UK surname
A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic name "Gormladh", meaning rough or surly.
In the 1881 census there were 108 people recorded with the Gormly surname, ranking it #18,888 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 21, ranked #36,596, down from #18,888 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Port Glasgow, Govan Combination and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gormly is 117 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 80.6%.
1881 census count
108
Ranked #18,888
Modern count
21
2016, ranked #36,596
Peak year
1861
117 bearers
Map years
3
1861 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Gormly surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Gormly surname density by area, 1881 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 | 72 | #20,720 |
| 1861 | historical | 117 | #18,635 |
| 1881 | historical | 108 | #18,888 |
| 1891 | historical | 85 | #26,080 |
| 1901 | historical | 102 | #22,596 |
| 1911 | historical | 30 | #30,073 |
| 1997 | modern | 20 | #35,809 |
| 1998 | modern | 22 | #35,687 |
| 1999 | modern | 22 | #35,725 |
| 2000 | modern | 23 | #35,588 |
| 2001 | modern | 23 | #35,451 |
| 2002 | modern | 24 | #35,520 |
| 2003 | modern | 25 | #35,471 |
| 2004 | modern | 26 | #35,519 |
| 2005 | modern | 25 | #35,752 |
| 2006 | modern | 22 | #36,105 |
| 2007 | modern | 21 | #36,290 |
| 2008 | modern | 20 | #36,443 |
| 2009 | modern | 19 | #36,603 |
| 2010 | modern | 20 | #36,599 |
| 2011 | modern | 20 | #36,587 |
| 2012 | modern | 19 | #36,641 |
| 2013 | modern | 20 | #36,614 |
| 2014 | modern | 19 | #36,740 |
| 2015 | modern | 19 | #36,736 |
| 2016 | modern | 21 | #36,596 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Port Glasgow, Govan Combination, Gateshead, Edinburgh and Greenock. 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 | Port Glasgow | Renfrew |
| 2 | Govan Combination | Lanark |
| 3 | Gateshead | Durham |
| 4 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh |
| 5 | Greenock | Renfrew |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Gormly 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 Gormly, 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 Gormly surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Gormly 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, Gormly 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 Gormly is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Gormly, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Gormly originated in Ireland, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic surname Ó Gormghaile, which translates to "descendant of Gormghail." The name Gormghail itself is derived from two Irish words: "gorm," meaning blue or green, and "gail," meaning valor or nobility.
The Gormly surname is most closely associated with County Tyrone in Northern Ireland, where many bearers of the name have their ancestral roots. The earliest known record of the name appears in the Fiants of the Tudor sovereign reign, where a Michael Ogormgaly is mentioned in 1568.
In the 17th century, during the Plantation of Ulster, many Irish families with the Gormly surname were displaced from their ancestral lands and forced to relocate to other regions of Ireland or emigrate to other countries. This diaspora contributed to the spread of the name throughout Ireland and beyond.
One notable figure in the history of the Gormly name is Sir Nicholas Gormly, born in County Tyrone in 1603. He served as a Colonel in the Irish Confederate Wars and played a significant role in the defense of County Tyrone against the forces of Oliver Cromwell.
Another prominent bearer of the Gormly surname was James Gormly, born in County Tyrone in 1720. He was a renowned scholar and theologian who served as the Bishop of Raphoe from 1782 until his death in 1804.
In the 19th century, the Gormly surname gained recognition in America with the arrival of Irish immigrants. One such individual was John Gormly, born in County Tyrone in 1810, who settled in Pennsylvania and became a prominent businessman and philanthropist.
Another noteworthy figure was Patrick Gormly, born in County Tyrone in 1832, who emigrated to the United States and served as a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery in the Battle of Chancellorsville in 1863.
In more recent times, the Gormly surname has been carried by individuals such as Dorothy Gormly, an American educator and author born in 1899, and William Gormly, a Canadian businessman and philanthropist born in 1926.
These examples illustrate the rich history and diverse geographical spread of the Gormly surname, which has its roots firmly planted in the Irish county of Tyrone but has since been carried by individuals across the globe, each leaving their own mark on the world.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gormly 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. Renfrewshire leads with 53 Gormlys recorded in 1881 and an index of 67.43x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Renfrewshire | 53 | 67.43x |
| Lanarkshire | 19 | 5.79x |
| Warwickshire | 8 | 3.13x |
| Middlesex | 6 | 0.59x |
| Dunbartonshire | 4 | 14.67x |
| Stirlingshire | 4 | 10.69x |
| Yorkshire | 4 | 0.40x |
| Argyllshire | 3 | 10.62x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 0.17x |
| Angus | 1 | 1.06x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Neilston in Renfrewshire leads with 18 Gormlys recorded in 1881 and an index of 455.70x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Neilston | 18 | 455.70x |
| Old Monkland | 12 | 92.17x |
| Port Glasgow | 10 | 263.16x |
| East Greenock | 9 | 121.29x |
| Birmingham | 8 | 9.38x |
| Mile End Old Town London | 6 | 27.79x |
| Middle Greenock | 5 | 232.56x |
| Paisley Low Church | 5 | 200.80x |
| Denny | 4 | 201.01x |
| Dewsbury | 3 | 29.10x |
| Dumbarton | 3 | 79.16x |
| Dunoon Kilmun | 3 | 136.36x |
| Paisley Middle Church | 3 | 65.50x |
| Bothwell | 2 | 22.47x |
| Cathcart | 2 | 47.06x |
| Glasgow | 2 | 3.43x |
| Govan | 2 | 2.47x |
| Warrington | 2 | 14.02x |
| Abbey | 1 | 8.34x |
| Barony | 1 | 1.20x |
| Cumbernauld | 1 | 67.11x |
| Dundee | 1 | 2.85x |
| Hipperholme Cum | 1 | 22.62x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Gormly 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 Gormly 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 Gormly households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Tin Plate Worker | 3 |
| Scholar | 2 |
| Bricklayers Labourer | 1 |
| Examining Officer (C S) | 1 |
| Farm Laborer | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Rag Sorter | 1 |
| Spoon Polisher | 1 |
| Weaver (S) | 1 |
| Wol Rag Grinder | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 108 people were recorded with the Gormly surname. That placed it at #18,888 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 21 in 2016. That gives Gormly a modern rank of #36,596.
A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic name "Gormladh", meaning rough or surly.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Gormly 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.