NameCensus.

UK surname

Givens

A patronymic surname derived from the medieval given name Giffen, meaning "gift" or "one who gives."

In the 1881 census there were 127 people recorded with the Givens surname, ranking it #17,166 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 388, ranked #12,133, up from #17,166 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841), Gateshead and Monkwearmouth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland and Windygates and Coaltown.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Givens is 392 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 205.5%.

1881 census count

127

Ranked #17,166

Modern count

388

2016, ranked #12,133

Peak year

2014

392 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Givens had 127 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,166 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 388 in 2016, ranked #12,133.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 218 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Givens surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Givens surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Givens 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 77 #19,998
1861 historical 104 #20,477
1881 historical 127 #17,166
1891 historical 129 #20,285
1901 historical 218 #14,332
1911 historical 129 #19,577
1997 modern 333 #12,615
1998 modern 355 #12,418
1999 modern 359 #12,397
2000 modern 368 #12,130
2001 modern 358 #12,181
2002 modern 369 #12,144
2003 modern 362 #12,114
2004 modern 350 #12,449
2005 modern 350 #12,359
2006 modern 353 #12,363
2007 modern 364 #12,237
2008 modern 362 #12,384
2009 modern 363 #12,602
2010 modern 360 #12,953
2011 modern 374 #12,464
2012 modern 373 #12,344
2013 modern 387 #12,226
2014 modern 392 #12,192
2015 modern 385 #12,256
2016 modern 388 #12,133

Geography

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Where Givens' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841), Gateshead, Monkwearmouth, Sheffield and Hebburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland and Windygates and Coaltown. 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 Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) Devon
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Monkwearmouth Durham
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Hebburn Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 003 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 005 Northumberland
3 Northumberland 018 Northumberland
4 Northumberland 007 Northumberland
5 Windygates and Coaltown Fife

Forenames

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First names often paired with Givens

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Givens

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Givens, 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 Givens surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Givens 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, Givens 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

Givens 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

Givens falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Givens

The surname Givens has its origins in England and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English given, meaning "to give." This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname, referring to someone who was a giver or bestower of gifts or benefactions.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical records from the 13th century onwards. For example, the Hundred Rolls of 1273 mention a Robert le Givene from Oxfordshire. The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 also reference a John Gevene from Worcestershire. These early spellings highlight the variations that existed in the name's orthography before it standardized to its current form.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir John Giffard Givens, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War in 1346. His valor and service to the crown were recognized, and his family's coat of arms featured a lion rampant on a field of azure, symbolizing courage and strength.

Another notable figure was Thomas Givens, a merchant and alderman from the city of London, who lived in the late 15th century. He was a prominent figure in the city's mercantile community and played a vital role in establishing trade connections with the Hanseatic League cities of Northern Europe.

In the 16th century, the name Givens can be found in various historical documents, including the Muster Rolls of 1539, which list several men with this surname serving in the English armies. One such individual was Robert Givens, who fought in the Anglo-Scottish Wars under King Henry VIII.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a prominent figure bearing the name Givens was Colonel William Givens, a Parliamentarian officer who fought for the Roundheads against the Royalist forces of King Charles I. He was commended for his bravery and leadership in several battles, including the Battle of Naseby in 1645.

In the literary world, the name Givens is associated with the English poet and playwright John Givens, who lived in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He is best known for his satirical works that critiqued the social and political climate of his time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Givens families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Givens 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. Northumberland leads with 32 Givens' recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.36x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 32 17.36x
Yorkshire 26 2.12x
Fife 23 31.37x
Lanarkshire 11 2.75x
Durham 6 1.63x
Lancashire 6 0.41x
Renfrewshire 6 6.25x
Roxburghshire 5 22.28x
Berwickshire 4 26.67x
Kent 3 0.71x
Dunbartonshire 1 3.00x
Hampshire 1 0.39x
Middlesex 1 0.08x
Somerset 1 0.50x
Surrey 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. Dysart in Fife leads with 17 Givens' recorded in 1881 and an index of 344.13x.

Place Total Index
Dysart 17 344.13x
Hebron Cockle Park Earsdon 11 7333.33x
Sheffield 8 20.47x
Rutherglen 7 119.05x
Wallsend 7 119.86x
Wortley In Bramley 7 72.02x
Bothal Demesne 6 681.82x
Kinghorn 6 384.62x
Middle Greenock 6 229.01x
Coxhoe 5 476.19x
Ednam 5 1923.08x
Farnley In Bramley 5 326.80x
Liverpool 5 5.60x
Middlesbrough 5 31.29x
Erith 3 72.12x
Westgate 3 26.29x
Alnwick 2 63.09x
Ayton 2 229.89x
Tynemouth 2 20.26x
Aldershot 1 11.75x
Bothwell 1 9.21x
Chirnside 1 156.25x
Coldstream 1 91.74x
Coppull 1 128.21x
Crawfordjohn 1 277.78x
Holy Trinity 1 3.39x
Kingston On Thames 1 6.90x
Kirkintilloch 1 22.12x
Lanark 1 31.06x
Monkwearmouth Shore 1 13.91x
Old Monkland 1 6.29x
Paddington London 1 2.20x
Shepton Mallet 1 44.64x
Woodhorn Hirst 1 1000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 7
Thomas 5
William 4
Alfred 3
Peter 3
Charles 2
Edward 2
Walter 2
Alexander 1
Fenwick 1
Fred 1
George 1
Henry 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Matthew 1
Wallace 1
Wm. 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 Givens households.

FAQ

Givens surname: questions and answers

How common was the Givens surname in 1881?

In 1881, 127 people were recorded with the Givens surname. That placed it at #17,166 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Givens surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 388 in 2016. That gives Givens a modern rank of #12,133.

What does the Givens surname mean?

A patronymic surname derived from the medieval given name Giffen, meaning "gift" or "one who gives."

What does the Givens map show?

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