NameCensus.

UK surname

Guinn

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mac Fhionn, meaning "son of Fionn," derived from "fionn" (fair or white).

In the 1881 census there were 85 people recorded with the Guinn surname, ranking it #21,573 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 108, ranked #29,578, down from #21,573 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and St Mary Stratford-le-Bow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pitlochry, East Hertfordshire and Conwy.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Guinn is 186 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.1%.

1881 census count

85

Ranked #21,573

Modern count

108

2016, ranked #29,578

Peak year

1891

186 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Guinn had 85 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,573 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 108 in 2016, ranked #29,578.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 186 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Guinn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Guinn surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Guinn 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 66 #21,617
1861 historical 127 #17,469
1881 historical 85 #21,573
1891 historical 186 #15,740
1901 historical 136 #19,110
1911 historical 142 #18,487
1997 modern 114 #24,967
1998 modern 124 #24,316
1999 modern 126 #24,239
2000 modern 121 #24,824
2001 modern 118 #24,832
2002 modern 109 #26,552
2003 modern 110 #26,220
2004 modern 110 #26,451
2005 modern 112 #26,114
2006 modern 109 #26,872
2007 modern 111 #26,954
2008 modern 102 #28,664
2009 modern 101 #29,445
2010 modern 100 #30,225
2011 modern 101 #29,938
2012 modern 102 #29,902
2013 modern 101 #30,591
2014 modern 107 #29,827
2015 modern 108 #29,512
2016 modern 108 #29,578

Geography

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Where Guinns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, St Mary Stratford-le-Bow and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Pitlochry, East Hertfordshire, Conwy, Central Bedfordshire and Wokingham. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 St Mary Stratford-le-Bow London (East Districts)
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Pitlochry Perth and Kinross
2 East Hertfordshire 010 East Hertfordshire
3 Conwy 001 Conwy
4 Central Bedfordshire 017 Central Bedfordshire
5 Wokingham 009 Wokingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Guinn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Guinn

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Guinn, 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 Guinn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Guinn 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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Guinn is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Guinn is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Guinn falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Guinn is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Guinn

The surname Guinn originated in Ireland and traces its roots back to the ancient Gaelic name Ó Cuinn, meaning "descendant of Conn." Conn was a legendary high king of Ireland who ruled in the 2nd century AD. The name is derived from the Irish word "conn," meaning "chief" or "leader."

The earliest recorded instances of the name Guinn can be found in medieval Irish annals and genealogical manuscripts. One notable entry is in the Annals of Ulster, which mentions a "Gilla-Críst Ó Cuinn" in the year 1202. This suggests that the surname had already become established by the 12th century.

In the 16th century, the surname Guinn was primarily found in counties Galway and Roscommon in the province of Connacht. During this period, the anglicized spelling "Guinn" began to emerge, as the Irish language was suppressed and English became more prevalent.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Sir Patrick Guinn, a prominent landowner and member of the Irish Parliament in the late 16th century. Another notable figure was John Guinn, a Catholic priest who was executed for his faith during the English Reformation in 1642.

In the 17th century, many Irish families, including those with the surname Guinn, were displaced from their ancestral lands during the Plantation of Ulster and the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. This led to the spread of the name to other parts of Ireland and beyond.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the Guinn surname can be found in various records across Ireland, including birth, marriage, and death registers. Some notable individuals from this period include Michael Guinn (1745-1823), a Catholic priest and writer, and Patrick Guinn (1798-1872), a noted Catholic educator and founder of several schools in Dublin.

As Irish emigration increased in the 19th century, the surname Guinn began to appear in records in countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. Among those who emigrated was James Guinn (1841-1917), a prominent businessman and politician in Kansas, United States.

Other notable individuals with the surname Guinn throughout history include John Guinn (1592-1668), an English clergyman and author, and Vincent Guinn (1926-2017), an American actor and playwright.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Guinn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Guinn 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. Middlesex leads with 31 Guinns recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.74x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 31 3.74x
Lancashire 18 1.83x
Lanarkshire 7 2.61x
Warwickshire 7 3.35x
Glamorgan 6 4.16x
Hertfordshire 5 8.75x
Midlothian 4 3.60x
Nottinghamshire 2 1.79x
Surrey 2 0.50x
Cumberland 1 1.40x
Devon 1 0.58x
Essex 1 0.61x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Salford in Lancashire leads with 12 Guinns recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.48x.

Place Total Index
Salford 12 41.48x
Bethnal Green London 8 22.21x
Birmingham 7 10.05x
Govan 7 10.55x
Cardiff St Mary 6 75.47x
St Anne Soho London 6 126.85x
Bishop Stortford 5 261.78x
Mile End Old Town London 5 28.33x
Chelsea London 3 12.01x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 6.71x
St Katherine Coleman 3 3750.00x
Basford 2 38.84x
Battersea 2 6.56x
Bow London 2 18.96x
Everton 2 6.38x
Liverpool 2 3.35x
Caldewgate 1 25.58x
Enfield 1 18.38x
Fulham London 1 8.32x
Oldham 1 3.15x
St Mary Le Strand London 1 333.33x
Stifford 1 1250.00x
Tormoham 1 13.70x
West Calder 1 45.66x
Westminster St Margaret 1 25.00x
Wigan 1 7.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 4
Hannah 3
Charlotte 2
Emily 2
Jane 2
Adelaide 1
Alice 1
Amy 1
Betsy 1
Bridget 1
Caroline 1
Carry 1
Catherine 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Frances 1
Judith 1
Kate 1
Kitty 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Mary 1
Nellie 1
Rose 1
Sarah 1
Sophia 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 5
Patrick 4
Thomas 4
Charles 3
Henry 3
James 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Alfd. 1
Benjamin 1
Dennis 1
Edward 1
Frederick 1
George 1
John 1
Joseph 1
Martin 1
Percy 1
Thos. 1
Wallace 1
Will. 1

FAQ

Guinn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Guinn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 85 people were recorded with the Guinn surname. That placed it at #21,573 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Guinn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 108 in 2016. That gives Guinn a modern rank of #29,578.

What does the Guinn surname mean?

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mac Fhionn, meaning "son of Fionn," derived from "fionn" (fair or white).

What does the Guinn map show?

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