NameCensus.

UK surname

Gunner

An occupational surname derived from someone who worked with or operated a type of firearm or cannon.

In the 1881 census there were 977 people recorded with the Gunner surname, ranking it #3,981 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,217, ranked #4,889, down from #3,981 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Crondall, London parishes and Woking. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Guildford, Rushmoor and Woking.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gunner is 1,328 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.6%.

1881 census count

977

Ranked #3,981

Modern count

1,217

2016, ranked #4,889

Peak year

1999

1,328 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gunner had 977 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,981 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,217 in 2016, ranked #4,889.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,295 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Gunner surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gunner surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gunner 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 708 #3,689
1861 historical 647 #4,153
1881 historical 977 #3,981
1891 historical 844 #4,837
1901 historical 1,216 #4,052
1911 historical 1,295 #3,681
1997 modern 1,270 #4,487
1998 modern 1,317 #4,508
1999 modern 1,328 #4,507
2000 modern 1,271 #4,667
2001 modern 1,235 #4,691
2002 modern 1,274 #4,658
2003 modern 1,255 #4,628
2004 modern 1,242 #4,664
2005 modern 1,216 #4,708
2006 modern 1,216 #4,728
2007 modern 1,231 #4,723
2008 modern 1,243 #4,704
2009 modern 1,273 #4,702
2010 modern 1,273 #4,799
2011 modern 1,259 #4,790
2012 modern 1,231 #4,809
2013 modern 1,265 #4,780
2014 modern 1,252 #4,842
2015 modern 1,236 #4,844
2016 modern 1,217 #4,889

Geography

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Where Gunners are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Crondall, London parishes, Woking and Worplesdon , Ash. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Guildford, Rushmoor and Woking. 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 Crondall Hampshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Woking Surrey
4 London parishes London 3
5 Worplesdon , Ash Surrey

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Guildford 005 Guildford
2 Guildford 012 Guildford
3 Rushmoor 011 Rushmoor
4 Woking 004 Woking
5 Guildford 001 Guildford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gunner

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gunner

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Gunner surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Gunner household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Gunner is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gunner 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

Gunner 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 Gunner 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gunner

The surname Gunner originated in England during the Middle Ages. It derives from the Old English word "gunne," which referred to a type of medieval cannon or artillery. The name likely first came into use as an occupational name for those who operated and maintained these early firearms.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Gunner surname appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a Robert le Gunnur in Norfolk. This early spelling variation highlights the name's origins from the word "gunne." Other early spellings included Gonnor, Gunnor, and Gonner.

In the 14th century, the name Gunner appeared in various tax and legal records across England. For example, a John Gunnour was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379. The name was particularly prevalent in areas where early gunpowder and artillery manufacturing took place, such as London and the surrounding counties.

Notable historical figures with the Gunner surname include Edmund Gunner, a 16th-century English churchman who served as the Bishop of Ely from 1533 to 1554. Another early bearer of the name was William Gunner, a 17th-century English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "The Whole Duty of a Christian" (1661).

In the 18th century, John Gunner (1768-1854) was a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars, eventually rising to the rank of Admiral. During the same period, Henry Gunner (1744-1824) was a prominent English architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. Mary Aldermanbury.

One of the most famous bearers of the Gunner surname was Sir Robert Gunner (1835-1920), a British Army officer who served in several campaigns, including the Crimean War and the Second Boer War. He was knighted for his military service in 1900 and later became a Member of Parliament.

The Gunner surname has a rich history rooted in the early development of gunpowder and artillery in medieval England. While not as common today, it remains a significant name with connections to notable historical figures across various fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gunner families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gunner 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. Surrey leads with 339 Gunners recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.26x.

County Total Index
Surrey 339 7.26x
Middlesex 177 1.85x
Kent 167 5.10x
Hampshire 109 5.55x
Essex 33 1.74x
Sussex 30 1.86x
Wiltshire 18 2.12x
Warwickshire 16 0.66x
Gloucestershire 11 0.58x
Yorkshire 10 0.11x
Devon 9 0.45x
Flintshire 8 3.10x
Lancashire 8 0.07x
Staffordshire 7 0.22x
Worcestershire 7 0.56x
Monmouthshire 5 0.72x
Oxfordshire 4 0.68x
Hertfordshire 3 0.45x
Royal Navy 3 2.63x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.35x
Channel Islands 2 0.70x
Norfolk 2 0.14x
Rutland 2 2.84x
Suffolk 2 0.17x
Bedfordshire 1 0.20x
Berkshire 1 0.14x
Dorset 1 0.16x
Durham 1 0.04x
Glamorgan 1 0.06x
Herefordshire 1 0.25x
Leicestershire 1 0.09x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.08x
Stirlingshire 1 0.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Woking in Surrey leads with 47 Gunners recorded in 1881 and an index of 166.90x.

Place Total Index
Woking 47 166.90x
Worplesdon 46 817.05x
Lambeth 28 3.35x
Croydon 26 10.03x
Hackney London 24 4.46x
West Ham 24 5.74x
Chertsey 22 72.87x
Enfield 21 33.38x
Islington London 20 2.15x
Camberwell 19 3.10x
Deal 17 60.91x
Crondall 16 151.52x
Guildford Holy Trinity 16 179.78x
Sevenoaks 15 56.56x
Hartley Wintney 13 219.97x
Hever 12 535.71x
St George Hanover Square 12 7.10x
Acton 11 19.57x
Ightham 11 267.64x
Putney 11 25.17x
St Pancras London 11 1.43x
Ealing 10 11.67x
Send Ripley 10 164.20x
Wandsworth 10 10.83x
Alton 9 60.77x
Bishops Waltham 9 109.89x
Clapham 9 7.51x
Edenbridge 9 140.19x
Horsell 9 305.08x
New Alresford 9 176.82x
Shoreditch London 9 2.17x
Swanscombe 9 61.22x
Worth 9 76.66x
Aldershot 8 12.15x
Birmingham 8 0.99x
Brighton 8 2.45x
Chawton 8 516.13x
Cirencester 8 31.42x
Cove 8 310.08x
Long Ditton 8 104.85x
Newton Toney 8 733.95x
Rhuddlan 8 35.26x
Rotherhithe 8 6.75x
Seal 8 151.52x
Stoke 8 36.28x
Willesden 8 8.85x
Chiddingstone 7 163.55x
Fugglestone St Peter 7 208.33x
Kingswinford 7 5.96x
Limpsfield 7 156.60x
Newington 7 1.98x
Poplar London 7 3.87x
Aston 6 0.90x
Boughton Under Blean 6 109.49x
Cobham 6 78.23x
Ditton 6 545.45x
Merstham 6 202.70x
Penshurst 6 109.09x
St Giles In Fields London 6 12.76x
Wetherby 6 96.93x
Brenchley 5 42.70x
Bromsgrove 5 11.87x
Frant 5 43.63x
Great Baddow 5 74.29x
Mile End Old Town London 5 2.45x
Oldham 5 1.36x
Plumstead 5 4.59x
Snodland 5 53.88x
St Mary Cray 5 79.87x
St Woollos 5 6.46x
Tonbridge 5 4.24x
Battersea 4 1.13x
Bow London 4 3.28x
Fulham London 4 2.88x
Kensington London 4 0.75x
Kingston On Thames 4 3.56x
Lifton 4 83.16x
Oxford St Thomas 4 14.48x
St George Bloomsbury 4 7.27x
Streatham 4 5.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 59
George 51
James 42
John 40
Charles 28
Henry 26
Thomas 19
Edward 11
Richard 11
Alfred 10
Robert 10
Samuel 10
Albert 9
Arthur 9
Frederick 7
Harry 7
Isaac 7
Joseph 7
Ernest 5
Frank 5
Thos. 5
Walter 5
Wm. 5
David 4
Benjamin 3
Herbert 3
Amos 2
E. 2
Ed. 2
Francis 2
Levi 2
Louis 2
Oliver 2
Willie 2
August 1
Chas.J. 1
Chas.John 1
Edgar 1
Edmond 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Ellison 1
Fk. 1
Horatius 1
Hubert 1
Infant 1
J.E. 1
Jno 1
Jno. 1
Wm.Edmond 1

FAQ

Gunner surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gunner surname in 1881?

In 1881, 977 people were recorded with the Gunner surname. That placed it at #3,981 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gunner surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,217 in 2016. That gives Gunner a modern rank of #4,889.

What does the Gunner surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from someone who worked with or operated a type of firearm or cannon.

What does the Gunner map show?

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