NameCensus.

UK surname

Gyles

An English surname derived from the medieval masculine given name Giles, itself originating from the Greek word "aigidion" meaning "kid" or "young goat".

In the 1881 census there were 192 people recorded with the Gyles surname, ranking it #13,185 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 295, ranked #14,915, down from #13,185 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to East Retford, London parishes and Doncaster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Charnwood, Bedford and Allerdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gyles is 300 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.6%.

1881 census count

192

Ranked #13,185

Modern count

295

2016, ranked #14,915

Peak year

2014

300 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gyles had 192 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,185 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 295 in 2016, ranked #14,915.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 270 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Gyles surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gyles surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gyles 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 167 #11,936
1861 historical 157 #14,732
1881 historical 192 #13,185
1891 historical 215 #14,155
1901 historical 255 #12,965
1911 historical 270 #12,273
1997 modern 286 #13,942
1998 modern 288 #14,249
1999 modern 294 #14,140
2000 modern 292 #14,165
2001 modern 281 #14,329
2002 modern 282 #14,585
2003 modern 271 #14,787
2004 modern 277 #14,644
2005 modern 272 #14,742
2006 modern 279 #14,577
2007 modern 279 #14,732
2008 modern 278 #14,901
2009 modern 285 #14,944
2010 modern 290 #15,096
2011 modern 292 #14,863
2012 modern 282 #15,158
2013 modern 296 #14,876
2014 modern 300 #14,839
2015 modern 291 #15,078
2016 modern 295 #14,915

Geography

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Where Gyles' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around East Retford, London parishes, Doncaster, Lambeth and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Charnwood, Bedford, Allerdale and Cheltenham. 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 East Retford Nottinghamshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Doncaster Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Charnwood 021 Charnwood
2 Bedford 010 Bedford
3 Allerdale 004 Allerdale
4 Allerdale 011 Allerdale
5 Cheltenham 013 Cheltenham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gyles

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gyles

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Gyles surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Gyles household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Gyles 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.

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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

Gyles is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gyles falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gyles

The surname GYLES is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, derived from the place name Giles or Guise in Normandy, France. This place name is thought to have originated from the Germanic personal name Gilo or Giles.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname GYLES can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Giles" and "Gyles." This suggests that the name was already established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Sir John Gyles, a knight who lived in the 13th century. He was a prominent figure in Somerset, England, and served as a member of the local gentry.

In the 14th century, the surname GYLES appeared in various spellings, such as "Gile," "Gyll," and "Gile." These variations reflect the evolution of the name over time and the regional differences in pronunciation and spelling.

During the 16th century, the GYLES surname gained prominence in Cornwall, England. One notable figure from this period was John Gyles, a merchant and sea captain who lived from 1545 to 1612. He was involved in the Cornish tin trade and played a significant role in the maritime history of the region.

Another notable bearer of the GYLES surname was Sir Edward Gyles, a prominent English lawyer and politician who lived from 1645 to 1707. He served as a Member of Parliament and was appointed Serjeant-at-Law, a prestigious legal position at the time.

In the 18th century, the GYLES name was associated with the town of Taunton in Somerset, where several families bearing the surname resided. One notable figure from this period was John Gyles, a merchant and landowner who lived from 1715 to 1788.

The GYLES surname has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Giles Green in Worcestershire and Giles Croft in Gloucestershire. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the GYLES surname who once lived or owned property in those areas.

Throughout history, the GYLES surname has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, lawyers, politicians, and members of the gentry. While not a particularly common surname, it has left an indelible mark on the historical records of England and continues to be carried on by families around the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gyles families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gyles 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 55 Gyles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.94x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 55 2.94x
Cornwall 42 19.81x
Nottinghamshire 26 10.30x
Surrey 19 2.08x
Hampshire 15 3.91x
Yorkshire 12 0.65x
Staffordshire 7 1.11x
Kent 4 0.63x
Lancashire 4 0.18x
Glamorgan 3 0.92x
Gloucestershire 1 0.27x
Lincolnshire 1 0.33x
Norfolk 1 0.35x
Somerset 1 0.33x
Sussex 1 0.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Ives in Cornwall leads with 40 Gyles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 963.86x.

Place Total Index
St Ives 40 963.86x
Islington London 35 19.28x
Portsea 14 18.61x
Nottingham St Mary 11 16.85x
East Retford 10 456.62x
Doncaster 9 66.37x
Lambeth 8 4.90x
Southwark St Saviour 6 62.31x
St George In East London 6 34.05x
Kensington London 5 4.80x
St Pancras London 5 3.32x
Tipton 5 25.83x
Plumstead 3 14.08x
St Luke London 3 9.99x
Toxteth Park 3 3.99x
Blyth 2 500.00x
Camberwell 2 1.67x
Cardiff St Mary 2 11.14x
Elksley 2 952.38x
Hook 2 49.02x
Phillack 2 72.99x
Bedminster 1 3.53x
Bermondsey 1 1.79x
Broadwater 1 13.81x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 2.83x
Clarborough 1 52.91x
Clifton 1 5.39x
Gainsborough 1 14.16x
Great Ryburgh 1 227.27x
Horton In Bradford 1 3.45x
Hougham 1 26.32x
Newington 1 1.45x
Portsmouth 1 11.31x
Roath 1 6.75x
Shoreditch London 1 1.23x
Stafford St Mary 1 11.17x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 1.49x
Streatham 1 7.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 11
George 10
Thomas 7
John 6
Arthur 4
Edward 4
Henry 4
Richard 4
Alfred 3
Charles 3
Francis 3
Albert 2
David 2
Ernest 2
Herbert 2
Lewis 2
Robert 2
Alice 1
Benjamin 1
Chas.Edw. 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Fred. 1
Frederick 1
Hannibal 1
Humphrey 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Leonard 1
Percy 1
Samuel 1
Thos.Paul 1
Trent 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Gyles surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gyles surname in 1881?

In 1881, 192 people were recorded with the Gyles surname. That placed it at #13,185 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gyles surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 295 in 2016. That gives Gyles a modern rank of #14,915.

What does the Gyles surname mean?

An English surname derived from the medieval masculine given name Giles, itself originating from the Greek word "aigidion" meaning "kid" or "young goat".

What does the Gyles map show?

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