NameCensus.

UK surname

Ginger

A surname derived from the reddish-brown hair color, often associated with fair skin and freckles.

In the 1881 census there were 550 people recorded with the Ginger surname, ranking it #6,274 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 580, ranked #8,938, down from #6,274 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Watford and Risborough, Princes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dacorum, Aylesbury Vale and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ginger is 688 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5.5%.

1881 census count

550

Ranked #6,274

Modern count

580

2016, ranked #8,938

Peak year

1911

688 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ginger had 550 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,274 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 580 in 2016, ranked #8,938.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 688 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ginger surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ginger surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ginger 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 467 #5,314
1861 historical 387 #6,620
1881 historical 550 #6,274
1891 historical 559 #6,792
1901 historical 636 #6,754
1911 historical 688 #6,165
1997 modern 632 #7,843
1998 modern 629 #8,111
1999 modern 632 #8,139
2000 modern 630 #8,134
2001 modern 613 #8,156
2002 modern 624 #8,218
2003 modern 600 #8,340
2004 modern 594 #8,411
2005 modern 586 #8,414
2006 modern 585 #8,440
2007 modern 583 #8,541
2008 modern 582 #8,612
2009 modern 599 #8,612
2010 modern 615 #8,626
2011 modern 593 #8,767
2012 modern 592 #8,696
2013 modern 577 #8,995
2014 modern 588 #8,936
2015 modern 593 #8,806
2016 modern 580 #8,938

Geography

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Where Gingers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Watford, Risborough, Princes and Tring. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dacorum, Aylesbury Vale, Northumberland and Suffolk Coastal. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Watford Hertfordshire
4 Risborough, Princes Buckinghamshire
5 Tring Hertfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dacorum 008 Dacorum
2 Aylesbury Vale 008 Aylesbury Vale
3 Northumberland 006 Northumberland
4 Suffolk Coastal 003 Suffolk Coastal
5 Dacorum 001 Dacorum

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ginger

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ginger

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Ginger is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ginger is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ginger falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Ginger

The surname Ginger has its origins in England, tracing back to the late 12th century. It is believed to be an occupational name referring to someone who grew or traded in ginger, which was an expensive and highly sought-after spice during medieval times.

The name is derived from the Old French word "gingembre," which in turn came from the Latin "zingiber" and the Greek "zingiberis," all referring to the ginger root. Variations in spelling included Gynger and Gyngour in early records.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Ginger can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, dated 1273, where a Richard Ginger is mentioned. The Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296 also list a John Gyngour.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, such as William Gyngour (1379) and Robert Gyngure (1391). The Placita de Banco Rolls of 1393 mention a Richard Gynger from Norfolk.

Notable individuals with the surname Ginger include Sir Everard Ginger (c. 1590-1661), an English politician who served as Sheriff of London in 1644. John Ginger (c. 1610-1661) was an English lawyer and author who wrote a treatise on the laws of England.

In the 17th century, Thomas Ginger (1635-1705) was a renowned English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the fields of navigation and astronomy. His works include "Institutio Astronomica" and "Institutio Nautica."

More recently, David Ginger (1936-2020) was a British actor and playwright known for his roles in television series such as "Doctor Who" and "Blackadder."

The surname Ginger has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Ginger Hill in Wiltshire and Ginger Wood in Surrey, which may have influenced the development of the surname in certain regions.

While the surname Ginger is not as common today as it once was, it has left an indelible mark on English history and culture, with its origins dating back to the medieval spice trade and its association with notable figures in various fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ginger families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ginger 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. Middlesex leads with 144 Gingers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.68x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 144 2.68x
Buckinghamshire 129 39.77x
Hertfordshire 111 30.02x
Kent 36 1.97x
Surrey 33 1.26x
Bedfordshire 32 11.52x
Hampshire 15 1.36x
Lancashire 12 0.19x
Essex 6 0.57x
Suffolk 6 0.92x
Yorkshire 5 0.09x
Somerset 3 0.35x
Lincolnshire 2 0.23x
Northamptonshire 2 0.40x
Staffordshire 2 0.11x
Sussex 2 0.22x
Wiltshire 2 0.42x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.29x
Devon 1 0.09x
Lanarkshire 1 0.06x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.14x
Oxfordshire 1 0.30x
Shropshire 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Princes Risborough in Buckinghamshire leads with 29 Gingers recorded in 1881 and an index of 666.67x.

Place Total Index
Princes Risborough 29 666.67x
Aylesbury 27 187.89x
Tring 25 253.29x
Watford 19 66.27x
Mursley 16 1538.46x
Hampstead London 15 17.95x
Studham 15 980.39x
Hemel Hempstead 14 84.03x
Paddington London 14 7.10x
Finchley 13 63.20x
Kensington London 13 4.36x
Aston Clinton 12 436.36x
Twickenham 12 52.17x
St Pancras London 11 2.55x
Newington 10 5.05x
Rickmansworth 10 98.23x
Bexley 9 55.62x
Edmonton 9 20.82x
Flamstead 9 263.93x
Great Gaddesden 9 520.23x
Edlesborough 8 271.19x
Ratcliffe London 8 27.00x
Ardwick 7 12.19x
Ealing 7 14.60x
Northchurch 7 177.22x
West Wycombe 7 159.09x
Willesden 7 13.84x
Berkhampstead 6 72.20x
Great Stanmore 6 248.96x
Lewisham 6 6.15x
Sibton 6 666.67x
Weston Turville 6 397.35x
Bledlow 5 253.81x
Carisbrooke 5 32.74x
Hambleden 5 180.51x
Ivinghoe 5 197.63x
Leighton Buzzard 5 41.84x
Toddington 5 125.63x
Wandsworth 5 9.68x
Croydon 4 2.76x
Edgware 4 266.67x
Lambeth 4 0.86x
Litherland 4 30.05x
Maidstone 4 7.34x
Plumstead 4 6.56x
St Marylebone London 4 1.40x
York St Lawrence 4 72.20x
Alton 3 36.19x
Bedminster 3 3.70x
Chertsey 3 17.76x
Colchester St Mary At 3 80.00x
Hammersmith London 3 2.27x
Harpenden 3 53.19x
Hendon 3 15.54x
Longparish 3 241.94x
St Luke London 3 3.49x
Sundon 3 434.78x
Battersea 2 1.01x
Chalgrave 2 124.22x
Chippenham 2 20.10x
Deptford St Paul 2 1.42x
Erith 2 11.09x
Horncastle 2 22.60x
Islington London 2 0.38x
Kensworth 2 166.67x
Passenham 2 96.62x
Rochester St Nicholas 2 35.15x
Slapton 2 408.16x
Wing 2 66.45x
Arreton 1 28.33x
Chipping Barnet 1 15.46x
Horsted Keynes 1 47.39x
Luton 1 2.08x
Portsea 1 0.46x
Portsmouth 1 3.95x
Rochester St Margaret 1 5.18x
Stone 1 4.32x
Strood 1 9.58x
Walthamstow 1 2.62x
Woking 1 6.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 34
Sarah 24
Elizabeth 20
Annie 12
Emily 11
Eliza 10
Emma 10
Martha 9
Ann 7
Ellen 7
Fanny 7
Jane 7
Edith 6
Hannah 6
Alice 4
Charlotte 4
Rose 4
Ada 3
Anne 3
Florence 3
Kate 3
Minnie 3
Sophia 3
Susan 3
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Esther 2
Helena 2
Laura 2
Lizzie 2
Louisa 2
Rosanna 2
Selina 2
Susannah 2
Allis 1
Amelia 1
Beatrice 1
Bertha 1
Caraline 1
Eleanor 1
Elina 1
Elizath. 1
Elizth. 1
Ester 1
Harriet 1
Hephzibah 1
Isabella 1
Jemima 1
Julia 1
Kitty 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 44
George 24
John 24
Thomas 22
Alfred 18
Frederick 14
Henry 12
James 11
Joseph 11
Albert 9
Charles 8
Daniel 8
Walter 8
Arthur 7
Robert 5
David 4
Edward 4
Edwin 4
Ernest 4
Samuel 4
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Alec 1
Barton 1
Burtram 1
Charly 1
Dan 1
Davis 1
Everard 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Frity 1
Gavin 1
Hermann 1
Jonah 1
Jonathan 1
Lot 1
Mark 1
Mathew 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Reuben 1
Sidney 1
Tom 1
Tom. 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Ginger surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ginger surname in 1881?

In 1881, 550 people were recorded with the Ginger surname. That placed it at #6,274 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ginger surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 580 in 2016. That gives Ginger a modern rank of #8,938.

What does the Ginger surname mean?

A surname derived from the reddish-brown hair color, often associated with fair skin and freckles.

What does the Ginger map show?

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