NameCensus.

UK surname

Gurner

A surname originating from an occupation involving grinding or grinding mills.

In the 1881 census there were 73 people recorded with the Gurner surname, ranking it #23,220 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 229, ranked #17,878, up from #23,220 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes and East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Rotherham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gurner is 241 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 213.7%.

1881 census count

73

Ranked #23,220

Modern count

229

2016, ranked #17,878

Peak year

2011

241 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gurner had 73 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,220 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 229 in 2016, ranked #17,878.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 223 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Gurner surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gurner surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gurner 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 100 #17,164
1861 historical 223 #10,942
1881 historical 73 #23,220
1891 historical 179 #16,198
1901 historical 161 #17,324
1911 historical 217 #14,214
1997 modern 231 #16,049
1998 modern 235 #16,358
1999 modern 225 #16,931
2000 modern 220 #17,138
2001 modern 214 #17,211
2002 modern 219 #17,288
2003 modern 230 #16,549
2004 modern 224 #16,918
2005 modern 230 #16,583
2006 modern 240 #16,177
2007 modern 236 #16,617
2008 modern 234 #16,827
2009 modern 235 #17,151
2010 modern 234 #17,544
2011 modern 241 #17,057
2012 modern 233 #17,339
2013 modern 238 #17,354
2014 modern 235 #17,619
2015 modern 230 #17,795
2016 modern 229 #17,878

Geography

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Where Gurners are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes, East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H and Bedwelty. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caerphilly, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Rotherham and Chelmsford. 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 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H Gloucestershire
5 Bedwelty Monmouthshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 019 Caerphilly
2 Rhondda Cynon Taf 022 Rhondda Cynon Taf
3 Rotherham 022 Rotherham
4 Chelmsford 001 Chelmsford
5 Rhondda Cynon Taf 019 Rhondda Cynon Taf

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gurner

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gurner

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gurner, 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 Gurner surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Gurner 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Gurner is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gurner is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gurner 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 Gurner is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gurner

The surname Gurner is of English origin, originating in the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "gyrnan," which means "to snarl or growl." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone with a habit of snarling or making growling sounds.

Gurner is a variant spelling of the more common surname "Gurney," which is found in records dating back to the 13th century. One of the earliest recorded instances of the Gurner spelling is in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, where a William Gurner is listed.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various manorial records, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire from 1317, which mentions a John Gurner. The name is also found in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex from 1332, where a Thomas Gurner is recorded.

Notable individuals with the surname Gurner include John Gurner (1688-1741), an English clergyman who served as the Rector of Tiverton in Devon. Another notable bearer of the name was William Gurner (1789-1862), a British architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London.

In the 18th century, the surname appears in parish records from various parts of England, such as the baptism of Elizabeth Gurner in Staplehurst, Kent, in 1725. The name is also found in the marriage records of St. Mary's Church in Islington, London, where a George Gurner married Ann Hobbs in 1789.

Other individuals of note with the surname Gurner include Henry Gurner (1788-1865), an English engraver and artist known for his landscape etchings, and Charles Gurner (1819-1896), a British architect who worked on several notable projects in London and the surrounding areas.

While the surname Gurner is relatively uncommon, it has a long history in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. The name is derived from an Old English word, suggesting its origins lie in the medieval period and may have initially been a nickname describing a person's habit or behavior.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gurner families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gurner 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 17 Gurners recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.39x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 17 2.39x
Cambridgeshire 15 33.27x
Gloucestershire 14 10.03x
Lancashire 10 1.18x
Buckinghamshire 7 16.26x
Surrey 6 1.73x
Essex 2 1.42x
Kent 1 0.41x
Norfolk 1 0.91x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Westbury On Severn East in Gloucestershire leads with 9 Gurners recorded in 1881 and an index of 284.81x.

Place Total Index
Westbury On Severn East 9 284.81x
Wolverton 7 786.52x
Harrow On The Hill 6 422.54x
Heaton Norris 6 124.74x
Cheltenham 5 46.43x
Shadwell London 5 251.26x
Holy Trinity Cambridge 4 816.33x
Ickleton 4 2500.00x
Liverpool 4 7.80x
St Andrewthe Great 4 689.66x
Camberwell 3 6.60x
St Andrewthe Less 3 58.25x
St Martin In Fields 3 70.42x
Loughton 2 289.86x
Castle Acre 1 303.03x
Croydon 1 5.19x
Margate St John Baptist 1 22.47x
St Helen Bishopsgate 1 1428.57x
St Marylebone London 1 2.63x
Streatham 1 18.94x
Wandsworth 1 14.60x
Whitechapel London 1 14.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Elizabeth 4
Catherine 3
Jane 3
Louisa 3
Emily 2
Martha 2
Amy 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
E.E. 1
Eliz.C. 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Jemima 1
Margn. 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Queennation 1
Rose 1
Susan 1
Susanna 1
V.F. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 5
William 5
John 4
Alfred 2
Charles 2
Daniel 2
Henry 2
Edward 1
Frank 1
James 1
Jno.A. 1
Joseph 1
Nathaniel 1
Robert 1
Tomas 1
Walter 1
Wm.J.P. 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 Gurner households.

FAQ

Gurner surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gurner surname in 1881?

In 1881, 73 people were recorded with the Gurner surname. That placed it at #23,220 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gurner surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 229 in 2016. That gives Gurner a modern rank of #17,878.

What does the Gurner surname mean?

A surname originating from an occupation involving grinding or grinding mills.

What does the Gurner map show?

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