NameCensus.

UK surname

Gunter

A surname of German origin meaning "battle warrior" or "bold warrior."

In the 1881 census there were 1,053 people recorded with the Gunter surname, ranking it #3,742 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,530, ranked #4,047, down from #3,742 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Mynyddyslwyn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Walsall, Torfaen and Monmouthshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gunter is 1,596 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 45.3%.

1881 census count

1,053

Ranked #3,742

Modern count

1,530

2016, ranked #4,047

Peak year

2010

1,596 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gunter had 1,053 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,742 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,530 in 2016, ranked #4,047.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,385 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Gunter surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gunter surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gunter 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 783 #3,412
1861 historical 665 #4,027
1881 historical 1,053 #3,742
1891 historical 976 #4,238
1901 historical 1,225 #4,039
1911 historical 1,385 #3,478
1997 modern 1,540 #3,823
1998 modern 1,566 #3,899
1999 modern 1,581 #3,906
2000 modern 1,589 #3,882
2001 modern 1,551 #3,887
2002 modern 1,573 #3,917
2003 modern 1,540 #3,906
2004 modern 1,537 #3,913
2005 modern 1,521 #3,904
2006 modern 1,523 #3,913
2007 modern 1,536 #3,908
2008 modern 1,535 #3,931
2009 modern 1,572 #3,935
2010 modern 1,596 #3,959
2011 modern 1,582 #3,949
2012 modern 1,551 #3,958
2013 modern 1,563 #3,999
2014 modern 1,553 #4,046
2015 modern 1,540 #4,028
2016 modern 1,530 #4,047

Geography

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Where Gunters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Mynyddyslwyn, Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Walsall, Torfaen, Monmouthshire and Forest of Dean. 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 Mynyddyslwyn Monmouthshire
4 Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean Monmouthshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Walsall 018 Walsall
2 Torfaen 006 Torfaen
3 Monmouthshire 003 Monmouthshire
4 Torfaen 002 Torfaen
5 Forest of Dean 008 Forest of Dean

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gunter

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gunter

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Gunter surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Gunter household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Gunter is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Gunter 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

Gunter falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gunter is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gunter

The surname Gunter has its origins in Germanic personal names derived from the elements "gund" meaning war, and "heri" meaning army. It is believed to have originated as a surname in England during the medieval period.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Gunter date back to the late 12th century, with references found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166. These records mention individuals with variations of the name such as Gundred and Gundret.

In the 13th century, the Hundred Rolls of 1273 list references to people with the surname Gunter in counties like Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. This suggests that the name had spread across different regions of England by that time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was John Gunter, who was recorded as being a landowner in Gloucestershire in 1327. Another early mention is found in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1389, which lists a Robert Gunter.

The surname Gunter is also found in historic records such as the Hearth Tax Rolls of the late 17th century, indicating its continued presence in England over the centuries.

Notable individuals with the surname Gunter throughout history include Edmund Gunter (1581-1626), an English mathematician and clergyman who is credited with inventing the Gunter's scale, a calculating instrument used in navigation and surveying. Another Gunter of note was William Gunter (1605-1656), an English Catholic priest and writer who served as a chaplain to Queen Henrietta Maria.

In the 18th century, John Gunter (1705-1768) was a renowned English mathematician and instrument maker, known for his contributions to the development of surveying instruments. Meanwhile, Edmond Gunter (1744-1809) was a British Army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War.

Moving into the 19th century, Henry Gunter (1820-1900) was a prominent English architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the City of London School.

While the surname Gunter has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through emigration and is now found in various countries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gunter families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gunter 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. Monmouthshire leads with 176 Gunters recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.75x.

County Total Index
Monmouthshire 176 23.75x
Gloucestershire 160 7.96x
Middlesex 150 1.46x
Herefordshire 81 19.27x
Berkshire 62 8.06x
Pembrokeshire 52 15.96x
Surrey 47 0.94x
Brecknockshire 41 20.00x
Glamorgan 37 2.07x
Somerset 34 2.06x
Wiltshire 31 3.42x
Yorkshire 31 0.31x
Staffordshire 23 0.66x
Devon 22 1.03x
Essex 22 1.09x
Lancashire 13 0.11x
Warwickshire 11 0.43x
Hampshire 10 0.48x
Durham 7 0.23x
Kent 7 0.20x
Buckinghamshire 6 0.97x
Sussex 6 0.35x
Bedfordshire 5 0.94x
Dorset 4 0.59x
Hertfordshire 4 0.57x
Leicestershire 4 0.35x
Lincolnshire 2 0.12x
Shropshire 2 0.23x
Worcestershire 1 0.07x

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 George in Gloucestershire leads with 50 Gunters recorded in 1881 and an index of 53.76x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St George 50 53.76x
Bedwellty 23 17.58x
Trevethin 22 31.43x
Aberystruth 21 32.14x
Chelsea London 21 6.80x
St Marylebone London 21 3.84x
Risca 20 143.16x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 18 9.51x
St Issells 18 261.25x
Thatcham 18 151.77x
Wolverhampton 18 6.76x
Tenby St Mary In 17 102.47x
Purton 15 185.87x
West Dean 14 42.87x
Lambeth 13 1.45x
Llangunider 13 101.80x
Islington London 12 1.21x
Stoke Newington London 11 13.77x
Whitechapel London 11 10.88x
Aldermaston 10 529.10x
Amroth 10 387.60x
Briton Ferry 10 46.95x
English Bicknor 10 450.45x
Llanover 10 39.51x
Llanrothall 10 1538.46x
St Woollos 10 12.09x
Westbury On Severn East 10 22.00x
Brecknock St John 9 52.05x
Llanelly 9 36.69x
Winsford 9 526.32x
Bitton 8 45.71x
Bristol St Paul In 8 14.93x
Cwmcarvan 8 952.38x
Goodrich 8 304.18x
Leyton Low 8 19.45x
Little Sampford 8 666.67x
Llanwenarth Ultra 8 147.87x
Micklethwaite 8 2222.22x
Upper Llanvrechva 8 69.50x
All Hallows Barking 7 273.44x
Cardiff St John 7 12.00x
Clerkenwell London 7 2.89x
East Lockinge 7 603.45x
Escomb 7 49.93x
Hereford All Sts 7 36.34x
Kingstone 7 451.61x
Newland 7 41.42x
Rogerstone 7 153.17x
Southwark Christchurch 7 14.57x
Staines 7 43.13x
Wootton Bassett 7 88.72x
Aberdare 6 4.90x
Aston 6 0.84x
Croydon 6 2.16x
Enborne 6 416.67x
Exton 6 422.54x
Hawkesbury 6 87.72x
Lewisham 6 3.22x
Little Dewchurch 6 521.74x
Madley 6 203.39x
Middlesbrough 6 4.54x
Richmond 6 8.57x
Swinton In Rotherham 6 22.34x
Tooting Graveney 6 43.17x
Wanborough 6 193.55x
Welsh Bicknor 6 1621.62x
West Ham 6 1.34x
Alveston 5 175.44x
Bronllys 5 471.70x
Christchurch 5 21.81x
Kensington London 5 0.88x
Llangarren 5 132.63x
Llanvihangel Llantarnam 5 35.39x
Martock 5 46.60x
Morebath 5 320.51x
Penalt 5 299.40x
St Luke London 5 3.04x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 5 10.59x
Stoke Poges 5 66.14x
Twickenham 5 11.37x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 78
William 65
Thomas 41
James 33
George 30
Henry 27
Charles 26
Robert 17
Joseph 11
Richard 11
Edward 10
Frederick 10
David 9
Albert 8
Edwin 6
Samuel 6
Arthur 5
Frank 5
Philip 5
Tom 5
Alfred 4
Fred 4
Harry 4
Isaac 4
Phillip 4
Thos. 4
Walter 4
Abraham 3
Benjamin 3
Herbert 3
Bernard 2
Daniel 2
Enoch 2
Fredrick 2
G. 2
Geo. 2
Lewis 2
Mark 2
Stephen 2
Augustus 1
Clarence 1
Dd. 1
Enock 1
Eustace 1
Francis 1
Howel 1
Jacob 1
Jas. 1
Jas.E. 1
Wm.T. 1

FAQ

Gunter surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gunter surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,053 people were recorded with the Gunter surname. That placed it at #3,742 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gunter surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,530 in 2016. That gives Gunter a modern rank of #4,047.

What does the Gunter surname mean?

A surname of German origin meaning "battle warrior" or "bold warrior."

What does the Gunter map show?

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