NameCensus.

UK surname

Gorse

A surname derived from the English word for the prickly, yellow-flowering shrub.

In the 1881 census there were 420 people recorded with the Gorse surname, ranking it #7,694 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 282, ranked #15,406, down from #7,694 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Winwick and Wigan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan, Bolton and Wyre.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gorse is 420 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 32.9%.

1881 census count

420

Ranked #7,694

Modern count

282

2016, ranked #15,406

Peak year

1881

420 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gorse had 420 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,694 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 282 in 2016, ranked #15,406.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 420 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Gorse surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gorse surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gorse 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 289 #7,860
1861 historical 252 #9,804
1881 historical 420 #7,694
1891 historical 371 #9,405
1901 historical 360 #10,212
1911 historical 394 #9,394
1997 modern 368 #11,719
1998 modern 364 #12,201
1999 modern 362 #12,316
2000 modern 360 #12,309
2001 modern 365 #12,014
2002 modern 372 #12,077
2003 modern 340 #12,685
2004 modern 329 #13,027
2005 modern 310 #13,518
2006 modern 308 #13,669
2007 modern 307 #13,822
2008 modern 307 #13,907
2009 modern 304 #14,287
2010 modern 309 #14,420
2011 modern 321 #13,940
2012 modern 314 #14,063
2013 modern 311 #14,368
2014 modern 293 #15,095
2015 modern 285 #15,307
2016 modern 282 #15,406

Geography

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Where Gorses are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Winwick, Wigan, Leigh and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan, Bolton, Wyre and New Forest. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 Winwick Lancashire
3 Wigan Lancashire
4 Leigh Lancashire
5 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 023 Wigan
2 Bolton 005 Bolton
3 Wigan 017 Wigan
4 Wyre 011 Wyre
5 New Forest 009 New Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gorse

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gorse

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

Gorse is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gorse 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 Gorse is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gorse

The surname Gorse is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the northern regions of the country. It is derived from the Old English word "gorst," which means "gorse," a thorny evergreen shrub commonly found in the English countryside. This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname, referring to someone who lived near or worked with gorse plants.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Gorse dates back to the 13th century. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a document containing records of landowners in England, there is a mention of a "William de la Gorsse" residing in Cambridgeshire. This spelling variation, "de la Gorsse," indicates the name's connection to a location or place name associated with gorse plants.

During the medieval period, the Gorse surname also appeared in various tax rolls and parish records. For instance, in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1301, a "Johannes de Gors" is listed, demonstrating the use of a different spelling variation. Additionally, the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1346 mention a "Walter le Gors," further illustrating the surname's evolution.

One notable individual bearing the Gorse surname was Sir John Gorse (c. 1535-1588), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Grantham in Lincolnshire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was Robert Gorse (1588-1648), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works in the 17th century.

In the 18th century, Thomas Gorse (1741-1808) was a renowned English engraver and cartographer, known for his detailed maps and illustrations. His work significantly contributed to the development of cartography during that era.

Moving into the 19th century, William Gorse (1835-1915) was a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the former Billingsgate Fish Market and the Old Vic Theatre.

Lastly, one of the more recent individuals with the Gorse surname was Sir Michael Gorse (1915-1983), a British businessman and industrialist who served as the chairman of the National Coal Board and played a crucial role in shaping the coal industry in the United Kingdom during the mid-20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gorse families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gorse 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. Lancashire leads with 275 Gorses recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.66x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 275 5.66x
Cheshire 29 3.21x
Middlesex 21 0.51x
Derbyshire 15 2.34x
Warwickshire 15 1.45x
Nottinghamshire 10 1.81x
Kent 9 0.64x
Lanarkshire 8 0.60x
Surrey 8 0.40x
Yorkshire 8 0.20x
Staffordshire 6 0.43x
Essex 3 0.37x
Midlothian 3 0.55x
Glamorgan 2 0.28x
Norfolk 2 0.32x
Shropshire 2 0.57x
Devon 1 0.12x
Gloucestershire 1 0.12x
Leicestershire 1 0.22x
Sussex 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Atherton in Lancashire leads with 40 Gorses recorded in 1881 and an index of 225.99x.

Place Total Index
Atherton 40 225.99x
Blackburn 38 29.38x
Little Bolton 21 33.59x
Newton In Makerfield 18 120.89x
Eccleston In Prescot 15 61.45x
Ashton Under Lyne 14 13.18x
Birmingham 12 3.48x
Tonge With Haulgh 12 126.85x
Stockport 11 23.64x
Windle 11 40.22x
Dukinfield 9 21.54x
Radcliffe On Trent 9 1153.85x
Warrington 9 15.62x
Westerham 9 279.50x
Glasgow 8 3.40x
Glossop Dale 8 26.63x
Lower Darwen 8 125.39x
Nether Hallam 8 14.56x
Ormskirk 7 75.27x
Orrell 7 115.89x
Salford 7 4.90x
Westleigh 7 63.41x
Weybridge 7 163.55x
Over Darwen 6 15.45x
St George In East London 6 15.57x
Bramhall 5 133.33x
Oswaldtwistle 5 29.10x
Reddish 5 74.63x
St Pancras London 5 1.52x
Derby St Peter 4 19.58x
Everton 4 2.58x
Mile End Old Town London 4 4.59x
Prescot 4 45.51x
Aston 3 1.05x
Carnforth 3 112.36x
Chorley 3 11.00x
Derby St Werburgh 3 8.10x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 1.36x
Haydock 3 35.80x
Tottington Lower End 3 12.99x
Uttoxeter 3 42.37x
West Ham 3 1.68x
Cresswell 2 5000.00x
Denton 2 18.57x
Disley Stanley 2 42.92x
Hackney London 2 0.87x
Llanwonno 2 7.80x
North Meols 2 4.20x
Northwold 2 118.34x
Preston 2 1.54x
St Marylebone London 2 0.91x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 2 14.30x
Westminster St John 2 4.01x
Whitchurch 2 29.11x
Widnes 2 5.70x
Wigan 2 2.94x
Winwick With Hulme 2 294.12x
Abram 1 26.81x
Aughton 1 20.79x
Barton Upon Irwell 1 2.73x
Billington 1 50.51x
Bottesford 1 53.48x
Brinnington 1 11.83x
Cheltenham 1 1.61x
Crumpsall 1 8.73x
Frant 1 20.45x
Great Bolton 1 1.55x
Ingestre 1 526.32x
Kirkdale 1 1.22x
Lambeth 1 0.28x
Little Hulton 1 12.42x
Maghull 1 49.51x
Nottingham St Mary 1 0.70x
Stoke Damerel 1 1.68x
Tintwistle 1 20.70x
Walton On Hill 1 3.80x
Whiston 1 26.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 39
Elizabeth 20
Sarah 14
Alice 13
Jane 13
Ellen 12
Margaret 9
Ann 7
Martha 7
Eliza 6
Emma 6
Annie 5
Betty 4
Kate 4
Agnes 3
Bertha 3
Catherine 3
Clara 3
Edith 3
Esther 3
Ada 2
Florence 2
Hannah 2
Louisa 2
Margt. 2
Maria 2
Nancy 2
Ruth 2
Caroline 1
Cathrine 1
Charlotte 1
Clarinda 1
Elisabeth 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Francess 1
Francis 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Henrietta 1
Jennie 1
Lilla 1
Livinia 1
Lizzie 1
Marie 1
Maud 1
My 1
My. 1
V.A.M. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 27
William 24
James 19
Thomas 19
Joseph 12
Edward 10
Henry 10
George 6
Charles 4
Richard 4
Frank 3
Harry 3
Peter 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Daniel 2
Edmund 2
Edwin 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Alferett 1
Alphonsa 1
Claude 1
Elijah 1
Enoch 1
Geo.H. 1
Gilbert 1
Gilby 1
Jas. 1
Jonathan 1
Jos. 1
Josiah 1
Matthias 1
R.C. 1
Rich. 1
Robert 1
Sam.H. 1
Stanley 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Wm.James 1
Zachariah 1

FAQ

Gorse surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gorse surname in 1881?

In 1881, 420 people were recorded with the Gorse surname. That placed it at #7,694 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gorse surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 282 in 2016. That gives Gorse a modern rank of #15,406.

What does the Gorse surname mean?

A surname derived from the English word for the prickly, yellow-flowering shrub.

What does the Gorse map show?

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