NameCensus.

UK surname

Girling

An English surname derived from the Old English word "gyrling" meaning a young person or servant.

In the 1881 census there were 1,912 people recorded with the Girling surname, ranking it #2,279 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,212, ranked #2,931, down from #2,279 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Ipswich St Clement and Warren House and Foulsham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ipswich, Babergh and Norwich.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Girling is 2,597 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.7%.

1881 census count

1,912

Ranked #2,279

Modern count

2,212

2016, ranked #2,931

Peak year

1911

2,597 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Girling had 1,912 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,279 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,212 in 2016, ranked #2,931.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,597 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Girling surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Girling surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Girling 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 1,156 #2,440
1861 historical 1,023 #2,740
1881 historical 1,912 #2,279
1891 historical 1,865 #2,472
1901 historical 2,243 #2,413
1911 historical 2,597 #1,973
1997 modern 2,379 #2,628
1998 modern 2,478 #2,635
1999 modern 2,470 #2,657
2000 modern 2,422 #2,690
2001 modern 2,367 #2,690
2002 modern 2,371 #2,733
2003 modern 2,338 #2,718
2004 modern 2,329 #2,722
2005 modern 2,311 #2,712
2006 modern 2,249 #2,776
2007 modern 2,269 #2,775
2008 modern 2,241 #2,837
2009 modern 2,268 #2,868
2010 modern 2,298 #2,899
2011 modern 2,281 #2,876
2012 modern 2,211 #2,909
2013 modern 2,251 #2,907
2014 modern 2,264 #2,910
2015 modern 2,221 #2,923
2016 modern 2,212 #2,931

Geography

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Where Girlings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Ipswich St Clement and Warren House, Foulsham and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ipswich, Babergh and Norwich. 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 Ipswich St Clement and Warren House Suffolk
4 Foulsham Norfolk
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ipswich 016 Ipswich
2 Babergh 005 Babergh
3 Ipswich 013 Ipswich
4 Norwich 004 Norwich
5 Ipswich 004 Ipswich

Forenames

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First names often paired with Girling

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Girling

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Girling is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Girling is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Girling

The surname Girling is of English origin and dates back to the late 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words "gyr" meaning a spear or javelin, and "ling" meaning a meadow or pasture. Therefore, the name likely referred to someone who lived near a meadow where spears or javelins were made or used.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which lists a Nicholas Girling. Another early reference is from the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327, where a John Girlyng is mentioned.

The surname Girling is also closely related to the Old English place name "Girling" or "Gerlyng", which was a village in Essex. This village is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Gerlinga". It is likely that some families bearing the surname originated from this village.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Girling. One of the earliest is Sir John Girling (c.1425-1491), a Member of Parliament for Essex during the reigns of Henry VI and Edward IV. Another notable figure is Richard Girling (1679-1748), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Peterborough.

In the 19th century, Alfred Girling (1833-1902) was a prominent English architect who designed numerous buildings in London, including the Royal College of Surgeons and the Royal College of Physicians. Additionally, Constance Girling (1868-1954) was a British artist and ceramicist who worked in the Arts and Crafts movement.

Another individual of note is Reverend Vere Cecil Girling (1889-1967), an English clergyman and author who wrote several books on Christianity and theology.

Overall, the surname Girling has a long and rich history dating back to medieval England, with various branches and individuals leaving their mark in different fields and professions throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Girling families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Girling 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. Suffolk leads with 670 Girlings recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.57x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 670 29.57x
Middlesex 315 1.69x
Norfolk 265 9.26x
Surrey 105 1.16x
Essex 94 2.56x
Warwickshire 73 1.56x
Yorkshire 69 0.37x
Kent 66 1.04x
Nottinghamshire 35 1.40x
Lancashire 22 0.10x
Lincolnshire 20 0.67x
Northumberland 18 0.65x
Sussex 17 0.54x
Durham 16 0.29x
Cambridgeshire 15 1.27x
Hampshire 12 0.31x
Somerset 8 0.27x
Berkshire 7 0.50x
Devon 7 0.18x
Gloucestershire 7 0.19x
Anglesey 6 1.82x
Derbyshire 6 0.21x
Isle of Man 6 1.74x
Bedfordshire 5 0.52x
Hertfordshire 5 0.39x
Leicestershire 5 0.24x
Midlothian 5 0.20x
Oxfordshire 5 0.44x
Staffordshire 5 0.08x
Worcestershire 5 0.21x
Westmorland 4 0.98x
Huntingdonshire 3 0.81x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.18x
Monmouthshire 2 0.15x
Channel Islands 1 0.18x
Glamorgan 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 50 Girlings recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.77x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 50 2.77x
Ipswich St Mathew 41 64.57x
St Marylebone London 41 4.13x
Foulsham 35 579.47x
Heigham 31 20.19x
Birmingham 29 1.85x
Ipswich St Clement 29 50.35x
Kensington London 29 2.80x
East Dereham 27 74.71x
Beccles 25 68.55x
West Ham 25 3.08x
Radford 22 17.27x
St Pancras London 22 1.47x
Huntingfield 21 925.11x
Kenilworth 20 75.61x
Leiston 20 128.53x
Hackney London 19 1.82x
Tuddenham St Martin 18 789.47x
Lambeth 17 1.05x
St George In East London 17 9.72x
Greenwich 16 5.40x
Stradbroke 16 209.15x
Framlingham 15 93.28x
Lowestoft 15 14.01x
Camberwell 14 1.18x
Deptford St Paul 14 2.86x
Great Yarmouth 14 5.91x
Poplar London 14 3.99x
Shoreditch London 14 1.74x
Sternfield 14 945.95x
Woodbridge 14 48.33x
Aston 13 1.01x
Brampton 13 684.21x
Charsfield 13 474.45x
St George Hanover Square 13 3.97x
Weybread 13 300.23x
Wrentham 13 207.01x
Almondbury 12 13.46x
Ipswich St Peter 12 39.34x
Wickham Market 12 128.07x
Brighton 11 1.74x
Carlton Colville 11 132.37x
Cratfield 11 348.10x
Kelsale 11 174.88x
Kingston On Thames 11 5.05x
Mile End Old Town London 11 2.78x
Oulton 11 143.79x
Halesworth 10 62.23x
Lawshall 10 196.46x
Lewisham 10 2.95x
Market Deeping 10 129.53x
Putney 10 11.79x
Southwold 10 74.57x
St Luke London 10 3.35x
Blythburgh 9 171.76x
Cransford 9 769.23x
Crook Billy Row 9 12.70x
Fressingfield 9 123.29x
Stratford On Avon 9 34.59x
Thorpe Next Norwich 9 29.68x
Walpole 9 357.14x
Wisbech St Peter 9 15.23x
Alderton 8 235.99x
Battersea 8 1.17x
Bedminster 8 2.84x
Colchester St James 8 53.76x
Kettleburgh 8 432.43x
Snape 8 247.68x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 2.14x
Thorpe Abbotts 8 559.44x
Bungay Holy Trinity 7 60.19x
Hunslet 7 2.44x
Kessingland 7 89.40x
Plumstead 7 3.31x
Southwark St Saviour 7 7.32x
Sutton 7 193.91x
Swaffham 7 30.08x
Watton 7 77.95x
Worsbrough 7 12.96x
Wramplingham 7 598.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 100
Elizabeth 66
Sarah 56
Emma 49
Eliza 44
Alice 39
Ellen 35
Ann 27
Charlotte 24
Emily 23
Annie 22
Harriet 22
Caroline 19
Maria 19
Hannah 16
Jane 15
Anna 14
Harriett 14
Louisa 14
Edith 13
Florence 13
Lucy 12
Susan 12
Ada 11
Frances 11
Kate 11
Clara 10
Matilda 10
Sophia 9
Fanny 8
Jessie 8
Susannah 8
Agnes 7
Julia 7
Martha 7
Rose 7
Amy 6
Ethel 6
Laura 6
Margaret 6
Rosa 6
Amelia 5
Anne 5
Eleanor 5
Lilly 5
Mabel 5
Gertrude 4
Lydia 4
Minnie 4
Susanna 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 120
George 91
John 79
James 43
Thomas 42
Robert 40
Charles 35
Henry 33
Arthur 25
Frederick 24
Walter 23
Harry 21
Samuel 21
Alfred 20
Albert 16
Edward 15
Richard 14
Herbert 13
Joseph 12
Ernest 10
Benjamin 6
Francis 6
Frank 6
Alexander 5
David 5
Edwin 5
Fredrick 5
Robt. 5
Wm. 5
Abraham 4
Fredk. 4
Horace 4
Stephen 4
Edgar 3
Fred 3
Isaac 3
Peter 3
Philip 3
Reuben 3
Thos. 3
Chas. 2
Christopher 2
Daniel 2
Jas. 2
Jesse 2
Job 2
Joshua 2
Mathew 2
Reginald 2
Russell 2

FAQ

Girling surname: questions and answers

How common was the Girling surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,912 people were recorded with the Girling surname. That placed it at #2,279 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Girling surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,212 in 2016. That gives Girling a modern rank of #2,931.

What does the Girling surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English word "gyrling" meaning a young person or servant.

What does the Girling map show?

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