NameCensus.

UK surname

Ginn

An English surname derived from a shortened form of the given name Beginald, meaning "descendant of Ginn."

In the 1881 census there were 828 people recorded with the Ginn surname, ranking it #4,543 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,104, ranked #5,323, down from #4,543 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Springfield and Ware (Ware). Hertford St John, Hertford All Saints. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waveney, Central Bedfordshire and Woking.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ginn is 1,252 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.3%.

1881 census count

828

Ranked #4,543

Modern count

1,104

2016, ranked #5,323

Peak year

1998

1,252 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ginn had 828 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,543 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,104 in 2016, ranked #5,323.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,170 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ginn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ginn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ginn 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 629 #4,129
1861 historical 496 #5,271
1881 historical 828 #4,543
1891 historical 868 #4,730
1901 historical 1,061 #4,541
1911 historical 1,170 #3,992
1997 modern 1,226 #4,631
1998 modern 1,252 #4,711
1999 modern 1,246 #4,759
2000 modern 1,244 #4,758
2001 modern 1,204 #4,789
2002 modern 1,222 #4,828
2003 modern 1,197 #4,816
2004 modern 1,169 #4,921
2005 modern 1,121 #5,058
2006 modern 1,128 #5,028
2007 modern 1,129 #5,072
2008 modern 1,113 #5,171
2009 modern 1,131 #5,201
2010 modern 1,162 #5,187
2011 modern 1,134 #5,239
2012 modern 1,139 #5,132
2013 modern 1,129 #5,261
2014 modern 1,119 #5,321
2015 modern 1,113 #5,307
2016 modern 1,104 #5,323

Geography

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Where Ginns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Springfield, Ware (Ware). Hertford St John, Hertford All Saints and Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Waveney, Central Bedfordshire, Woking, East Cambridgeshire and Hyndburn. 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 Springfield Essex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Ware (Ware). Hertford St John, Hertford All Saints Hertfordshire
5 Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Waveney 014 Waveney
2 Central Bedfordshire 003 Central Bedfordshire
3 Woking 004 Woking
4 East Cambridgeshire 001 East Cambridgeshire
5 Hyndburn 004 Hyndburn

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ginn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ginn

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Ginn is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Ginn is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ginn 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 Ginn 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 Ginn, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ginn

The surname Ginn has its origins in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "ginne," which means a trap or snare, suggesting that the name may have originally referred to someone who was a trapper or hunter.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Ginn surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex, dated 1195, where a person named Hugo Ginn is mentioned. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which lists a John Ginn as a landowner.

In the 14th century, the Ginn surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Kent, Surrey, and Sussex, where it was often associated with certain place names. For example, the village of Ginnedge in Kent was once known as "Ginnys Egge," which may have been derived from the name of a person or family called Ginn.

One notable person with the Ginn surname was Sir Robert Ginn (c. 1460-1523), a wealthy merchant and alderman of the City of London. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1508 and was knighted by King Henry VIII.

In the 16th century, the Ginn surname can be found in various records, such as the Parish Registers of Stratfield Saye in Hampshire, where a William Ginn was recorded in 1593. Another example is John Ginn (c. 1570-1627), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Lewes in Sussex.

During the 17th century, the Ginn surname spread to other parts of England and even to the American colonies. One notable figure from this period was Thomas Ginn (1615-1672), a Puritan settler who emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1635 and became a prominent landowner in Saugus, Massachusetts.

The 18th century saw the rise of several notable individuals with the Ginn surname, including John Ginn (1701-1768), a renowned English clockmaker from London, and Edward Ginn (1782-1857), an English clergyman and author who wrote extensively on theological subjects.

In the 19th century, the Ginn surname continued to be prominent in various fields. One notable figure was Edwin Ginn (1838-1914), an American educator and publisher who founded the textbook publishing company Ginn & Company, which later became part of Pearson Education.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ginn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ginn 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 156 Ginns recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.93x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 156 1.93x
Hertfordshire 126 22.63x
Cambridgeshire 100 19.55x
Essex 92 5.77x
Surrey 63 1.60x
Bedfordshire 53 12.67x
Kent 51 1.85x
Suffolk 46 4.68x
Yorkshire 34 0.42x
Lanarkshire 24 0.92x
Lancashire 18 0.19x
Cornwall 9 0.98x
Cumberland 9 1.29x
Lincolnshire 7 0.54x
Devon 6 0.36x
Huntingdonshire 5 3.12x
Perthshire 5 1.38x
Hampshire 4 0.24x
Renfrewshire 4 0.64x
Staffordshire 4 0.15x
Durham 3 0.12x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.28x
Sussex 3 0.22x
Berkshire 1 0.16x
Northamptonshire 1 0.13x
Royal Navy 1 1.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ware in Hertfordshire leads with 21 Ginns recorded in 1881 and an index of 131.58x.

Place Total Index
Ware 21 131.58x
West Ham 20 5.68x
Bedford St Peter 19 174.95x
Finchley 17 54.89x
Hamilton 17 23.33x
Sacombe 17 2361.11x
St George In East London 16 21.06x
Kirtling 14 616.74x
Chelmsford 13 47.53x
Greenwich 13 10.11x
Islington London 13 1.66x
Lambeth 13 1.85x
Great Hormead 12 839.16x
Hertford St John 12 144.58x
Hartest 11 647.06x
Shoreditch London 11 3.14x
Springfield 11 157.37x
Stotfold 11 137.33x
Cowlinge 10 531.91x
Farnham 10 719.42x
Prittlewell 10 45.25x
Alston 9 70.26x
Bedford St Mary 9 83.57x
Bengeo 9 139.32x
Great Munden 9 743.80x
Over 9 296.05x
Southwark St George Martyr 9 5.54x
St Andrewthe Great 9 136.16x
Bradford 8 4.13x
Deptford St Paul 8 3.76x
Paddington London 8 2.69x
Tottenham 8 6.22x
Walton On Thames 8 44.27x
West Derby 8 2.85x
Ashley Cum Silverley 7 522.39x
Belchamp Otten 7 752.69x
Bishop Stortford 7 37.63x
Dennington 7 321.10x
Farnborough 7 174.13x
Hackney London 7 1.55x
Hertford All Saints 7 225.08x
Little Hadham 7 296.61x
Liverpool 7 1.20x
Mile End Old Town London 7 4.07x
Newington 7 2.35x
Oakington 7 463.58x
St Andrewthe Less 7 11.98x
St Luke London 7 5.40x
St Pancras London 7 1.08x
Wakefield 7 11.39x
Westminster St John 7 7.12x
Wood Ditton 7 163.55x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.71x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 6 26.89x
Luton 6 8.29x
Maker 6 71.01x
Methley 6 53.24x
Moulton 6 96.46x
Rotherhithe 6 6.01x
Beeston 5 61.73x
Chingford 5 129.87x
Dullingham 5 217.39x
Dunton 5 378.79x
East Wickham 5 152.91x
Eynsford 5 105.71x
Hornsey 5 4.90x
Kensington London 5 1.11x
Muthill 5 105.71x
Stoke Newington London 5 7.95x
Sutton 5 17.56x
Whittlesey St Mary St 5 27.98x
Abbey 4 4.19x
Bowling 4 5.05x
Bromley London 4 2.25x
Chesterton 4 25.36x
Downe 4 261.44x
Govan 4 0.62x
Little Hormead 4 1142.86x
Romford 4 15.87x
Stetchworth 4 238.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 42
George 33
Thomas 32
John 29
James 25
Henry 23
Charles 15
Alfred 13
Joseph 13
Edward 10
Arthur 9
Frederick 9
Harry 9
Richard 8
Samuel 7
David 6
Robert 5
Albert 3
Aylard 3
Benjamin 3
Christopher 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Joshua 3
Thos. 3
Walter 3
Francis 2
Herbert 2
Jas. 2
Job 2
Reuben 2
Wm. 2
Cartly 1
Cornelius 1
Crisp 1
Daniel 1
Ebenezer 1
Edgar 1
Edwd. 1
F. 1
F.R. 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
J.Wm. 1
Jessey 1
Josiah 1
Leny 1
Levi 1
Martin 1
Merricombi 1

FAQ

Ginn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ginn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 828 people were recorded with the Ginn surname. That placed it at #4,543 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ginn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,104 in 2016. That gives Ginn a modern rank of #5,323.

What does the Ginn surname mean?

An English surname derived from a shortened form of the given name Beginald, meaning "descendant of Ginn."

What does the Ginn map show?

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