NameCensus.

UK surname

Gynn

An English surname derived from a location near Folkestone, Kent.

In the 1881 census there were 128 people recorded with the Gynn surname, ranking it #17,079 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 224, ranked #18,164, down from #17,079 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bodmin, Northill and Ramsey. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall and Torridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gynn is 255 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 75.0%.

1881 census count

128

Ranked #17,079

Modern count

224

2016, ranked #18,164

Peak year

2000

255 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gynn had 128 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,079 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 224 in 2016, ranked #18,164.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 149 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gynn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gynn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gynn 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 69 #21,148
1861 historical 97 #21,503
1881 historical 128 #17,079
1891 historical 127 #20,496
1901 historical 142 #18,633
1911 historical 149 #17,937
1997 modern 245 #15,483
1998 modern 249 #15,720
1999 modern 250 #15,802
2000 modern 255 #15,538
2001 modern 244 #15,753
2002 modern 253 #15,677
2003 modern 244 #15,861
2004 modern 239 #16,193
2005 modern 230 #16,583
2006 modern 234 #16,493
2007 modern 238 #16,505
2008 modern 229 #17,092
2009 modern 235 #17,151
2010 modern 240 #17,230
2011 modern 244 #16,922
2012 modern 237 #17,132
2013 modern 239 #17,307
2014 modern 239 #17,429
2015 modern 232 #17,689
2016 modern 224 #18,164

Geography

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Where Gynns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bodmin, Northill, Ramsey, Davidstow 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 Cornwall and Torridge. 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 Bodmin Cornwall
2 Northill Cornwall
3 Ramsey Huntingdonshire
4 Davidstow Cornwall
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 005 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 004 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 006 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 014 Cornwall
5 Torridge 009 Torridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gynn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gynn

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Gynn is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gynn 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

Gynn falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gynn

The surname "GYNN" is believed to have originated in the British Isles, particularly in England and Wales, during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Welsh word "gwyn," which means "white" or "fair," suggesting that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone with light-colored hair or a fair complexion.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries, such as the Feet of Fines and the Pipe Rolls. One notable example is the mention of a William Gynn in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.

In the 15th century, the name appears to have been particularly prevalent in the counties of Shropshire, Herefordshire, and Gloucestershire, areas with strong Welsh influence and connections. This suggests that the name may have roots in the Welsh-speaking regions along the Welsh-English border.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Gynn surname was John Gynn, a prominent merchant and burgess of the town of Shrewsbury, who lived in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. Another notable individual was Sir Edward Gynn, a Welsh landowner and Member of Parliament for Radnorshire in the late 16th century.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the surname spread throughout various parts of England, with families bearing the name appearing in records from counties such as Somerset, Devon, and Lancashire. Notable figures from this period include William Gynn (1658-1730), a distinguished mathematician and astronomer from Southwark, London, and John Gynn (1713-1788), a Church of England clergyman and author from Devon.

In the 19th century, the Gynn surname gained prominence in the field of literature with the English poet, novelist, and playwright Mary Gynn (1820-1892), known for her works exploring social issues and the lives of working-class women.

Throughout its history, the Gynn surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Gynn Hill in Norfolk and Gynn Valley in Lancashire, further reflecting its geographical origins and distributions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gynn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gynn 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. Cornwall leads with 47 Gynns recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.52x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 47 33.52x
Middlesex 21 1.70x
Essex 10 4.09x
Surrey 9 1.49x
Huntingdonshire 8 32.53x
Cambridgeshire 7 8.92x
Buckinghamshire 6 8.01x
Northamptonshire 5 4.29x
Glamorgan 4 1.85x
Hampshire 4 1.58x
Lancashire 4 0.27x
Northumberland 2 1.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Hill in Cornwall leads with 10 Gynns recorded in 1881 and an index of 2222.22x.

Place Total Index
North Hill 10 2222.22x
St Thomas Apostle 10 2325.58x
West Ham 10 18.53x
Hackney London 8 11.52x
Davidstow 7 4117.65x
Lambeth 7 6.48x
March 7 266.16x
Ramsey 7 355.33x
Tottenham 7 35.48x
Lanteglos 5 769.23x
South Petherwin 5 1428.57x
St Stephen 5 1000.00x
Woodnewton 5 2500.00x
Aylesbury 4 120.48x
Cardiff St John 4 56.82x
Warbstowe 4 5000.00x
Portsea 3 6.03x
Bromley London 2 7.34x
Byker 2 21.95x
Drayton Parslow 2 1000.00x
Ealing 2 18.07x
Salford 2 4.63x
St George Hanover Square 2 9.17x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 8.57x
Croydon 1 2.99x
Great Stukeley 1 555.56x
Holdenhurst 1 15.02x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 4.01x
Tresmeer 1 1428.57x
Windle 1 12.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 10
William 10
James 7
Richard 4
David 3
Joseph 3
Thomas 3
Alfred 2
Charles 2
Frank 2
Henry 2
Bouriah 1
Ephraim 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Jno.Thos. 1
Michael 1
Okely 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Gynn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gynn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 128 people were recorded with the Gynn surname. That placed it at #17,079 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gynn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 224 in 2016. That gives Gynn a modern rank of #18,164.

What does the Gynn surname mean?

An English surname derived from a location near Folkestone, Kent.

What does the Gynn map show?

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