NameCensus.

UK surname

Gunningham

In the 1881 census there were 197 people recorded with the Gunningham surname, ranking it #12,955 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 239, ranked #17,322, down from #12,955 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Lancaster Borough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Somerset, Sedgemoor and Isle of Wight.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gunningham is 302 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.3%.

1881 census count

197

Ranked #12,955

Modern count

239

2016, ranked #17,322

Peak year

1911

302 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gunningham had 197 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,955 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 239 in 2016, ranked #17,322.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 302 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gunningham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gunningham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gunningham 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 114 #15,716
1861 historical 141 #16,072
1881 historical 197 #12,955
1891 historical 286 #11,497
1901 historical 293 #11,829
1911 historical 302 #11,394
1997 modern 261 #14,849
1998 modern 284 #14,402
1999 modern 268 #15,070
2000 modern 236 #16,380
2001 modern 234 #16,205
2002 modern 236 #16,455
2003 modern 227 #16,718
2004 modern 227 #16,778
2005 modern 227 #16,730
2006 modern 217 #17,349
2007 modern 215 #17,633
2008 modern 217 #17,693
2009 modern 225 #17,631
2010 modern 233 #17,606
2011 modern 237 #17,235
2012 modern 227 #17,630
2013 modern 237 #17,423
2014 modern 238 #17,480
2015 modern 238 #17,378
2016 modern 239 #17,322

Geography

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Where Gunninghams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Lancaster Borough, St James and St Paul and Banwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Somerset, Sedgemoor, Isle of Wight and Bristol. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
4 St James and St Paul Gloucestershire
5 Banwell Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Somerset 014 North Somerset
2 Sedgemoor 011 Sedgemoor
3 Isle of Wight 014 Isle of Wight
4 Sedgemoor 010 Sedgemoor
5 Bristol 027 Bristol, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gunningham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gunningham

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Gunningham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Gunningham 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Gunningham is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gunningham 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

Gunningham falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Gunningham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gunningham 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. Somerset leads with 94 Gunninghams recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.39x.

County Total Index
Somerset 94 30.39x
Gloucestershire 28 7.43x
Devon 15 3.75x
Middlesex 15 0.78x
Glamorgan 13 3.89x
Staffordshire 8 1.23x
Yorkshire 8 0.42x
Lancashire 7 0.31x
Hertfordshire 5 3.77x
Hampshire 2 0.51x
Berkshire 1 0.69x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St Philip Jacob in Gloucestershire leads with 19 Gunninghams recorded in 1881 and an index of 53.54x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St Philip Jacob 19 53.54x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 10 401.61x
Kingston 9 1451.61x
Horninglow 8 261.44x
Huntspill 8 629.92x
Plymouth St Andrew 8 25.97x
Tanshelf 8 526.32x
Wellington 8 190.93x
Bridgewater 7 83.33x
Bristol St James St Paul 7 55.69x
Eglwysilan 7 120.48x
Stogursey 7 843.37x
Charlinch 6 4615.38x
North Petherton 6 240.00x
Lancaster 5 36.85x
Swansea Lower 5 292.40x
Banwell 4 353.98x
Bedminster 4 13.76x
Bishops Lydeard 4 506.33x
St Marylebone London 4 3.90x
Stevenage 4 195.12x
Stonehouse East 4 197.04x
Wrington 4 384.62x
Clerkenwell London 3 6.61x
Lydeard St Lawrence 3 857.14x
Old Cleeve 3 272.73x
St Luke London 3 9.73x
Bishops Hull 2 200.00x
Chelsea London 2 3.45x
Hackney London 2 1.86x
Holdenhurst 2 19.36x
Preston 2 3.28x
Yeovil 2 31.80x
Bathwick 1 29.24x
Cardiff St John 1 9.15x
Clifton 1 5.25x
Devonport 1 21.74x
East Stonehouse 1 12.69x
Hampstead London 1 3.34x
Hitchin 1 16.72x
Locking 1 1250.00x
Milverton 1 87.72x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.49x
Ottery St Mary 1 38.17x
Painswick 1 37.45x
Spaxton 1 166.67x
St Decumans Watchet 1 128.21x
Taunton St Mary 1 17.61x
Wantage 1 43.48x
Wiveliscombe 1 58.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Eliza 8
Elizabeth 8
Sarah 8
Jane 6
Annie 4
Emily 4
Ellen 3
Florence 3
Harriet 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Elizebth 2
Maria 2
Sophia 2
Anna 1
Beatrice 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Blanche 1
Bridget 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Catherine 1
Chartte.J. 1
E.J. 1
Edith 1
Edna 1
Emma 1
Gertrude 1
Helena 1
Jennie 1
Jessie 1
Kesiah 1
Laura 1
Lillie 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Margrett 1
Matilda 1
Maude 1
Minnie 1
Phebe 1
Priscilla 1
Rebecca 1
Roseanna 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 13
John 9
George 7
James 7
Charles 5
Henry 4
Robert 4
Thomas 4
Alfred 3
Ernest 3
Frederick 3
Richard 3
Samuel 3
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Joseph 2
Walter 2
Alban 1
Banty 1
Benjamin 1
Dibs 1
Eland 1
Elizabeth 1
Eustace 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Guy 1
Job 1
Laurence 1
Percy 1
Sidney 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Gunningham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gunningham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 197 people were recorded with the Gunningham surname. That placed it at #12,955 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gunningham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 239 in 2016. That gives Gunningham a modern rank of #17,322.

What does the Gunningham map show?

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