NameCensus.

UK surname

Gwillym

In the 1881 census there were 21 people recorded with the Gwillym surname, ranking it #30,609 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 150, ranked #23,724, up from #30,609 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire and Torfaen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gwillym is 182 in 2004. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 614.3%.

1881 census count

21

Ranked #30,609

Modern count

150

2016, ranked #23,724

Peak year

2004

182 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gwillym had 21 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,609 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 150 in 2016, ranked #23,724.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 62 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Gwillym surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gwillym surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gwillym 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 29 #28,082
1861 historical 29 #30,287
1881 historical 21 #30,609
1891 historical 53 #29,946
1901 historical 62 #27,252
1911 historical 51 #27,708
1997 modern 156 #20,593
1998 modern 162 #20,673
1999 modern 158 #21,102
2000 modern 159 #20,975
2001 modern 157 #20,884
2002 modern 171 #20,177
2003 modern 170 #20,023
2004 modern 182 #19,306
2005 modern 168 #20,227
2006 modern 170 #20,214
2007 modern 159 #21,387
2008 modern 163 #21,238
2009 modern 164 #21,628
2010 modern 168 #21,733
2011 modern 162 #22,101
2012 modern 159 #22,361
2013 modern 157 #22,904
2014 modern 157 #23,101
2015 modern 154 #23,306
2016 modern 150 #23,724

Geography

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Where Gwillyms are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire and Torfaen. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blaenau Gwent 005 Blaenau Gwent
2 Monmouthshire 003 Monmouthshire
3 Torfaen 001 Torfaen
4 Monmouthshire 002 Monmouthshire
5 Blaenau Gwent 002 Blaenau Gwent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gwillym

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gwillym

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Gwillym is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gwillym is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gwillym 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 Gwillym 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 Gwillym, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Gwillym families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gwillym 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. Staffordshire leads with 9 Gwillyms recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.02x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 9 13.02x
Brecknockshire 3 73.17x
Glamorgan 2 5.61x
Warwickshire 2 3.87x
Herefordshire 1 11.90x
Middlesex 1 0.49x
Monmouthshire 1 6.76x
Shropshire 1 5.65x
Worcestershire 1 3.74x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Handsworth in Staffordshire leads with 9 Gwillyms recorded in 1881 and an index of 529.41x.

Place Total Index
Handsworth 9 529.41x
Llanspyddid 3 7500.00x
Abergavenny 1 181.82x
Aston 1 7.03x
Bettws 1 1428.57x
Birmingham 1 5.81x
Ealing 1 54.64x
Hallow 1 769.23x
Hereford St Owen 1 357.14x
Llandilo Talybont 1 526.32x
Llansilin 1 769.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Eliza 3
Ellen 3
Amy 1
Emily 1
Harriette 1
Margaret 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
David 1
Edward 1
Gwillym 1
Jesse 1
John 1
Thomas 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 Gwillym households.

FAQ

Gwillym surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gwillym surname in 1881?

In 1881, 21 people were recorded with the Gwillym surname. That placed it at #30,609 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gwillym surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 150 in 2016. That gives Gwillym a modern rank of #23,724.

What does the Gwillym map show?

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