an index of 692.31x.

Place Total Index
North Tawton 18 692.31x
Plymouth St Andrew 18 27.59x
Bampton 15 579.15x
Nymett Rowland 15 11538.46x
Bedminster 13 21.13x
Tormoham 13 36.28x
Hackney London 12 5.26x
West Teignmouth 12 185.19x
Greenham 11 723.68x
Tiverton 11 75.39x
Woodbury 11 438.25x
Zeal Monachorum 11 1692.31x
Exeter St David 9 124.48x
Tavistock 9 93.26x
Chawleigh 8 860.22x
Exeter St Sidwell 8 41.26x
St John Near Swansea 8 91.32x
Barnstaple 7 52.67x
Leyton 7 50.61x
Leyton Low 7 42.89x
Boxgrove 6 606.06x
Bristol St Michael 6 87.72x
Littleham 6 96.93x
Tottenham 6 9.26x
Chulmleigh 5 259.07x
Coldridge 5 781.25x
Crediton 5 62.34x
Ide 5 543.48x
Oxford St Clement 5 78.86x
Shoreditch London 5 2.84x
Southwark St Saviour 5 23.91x
Bishops Tawton 4 151.52x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 4 5.33x
Clanaborough 4 3636.36x
Fremington 4 232.56x
Kings Nympton 4 454.55x
St George Bloomsbury 4 17.14x
St Peter Tavy 4 930.23x
Westbury On Trym 4 14.80x
Burnham 3 101.01x
Chichester St 3 666.67x
Chichester St Peter 3 545.45x
Clist St George 3 810.81x
Dawlish 3 47.47x
Govan 3 0.92x
Holyhead 3 22.32x
Jacobstow 3 500.00x
Oldham 3 1.93x
Brenchley 2 40.24x
Cheltenham 2 3.25x
Clerkenwell London 2 2.08x
Devonport 2 20.56x
Down St Mary 2 444.44x
Exbourne 2 384.62x
Lapford 2 240.96x
Melcombe Regis 2 18.08x
Mile End Old Town London 2 2.31x
Morchard Bishop 2 112.99x
Newton St Cyres 2 168.07x
Niton 2 178.57x
Portsea 2 1.22x
Shobrooke 2 222.22x
Stansfield 2 13.49x
Stoke Newington London 2 6.31x
Tamerton Foliott 2 122.70x
Thornton Curtis 2 303.03x
Titchfield 2 31.85x
Brampford Speke 1 147.06x
Cranham 1 185.19x
Egdean 1 909.09x
Everton 1 0.65x
Fishtoft 1 78.13x
Leckhampton 1 20.33x
Silverton 1 56.82x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 1.22x
St Thomas Winchester 1 16.98x
Stoke Damerel 1 1.69x
Westhampnett 1 136.99x
Weymouth 1 19.76x
Withycombe Rawleigh 1 22.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Elizabeth 19
Annie 10
Eliza 9
Emma 9
Jane 8
Sarah 7
Edith 6
Ellen 6
Maria 6
Fanny 5
Frances 5
Harriet 5
Alice 4
Amy 4
Catherine 4
Margaret 4
Amelia 3
Emily 3
Jessie 3
Kate 3
Laura 3
Loveday 3
Lucy 3
Selina 3
Anna 2
Anne 2
Bessie 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Georgina 2
Gertrude 2
Grace 2
Harriett 2
Jemima 2
Maude 2
Susanna 2
Christine 1
Elizbth. 1
Elsie 1
Etheel 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Henrietta 1
Isabella 1
Jenetta 1
Kezia 1
Keziah 1
Liley 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 30
William 29
Richard 15
George 11
Samuel 10
Thomas 9
Henry 8
Charles 6
James 6
Albert 4
Arthur 4
Frank 4
Robert 4
Alfred 3
Francis 3
Joseph 3
Walter 3
Edward 2
Frederick 2
Mark 2
Sydney 2
Wm. 2
Abraham 1
Andrew 1
Ashley 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
G. 1
Gregory 1
Harold 1
Hugh 1
Jesse 1
Jonas 1
Philip 1
Phillip 1
Reginald 1
Saml. 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Willie 1
Wm.Thos 1
Zebedee 1

FAQ

Gibbings surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gibbings surname in 1881?

In 1881, 415 people were recorded with the Gibbings surname. That placed it at #7,763 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gibbings surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 339 in 2016. That gives Gibbings a modern rank of #13,492.

What does the Gibbings surname mean?

A surname derived from the medieval name Gibson, meaning son of Gilbert or son of Given.

What does the Gibbings map show?

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