NameCensus.

UK surname

Girvin

A surname likely derived from a place name in Scotland.

In the 1881 census there were 105 people recorded with the Girvin surname, ranking it #19,183 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 114, ranked #28,515, down from #19,183 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Bees, Denny and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Dorset, IZ06 and Warrington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Girvin is 146 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8.6%.

1881 census count

105

Ranked #19,183

Modern count

114

2016, ranked #28,515

Peak year

1997

146 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Girvin had 105 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,183 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016, ranked #28,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 135 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Girvin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Girvin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Girvin 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 36 #26,838
1861 historical 54 #27,127
1881 historical 105 #19,183
1891 historical 123 #20,939
1901 historical 135 #19,203
1911 historical 96 #23,193
1997 modern 146 #21,494
1998 modern 140 #22,615
1999 modern 143 #22,521
2000 modern 130 #23,785
2001 modern 126 #23,883
2002 modern 132 #23,680
2003 modern 126 #24,146
2004 modern 122 #24,812
2005 modern 122 #24,817
2006 modern 122 #25,010
2007 modern 118 #25,913
2008 modern 123 #25,505
2009 modern 123 #26,098
2010 modern 125 #26,448
2011 modern 125 #26,220
2012 modern 121 #26,829
2013 modern 115 #28,176
2014 modern 112 #28,934
2015 modern 107 #29,708
2016 modern 114 #28,515

Geography

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Where Girvins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Bees, Denny, Govan Combination, Toxteth Park and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Dorset, IZ06, Warrington, IZ11 and Watford. 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 St Bees Cumberland
2 Denny Stirling
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Toxteth Park Lancashire
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Dorset 003 East Dorset
2 IZ06 West Dunbartonshire
3 Warrington 021 Warrington
4 IZ11 West Dunbartonshire
5 Watford 004 Watford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Girvin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Girvin

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Girvin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Girvin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Girvin 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

Girvin 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

Girvin falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Girvin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Girvin

The surname Girvin has its origins in Scotland, emerging during the medieval period around the 12th or 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic words "garbh" meaning rough or rugged, and "innis" signifying an island or meadow. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who resided in a rough or rugged area near an island or meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of written acts of homage made to King Edward I of England in the late 13th century. Here, the name appears as "Girvyn" in reference to individuals from the Scottish Lowlands.

The Girvin surname has also been linked to the parish of Girvan, located in Ayrshire, Scotland. This area was historically known as "Gervyn" or "Gerwyn" in various ancient records and manuscripts, potentially influencing the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

In the 16th century, the name appears in the form of "Gervin" in the Ecclesiastical Records of Aberdeen, Scotland, indicating its presence in that region during that period. Additionally, the Girvin surname has been associated with the Clan Campbell, one of the most prominent Scottish clans.

Notable individuals bearing the Girvin surname include:

1. John Girvin (c. 1500-1570), a Scottish clergyman who served as the Bishop of Galloway during the 16th century. 2. Robert Girvin (1675-1743), a Scottish mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics. 3. Margaret Girvin (1752-1817), a Scottish poet and writer known for her works celebrating the natural beauty of the Scottish Highlands. 4. William Girvin (1820-1892), a Scottish industrialist who played a pivotal role in the development of the textile industry in Ayrshire. 5. Archibald Girvin (1871-1938), a Scottish-American architect renowned for his designs of various public buildings and churches in the United States.

While the Girvin surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through Scottish migration and diaspora. However, its historical origins and associations with the rugged Scottish landscape and medieval records remain an integral part of its storied heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Girvin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Girvin 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. Lanarkshire leads with 26 Girvins recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.85x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 26 7.85x
Lancashire 17 1.40x
Kent 9 2.58x
Northumberland 9 5.91x
Renfrewshire 8 10.08x
Surrey 8 1.60x
Yorkshire 7 0.69x
Ayrshire 4 5.22x
Cumberland 4 4.54x
Middlesex 4 0.39x
Stirlingshire 3 7.94x
Aberdeenshire 1 1.05x
Argyllshire 1 3.51x
Dunbartonshire 1 3.63x
Durham 1 0.33x
Hampshire 1 0.48x
Wigtownshire 1 7.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 13 Girvins recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.87x.

Place Total Index
Govan 13 15.87x
Barony 9 10.74x
Reigate Foreign 8 148.15x
Renfrew 8 305.34x
Leeds 7 12.21x
Ramsgate 7 122.81x
Westgate 6 63.56x
Cleator 4 108.99x
Hamilton 4 43.29x
St Pancras London 4 4.85x
Hulme 3 11.83x
Salford 3 8.39x
Tarbolton 3 238.10x
Blackburn 2 6.18x
Falkirk 2 22.62x
Liverpool 2 2.71x
Manchester 2 3.66x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 1 5.63x
Aldershot 1 14.22x
Ardnamurchan 1 68.97x
Bonhill 1 22.62x
Broughton In Salford 1 9.00x
Cheriton 1 70.42x
Chirton 1 28.99x
Everton 1 2.58x
Folkestone 1 14.75x
Formby 1 72.46x
Layton With Warbreck 1 22.42x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 10.99x
St Ninians 1 26.74x
St Quivox 1 38.61x
Stranraer 1 80.65x
Urpeth 1 169.49x
Wallsend 1 20.70x
Widnes 1 11.40x

Top female names

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

Name Count
James 6
John 5
Arthur 2
Joseph 2
Pinkston 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
William 2
Adam 1
Charles 1
Colin 1
George 1
Samuel 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 Girvin households.

FAQ

Girvin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Girvin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 105 people were recorded with the Girvin surname. That placed it at #19,183 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Girvin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016. That gives Girvin a modern rank of #28,515.

What does the Girvin surname mean?

A surname likely derived from a place name in Scotland.

What does the Girvin map show?

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