NameCensus.

UK surname

Gunes

A Turkish surname derived from the word "güneş" meaning sun or sunshine.

In the 1881 census there were 3 people recorded with the Gunes surname, ranking it #33,498 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 359, ranked #12,898, up from #33,498 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hackney, Shepway and Haringey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gunes is 359 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11866.7%.

1881 census count

3

Ranked #33,498

Modern count

359

2016, ranked #12,898

Peak year

2016

359 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gunes had 3 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,498 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 359 in 2016, ranked #12,898.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 47 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Gunes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gunes surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gunes 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
1861 historical 16 #31,832
1881 historical 3 #33,498
1891 historical 47 #30,566
1901 historical 2 #34,263
1997 modern 80 #29,554
1998 modern 87 #29,240
1999 modern 91 #28,937
2000 modern 89 #29,173
2001 modern 96 #27,976
2002 modern 132 #23,680
2003 modern 148 #21,866
2004 modern 162 #20,756
2005 modern 181 #19,334
2006 modern 206 #17,945
2007 modern 209 #17,951
2008 modern 224 #17,337
2009 modern 257 #16,099
2010 modern 281 #15,441
2011 modern 289 #14,974
2012 modern 311 #14,173
2013 modern 335 #13,604
2014 modern 348 #13,320
2015 modern 351 #13,135
2016 modern 359 #12,898

Geography

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Where Gunes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hackney, Shepway and Haringey. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hackney 002 Hackney
2 Shepway 006 Shepway
3 Hackney 012 Hackney
4 Haringey 025 Haringey
5 Hackney 019 Hackney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gunes

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gunes

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Gunes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Gunes 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Gunes is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gunes 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

Gunes falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gunes 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Gunes

The surname GUNES is of Turkish origin, derived from the Turkish word "güneş" meaning "sun." It emerged as a surname in the 14th century during the Ottoman Empire period in Anatolia, modern-day Turkey.

The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone with a bright, sunny personality or complexion. Alternatively, it may have been used to refer to someone who lived near a sunny or well-lit area.

Early records of the name can be found in Ottoman census records and tax registers from the 15th and 16th centuries. In these documents, variations of the spelling include "Güneş," "Gunes," and "Kunesh."

One of the earliest known individuals with this surname was Ahmet Gunes, a 16th-century Ottoman scholar and poet who lived in the city of Bursa. Another notable figure was Mustafa Gunes, a military commander who served under Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent in the 16th century.

In the 19th century, Ismail Gunes was a prominent architect who designed several mosques and public buildings in Istanbul. His son, Mehmet Gunes, followed in his footsteps and became a renowned architect in the early 20th century.

During the Ottoman era, the name was also associated with certain place names, such as the village of Güneşli in the Thrace region of modern-day Turkey. This village was likely named after the sunny or well-lit location.

Another individual of note was Hasan Gunes, a 20th-century Turkish politician and diplomat who served as the Turkish ambassador to several countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom.

Throughout its history, the surname GUNES has been borne by scholars, artists, military leaders, and public figures, reflecting its association with the sun and its symbolic meaning of brightness, warmth, and positivity in Turkish culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gunes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gunes 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. Cheshire leads with 2 Gunes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.01x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 2 31.01x
Durham 1 11.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tintwistle in Cheshire leads with 2 Gunes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6666.67x.

Place Total Index
Tintwistle 2 6666.67x
South Shields 1 1250.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Eda 1
Hannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Samuel 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Gunes households.

Occupation Count
A B 1
Scholar 1

FAQ

Gunes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gunes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3 people were recorded with the Gunes surname. That placed it at #33,498 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gunes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 359 in 2016. That gives Gunes a modern rank of #12,898.

What does the Gunes surname mean?

A Turkish surname derived from the word "güneş" meaning sun or sunshine.

What does the Gunes map show?

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