NameCensus.

UK surname

Gourley

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "filthy bog" in Gaelic.

In the 1881 census there were 539 people recorded with the Gourley surname, ranking it #6,395 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 848, ranked #6,592, down from #6,395 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Darlington, Gateshead and Newcastle upon Tyne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gourley is 878 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.3%.

1881 census count

539

Ranked #6,395

Modern count

848

2016, ranked #6,592

Peak year

1999

878 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gourley had 539 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,395 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 848 in 2016, ranked #6,592.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 624 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Gourley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gourley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gourley 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 274 #8,176
1861 historical 333 #7,646
1881 historical 539 #6,395
1891 historical 526 #7,125
1901 historical 624 #6,856
1911 historical 373 #9,787
1997 modern 857 #6,203
1998 modern 871 #6,317
1999 modern 878 #6,325
2000 modern 865 #6,364
2001 modern 834 #6,438
2002 modern 849 #6,462
2003 modern 821 #6,510
2004 modern 793 #6,723
2005 modern 774 #6,783
2006 modern 807 #6,583
2007 modern 790 #6,761
2008 modern 827 #6,562
2009 modern 844 #6,598
2010 modern 874 #6,549
2011 modern 866 #6,526
2012 modern 848 #6,539
2013 modern 854 #6,607
2014 modern 864 #6,582
2015 modern 856 #6,564
2016 modern 848 #6,592

Geography

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Where Gourleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Long Benton and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Darlington, Gateshead, Newcastle upon Tyne, County Durham and Great Yarmouth. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Long Benton Northumberland
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Darlington 007 Darlington
2 Gateshead 021 Gateshead
3 Newcastle upon Tyne 020 Newcastle upon Tyne
4 County Durham 037 County Durham
5 Great Yarmouth 005 Great Yarmouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gourley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gourley

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Gourley is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gourley is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Gourley

The surname Gourley originated in Scotland and is believed to have derived from the Gaelic word "gormhaillidh," which means "green" or "verdant." This name likely referred to someone who lived near a green or fertile area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gourley can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a collection of acts of homage and fealty to King Edward I of England. The name is listed as "Gourlai" in this document.

In the 16th century, the Gourley family is known to have settled in the county of Ayrshire, Scotland. One notable member of the family during this time was John Gourley, who was born in 1567 and served as a minister in the town of Kilwinning.

The name Gourley has also been associated with various place names throughout Scotland, such as Gourley Burn, a stream in Dumfriesshire, and Gourley Hill, a location in Ayrshire.

Over the centuries, the surname has had various spellings, including Gourley, Gourlay, Gourlaye, and Gourlie. These variations were likely due to regional differences in pronunciation and spelling conventions.

In the 18th century, a notable figure with the surname Gourley was Robert Gourley, a Scottish poet who was born in 1778. He published several works, including "The Poetic Mirror" and "The Moral Parnassian."

Another prominent individual with the name was William Gourley, a Scottish mathematician and astronomer born in 1776. He made significant contributions to the field of astronomy and wrote several books on the subject, including "A Treatise on the Mathematical Theory of the Motion of Projectiles."

In the 19th century, John Gourley, born in 1813, was a Scottish inventor and engineer who is credited with developing an early version of the steam plow, which revolutionized agriculture at the time.

Additionally, James Gourley, born in 1842, was a Scottish botanist who made significant contributions to the study of plant life in Australia, where he lived and worked for many years.

The surname Gourley has a rich history rooted in Scotland, with various notable individuals bearing the name throughout the centuries. While the name has evolved in spelling, its origins can be traced back to the Gaelic language and a connection to verdant or green areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gourley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gourley 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 72 Gourleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.21x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 72 4.21x
Northumberland 65 8.26x
Durham 49 3.12x
Ayrshire 40 10.11x
Lancashire 38 0.61x
Midlothian 30 4.24x
Fife 28 8.95x
Dumfriesshire 21 17.98x
Staffordshire 18 1.01x
Stirlingshire 18 9.23x
Kent 16 0.89x
Angus 14 2.86x
Lincolnshire 14 1.66x
Surrey 14 0.54x
Renfrewshire 12 2.93x
Middlesex 11 0.21x
Nottinghamshire 10 1.40x
Kirkcudbrightshire 9 11.76x
Yorkshire 9 0.17x
Essex 8 0.77x
Perthshire 6 2.53x
Cheshire 5 0.43x
Clackmannanshire 5 11.45x
Cumberland 5 1.10x
Hampshire 4 0.37x
Dunbartonshire 3 2.11x
Northamptonshire 3 0.60x
Berkshire 2 0.50x
Gloucestershire 2 0.19x
Royal Navy 2 3.17x
Warwickshire 2 0.15x
Buteshire 1 3.12x
Monmouthshire 1 0.26x
Norfolk 1 0.12x
Roxburghshire 1 1.04x
Sussex 1 0.11x
West Lothian 1 1.26x
Westmorland 1 0.86x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 19 Gourleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.49x.

Place Total Index
Govan 19 4.49x
Auckinleck 17 138.78x
Glasgow 15 4.94x
North Leith 12 36.61x
Stoke Upon Trent 12 6.34x
Barony 11 2.54x
Burradon In Tynemouth 11 547.26x
Hamilton 11 23.07x
St Ninians 11 56.91x
Tarbolton 11 168.97x
Byker 10 25.71x
Lambeth 10 2.17x
Walkeringham 10 781.25x
Abbotshall 9 76.99x
Cathcart 9 40.60x
Elswick 9 14.34x
Kirkcaldy 9 57.99x
Kirkpatrick Fleming 9 337.08x
Cheetham 8 17.10x
Kettlethorpe 8 1818.18x
Shotts 8 39.10x
Stranton 8 15.11x
Woodford 8 67.74x
Framwellgate 7 75.11x
Kirkcudbright 7 110.58x
Liverpool 7 1.84x
Longbenton 7 21.01x
Maidstone 7 13.03x
Monkwearmouth 7 46.48x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 7 14.90x
Straiton 7 311.11x
Alyth 6 93.90x
Horton In Bradford 6 7.33x
Kenton 6 530.97x
Old Monkland 6 8.84x
Pendleton In Salford 6 8.03x
Stirling 6 24.40x
Weetslade 6 437.96x
Wemyss 6 45.32x
Alloa 5 23.62x
Brechin 5 25.97x
Crosscanonby 5 33.22x
Darlington 5 8.23x
Edinburgh Old Church 5 87.87x
Lasswade 5 30.88x
Plumstead 5 8.32x
Bishopwearmouth 4 2.96x
Eccleston In Prescot 4 12.70x
Gateshead 4 3.40x
Heworth 4 12.91x
Hoddam 4 142.35x
Islington London 4 0.78x
Langholm 4 47.68x
Rusholme 4 23.91x
Torksey 4 1379.31x
Bedlington 3 11.42x
Burslem 3 5.87x
Ceres 3 79.79x
Chirton 3 16.85x
Kingston On Thames 3 4.85x
Liff Benvie 3 4.03x
Little Houghton 3 326.09x
Stockport 3 5.00x
Stretford 3 8.69x
Sunderland 3 10.80x
Westoe 3 3.36x
Whickham 3 20.73x
Whippingham 3 36.54x
Wolstanton Chatterly 3 163.93x
Ardrossan 2 14.60x
Birmingham 2 0.45x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 2.05x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 0.70x
Gillingham 2 5.38x
Middlebie 2 57.14x
Monifieth 2 11.56x
St George Hanover Square 2 2.15x
Stevenston 2 19.40x
Toxteth Park 2 0.94x
Tynemouth 2 4.75x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 22
James 19
William 18
Thomas 11
Charles 7
Andrew 6
David 5
George 5
Henry 5
Robert 5
Edward 3
Joseph 3
Albert 2
Harry 2
Saml. 2
Wm. 2
Alexander 1
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Hugh 1
Irvine 1
Jane 1
Matthew 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Ralph 1
Richard 1
Robt. 1
Willie 1
Wm.C. 1

FAQ

Gourley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gourley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 539 people were recorded with the Gourley surname. That placed it at #6,395 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gourley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 848 in 2016. That gives Gourley a modern rank of #6,592.

What does the Gourley surname mean?

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "filthy bog" in Gaelic.

What does the Gourley map show?

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