NameCensus.

UK surname

Gunther

A Germanic surname derived from the ancient Germanic name Gundahar, meaning "battle warrior" or "bold warrior."

In the 1881 census there were 101 people recorded with the Gunther surname, ranking it #19,636 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 314, ranked #14,291, up from #19,636 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Great Yarmouth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Flintshire, Denbighshire and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gunther is 350 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 210.9%.

1881 census count

101

Ranked #19,636

Modern count

314

2016, ranked #14,291

Peak year

2002

350 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gunther had 101 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,636 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 314 in 2016, ranked #14,291.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 231 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Gunther surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gunther surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gunther 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 9 #31,675
1861 historical 44 #28,433
1881 historical 101 #19,636
1891 historical 128 #20,393
1901 historical 169 #16,824
1911 historical 231 #13,636
1997 modern 298 #13,593
1998 modern 315 #13,452
1999 modern 317 #13,473
2000 modern 329 #13,090
2001 modern 324 #13,062
2002 modern 350 #12,620
2003 modern 335 #12,815
2004 modern 346 #12,544
2005 modern 328 #12,992
2006 modern 321 #13,258
2007 modern 325 #13,291
2008 modern 319 #13,581
2009 modern 335 #13,381
2010 modern 332 #13,745
2011 modern 326 #13,775
2012 modern 307 #14,288
2013 modern 311 #14,368
2014 modern 316 #14,301
2015 modern 315 #14,247
2016 modern 314 #14,291

Geography

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Where Gunthers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, Great Yarmouth and Flint. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Flintshire, Denbighshire, East Riding of Yorkshire and Rother. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Great Yarmouth Norfolk
5 Flint Flintshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Flintshire 004 Flintshire
2 Denbighshire 008 Denbighshire
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 040 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 Flintshire 001 Flintshire
5 Rother 002 Rother

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gunther

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gunther

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Gunther surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Gunther household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Gunther 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

Gunther 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

Gunther falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gunther 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 Gunther, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Gunther

The surname Gunther has its origins in the Germanic culture and languages. It is derived from the Old German words "gund" meaning war, and "heri" meaning army or warrior. Together, the name essentially means "battle warrior" or "army warrior".

The name is believed to have first emerged in the regions of modern-day Germany and Austria, sometime around the 6th or 7th century AD. It was a commonly used name among the Germanic tribes and people of that era, reflecting their warlike nature and the importance of military prowess in their culture.

One of the earliest known references to the name Gunther can be found in the Old Norse epic poem, the Poetic Edda, which dates back to the 13th century. The poem features a character named Gunther, who is portrayed as a powerful and wealthy king.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, also contains several entries of individuals with the surname Gunther or variations of it, such as Gunter or Gunthar. This suggests that the name had spread to England by the 11th century, likely brought over by Germanic settlers or invaders.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Gunther. One of the earliest was Gunther of Pairis (c. 955–1045), a Benedictine monk and chronicler who wrote a history of the monastery at Herrieden in modern-day Bavaria, Germany.

Another prominent figure was Gunther of Schwarzburg (c. 1170–1233), a German nobleman and crusader who participated in the Fifth Crusade to the Holy Land and served as a commander of the Teutonic Knights.

In the realm of art and literature, Johann Christian Gunther (1695–1723) was a German poet and satirist known for his biting satires and critiques of contemporary society.

The name also has a connection to exploration and travel, with Johann Gunther (1598–1634), a German traveler and merchant who authored a detailed account of his travels through Russia and Persia in the early 17th century.

Finally, one of the most recent notable individuals with the surname Gunther was Archibald Clavering Gunther (1847–1907), a British zoologist and ichthyologist who served as the Keeper of Zoology at the British Museum.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gunther families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gunther 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. Middlesex leads with 58 Gunthers recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.89x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 58 5.89x
Flintshire 8 30.21x
Surrey 8 1.67x
Lanarkshire 6 1.88x
Lancashire 6 0.51x
Cheshire 4 1.84x
Yorkshire 3 0.31x
Staffordshire 2 0.60x
Denbighshire 1 2.69x
Essex 1 0.51x
Gloucestershire 1 0.52x
Midlothian 1 0.76x
Northumberland 1 0.68x
Sussex 1 0.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 13 Gunthers recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.62x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 13 13.62x
Mile End Old Town London 9 42.92x
Camberwell 8 12.71x
Flint 8 533.33x
St George Hanover Square 8 46.08x
Oldham 6 15.90x
St George Bloomsbury 5 88.50x
Barony 4 4.96x
Hampton Wick London 4 555.56x
Shoreditch London 4 9.37x
Holy Trinity 3 12.78x
St Marylebone London 3 5.70x
St Pancras London 3 3.78x
Bowdon 2 232.56x
Bromley London 2 9.23x
Govan 2 2.54x
Birkenhead 1 5.77x
Chelsea London 1 3.37x
Clerkenwell London 1 4.30x
Clifton 1 10.24x
Earsdon 1 84.03x
Edinburgh Greenside 1 57.47x
Hampstead London 1 6.52x
Harrow 1 66.23x
Hastings St Mary 1 24.21x
Henllan 1 105.26x
Rocester 1 243.90x
St Clement Danes London 1 49.02x
St George In East London 1 10.79x
St Giles In Fields London 1 20.70x
Stapleford Abbots 1 588.24x
Stone 1 23.53x
Wallasey 1 135.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Elise 3
Ellen 3
Louisa 2
Minnie 2
Selina 2
Alice 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Catharine 1
Charlotte 1
Dorothea 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Elsa 1
Emma 1
Ernestine 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Lissy 1
Lonisa 1
Maria 1
May 1
My. 1
Phileyina 1
Phillipina 1
Sarah 1
Susan 1
Theodora 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 6
August 3
Herman 3
Robert 3
Theodore 3
William 3
Albert 2
Frederick 2
John 2
Wm. 2
Benjamin 1
Conrad 1
Ed. 1
Edward 1
Emilius 1
Frany 1
Fredrich 1
Gus. 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Hermann 1
Idwal 1
James 1
Julius 1
Max 1
Moritz 1
Peter 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Gunther surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gunther surname in 1881?

In 1881, 101 people were recorded with the Gunther surname. That placed it at #19,636 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gunther surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 314 in 2016. That gives Gunther a modern rank of #14,291.

What does the Gunther surname mean?

A Germanic surname derived from the ancient Germanic name Gundahar, meaning "battle warrior" or "bold warrior."

What does the Gunther map show?

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