NameCensus.

UK surname

Gillgrass

In the 1881 census there were 71 people recorded with the Gillgrass surname, ranking it #23,517 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 173, ranked #21,561, up from #23,517 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Melling, Carlisle St Cuthbert and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blaenau Gwent, Carlisle and Bolsover.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gillgrass is 181 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 143.7%.

1881 census count

71

Ranked #23,517

Modern count

173

2016, ranked #21,561

Peak year

2002

181 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gillgrass had 71 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,517 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 173 in 2016, ranked #21,561.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 125 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Gillgrass surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gillgrass surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gillgrass 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 53 #23,739
1861 historical 60 #26,313
1881 historical 71 #23,517
1891 historical 109 #22,701
1901 historical 87 #24,386
1911 historical 125 #19,932
1997 modern 148 #21,295
1998 modern 149 #21,755
1999 modern 157 #21,201
2000 modern 160 #20,903
2001 modern 166 #20,129
2002 modern 181 #19,463
2003 modern 168 #20,171
2004 modern 163 #20,685
2005 modern 166 #20,379
2006 modern 160 #21,066
2007 modern 166 #20,811
2008 modern 164 #21,137
2009 modern 167 #21,383
2010 modern 176 #21,101
2011 modern 170 #21,407
2012 modern 166 #21,683
2013 modern 173 #21,486
2014 modern 178 #21,259
2015 modern 179 #21,069
2016 modern 173 #21,561

Geography

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Where Gillgrass' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Melling, Carlisle St Cuthbert, Manchester, Preston and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blaenau Gwent, Carlisle, Bolsover and Kirklees. 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 Melling Lancashire
2 Carlisle St Cuthbert Cumberland
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blaenau Gwent 008 Blaenau Gwent
2 Blaenau Gwent 009 Blaenau Gwent
3 Carlisle 012 Carlisle
4 Bolsover 004 Bolsover
5 Kirklees 011 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gillgrass

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gillgrass

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gillgrass, 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 Gillgrass surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Gillgrass household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Gillgrass 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.

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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

Gillgrass 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

Gillgrass falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Gillgrass families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gillgrass 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 31 Gillgrass' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.77x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 31 3.77x
Yorkshire 22 3.21x
Cheshire 16 10.47x
Berkshire 2 3.85x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hulme in Lancashire leads with 15 Gillgrass' recorded in 1881 and an index of 87.46x.

Place Total Index
Hulme 15 87.46x
Calverley Cum Farsley 12 615.38x
Leeds 8 20.65x
Weaverham Cum Milton 8 2000.00x
Bickerstaffe 4 740.74x
Chester St John Baptist 4 145.45x
Fishwick 4 784.31x
Salford 4 16.56x
Sedbergh 2 800.00x
Widnes 2 33.73x
Wokingham 2 168.07x
Alvanley 1 1250.00x
Barrow In Furness 1 8.95x
Hartford 1 285.71x
Lancaster 1 20.45x
Norley 1 588.24x
Sale 1 53.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Sarah 5
Margaret 4
Elizabeth 3
Fanny 2
Lucy 2
Ada 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Lilly 1
Maritin 1
Martha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 6
William 6
Thomas 4
Samuel 3
Charles 2
Albert 1
Daniel 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
George 1
Henry 1
James 1
Levi 1
Robert 1

FAQ

Gillgrass surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gillgrass surname in 1881?

In 1881, 71 people were recorded with the Gillgrass surname. That placed it at #23,517 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gillgrass surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 173 in 2016. That gives Gillgrass a modern rank of #21,561.

What does the Gillgrass map show?

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