NameCensus.

UK surname

Guild

An occupational surname referring to a member or officer of a trade association or guild.

In the 1881 census there were 652 people recorded with the Guild surname, ranking it #5,484 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 837, ranked #6,664, down from #5,484 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Forfar, Arbroath and St. Vigeans and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Warwickshire, Stanley and Murthly and Cumnock Rural.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Guild is 872 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.4%.

1881 census count

652

Ranked #5,484

Modern count

837

2016, ranked #6,664

Peak year

2010

872 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Guild had 652 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,484 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 837 in 2016, ranked #6,664.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 763 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Guild surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Guild surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Guild 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 489 #5,104
1861 historical 492 #5,307
1881 historical 652 #5,484
1891 historical 684 #5,723
1901 historical 763 #5,860
1911 historical 114 #21,064
1997 modern 818 #6,423
1998 modern 842 #6,485
1999 modern 859 #6,430
2000 modern 846 #6,486
2001 modern 792 #6,692
2002 modern 798 #6,786
2003 modern 779 #6,805
2004 modern 804 #6,642
2005 modern 822 #6,459
2006 modern 825 #6,463
2007 modern 838 #6,447
2008 modern 842 #6,476
2009 modern 862 #6,501
2010 modern 872 #6,569
2011 modern 842 #6,664
2012 modern 830 #6,653
2013 modern 838 #6,706
2014 modern 848 #6,672
2015 modern 838 #6,678
2016 modern 837 #6,664

Geography

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Where Guilds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Forfar, Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Perth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Warwickshire, Stanley and Murthly, Cumnock Rural and Cowdenbeath North. 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 Forfar Forfar
2 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Perth Perth

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Warwickshire 001 North Warwickshire
2 North Warwickshire 002 North Warwickshire
3 Stanley and Murthly Perth and Kinross
4 Cumnock Rural East Ayrshire
5 Cowdenbeath North Fife

Forenames

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First names often paired with Guild

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Guild

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

Guild 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

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

Meaning and origin of Guild

The surname Guild originated in England during the medieval period, deriving from the Old English word 'gild' or 'gield', meaning a payment or tribute. It is thought to have initially referred to members of a trade guild or association, who would have paid fees to belong to their respective organizations.

One of the earliest records of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Gilde' and 'Gild'. This suggests the name was already in use by the 11th century, likely among members of various craft guilds and merchant associations in towns and cities across England.

Over time, the spelling of the name evolved, with variations such as 'Gilde', 'Gylde', and 'Guilde' appearing in historical documents from different regions. These spelling variations often reflected local dialects and scribal preferences.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing this surname was Richard Guild, a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of London, who was mentioned in records dating back to 1275. Another early example is John Gilde, a landowner in Somerset, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327.

During the 14th century, the surname Guild appeared to gain further prominence, with individuals such as William Guild, a wealthy merchant and benefactor from Stratford-upon-Avon, who was born around 1340 and left a substantial endowment to the town upon his death in 1416.

In Scotland, the name Guild is also associated with the historic town of Guildtown, now known as Arbroath, which was once a center of monastic and commercial activity. This connection is reflected in the life of James Guild, a Scottish merchant and burgess of Arbroath, who lived in the late 16th century.

Another notable figure with this surname was Samuel Guild, an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, from 1660 to 1674. He was a prominent figure in the intellectual circles of his time and was known for his scholarly contributions.

These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who bore the surname Guild, reflecting its origins and associations with trade, commerce, and various professions and social standings across different regions of Britain.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Guild families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Guild 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. Angus leads with 309 Guilds recorded in 1881 and an index of 52.28x.

County Total Index
Angus 309 52.28x
Perthshire 93 32.48x
Midlothian 42 4.91x
Fife 28 7.41x
Lanarkshire 22 1.07x
Aberdeenshire 17 2.88x
Ayrshire 17 3.56x
Middlesex 17 0.27x
East Lothian 12 14.20x
Kincardineshire 10 12.87x
Stirlingshire 9 3.82x
Wigtownshire 9 10.62x
Banffshire 8 6.05x
Roxburghshire 8 6.92x
Renfrewshire 6 1.21x
Bedfordshire 5 1.51x
Durham 5 0.26x
Lancashire 5 0.07x
Derbyshire 4 0.40x
Gloucestershire 4 0.32x
Warwickshire 4 0.25x
Northumberland 3 0.32x
Channel Islands 2 1.06x
Inverness-shire 2 1.05x
Morayshire 2 2.02x
Staffordshire 2 0.09x
Clackmannanshire 1 1.90x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.58x
Essex 1 0.08x
Glamorgan 1 0.09x
Kent 1 0.05x
Kinross-shire 1 6.20x
Norfolk 1 0.10x
Surrey 1 0.03x
Sussex 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 81 Guilds recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.71x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 81 36.71x
Forfar 45 140.63x
St Vigeans 45 141.07x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 27 7.85x
Kirriemuir 27 185.19x
Liff Benvie 21 23.41x
Perth East Church 17 62.96x
Inverkeillor 12 327.87x
Barony 10 1.92x
Barry 10 141.04x
Edinburgh Canongate 10 45.98x
Dunfermline 9 15.50x
Dunning 9 251.40x
Fetteresso 9 73.95x
Glendevon 9 2812.50x
Leswalt 9 155.17x
Meigle 9 422.54x
Tannadice 9 327.27x
Tibbermore 9 219.51x
Arbroath 8 40.84x
Banff 8 69.63x
Carmyllie 8 317.46x
Hawick 8 30.94x
Kilmarnock 8 14.08x
Abdie 7 325.58x
Alva 7 62.39x
Alyth 7 90.79x
Berwick North 7 118.24x
Blair Athole 7 183.25x
Bow London 7 8.62x
Lunan 7 1320.75x
Monzie 7 426.83x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 6 5.43x
Auckinleck 6 40.60x
Forgandenny 6 437.96x
Govan 6 1.18x
Kirkden 6 162.16x
Rescobie 6 400.00x
Saline 6 287.08x
Bedford St Paul 5 22.07x
Dunbog 5 1041.67x
St Giles 5 42.19x
Aberdeen Old Machar 4 3.24x
Ashford 4 270.27x
Fowlis Easter 4 588.24x
Glamis 4 112.04x
Glasgow 4 1.09x
Inverarity 4 210.53x
Newtyle 4 200.00x
Peterculter 4 95.92x
Arbirlot 3 166.67x
Auchterarder 3 37.55x
Dalmellington 3 21.37x
Mains 3 59.76x
Minchinhampton 3 30.09x
Neilston 3 12.09x
Perth West Church 3 22.08x
Spotland 3 3.56x
Tanworth 3 70.59x
Burton Upon Trent 2 3.97x
Crichton 2 84.03x
Dirleton 2 60.24x
Elgin 2 10.37x
Haddington 2 16.04x
Inverness 2 4.17x
Islington London 2 0.32x
Logie 2 19.47x
Newcastle On Tyne St 2 4.07x
Old Artillery Ground 2 36.43x
Renfrew 2 12.25x
Ruthven 2 465.12x
South Leith 2 2.08x
St Peter Port 2 5.72x
Blantyre 1 4.66x
Dunnichen 1 32.05x
Farnell 1 73.53x
Logie Buchan 1 59.17x
Paisley Middle Church 1 3.47x
Wells Next Sea 1 17.48x
Westminster St James 1 1.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Catherine 2
Elizabeth 2
Elizth 2
Helen 2
Jane 2
Janet 2
Mary 2
Annie 1
Eleanor 1
Elenor 1
Ellen 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Ida 1
Isabella 1
Jemima 1
Juline 1
Lilly 1
Margaret 1
Sarah 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Guild surname: questions and answers

How common was the Guild surname in 1881?

In 1881, 652 people were recorded with the Guild surname. That placed it at #5,484 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Guild surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 837 in 2016. That gives Guild a modern rank of #6,664.

What does the Guild surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a member or officer of a trade association or guild.

What does the Guild map show?

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