NameCensus.

UK surname

Giddins

An English surname derived from a nickname for an inconstant or flighty person.

In the 1881 census there were 358 people recorded with the Giddins surname, ranking it #8,638 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 389, ranked #12,109, down from #8,638 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, London parishes and Luton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hart, Rochdale and Wolverhampton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Giddins is 451 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8.7%.

1881 census count

358

Ranked #8,638

Modern count

389

2016, ranked #12,109

Peak year

1911

451 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Giddins had 358 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,638 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 389 in 2016, ranked #12,109.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 451 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Giddins surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Giddins surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Giddins 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 290 #7,844
1861 historical 238 #10,321
1881 historical 358 #8,638
1891 historical 338 #10,113
1901 historical 389 #9,666
1911 historical 451 #8,489
1997 modern 425 #10,510
1998 modern 432 #10,737
1999 modern 445 #10,535
2000 modern 425 #10,898
2001 modern 422 #10,773
2002 modern 426 #10,918
2003 modern 408 #11,115
2004 modern 401 #11,264
2005 modern 401 #11,165
2006 modern 403 #11,187
2007 modern 410 #11,162
2008 modern 391 #11,675
2009 modern 386 #12,044
2010 modern 405 #11,874
2011 modern 405 #11,765
2012 modern 385 #12,061
2013 modern 389 #12,177
2014 modern 394 #12,144
2015 modern 392 #12,092
2016 modern 389 #12,109

Geography

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Where Giddins' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, London parishes, Luton and Hemingford Grey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hart, Rochdale, Wolverhampton and Wealden. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Luton Bedfordshire
5 Hemingford Grey Huntingdonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hart 003 Hart
2 Rochdale 002 Rochdale
3 Wolverhampton 008 Wolverhampton
4 Wolverhampton 028 Wolverhampton
5 Wealden 015 Wealden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Giddins

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Giddins

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Giddins surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Giddins household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Giddins is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Giddins 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

Giddins falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Giddins

The surname GIDDINS is of English origin and dates back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English personal name Giddan, which was a diminutive form of the name Giddi. This name Giddi is thought to have been derived from the Old English word "gid," meaning "to go" or "to walk."

The earliest recorded mention of the surname GIDDINS can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273, where it appears as "Giddyng." Over time, the spelling evolved to its current form, GIDDINS.

The surname GIDDINS is closely associated with the counties of Gloucestershire and Worcestershire in England. It is believed that the name originated in these areas and then spread to other parts of the country. One notable early record is that of John Giddyns, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1327.

In the 16th century, the surname GIDDINS is found in various historical records, such as the Parish Registers of St. Botolph, Bishopsgate in London, where a Thomas Giddins was recorded in 1549.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname GIDDINS was William Giddins, who was born around 1550 in Gloucestershire. He was a prominent landowner and served as a Justice of the Peace in the county.

Another notable bearer of the name was John Giddins, born in 1620 in Worcestershire. He was a clergyman and served as the Rector of Chaddesley Corbett in the same county.

In the 18th century, there are records of a Samuel Giddins, born in 1732 in Gloucestershire. He was a successful merchant and philanthropist, known for his charitable works in the city of Bristol.

The 19th century saw the rise of James Giddins, born in 1821 in Worcestershire. He was a renowned architect and designed several notable buildings in the region, including the Worcestershire County Hall.

The surname GIDDINS has also been associated with notable literary figures, such as the English author and poet Edith Giddins, born in 1878. She was known for her works exploring the lives of rural communities in the West Country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Giddins families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Giddins 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. Hertfordshire leads with 86 Giddins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.23x.

County Total Index
Hertfordshire 86 36.23x
Middlesex 70 2.03x
Warwickshire 26 2.99x
Huntingdonshire 25 36.57x
Wiltshire 21 6.90x
Kent 19 1.62x
Staffordshire 18 1.55x
Yorkshire 17 0.50x
Worcestershire 14 3.11x
Lancashire 12 0.29x
Surrey 11 0.66x
Essex 10 1.47x
Cambridgeshire 5 2.29x
Gloucestershire 5 0.74x
Northumberland 5 0.98x
Bedfordshire 3 1.68x
Hampshire 1 0.14x
Leicestershire 1 0.26x
Oxfordshire 1 0.47x
Royal Navy 1 2.44x
Shropshire 1 0.34x
West Lothian 1 1.93x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Albans St Peter in Hertfordshire leads with 17 Giddins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 212.23x.

Place Total Index
St Albans St Peter 17 212.23x
Harpenden 16 441.99x
St George Hanover Square 15 24.72x
Islington London 14 4.19x
St Albans St Michael 14 528.30x
Wolverhampton 13 14.55x
Hemingford Abbots 11 2391.30x
Kidderminster Borough 11 41.79x
Spotland 11 24.21x
Withybrook 10 2857.14x
Ramsbury 9 326.09x
St Albans 9 185.19x
St Paul Walden 9 750.00x
West Ham 9 6.00x
Aston 8 3.35x
Abbots Langley 7 198.30x
Digswell 7 2592.59x
Hemingford Grey 7 666.67x
Battersea 6 4.74x
Chelsea London 6 5.78x
Lewisham 6 9.58x
St Pancras London 6 2.16x
Atherstone 5 112.61x
Bishopstone 5 344.83x
Chiswick 5 26.57x
Dalton In Rotherham 5 1041.67x
Deptford St Paul 5 5.52x
Earl Stoke 5 1562.50x
Hillingdon 5 45.54x
Longbenton 5 23.04x
Southcoates 5 26.40x
Fen Stanton 4 317.46x
Gloucester St Nicholas 4 127.80x
Hatfield 4 83.16x
Skelton In Guisbrough 4 43.34x
South Mimms 4 84.75x
West Bromwich 4 6.01x
Bromley London 3 3.96x
Brownsover 3 2727.27x
Conisbrough 3 93.75x
Deptford St Nicholas 3 32.19x
Hougham 3 42.92x
St Marylebone London 3 1.63x
Friern Barnet 2 26.39x
Great Cheverell 2 425.53x
Hampstead London 2 3.73x
Lambeth 2 0.67x
Newington 2 1.57x
Pulloxhill 2 317.46x
Ribbesford 2 53.48x
St Andrewthe Less 2 8.03x
Whittlesey St Mary St 2 26.25x
Ashby De La Zouch 1 11.30x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.67x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 4.44x
Carriden 1 42.55x
Caversham 1 23.53x
Chipping Barnet 1 24.10x
Clophill 1 76.34x
Colne 1 8.22x
Edmonton 1 3.60x
Eltham 1 14.53x
Hertford All Saints 1 75.19x
Huntingdon St Benedict 1 116.28x
Huntingdon St John 1 50.51x
Kimpton 1 90.09x
Lower Mitton 1 25.25x
Margate St John Baptist 1 4.65x
Newmarket All Sts 1 62.11x
Penge 1 4.55x
Portsmouth 1 6.15x
Royal Navy 1 2.85x
Shifnal 1 12.38x
St Giles Cripplegate 1 21.88x
St Ives 1 28.17x
St Martin In Fields 1 4.85x
Tottenham 1 1.82x
Walsall Borough 1 11.09x
Wennington 1 434.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Elizabeth 17
Sarah 17
Annie 8
Jane 8
Ann 7
Catherine 6
Eliza 6
Fanny 4
Edith 3
Emma 3
Hannah 3
Kate 3
Louisa 3
Margaret 3
Martha 3
Rose 3
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Elizth. 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Florence 2
Gertrude 2
Julia 2
Lavina 2
Lizzie 2
Matilda 2
Susan 2
Amigrah 1
Anne 1
Bertha 1
Blanch 1
Christianna 1
Eleanor 1
Elen 1
Francis 1
Georgiana 1
Isabel 1
Isabella 1
Isabellie 1
J. 1
Jessie 1
Lavinia 1
Lily 1
Liza 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 24
John 18
George 15
Alfred 9
Thomas 9
James 8
Robert 8
Charles 7
Arthur 6
Joseph 6
Henry 5
Richard 4
Walter 4
David 3
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Samuel 3
Albert 2
Benjamin 2
Edward 2
Frank 2
Geo. 2
Herbert 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
A. 1
Abraham 1
Amos 1
Barton 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Eustace 1
Fred 1
Jesse 1
Kezia 1
Mary 1
Maurice 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
Uglow 1
Valentine 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Giddins surname: questions and answers

How common was the Giddins surname in 1881?

In 1881, 358 people were recorded with the Giddins surname. That placed it at #8,638 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Giddins surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 389 in 2016. That gives Giddins a modern rank of #12,109.

What does the Giddins surname mean?

An English surname derived from a nickname for an inconstant or flighty person.

What does the Giddins map show?

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