NameCensus.

UK surname

Ginns

A surname potentially derived from the given name Gino, of uncertain origin.

In the 1881 census there were 322 people recorded with the Ginns surname, ranking it #9,262 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 337, ranked #13,552, down from #9,262 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hinckley (incl. Hydes Pastures) and Rushton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kettering, Northampton and Peterborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ginns is 401 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.7%.

1881 census count

322

Ranked #9,262

Modern count

337

2016, ranked #13,552

Peak year

1911

401 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ginns had 322 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,262 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 337 in 2016, ranked #13,552.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 401 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ginns surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ginns surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ginns 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 128 #14,474
1861 historical 140 #16,169
1881 historical 322 #9,262
1891 historical 334 #10,198
1901 historical 353 #10,364
1911 historical 401 #9,262
1997 modern 338 #12,489
1998 modern 351 #12,511
1999 modern 346 #12,726
2000 modern 346 #12,670
2001 modern 346 #12,478
2002 modern 357 #12,424
2003 modern 339 #12,714
2004 modern 330 #12,994
2005 modern 332 #12,881
2006 modern 336 #12,842
2007 modern 334 #13,036
2008 modern 330 #13,257
2009 modern 328 #13,574
2010 modern 335 #13,645
2011 modern 330 #13,664
2012 modern 339 #13,271
2013 modern 346 #13,291
2014 modern 349 #13,293
2015 modern 337 #13,560
2016 modern 337 #13,552

Geography

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Where Ginns' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hinckley (incl. Hydes Pastures), Rushton, Kettering and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kettering, Northampton and Peterborough. 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 3
2 Hinckley (incl. Hydes Pastures) Leicestershire
3 Rushton Northamptonshire
4 Kettering Northamptonshire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kettering 002 Kettering
2 Northampton 021 Northampton
3 Kettering 003 Kettering
4 Kettering 004 Kettering
5 Peterborough 008 Peterborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ginns

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ginns

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

Ginns is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Ginns

The surname Ginns is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "gynne," which means a deep valley or ravine. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who resided in or near a valley or ravine.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Ginna" and "Ginne." These entries indicate that people bearing this surname or a similar variant were present in various parts of England during the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, the surname emerged in its modern spelling as "Ginns," as evidenced by records from the county of Lincolnshire. During this period, the name was also associated with several place names, such as Ginnidge in Wiltshire and Ginns in Norfolk.

Notable individuals with the surname Ginns throughout history include John Ginns (c. 1570-1647), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Rector of Deene in Northamptonshire. Another prominent figure was Sir William Ginns (1648-1718), a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament for the city of Bristol in the late 17th century.

In the 18th century, the Ginns family gained prominence in the legal profession, with Robert Ginns (1725-1789) serving as a respected barrister and Judge of the High Court of Admiralty. His son, John Ginns (1760-1842), followed in his footsteps and became a notable lawyer and legal scholar.

Moving into the 19th century, we encounter Samuel Ginns (1810-1879), a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the prestigious Royal Institution of Great Britain.

While the Ginns surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, with families bearing this name found in various countries, including the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ginns families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ginns 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. Northamptonshire leads with 149 Ginns' recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.43x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 149 50.43x
Leicestershire 77 22.11x
Kent 29 2.71x
Huntingdonshire 17 27.26x
Surrey 10 0.65x
Yorkshire 10 0.32x
Lincolnshire 7 1.39x
Middlesex 7 0.22x
Cumberland 5 1.85x
Lancashire 4 0.11x
Caernarfonshire 3 2.36x
Shropshire 2 0.74x
Wiltshire 2 0.72x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Desborough in Northamptonshire leads with 90 Ginns' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4054.05x.

Place Total Index
Desborough 90 4054.05x
Hinckley 32 387.41x
Kettering 31 259.41x
Woolwich 19 47.99x
Mitcham 10 103.41x
Charlton Next Woolwich 9 80.50x
Leicester Black Friars 8 352.42x
Leicester St Margaret 8 9.42x
Sawtry St Andrew 8 2000.00x
Leicester All Sts 7 102.34x
Rothwell 7 235.69x
St Swithin Lincoln 7 88.61x
Winwick In Oundle 7 2187.50x
Croft 6 967.74x
Leicester St Mary 6 21.32x
Sawtry All Sts 6 821.92x
Islington London 5 1.64x
Leeds 5 2.84x
Rushton 5 943.40x
St Cuthbert W O 5 37.94x
Rushden 4 101.27x
Wigston Magna 4 86.58x
Wuerdle Wardle 4 35.37x
Leicester St Martin 3 128.21x
Llanbedrog 3 517.24x
Wellingborough 3 20.20x
Yaxley 3 205.48x
Ardsley 2 55.71x
Barugh 2 76.05x
Great Bowden 2 63.09x
Hilperton 2 227.27x
Shrewsbury St Mary 2 18.67x
Glen Parva 1 121.95x
Hunslet 1 2.06x
Plumstead 1 2.80x
St Giles In Fields London 1 6.49x
Thrapston 1 67.57x
Twywell 1 185.19x
Westminster St Margaret 1 6.60x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Elizabeth 11
Ellen 11
Annie 10
Emma 10
Sarah 8
Ann 7
Charlotte 5
Eliza 5
Rebecca 5
Alice 4
Florence 4
Maria 4
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Lucy 3
Susan 3
Clara 2
Esther 2
Gertrude 2
Harriett 2
Jane 2
Lillian 2
Lizzie 2
Rowena 2
Sophia 2
Bertha 1
Deborah 1
Dorothy 1
Edith 1
Effie 1
Eliz.Ann 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Elizth.Kate 1
Emily 1
Emmily 1
Hariott 1
Janet 1
Julia 1
Keziah 1
Lois 1
Louisa 1
Lucosia 1
Lydia 1
Matilda 1
Mildred 1
Nellie 1
Pateranell 1
Phoebe 1
Rosina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 21
William 14
George 9
Joseph 9
Henry 7
James 7
Alfred 6
Arthur 6
Charles 6
Frederick 6
Robert 6
Samuel 6
Thomas 6
Albert 4
Harry 4
Walter 4
Alben 2
Benjamin 2
Fredk. 2
Thos. 2
Adam 1
Alma 1
Arther 1
David 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Eliabas 1
Erenest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Isaac 1
Job 1
Johnson 1
Josiah 1
Lebbeus 1
Levi 1
Mark 1
Midgley 1
Philip 1
Robt. 1
Ruben 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Ginns surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ginns surname in 1881?

In 1881, 322 people were recorded with the Ginns surname. That placed it at #9,262 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ginns surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 337 in 2016. That gives Ginns a modern rank of #13,552.

What does the Ginns surname mean?

A surname potentially derived from the given name Gino, of uncertain origin.

What does the Ginns map show?

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