NameCensus.

UK surname

Gort

Likely derived from a place name referring to an enclosed dwelling or farmstead.

In the 1881 census there were 59 people recorded with the Gort surname, ranking it #25,281 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 111, ranked #29,049, down from #25,281 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stockport, Breckland and High Peak.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gort is 116 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 88.1%.

1881 census count

59

Ranked #25,281

Modern count

111

2016, ranked #29,049

Peak year

1998

116 bearers

Map years

2

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gort had 59 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,281 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016, ranked #29,049.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 73 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gort surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gort surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gort 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 41 #25,926
1861 historical 59 #26,466
1881 historical 59 #25,281
1891 historical 46 #30,657
1901 historical 58 #27,724
1911 historical 73 #25,541
1997 modern 108 #25,788
1998 modern 116 #25,332
1999 modern 111 #26,182
2000 modern 100 #27,695
2001 modern 99 #27,534
2002 modern 113 #26,024
2003 modern 111 #26,091
2004 modern 109 #26,607
2005 modern 113 #25,974
2006 modern 99 #28,453
2007 modern 96 #29,339
2008 modern 98 #29,355
2009 modern 99 #29,754
2010 modern 104 #29,618
2011 modern 103 #29,589
2012 modern 104 #29,543
2013 modern 107 #29,561
2014 modern 112 #28,934
2015 modern 115 #28,319
2016 modern 111 #29,049

Geography

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Where Gorts 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 Stockport, Breckland and High Peak. 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 Stockport 010 Stockport
2 Breckland 007 Breckland
3 Breckland 014 Breckland
4 Stockport 020 Stockport
5 High Peak 010 High Peak

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gort

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gort

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Gort surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Gort household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Gort 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

Gort is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gort falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gort

The surname Gort is believed to have originated from Ireland. It is thought to be derived from the Irish Gaelic word "gort," which means "field" or "enclosed land." This suggests that the name may have been used to refer to someone who lived near or worked on cultivated fields.

In the early medieval period, many Irish surnames evolved from descriptive terms related to a person's occupation, location, or physical characteristics. The name Gort likely emerged as a locational surname, indicating that the original bearer lived near or worked on a particular field or area of enclosed land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Gort can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The annals mention a Gort family from County Sligo in the 14th century. This suggests that the name was already well-established in certain regions of Ireland by that time.

In the 16th century, the Gort surname appeared in various historical records, including the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, which were letters patent issued by the English Crown. One notable entry mentions a John Gort from County Westmeath in 1586.

Over the centuries, several individuals with the surname Gort have achieved prominence in various fields. One notable figure was Viscount John Gort (1886-1970), a British military officer who served as the Governor of Gibraltar and later as the Governor of Malta during World War II.

Another notable Gort was Sir William Gort (1835-1914), a British lawyer and judge who served as Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales from 1899 to 1907.

In the literary world, the surname Gort was borne by Irish novelist and playwright Brendan Gort (1921-1997), known for his works exploring themes of Irish identity and the struggles of working-class life.

The name Gort has also appeared in various place names throughout Ireland, such as Gort, a town in County Galway, and Gortinure, a townland in County Donegal. These place names may have influenced the development and spread of the surname in different regions.

While the surname Gort is not among the most common Irish surnames, it has a rich history and has been carried by notable individuals throughout the centuries, reflecting the diverse narratives and experiences of those who bore this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gort families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gort 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. Suffolk leads with 37 Gorts recorded in 1881 and an index of 53.71x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 37 53.71x
Kent 8 4.15x
Durham 5 2.97x
Warwickshire 3 2.10x
Hampshire 2 1.73x
Huntingdonshire 1 8.90x
Middlesex 1 0.18x
Yorkshire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Felixstow in Suffolk leads with 13 Gorts recorded in 1881 and an index of 7647.06x.

Place Total Index
Felixstow 13 7647.06x
Redgrave 9 8181.82x
Chatham 7 131.83x
Badwell Ash 6 6666.67x
Hetton Le Hole 5 234.74x
Martlesham 4 4000.00x
Bildeston 3 2000.00x
Birmingham 3 6.31x
Whippingham 2 227.27x
Bury St Edmunds St James 1 54.35x
Goole 1 106.38x
Huntingdon St Mary 1 357.14x
Kensington London 1 3.18x
Trimley St Mary 1 1250.00x
Woolwich 1 14.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 4
Emily 3
Jane 3
Mary 3
Eliza 2
Sarah 2
(Vicountess) 1
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Beatrice 1
Charlotte 1
Georgina 1
Grace 1
Harriett 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Martha 1
Minnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 4
William 3
Harry 2
Henry 2
John 2
(Viscount) 1
Arthur 1
Claude 1
Geo. 1
George 1
Herbert 1
Leonard 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Terry 1
Walter 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 Gort households.

FAQ

Gort surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gort surname in 1881?

In 1881, 59 people were recorded with the Gort surname. That placed it at #25,281 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gort surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016. That gives Gort a modern rank of #29,049.

What does the Gort surname mean?

Likely derived from a place name referring to an enclosed dwelling or farmstead.

What does the Gort map show?

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