NameCensus.

UK surname

Ginsberg

A Jewish surname derived from the German place name Günzberg, meaning "Günz mountain" or "Günz castle."

In the 1881 census there were 26 people recorded with the Ginsberg surname, ranking it #29,911 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 153, ranked #23,408, up from #29,911 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Christ Church Spitalfields, Manchester and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kensington and Chelsea, Hackney and Gwynedd.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ginsberg is 424 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 488.5%.

1881 census count

26

Ranked #29,911

Modern count

153

2016, ranked #23,408

Peak year

1911

424 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ginsberg had 26 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,911 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 153 in 2016, ranked #23,408.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 424 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Ginsberg surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ginsberg surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ginsberg 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
1881 historical 26 #29,911
1891 historical 115 #21,878
1901 historical 340 #10,647
1911 historical 424 #8,905
1997 modern 156 #20,593
1998 modern 166 #20,329
1999 modern 155 #21,375
2000 modern 155 #21,341
2001 modern 146 #21,857
2002 modern 152 #21,723
2003 modern 151 #21,574
2004 modern 154 #21,432
2005 modern 162 #20,716
2006 modern 163 #20,789
2007 modern 168 #20,634
2008 modern 164 #21,137
2009 modern 168 #21,290
2010 modern 168 #21,733
2011 modern 165 #21,829
2012 modern 158 #22,460
2013 modern 168 #21,914
2014 modern 157 #23,101
2015 modern 155 #23,194
2016 modern 153 #23,408

Geography

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Where Ginsbergs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Christ Church Spitalfields, Manchester, Liverpool, West Derby and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kensington and Chelsea, Hackney, Gwynedd, Basingstoke and Deane and Hertsmere. 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 Christ Church Spitalfields London (East Districts)
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 West Derby Lancashire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kensington and Chelsea 005 Kensington and Chelsea
2 Hackney 001 Hackney
3 Gwynedd 004 Gwynedd
4 Basingstoke and Deane 003 Basingstoke and Deane
5 Hertsmere 001 Hertsmere

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ginsberg

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ginsberg

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ginsberg, 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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Ginsberg surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Ginsberg 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Ginsberg is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ginsberg is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ginsberg falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ginsberg 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 - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Ginsberg, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ginsberg

The surname Ginsberg is of German and Ashkenazi Jewish origin, derived from the German place name Ginsberg, which means "green mountain" or "green hill." The name is thought to have originated in the 14th or 15th century in the Rhineland region of Germany.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the late 15th century, with records showing individuals with the surname Ginsberg living in various towns and villages in the Rhineland region. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Simon Ginsberg, who was mentioned in a document from the town of Mainz in 1492.

Over the centuries, the name has undergone various spelling variations, including Ginsburg, Ginzburg, and Ginsburgh. These variations often reflected local dialects and scribal errors in record-keeping.

The name Ginsberg gained prominence in the literary world with the American poet Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997), who was a leading figure in the Beat Generation and counterculture movements of the 1950s and 1960s. His best-known works include the poems "Howl" and "Kaddish."

Other notable individuals with the surname Ginsberg include:

1. Morris Ginsberg (1889-1970), a British sociologist and anthropologist known for his contributions to the study of social evolution and the concept of "organic analogies" in sociology.

2. Benjamin Ginsberg (born 1940), an American political scientist and author of numerous books on American politics and government.

3. Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933-2020), an influential American lawyer and jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1993 until her death.

4. Martin Ginsburg (1932-2010), an American tax lawyer and husband of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, known for his work in tax law and civil rights advocacy.

5. Max Ginsburg (1909-1992), an American businessman and philanthropist who was instrumental in promoting the study of Jewish culture and history through his support of educational institutions and programs.

While the name Ginsberg has its origins in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly following the migration of Ashkenazi Jewish communities from Europe to other countries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ginsberg families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ginsberg 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. Yorkshire leads with 9 Ginsbergs recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.58x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 9 3.58x
Middlesex 7 2.76x
Lancashire 6 1.99x
Monmouthshire 4 21.82x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 6 Ginsbergs recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.45x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 6 54.45x
Leeds 5 35.24x
Sheffield 4 50.00x
St Woollos 4 195.12x
Liverpool 3 16.42x
Manchester 2 14.78x
Everton 1 10.43x
St Botolph Aldgate London 1 192.31x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 2
Annie 1
Eliza 1
Flora 1
Leah 1
Mary 1
Milly 1
Morris 1
Sheale 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Nathan 3
Jacob 2
Barnet 1
Bernard 1
Charles 1
Henry 1
Hyman 1
Israil 1
Leon 1
Louis 1
Mendel 1
Morris 1
Reuben 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Ginsberg households.

FAQ

Ginsberg surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ginsberg surname in 1881?

In 1881, 26 people were recorded with the Ginsberg surname. That placed it at #29,911 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ginsberg surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 153 in 2016. That gives Ginsberg a modern rank of #23,408.

What does the Ginsberg surname mean?

A Jewish surname derived from the German place name Günzberg, meaning "Günz mountain" or "Günz castle."

What does the Ginsberg map show?

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