NameCensus.

UK surname

Givan

A surname derived from the given name "Gib" or "Gilbert."

In the 1881 census there were 61 people recorded with the Givan surname, ranking it #24,992 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 153, ranked #23,408, up from #24,992 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leicester, IZ01 and Craigmillar.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Givan is 153 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 150.8%.

1881 census count

61

Ranked #24,992

Modern count

153

2016, ranked #23,408

Peak year

2016

153 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Givan had 61 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,992 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 63 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Givan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Givan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Givan 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 63 #22,069
1861 historical 49 #27,768
1881 historical 61 #24,992
1891 historical 44 #30,838
1901 historical 44 #29,276
1911 historical 7 #33,083
1997 modern 109 #25,650
1998 modern 114 #25,589
1999 modern 106 #26,885
2000 modern 102 #27,425
2001 modern 102 #27,093
2002 modern 99 #28,082
2003 modern 103 #27,234
2004 modern 109 #26,607
2005 modern 116 #25,564
2006 modern 121 #25,133
2007 modern 121 #25,469
2008 modern 125 #25,249
2009 modern 118 #26,766
2010 modern 130 #25,775
2011 modern 139 #24,507
2012 modern 137 #24,731
2013 modern 143 #24,434
2014 modern 148 #24,075
2015 modern 150 #23,718
2016 modern 153 #23,408

Geography

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Where Givans 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 Leicester, IZ01, Craigmillar and IZ05. 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 Leicester 017 Leicester
2 Leicester 010 Leicester
3 IZ01 East Lothian
4 Craigmillar City of Edinburgh
5 IZ05 East Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Givan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Givan

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Givan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Givan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Givan is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Givan 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

Givan falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Givan 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 Givan, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Givan

The surname Givan is of Scottish origin, stemming from the Gaelic name Giobhunnaich, which translates to "the descendants of Giobhunna." The name Giobhunna itself is derived from the Gaelic personal name Giobhun or Gibbon.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Givan date back to the 16th century in the Scottish counties of Ayrshire and Lanarkshire. It is believed that the name originated in these regions and then spread to other parts of Scotland and beyond.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the surname Givan was John Givan, who was mentioned in the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland in 1584. Another early record is of Robert Givan, who was listed in the Commissariot Record of Glasgow in 1613.

The Givan surname can also be found in various Scottish historical documents, such as the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which recorded names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. However, the name Givan does not appear in this particular document.

In the 17th century, the Givan family established themselves as landowners in the parish of Muirkirk, East Ayrshire. A notable member of this family was John Givan (1684-1755), who served as the minister of Sorn Parish Church in Ayrshire.

Another prominent figure with the surname Givan was Robert Givan (1792-1871), a Scottish-born merchant and banker who immigrated to Canada in the early 19th century. He became a successful businessman and philanthropist in the city of Montreal.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded Givans was John Givan (1763-1845), a Presbyterian minister who immigrated from Ireland and settled in Pennsylvania. He served as the president of Franklin College in Ohio from 1825 to 1845.

The name Givan has also been associated with several place names in Scotland, such as Givanmilton and Givanburn, both of which are located in East Ayrshire. These place names likely derived from the Givan surname or from the personal name Giobhun.

Throughout history, the surname Givan has been spelled in various ways, including Givane, Givin, Givine, and Givens. These variations reflect the evolution of the name over time and the influence of different regional dialects and scribal practices.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Givan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Givan 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 20 Givans recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.57x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 20 10.57x
Renfrewshire 15 33.08x
Staffordshire 8 4.05x
Argyllshire 4 24.55x
Northumberland 4 4.59x
Cheshire 2 1.55x
Midlothian 2 2.55x
Cumberland 1 1.98x
Durham 1 0.57x
East Lothian 1 12.90x
Lancashire 1 0.14x
Middlesex 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 9 Givans recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.79x.

Place Total Index
Barony 9 18.79x
East Greenock 8 186.92x
Old Monkland 8 106.52x
Stafford St Mary 7 250.00x
Paisley Middle Church 5 189.39x
Campbeltown 4 204.08x
Westgate 4 74.21x
Abbey 2 28.90x
Birkenhead 2 19.42x
Govan 2 4.27x
Mid Calder 2 588.24x
Berwick North 1 185.19x
Bothwell 1 19.49x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 9.07x
Clerkenwell London 1 7.24x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 13.26x
Lamplugh 1 400.00x
Lichfield St Chad 1 227.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 2
Mary 2
Marg. 1
Rosanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
William 2
Alexander 1
Andrew 1
Daid 1
Flux 1
Robert 1
Thomas 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 Givan households.

FAQ

Givan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Givan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 61 people were recorded with the Givan surname. That placed it at #24,992 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Givan surname today?

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

What does the Givan surname mean?

A surname derived from the given name "Gib" or "Gilbert."

What does the Givan map show?

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