NameCensus.

UK surname

Gourd

A surname derived from the French word 'gourde', referring to someone who grew gourds or worked with them.

In the 1881 census there were 115 people recorded with the Gourd surname, ranking it #18,230 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 89, ranked #32,297, down from #18,230 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Agnes, London parishes and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St Albans and Lichfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gourd is 134 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 22.6%.

1881 census count

115

Ranked #18,230

Modern count

89

2016, ranked #32,297

Peak year

1911

134 bearers

Map years

6

1861 to 1998

Key insights

  • Gourd had 115 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,230 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 89 in 2016, ranked #32,297.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 134 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Gourd surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gourd surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gourd 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 87 #18,695
1861 historical 126 #17,569
1881 historical 115 #18,230
1891 historical 119 #21,415
1901 historical 132 #19,469
1911 historical 134 #19,131
1997 modern 107 #25,924
1998 modern 111 #25,990
1999 modern 116 #25,487
2000 modern 121 #24,824
2001 modern 113 #25,489
2002 modern 109 #26,552
2003 modern 105 #26,940
2004 modern 106 #27,045
2005 modern 102 #27,689
2006 modern 96 #28,946
2007 modern 99 #28,852
2008 modern 92 #30,286
2009 modern 100 #29,597
2010 modern 107 #29,153
2011 modern 97 #30,552
2012 modern 99 #30,442
2013 modern 94 #31,656
2014 modern 94 #31,909
2015 modern 92 #32,075
2016 modern 89 #32,297

Geography

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Where Gourds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Agnes, London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea, Linkinhorne and Plymouth St Charles the Martyr. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to St Albans and Lichfield. 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 St Agnes Cornwall
2 London parishes London 3
3 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
4 Linkinhorne Cornwall
5 Plymouth St Charles the Martyr Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St Albans 008 St Albans
2 Lichfield 001 Lichfield
3 St Albans 017 St Albans
4 St Albans 019 St Albans
5 St Albans 010 St Albans

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gourd

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gourd

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Gourd is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Gourd 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

Gourd falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gourd is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gourd

The surname GOURD is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the 16th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "gourd," which referred to the fruit of a plant belonging to the cucumber family. It is thought to have been used as a surname for someone who lived near or worked with gourds, perhaps a farmer or a merchant dealing in these fruits.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Woodbridge, Suffolk, where a John Gourd was mentioned in 1587. Another early reference is found in the Hearth Tax records of 1674, which list a Thomas Gourd as a resident of the parish of St. Giles in Buckinghamshire.

In the 17th century, the GOURD surname appeared in various parts of England, including Lincolnshire, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. The Gloucestershire Protestation Returns of 1641/42 include the names of William Gourd and John Gourd, both from the parish of Horsley.

The name GOURD may also have been derived from certain place names, such as Gourd Hill in Somerset or Gourd Farm in Kent. These locations could have influenced the adoption of the surname by individuals living or working in those areas.

Notable individuals with the surname GOURD throughout history include:

1. John Gourd (c. 1550 - 1633), an English merchant and landowner from Ipswich, Suffolk. 2. William Gourd (1620 - 1698), a farmer and member of the Puritan community in Massachusetts Bay Colony. 3. Elizabeth Gourd (1756 - 1842), a British author and poet from Gloucestershire. 4. Thomas Gourd (1789 - 1867), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Maldon, Essex. 5. James Gourd (1835 - 1912), a Scottish architect known for designing several notable buildings in Glasgow.

While the GOURD surname may not be among the most common in modern times, its history can be traced back several centuries, with roots in various regions of England and connections to agriculture, trade, and even literary and political circles.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gourd families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gourd 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. Devon leads with 24 Gourds recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.19x.

County Total Index
Devon 24 10.19x
Cornwall 23 17.96x
Hampshire 22 9.49x
Middlesex 18 1.59x
Sussex 10 5.24x
Somerset 8 4.39x
Yorkshire 4 0.36x
Gloucestershire 2 0.90x
Herefordshire 2 4.31x
Surrey 2 0.36x
Northumberland 1 0.59x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 21 Gourds recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.20x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 21 46.20x
Linkinhorne 14 1573.03x
Broadwater 10 228.31x
Compton Gifford 9 1216.22x
Islington London 9 8.21x
Plymouth Charles The 5 48.17x
Doncaster 4 48.84x
West Teignmouth 4 222.22x
St Blazey 3 267.86x
St George Hanover Square 3 15.05x
St George In East London 3 28.20x
Tormoham 3 30.09x
Wells St Cuthbert 3 241.94x
Bedminster 2 11.69x
Bishops Hull 2 338.98x
Bodenham 2 588.24x
Croydon 2 6.54x
Paul 2 85.84x
St Clement 2 149.25x
St Marylebone London 2 3.31x
Alverstoke 1 11.92x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 1 49.51x
Exminster 1 117.65x
Limehouse London 1 8.05x
Mevagissey 1 117.65x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 5.51x
St Agnes 1 55.87x
Stoke 1 105.26x
Tweedmouth 1 47.62x
Walcot 1 10.31x
Westbury On Trym 1 13.30x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Gourd surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gourd surname in 1881?

In 1881, 115 people were recorded with the Gourd surname. That placed it at #18,230 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gourd surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 89 in 2016. That gives Gourd a modern rank of #32,297.

What does the Gourd surname mean?

A surname derived from the French word 'gourde', referring to someone who grew gourds or worked with them.

What does the Gourd map show?

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