NameCensus.

UK surname

Gourlay

A surname possibly derived from a French place name meaning gourd orchard or field.

In the 1881 census there were 1,669 people recorded with the Gourlay surname, ranking it #2,575 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,941, ranked #2,292, up from #2,575 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields, Lower Bow and Larkfield, Fancy Farm, Mallard Bowl and Letham and Glamis.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gourlay is 2,952 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 76.2%.

1881 census count

1,669

Ranked #2,575

Modern count

2,941

2016, ranked #2,292

Peak year

2010

2,952 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gourlay had 1,669 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,575 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,941 in 2016, ranked #2,292.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,189 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Gourlay surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gourlay surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gourlay 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 1,016 #2,751
1861 historical 1,094 #2,569
1881 historical 1,669 #2,575
1891 historical 2,013 #2,292
1901 historical 2,189 #2,465
1911 historical 263 #12,473
1997 modern 2,751 #2,331
1998 modern 2,838 #2,356
1999 modern 2,829 #2,375
2000 modern 2,795 #2,386
2001 modern 2,718 #2,395
2002 modern 2,798 #2,390
2003 modern 2,781 #2,360
2004 modern 2,789 #2,356
2005 modern 2,785 #2,336
2006 modern 2,752 #2,354
2007 modern 2,790 #2,349
2008 modern 2,825 #2,331
2009 modern 2,885 #2,340
2010 modern 2,952 #2,335
2011 modern 2,871 #2,368
2012 modern 2,863 #2,330
2013 modern 2,904 #2,340
2014 modern 2,909 #2,346
2015 modern 2,911 #2,318
2016 modern 2,941 #2,292

Geography

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Where Gourlays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Glasgow and St. Andrews and St Leonards. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields, Lower Bow and Larkfield, Fancy Farm, Mallard Bowl, Letham and Glamis, Yoker South and Anstruther. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 St. Andrews and St Leonards Fife

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields South Ayrshire
2 Lower Bow and Larkfield, Fancy Farm, Mallard Bowl Inverclyde
3 Letham and Glamis Angus
4 Yoker South Glasgow City
5 Anstruther Fife

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gourlay

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gourlay

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Gourlay surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Gourlay household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Gourlay 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

Gourlay is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gourlay 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 Gourlay 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 Gourlay, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Gourlay

The surname Gourlay originated in Scotland, with its earliest known bearers residing in the county of Fife during the 12th century. The name is derived from the Old French term 'goulai', meaning a narrow valley or ravine, which suggests that the progenitors of the Gourlay family may have lived near such a geographical feature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document containing the names of Scottish nobles and landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The entry 'Willelmus de Gourlay' is listed among the names from Fife.

In the 14th century, a branch of the Gourlay family settled in the parish of Ceres, Fife, where they held lands and estates for several generations. A notable figure from this lineage was Sir Thomas Gourlay, who fought alongside King Robert the Bruce during the Scottish Wars of Independence in the early 1300s.

During the 16th century, the name Gourlay appeared in various spellings, including Gourlay, Gourley, and Gurlay, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time. One prominent individual from this era was Robert Gourlay, a Scottish writer and political reformer who was born in Ceres in 1778 and advocated for land reforms and improved rights for tenants in Upper Canada (now Ontario, Canada).

In the 17th century, the Gourlays of Kincraig, a family branch from Fife, gained prominence. Sir Thomas Gourlay of Kincraig (1615-1669) was a prominent lawyer and judge who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland from 1662 to 1664.

Another notable figure bearing the Gourlay name was Norman Gourlay (1818-1904), a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons and played a significant role in the development of the city of Guelph, Ontario.

Throughout its history, the Gourlay surname has also been associated with place names in Scotland, such as Gourlay Burn and Gourlay Hill, further cementing its Scottish origins and heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gourlay families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gourlay 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. Lanarkshire leads with 379 Gourlays recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.24x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 379 7.24x
Fife 373 38.91x
Angus 190 12.67x
Midlothian 124 5.72x
Dunbartonshire 57 13.10x
Kirkcudbrightshire 56 23.89x
Renfrewshire 55 4.38x
Perthshire 52 7.15x
Ayrshire 46 3.80x
Stirlingshire 40 6.70x
Wigtownshire 38 17.67x
Roxburghshire 31 10.57x
Lancashire 29 0.15x
Middlesex 28 0.17x
Argyllshire 22 4.88x
Kincardineshire 17 8.62x
Yorkshire 17 0.11x
Clackmannanshire 15 11.22x
Cumberland 14 1.00x
Dumfriesshire 13 3.63x
Northumberland 8 0.33x
West Lothian 8 3.28x
Surrey 7 0.09x
East Lothian 6 2.80x
Warwickshire 6 0.15x
Aberdeenshire 5 0.33x
Berwickshire 4 2.04x
Gloucestershire 4 0.13x
Carmarthenshire 3 0.44x
Somerset 3 0.12x
Sussex 2 0.07x
Buteshire 1 1.02x
Devon 1 0.03x
Durham 1 0.02x
Herefordshire 1 0.15x
Kent 1 0.02x
Morayshire 1 0.40x
Norfolk 1 0.04x
Selkirkshire 1 0.68x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 119 Gourlays recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.98x.

Place Total Index
Barony 119 8.98x
Govan 105 8.11x
Abbotshall 73 203.80x
Dundee 70 12.50x
Glasgow 65 6.99x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 56 6.42x
St Andrews 53 121.50x
Kirkcaldy 40 84.14x
Dunfermline 27 18.32x
Cupar 23 55.17x
Wemyss 23 56.71x
Cambusnethan 21 18.06x
Hamilton 21 14.38x
Liff Benvie 20 8.78x
South Leith 20 8.19x
Ceres 18 156.25x
Bonhill 17 24.34x
Dumbarton 17 28.07x
Forfar 16 19.70x
Alloa 15 23.13x
Kilsyth 15 39.39x
Ardchattan Muckairn 14 125.56x
Craig 14 96.62x
Tongland 14 304.35x
East Greenock 13 10.97x
Kilconquhar 13 113.94x
Kirkcudbright 13 67.01x
Whithorn 13 79.32x
Balfron 11 149.25x
Lunan 11 814.81x
Inch 10 47.71x
Inverkeillor 10 107.53x
Kilwinning 10 25.56x
Kirkton 10 540.54x
Manningham 10 5.06x
Markinch 10 30.73x
Methven 10 93.90x
St George Hanover Square 10 3.51x
Cambuslang 9 17.05x
Dunkeld 9 450.00x
Dysart 9 13.94x
Edinburgh St Stephens 9 21.08x
Kirkintilloch 9 15.22x
Perth East Church 9 13.13x
Scoonie 9 43.35x
Urr 9 29.52x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 1.91x
Cadder 8 20.68x
Collessie 8 72.46x
Rutherglen 8 10.41x
St Cuthbert W O Upperby 8 209.42x
Stevenston 8 25.32x
Dalry 7 12.27x
Dun 7 233.33x
Fearn 7 400.00x
Girthon 7 88.83x
Kelton 7 36.34x
Killearn 7 111.64x
Kilmaurs 7 33.95x
Liverpool 7 0.60x
Logie 7 324.07x
Menmuir 7 166.67x
Montrose 7 7.70x
Murroes 7 167.87x
Neilston 7 11.11x
Old Kilpatrick 7 13.61x
St Boswells 7 131.58x
Wilton 7 21.75x
Anstruther Easter 6 86.71x
Barford 6 150.38x
Barton Upon Irwell 6 4.15x
Creich 6 279.07x
Dalserf 6 11.48x
Fettercairn 6 71.51x
Holywood 6 100.33x
Inverkip 6 20.28x
Kilrenny 6 33.84x
Kirkinner 6 67.57x
Maryhill 6 5.85x
Middle Greenock 6 17.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 11
John 8
James 7
Robert 6
Thomas 3
Alexander 2
Andrew 2
Frederick 2
George 2
Henry 2
Adrew 1
Archibald 1
Charles 1
Corbet 1
David 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Hugh 1
Isaac 1
Kenneth 1
Mark 1
Mary 1
Ninian 1
Patrick 1
Percy 1
Robt. 1

FAQ

Gourlay surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gourlay surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,669 people were recorded with the Gourlay surname. That placed it at #2,575 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gourlay surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,941 in 2016. That gives Gourlay a modern rank of #2,292.

What does the Gourlay surname mean?

A surname possibly derived from a French place name meaning gourd orchard or field.

What does the Gourlay map show?

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