NameCensus.

UK surname

Girard

A French occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of darts, arrows, or crossbow bolts.

In the 1881 census there were 28 people recorded with the Girard surname, ranking it #29,646 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 217, ranked #18,535, up from #29,646 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hillingdon, Darlington and Camden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Girard is 219 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 675.0%.

1881 census count

28

Ranked #29,646

Modern count

217

2016, ranked #18,535

Peak year

2014

219 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Girard had 28 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,646 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 217 in 2016, ranked #18,535.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 78 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Girard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Girard surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Girard 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 26 #28,667
1861 historical 17 #31,714
1881 historical 28 #29,646
1891 historical 53 #29,946
1901 historical 68 #26,598
1911 historical 78 #25,013
1997 modern 162 #20,107
1998 modern 188 #18,796
1999 modern 193 #18,642
2000 modern 211 #17,603
2001 modern 198 #18,047
2002 modern 198 #18,410
2003 modern 190 #18,683
2004 modern 192 #18,678
2005 modern 192 #18,640
2006 modern 193 #18,675
2007 modern 201 #18,428
2008 modern 211 #17,997
2009 modern 210 #18,426
2010 modern 209 #18,893
2011 modern 215 #18,379
2012 modern 201 #19,147
2013 modern 208 #19,041
2014 modern 219 #18,523
2015 modern 210 #18,958
2016 modern 217 #18,535

Geography

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Where Girards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hillingdon, Darlington, Camden, Hackney and Southwark. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hillingdon 033 Hillingdon
2 Darlington 007 Darlington
3 Camden 025 Camden
4 Hackney 016 Hackney
5 Southwark 033 Southwark

Forenames

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First names often paired with Girard

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Girard

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Girard, 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 Girard surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Girard 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Girard is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Girard 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

Girard falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Girard 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Girard

The surname Girard originated in France and is derived from the Germanic personal name Gerard, which is composed of the elements "gair" meaning spear and "hard" meaning hardy or brave. The name first appeared in records during the early Middle Ages, around the 6th or 7th century.

Girard was a popular name among the Franks and later the Normans, who brought the name to England after the Norman Conquest in 1066. The name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Girard was in the 11th century, when a Norman knight named Girard de Rouville accompanied William the Conqueror to England. Girard de Rouville later became a landowner in Warwickshire.

In the 12th century, another notable bearer of the name was Girard de Cambrai, a French trouvère and poet. He was born around 1150 and is known for his courtly love poems and chansons de geste.

During the 13th century, a Benedictine monk named Girard de Montreuil served as the abbot of the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris from 1238 to 1260.

In the 15th century, Jean Girard (1436-1503) was a French philosopher and theologian who taught at the University of Paris and wrote extensively on logic and metaphysics.

Another prominent figure with the surname Girard was the French writer and philosopher René Girard (1923-2015), who developed the theory of mimetic desire and was a significant influence on literary criticism and religious studies.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Girard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Girard 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. Channel Islands leads with 168 Girards recorded in 1881 and an index of 296.56x.

County Total Index
Channel Islands 168 296.56x
Middlesex 15 0.78x
Glamorgan 3 0.90x
Sussex 3 0.93x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.56x
Devon 1 0.25x
Hampshire 1 0.26x
Kent 1 0.15x
Somerset 1 0.33x
Suffolk 1 0.43x
Surrey 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Maryde Castro in Channel Islands leads with 72 Girards recorded in 1881 and an index of 5179.86x.

Place Total Index
St Maryde Castro 72 5179.86x
St Saviour 30 958.47x
St Andrew 17 2266.67x
St Peter Port 14 133.59x
St Martin 10 288.18x
St Helier 8 43.38x
St Michaelinthe Vale 7 346.53x
Bow London 5 20.54x
Sark 4 1052.63x
St Peterinthe Wood 4 519.48x
Swansea Town 3 10.99x
Hastings St Mary 2 24.94x
Shoreditch London 2 2.41x
St Bride London 2 180.18x
St George Hanover Square 2 5.94x
St George In East London 2 11.12x
St Martin In Fields 2 17.47x
St Sampson 2 78.43x
Camberwell 1 0.82x
Cliffe 1 68.03x
Fraserburgh 1 20.08x
Ipswich St Helen 1 36.23x
Petworth 1 51.81x
Portsea 1 1.30x
Tormoham 1 5.94x
Walcot 1 6.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 17
Daniel 11
Peter 10
William 9
Alfred 5
Henry 5
James 4
Francis 3
Thomas 3
David 2
Frederic 2
George 2
Guillaume 2
Joseph 2
Alessandro 1
Bertram 1
Camille 1
Dalf 1
Edward 1
Emile 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Gaston 1
H. 1
Hariet 1
Julian 1
Nicolas 1
Paul 1
Philip 1
W.E. 1
W.H. 1

FAQ

Girard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Girard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 28 people were recorded with the Girard surname. That placed it at #29,646 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Girard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 217 in 2016. That gives Girard a modern rank of #18,535.

What does the Girard surname mean?

A French occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of darts, arrows, or crossbow bolts.

What does the Girard map show?

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