NameCensus.

UK surname

Giblin

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Giblín, meaning "descendant of Giblín," derived from a pet form of Gilbert.

In the 1881 census there were 580 people recorded with the Giblin surname, ranking it #6,010 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,598, ranked #3,884, up from #6,010 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Manchester, Glasgow and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Stroud and Kingston upon Hull.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Giblin is 1,650 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 175.5%.

1881 census count

580

Ranked #6,010

Modern count

1,598

2016, ranked #3,884

Peak year

2013

1,650 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Giblin had 580 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,010 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,598 in 2016, ranked #3,884.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 809 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Giblin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Giblin surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Giblin 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 294 #7,758
1861 historical 265 #9,355
1881 historical 580 #6,010
1891 historical 552 #6,859
1901 historical 752 #5,930
1911 historical 809 #5,431
1997 modern 1,525 #3,858
1998 modern 1,601 #3,840
1999 modern 1,613 #3,843
2000 modern 1,580 #3,894
2001 modern 1,517 #3,944
2002 modern 1,571 #3,923
2003 modern 1,532 #3,924
2004 modern 1,517 #3,957
2005 modern 1,530 #3,887
2006 modern 1,548 #3,840
2007 modern 1,551 #3,875
2008 modern 1,575 #3,840
2009 modern 1,620 #3,840
2010 modern 1,637 #3,877
2011 modern 1,613 #3,893
2012 modern 1,589 #3,870
2013 modern 1,650 #3,803
2014 modern 1,644 #3,847
2015 modern 1,628 #3,840
2016 modern 1,598 #3,884

Geography

Back to top

Where Giblins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Manchester, Glasgow, Liverpool, Paisley Abbey and Sculcoates. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, Stroud, Kingston upon Hull, Bath and North East Somerset and Trafford. 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 Manchester Lancashire
2 Glasgow Lanark
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Paisley Abbey Renfrew
5 Sculcoates Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 043 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 Stroud 003 Stroud
3 Kingston upon Hull 019 Kingston upon Hull, City of
4 Bath and North East Somerset 016 Bath and North East Somerset
5 Trafford 003 Trafford

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Giblin

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Giblin

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Giblin, 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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Giblin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Giblin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Giblin 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

Giblin is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Giblin 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 Giblin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Giblin

The surname Giblin originates from Ireland, with its roots dating back to the early Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Old Irish Gaelic name "Gibilin," which itself is a diminutive form of the name "Gibbun," meaning "little hawk" or "little noble bird."

The name Giblin was particularly prevalent in the counties of Cork and Kerry in the southwestern region of Ireland. While not as prominent as some of the more widespread Irish surnames, it can be found in ancient records and manuscripts from as early as the 12th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Giblin appears in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled by monks at the Inisfallen Abbey on an island in Lough Leane, County Kerry, during the 13th century. The annals mention a certain "Gibelinus Ó Súilleabháin" who was involved in a local conflict in the year 1249.

In the 16th century, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, a John Giblin was noted as being a landowner in the parish of Kilcrohane, near the town of Bantry in County Cork. This suggests that the Giblin family had established itself as a respected clan in the region by this time.

One of the most famous individuals with the Giblin surname was Sir Ralph Giblin (1608-1682), a prominent Anglo-Irish lawyer and judge who served as Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas from 1661 to 1682. He was a staunch loyalist to the English Crown during the tumultuous period of the English Civil War and the subsequent Cromwellian conquest of Ireland.

Another noteworthy figure was Father Patrick Giblin (1736-1804), an Irish Catholic priest and scholar who is remembered for his work in preserving and promoting the Irish language and culture during the Penal Laws era when such activities were suppressed by the English authorities.

In more recent centuries, the Giblin name has been carried by individuals such as John Giblin (1824-1901), an Irish-born Catholic priest who served as the Bishop of Richmond, Virginia, in the United States, and Michael Giblin (1865-1925), an Australian politician who served as a member of the Senate and was a prominent advocate for workers' rights and social welfare reforms.

While the Giblin surname may not be as widespread as some of the more renowned Irish names, it has a rich history that spans many centuries and has been borne by individuals of note in various fields, from law and religion to politics and public service.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Giblin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Giblin 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. Lancashire leads with 120 Giblins recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.79x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 120 1.79x
Staffordshire 77 4.03x
Warwickshire 62 4.35x
Yorkshire 43 0.77x
Essex 40 3.58x
Renfrewshire 36 8.21x
Lanarkshire 33 1.80x
Middlesex 29 0.51x
Cheshire 27 2.16x
Northumberland 24 2.85x
Midlothian 21 2.77x
Hertfordshire 13 3.33x
Durham 10 0.59x
Hampshire 7 0.60x
Cambridgeshire 5 1.40x
Norfolk 5 0.57x
Derbyshire 4 0.45x
Somerset 4 0.44x
Dunbartonshire 3 1.97x
Kent 3 0.16x
Leicestershire 2 0.32x
Shropshire 2 0.41x
Surrey 2 0.07x
Bedfordshire 1 0.34x
Brecknockshire 1 0.88x
Devon 1 0.08x
Fife 1 0.30x
Northamptonshire 1 0.19x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.13x
Perthshire 1 0.39x
Royal Navy 1 1.48x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 48 Giblins recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.09x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 48 10.09x
Paisley High Church 28 80.21x
Oldham 23 10.61x
Stoke Upon Trent 23 11.36x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 22 43.76x
Little Bolton 15 17.38x
Burslem 14 25.59x
Tamworth 14 137.12x
Liverpool 12 2.94x
Manchester 12 3.97x
Govan 11 2.43x
Wolstanton 11 18.97x
Aston 10 2.55x
Broxbourne 9 116.43x
Drypool 9 104.90x
Fulham London 9 10.97x
Great Bolton 9 10.12x
Maryhill 9 25.13x
Abbey 8 11.96x
Dukinfield 8 13.86x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 10.97x
Manningham 8 11.58x
Thaxted 8 215.63x
Chiswick 7 22.64x
Edinburgh New 7 118.85x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 2.30x
Rixton With Glazebrook 7 409.36x
Duddingston 6 39.45x
Horton In Bradford 6 6.85x
Sculcoates 6 6.75x
West Ham 6 2.43x
Barony 5 1.08x
Glasgow 5 1.54x
Golborne 5 57.14x
Hackney London 5 1.58x
Hound 5 63.53x
Rugeley 5 36.50x
Salford 5 2.53x
Brushford 4 634.92x
Bury 4 5.22x
Dedham 4 117.99x
Derby St Peter 4 14.18x
Great Sampford 4 333.33x
Huddersfield 4 4.90x
Islington London 4 0.73x
Prescot 4 32.95x
Ridgwell 4 314.96x
Runcorn 4 13.89x
Sutton 4 62.60x
Warrington 4 5.03x
Birkenhead 3 3.01x
Crompton 3 15.69x
Gorbals 3 27.62x
Halliwell 3 12.28x
Hyde 3 8.14x
Ickleton 3 234.38x
Newcastle Under Lyme 3 8.88x
Penkridge 3 60.85x
Plumstead 3 4.66x
St Albans St Peter 3 22.80x
Upwell 3 74.07x
Wimbish 3 181.82x
Aston By Sutton 2 363.64x
Blackmore 2 180.18x
Chester St Mary On Hill 2 18.67x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 1.88x
Crumpsall 2 12.64x
Doncaster 2 4.88x
Edgbaston 2 4.52x
Finchingfield 2 57.14x
Heigham 2 4.28x
Hulme 2 1.43x
Langdon Hills 2 363.64x
Old Kilpatrick 2 11.13x
Pendleton In Salford 2 2.50x
South Weald 2 20.90x
Stranton 2 3.53x
Swaffham Bulbeck 2 138.89x
Widnes 2 4.13x
Wolstanton Oldcott 2 28.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 45
Catherine 20
Sarah 16
Bridget 15
Elizabeth 14
Ellen 13
Ann 11
Margaret 10
Annie 6
Jane 5
Martha 5
Ada 4
Anne 4
Kate 4
Caroline 3
Emily 3
Emma 3
Florence 3
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Catharine 2
Eliza 2
Fanny 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Maria 2
Nancy 2
Rebecca 2
Susan 2
Winifred 2
Cathorine 1
Charlotte 1
Daisy 1
Ellenor 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Honor 1
Infant 1
Jennet 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Lilly 1
M.A. 1
Maggy 1
Marcella 1
Margt. 1
Maud 1
Rose 1
Saml. 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 40
Thomas 32
James 23
Michael 20
William 18
Patrick 15
Charles 7
Edward 7
George 6
Martin 6
Henry 5
Frank 4
Joseph 4
Albert 3
Francis 3
Frederick 3
Peter 3
Andrew 2
Anthony 2
Arthur 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Dominic 2
Harry 2
Jno. 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Timothy 2
Benjamin 1
Bertie 1
Cormac 1
Cristmas 1
D. 1
Edwin 1
Ellson 1
Fred. 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.Ernest 1
Geo. 1
Hendrick 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
J. 1
Leonard 1
Michal 1
Micheal 1
P. 1
Reginald 1
Saml. 1

FAQ

Giblin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Giblin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 580 people were recorded with the Giblin surname. That placed it at #6,010 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Giblin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,598 in 2016. That gives Giblin a modern rank of #3,884.

What does the Giblin surname mean?

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Giblín, meaning "descendant of Giblín," derived from a pet form of Gilbert.

What does the Giblin map show?

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