UK surname
A topographic surname derived from the French word "gorge" meaning a ravine or narrow passage.
In the 1881 census there were 80 people recorded with the Gorge surname, ranking it #22,225 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 62, ranked #34,227, down from #22,225 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Evesham St Lawrence, Biggleswade and Badlesmere. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gorge is 125 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 22.5%.
1881 census count
80
Ranked #22,225
Modern count
62
2016, ranked #34,227
Peak year
1851
125 bearers
Map years
3
1851 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Gorge surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Gorge surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 125 | #14,700 |
| 1861 | historical | 124 | #17,797 |
| 1881 | historical | 80 | #22,225 |
| 1891 | historical | 101 | #23,870 |
| 1901 | historical | 56 | #27,952 |
| 1997 | modern | 38 | #33,872 |
| 1998 | modern | 47 | #33,197 |
| 1999 | modern | 45 | #33,511 |
| 2000 | modern | 36 | #34,317 |
| 2001 | modern | 36 | #34,171 |
| 2002 | modern | 39 | #34,219 |
| 2003 | modern | 35 | #34,609 |
| 2004 | modern | 36 | #34,717 |
| 2005 | modern | 36 | #34,894 |
| 2006 | modern | 39 | #34,932 |
| 2007 | modern | 38 | #35,153 |
| 2008 | modern | 37 | #35,327 |
| 2009 | modern | 37 | #35,434 |
| 2010 | modern | 45 | #35,130 |
| 2011 | modern | 46 | #35,047 |
| 2012 | modern | 44 | #35,164 |
| 2013 | modern | 50 | #34,891 |
| 2014 | modern | 52 | #34,803 |
| 2015 | modern | 59 | #34,407 |
| 2016 | modern | 62 | #34,227 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Evesham St Lawrence, Biggleswade, Badlesmere, Llangynwyd, Glyn-Corrwg and Bourn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evesham St Lawrence | Worcestershire |
| 2 | Biggleswade | Bedfordshire |
| 3 | Badlesmere | Kent |
| 4 | Llangynwyd, Glyn-Corrwg | Glamorganshire |
| 5 | Bourn | Cambridgeshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Gorge surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gorge, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Gorge surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Gorge household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Gorge is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gorge is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Gorge, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname GORGE is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "gorge" meaning "throat" or "ravine." It first emerged in the 12th century in northern France, particularly in the regions of Normandy and Brittany.
The name likely originated as a descriptive term, either referring to someone who lived near a ravine or gorge, or perhaps someone with a prominent throat or neck. It may have also been an occupational name for someone who worked in or near a gorge or ravine.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the GORGE surname appears in the 1195 Pipe Rolls of Normandy, which mention a "Robert de la Gorge." The surname is also found in various medieval records and charters from the 13th and 14th centuries in northern France.
In England, the GORGE surname can be traced back to the Norman Conquest of 1066, when many French nobles and their followers settled in the country. The Domesday Book of 1086 lists a "Godefridus de Gorges" as a landowner in Somerset.
Notable historical figures with the GORGE surname include Sir Ferdinando Gorges (1565-1647), an English explorer and colonial leader in North America, who was instrumental in the settlement of Maine. Another prominent individual was Sir Arthur Gorges (1557-1625), a courtier and military commander during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I.
Other notable individuals include John Gorges (c. 1330-1399), an English knight and landowner in Somerset; Sir Edmund Gorges (c. 1475-1512), a courtier and member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII; and Sir Thomas Gorges (1536-1610), an English politician and military leader who served under Queen Elizabeth I.
While the GORGE surname is found throughout France and England, it also has a presence in other parts of Europe, including Germany and the Netherlands, where it may have been introduced through migration or cultural exchange.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gorge surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Cumberland leads with 14 Gorges recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.11x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Cumberland | 14 | 21.11x |
| Glamorgan | 13 | 9.69x |
| Lancashire | 9 | 0.98x |
| Renfrewshire | 6 | 10.05x |
| Staffordshire | 6 | 2.31x |
| Worcestershire | 6 | 5.96x |
| Surrey | 5 | 1.33x |
| Gloucestershire | 4 | 2.65x |
| Norfolk | 4 | 3.38x |
| Bedfordshire | 3 | 7.52x |
| Cardiganshire | 1 | 5.32x |
| Carmarthenshire | 1 | 3.08x |
| Cheshire | 1 | 0.59x |
| Durham | 1 | 0.44x |
| Herefordshire | 1 | 3.17x |
| Huntingdonshire | 1 | 6.54x |
| Monmouthshire | 1 | 1.80x |
| Warwickshire | 1 | 0.51x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.13x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bradshaw in Lancashire leads with 7 Gorges recorded in 1881 and an index of 3500.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Bradshaw | 7 | 3500.00x |
| Ellenborough Ewanrigg | 7 | 1521.74x |
| Caldewgate | 6 | 165.29x |
| Neilston | 6 | 200.00x |
| Swansea Town | 6 | 54.55x |
| Yardley | 6 | 233.46x |
| Kingswinford | 5 | 52.97x |
| Biggleswade | 3 | 229.01x |
| Clase | 3 | 60.12x |
| Clifton | 3 | 39.27x |
| Horningtoft | 3 | 5000.00x |
| Swansea Higher | 3 | 214.29x |
| Wandsworth | 2 | 26.95x |
| Camberwell | 1 | 2.03x |
| Cirencester | 1 | 48.78x |
| Edgbaston | 1 | 16.61x |
| Godmanchester | 1 | 172.41x |
| Great Yarmouth | 1 | 10.19x |
| Higher Bebington | 1 | 91.74x |
| Holmer | 1 | 175.44x |
| Huddersfield | 1 | 8.99x |
| Lambeth | 1 | 1.49x |
| Liverpool | 1 | 1.80x |
| Llanfihangel | 1 | 434.78x |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 1 | 7.76x |
| Nantcwnlle | 1 | 526.32x |
| Preston Quarter | 1 | 53.76x |
| Rogerstone | 1 | 294.12x |
| Rotherhithe | 1 | 10.50x |
| Stockton On Tees | 1 | 9.05x |
| Toxteth Park | 1 | 3.23x |
| Wolverhampton | 1 | 5.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Gorge surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Gorge surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Gorge households.
FAQ
In 1881, 80 people were recorded with the Gorge surname. That placed it at #22,225 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 62 in 2016. That gives Gorge a modern rank of #34,227.
A topographic surname derived from the French word "gorge" meaning a ravine or narrow passage.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Gorge bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.