NameCensus.

UK surname

Guinness

An English surname originating as a nickname from the Gaelic word meaning "brown-haired".

In the 1881 census there were 87 people recorded with the Guinness surname, ranking it #21,334 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 263, ranked #16,210, up from #21,334 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, London parishes and Paddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Westminster, Daventry and Reigate and Banstead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Guinness is 358 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 202.3%.

1881 census count

87

Ranked #21,334

Modern count

263

2016, ranked #16,210

Peak year

2010

358 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Guinness had 87 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,334 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 263 in 2016, ranked #16,210.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 160 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Guinness surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Guinness surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Guinness 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 33 #27,390
1861 historical 64 #25,747
1881 historical 87 #21,334
1891 historical 125 #20,713
1901 historical 89 #24,154
1911 historical 160 #17,151
1997 modern 280 #14,136
1998 modern 274 #14,759
1999 modern 282 #14,545
2000 modern 275 #14,757
2001 modern 273 #14,614
2002 modern 284 #14,524
2003 modern 282 #14,410
2004 modern 293 #14,082
2005 modern 277 #14,542
2006 modern 278 #14,623
2007 modern 276 #14,855
2008 modern 289 #14,502
2009 modern 308 #14,161
2010 modern 358 #13,001
2011 modern 309 #14,322
2012 modern 289 #14,875
2013 modern 293 #14,998
2014 modern 281 #15,583
2015 modern 273 #15,789
2016 modern 263 #16,210

Geography

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Where Guinness' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, London parishes, Paddington and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Westminster, Daventry, Reigate and Banstead and Wiltshire. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Paddington London (West Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Westminster 020 Westminster
2 Daventry 001 Daventry
3 Reigate and Banstead 012 Reigate and Banstead
4 Westminster 014 Westminster
5 Wiltshire 029 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Guinness

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Guinness

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Guinness surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Guinness household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Guinness is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

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

Guinness is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Guinness falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Guinness is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Guinness

The surname Guinness originated in Ireland during the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Old Norman French word "Engaine," meaning a wedge or ingot, which was likely a reference to a metalworker's occupation. The name was first recorded in County Down, Ulster, in the early 13th century.

The earliest known bearer of the Guinness surname was Ranaulf de Engaine, who was listed in the Chartularies of St. Mary's Abbey in Dublin in 1207. Over time, the spelling evolved from Engaine to Gingen, Gyngen, and eventually Guinness.

In the 14th century, the Guinness family gained prominence in County Wexford, where they held lands and estates. One notable member was Sir Walter Guinness, who served as the Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1376.

During the 16th century, the Guinness name appeared in various records and documents, including the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns and the Annals of the Four Masters. In 1553, a John Guinness was mentioned in the Fiants as being granted lands in County Wicklow.

The most famous bearer of the Guinness surname was Arthur Guinness, who was born in 1725 in County Kildare. In 1759, he founded the iconic Guinness Brewery in St. James's Gate, Dublin, which became a global success and cemented the family's legacy. Arthur Guinness passed away in 1803.

Another notable Guinness was Edward Cecil Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh, who was born in 1847 and played a significant role in the expansion and modernization of the Guinness Brewery. He was also a prominent philanthropist and art collector. He died in 1927.

Walter Edward Guinness, 1st Baron Moyne, was a British diplomat and politician born in 1880. He served as the Secretary of State for the Colonies and was assassinated in 1944 during his tenure as the British Resident Minister in Cairo.

The Guinness name has been associated with several place names in Ireland, such as Guinness Bridge in County Wexford and Guinness Square in Dublin, further solidifying its connection to the country's history and heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Guinness families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Guinness 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. Lancashire leads with 36 Guinness' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.57x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 36 3.57x
Middlesex 21 2.47x
Durham 11 4.36x
Leicestershire 6 6.38x
Cumberland 2 2.74x
Kent 2 0.69x
Surrey 2 0.48x
Cambridgeshire 1 1.86x
Cheshire 1 0.53x
Gloucestershire 1 0.60x
Hampshire 1 0.57x
Hertfordshire 1 1.71x
Lanarkshire 1 0.36x
Yorkshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hedworth Monkton Jarrow in Durham leads with 11 Guinness' recorded in 1881 and an index of 100.55x.

Place Total Index
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 11 100.55x
Liverpool 10 16.35x
Ashton Under Lyne 9 40.89x
St Marylebone London 8 17.66x
St George Hanover Square 7 46.82x
Leicester St Mary 6 78.95x
Wavertree 6 186.34x
Dalton In Furness 4 102.83x
Paddington London 4 12.82x
Toxteth Park 4 11.73x
Whitehaven 2 51.41x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 12.50x
Bow London 1 9.26x
Charlton Next Woolwich 1 33.11x
Great Crosby 1 36.36x
Islington London 1 1.22x
Itchen Stoke 1 1250.00x
Leeds 1 2.11x
Liscard 1 29.59x
Little Wymondley 1 833.33x
Maidstone 1 11.60x
Mitton Henthorn 1 5000.00x
Old Monkland 1 9.18x
Penge 1 18.45x
Stapleton 1 31.65x
Streatham 1 15.87x
Wisbech St Peter 1 37.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 5
Arthur 3
John 3
Richard 3
Benjamin 2
Henry 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Auther 1
Bertram 1
Cecil 1
Charles 1
Claude 1
Emanuel 1
Frederick 1
H. 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Lewis 1
Oscar 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Samuel 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Guinness surname: questions and answers

How common was the Guinness surname in 1881?

In 1881, 87 people were recorded with the Guinness surname. That placed it at #21,334 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Guinness surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 263 in 2016. That gives Guinness a modern rank of #16,210.

What does the Guinness surname mean?

An English surname originating as a nickname from the Gaelic word meaning "brown-haired".

What does the Guinness map show?

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