NameCensus.

UK surname

Gillingham

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "homestead of Gylla's people" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 1,306 people recorded with the Gillingham surname, ranking it #3,133 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,645, ranked #3,785, down from #3,133 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Poole St James and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Poole, North Dorset and Winchester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gillingham is 1,770 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.0%.

1881 census count

1,306

Ranked #3,133

Modern count

1,645

2016, ranked #3,785

Peak year

2000

1,770 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gillingham had 1,306 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,133 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,645 in 2016, ranked #3,785.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,746 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gillingham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gillingham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gillingham 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 798 #3,348
1861 historical 947 #2,929
1881 historical 1,306 #3,133
1891 historical 1,463 #3,006
1901 historical 1,545 #3,335
1911 historical 1,746 #2,810
1997 modern 1,722 #3,459
1998 modern 1,760 #3,527
1999 modern 1,759 #3,551
2000 modern 1,770 #3,517
2001 modern 1,730 #3,516
2002 modern 1,765 #3,530
2003 modern 1,695 #3,587
2004 modern 1,720 #3,541
2005 modern 1,685 #3,566
2006 modern 1,664 #3,610
2007 modern 1,647 #3,678
2008 modern 1,660 #3,671
2009 modern 1,692 #3,691
2010 modern 1,717 #3,719
2011 modern 1,710 #3,678
2012 modern 1,654 #3,731
2013 modern 1,660 #3,784
2014 modern 1,674 #3,774
2015 modern 1,667 #3,757
2016 modern 1,645 #3,785

Geography

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Where Gillinghams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Poole St James, St Pancras and Melcombe Regis. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Poole, North Dorset and Winchester. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Poole St James Dorset
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Melcombe Regis Dorset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Poole 008 Poole
2 North Dorset 007 North Dorset
3 Winchester 006 Winchester
4 Poole 007 Poole
5 Poole 015 Poole

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gillingham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gillingham

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

Gillingham is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gillingham falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gillingham

The surname Gillingham is of English origin and is derived from the place name Gillingham, which is found in several counties across England, including Dorset, Kent, and Norfolk. The name itself is believed to have originated from the Old English words "Gil" or "Gyl," meaning a ravine or a deep valley, and "ham," meaning a homestead or village.

The earliest known record of the surname Gillingham can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was listed as "Gillingeham" in the county of Dorset. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Gillingham was Robert de Gillingham, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1230. Another notable figure was Sir John Gillingham, a member of the English gentry who lived in the 14th century and served as a knight in the service of King Edward III.

In the 16th century, the surname Gillingham appeared in various historical records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Wiltshire in 1576, where a John Gillingham was listed as a taxpayer. Around the same time, a Thomas Gillingham was recorded as a freeman of the City of London in 1585.

During the 17th century, the Gillingham family established themselves in the county of Dorset, where they owned estates and land. One prominent member was Sir Benjamin Gillingham (1616-1683), who served as a Member of Parliament for Dorset and was knighted by King Charles II in 1663.

Another notable individual with the surname Gillingham was Samuel Gillingham (1688-1768), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Whitchurch in Buckinghamshire. He is remembered for his work "A Practical Exposition of the Church-Catechism," published in 1743.

In the 19th century, the Gillingham surname gained further prominence with individuals such as Joseph Gillingham (1800-1873), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. Andrew in Holborn and the Garrick Theatre.

Overall, the surname Gillingham has a rich history deeply rooted in the English countryside, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the time of the Norman Conquest. Throughout the centuries, individuals bearing this name have made significant contributions to various fields, including politics, religion, and architecture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gillingham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gillingham 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. Dorset leads with 369 Gillinghams recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.98x.

County Total Index
Dorset 369 42.98x
Middlesex 200 1.53x
Somerset 120 5.70x
Hampshire 104 3.88x
Surrey 85 1.33x
Kent 64 1.43x
Essex 44 1.70x
Suffolk 40 2.51x
Channel Islands 36 9.29x
Devon 33 1.21x
Lancashire 31 0.20x
Monmouthshire 29 3.07x
Yorkshire 28 0.22x
Wiltshire 27 2.33x
Gloucestershire 24 0.94x
Cambridgeshire 22 2.66x
Lincolnshire 12 0.57x
Berkshire 9 0.92x
Staffordshire 9 0.20x
Warwickshire 7 0.21x
Cheshire 5 0.17x
Northamptonshire 5 0.41x
Sussex 5 0.23x
Cornwall 4 0.27x
Durham 4 0.10x
Hertfordshire 4 0.44x
Bedfordshire 3 0.44x
Leicestershire 3 0.21x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.17x
Glamorgan 2 0.09x
Norfolk 2 0.10x
Northumberland 2 0.10x
Brecknockshire 1 0.38x
Cumberland 1 0.09x
Derbyshire 1 0.05x
Oxfordshire 1 0.12x
Radnorshire 1 0.95x
Royal Navy 1 0.64x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Melcombe Regis in Dorset leads with 24 Gillinghams recorded in 1881 and an index of 67.45x.

Place Total Index
Melcombe Regis 24 67.45x
St Pancras London 24 2.28x
St Peter Port 22 30.68x
Holdenhurst 21 29.86x
St Marylebone London 21 3.01x
Haselbury Bryan 20 621.12x
Folke 18 1500.00x
Sherborne 18 71.17x
Swanage 18 169.81x
Whitchurch Canonicorum 17 356.39x
Christchurch 16 27.52x
Barwick 14 660.38x
Chelsea London 14 3.55x
Croydon 14 3.96x
West Ham 14 2.46x
Bridgewater 13 22.74x
Camberwell 13 1.56x
East Coker 12 260.30x
Lambeth 12 1.05x
Newington 12 2.48x
Portsmouth 12 19.44x
St Andrewthe Less 12 12.68x
St Michaelinthe Vale 12 86.71x
Crewkerne 11 49.20x
Hammersmith London 11 3.41x
Islington London 11 0.87x
Southampton St Mary 11 6.52x
Street 11 96.58x
Trevethin 11 12.32x
Aberystruth 10 12.00x
Beaminster 10 104.82x
Fordington 10 54.08x
Weymouth 10 61.50x
Caundle Stourton 9 538.92x
Ipswich St Margaret 9 16.65x
Low Leyton 9 387.93x
North Wooton 9 2903.23x
St John Winchester 9 159.86x
Axminster 8 62.65x
Chard 8 31.36x
Donhead St Mary 8 136.05x
Horfield 8 30.98x
Longburton 8 470.59x
Penge 8 9.57x
Plumstead 8 5.38x
Ryde 8 13.89x
Tonbridge 8 4.97x
Wembdon 8 128.41x
Westminster St James 8 5.95x
Allington 7 91.38x
Bethnal Green London 7 1.23x
Canford Magna 7 141.13x
Charlton Marshall 7 239.73x
Chettle 7 1206.90x
Felixstow 7 180.41x
Fisherton Anger 7 32.70x
Holy Trinity 7 2.25x
Levington 7 933.33x
Leyton 7 15.74x
Maidstone 7 5.27x
Northolt 7 315.32x
Pilsdon 7 1707.32x
Reading St Mary 7 8.90x
Sculcoates 7 3.41x
St George Hanover Square 7 3.04x
St Giles In Fields London 7 10.91x
St Woollos 7 6.63x
Towerof London London 7 168.27x
Warwick St Nicholas 7 28.94x
Blackburn 6 1.45x
Brightside Bierlow 6 2.36x
Hackney London 6 0.82x
Hampstead London 6 2.95x
Holwell 6 320.86x
Ilchester 6 196.08x
Okeford Fitzpaine 6 218.98x
Plymouth St Andrew 6 2.86x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 2.28x
Spetisbury 6 253.16x
Symondsbury 6 109.69x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 84
William 82
John 52
James 39
Charles 36
Henry 35
Robert 24
Thomas 22
Alfred 20
Albert 16
Edward 16
Walter 14
Frederick 13
Joseph 13
Harry 9
Arthur 7
Edwin 7
Frank 7
Herbert 7
Richard 7
Tom 5
Fredk. 4
Job 4
Samuel 4
Sidney 4
Daniel 3
Edmund 3
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Louis 3
Martin 3
Benjamin 2
Bernard 2
Bertie 2
Chas. 2
Emanuel 2
Emmanuel 2
Fred 2
Geoe. 2
Henery 2
Hugh 2
Jeremiah 2
Lambert 2
Nathaniel 2
Philip 2
Phillip 2
Ralph 2
Samson 2
Thos. 2
Willm. 2

FAQ

Gillingham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gillingham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,306 people were recorded with the Gillingham surname. That placed it at #3,133 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gillingham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,645 in 2016. That gives Gillingham a modern rank of #3,785.

What does the Gillingham surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "homestead of Gylla's people" in Old English.

What does the Gillingham map show?

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