The Geddes surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 3,687 people carried this name — #8,882 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 80,000 people counted. That is up 3% from 3,586 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Geddes surname

A Scottish habitational surname from Scottish Gaelic from the village.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Geddes» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 70 people named Geddes live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 42
City of Buenos Aires 28

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In Scotland, 1880s

Geddes was 10 in every 10,000 names in Scotland.

That is about 1 in 1,000. Its home there, in Guppy’s words: “Northern Scotland.” He counted the more than 20,000 names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, taking Scotland as a whole, and listed only the names that reached 10 in every 10,000.

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), appendix: alphabetical list of the most frequent Scottish names, p. 589 — public domain · names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, per 10,000 for the whole country.

In Scotland’s registers today

Geddes was recorded 74 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 365th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 145. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In print

Geddes in American newspapers,
1901–1919.

Newspaper page from Rosebud County News carrying the name Geddes
Rosebud County News 1901-06-06
Newspaper page from Decorah-posten Og Ved Arnen carrying the name Geddes
Decorah-posten Og Ved Arnen 1919-01-14
Newspaper page from Fergus County Democrat carrying the name Geddes
Fergus County Democrat 1915-06-24

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Geddes in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

45,832 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Geddes. The most, 9,378, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Queensland, at 1.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 14,401
New South Wales 13,180
Victoria 8,677
South Australia 4,585
Western Australia 4,019
Tasmania 736
ACT (Canberra) 156
Northern Territory 19

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Geddes.

Who carried it

People named Geddes,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Jenny Geddes
    Jenny Geddes 1600–1660 · businessperson
  • William F. Geddes d. 1888 · printer
  • Margery Jean Geddes d. 1975
  • Vera Colville Gilchrist d. 1963
  • Edith Geddes d. 1894
  • George Geddes d. 1726

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Geddes,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States747 records

747 records of the Geddes name in the United States
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 185
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 141
  • Other U.S. records 421
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Kerry Richard Fost Geddes

    Born 1947; from Levittown, New York. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1968 in Binh Duong, South Vietnam. Buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Nellie D. Geddes

    Born 1909 in Massachusetts. Enlisted 1942 in the Women's Army Corps at Boston; waiter. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1995, buried at Massachusetts National Cemetery, Massachusetts.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Geddes

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Britannic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 33; clergyman. From Belfast, England; bound for Denver.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 747 records for Geddes in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia1,173 records

1,173 records of the Geddes name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 582
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 257
  • Other Australian records 334
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Jean Geddes

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Emma Eugenia, sailing from Portsmouth in 1846. Native of Banffshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1848.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Henry Geddes

    Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1843. Married 1843 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 26.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Walter Geddes

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the Wee Tottie, aged 35; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,173 records for Geddes in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada515 records

515 records of the Geddes name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 428
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 32
  • Other Canadian records 55
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record John E. Geddes

    Buried in 1921 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 42.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Frank Hector McKay Geddes

    Died 1968 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Robert Slessor Geddes

    Died in service in 1945.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 515 records for Geddes in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom92 records

92 records of the Geddes name in the United Kingdom
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 39
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 27
  • Stirling Council burial records 26
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record John Geddes

    Born 1879 at Portgordon; fisherman. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Frank Geddes

    Died 1930, aged 44; buried at Kilmadock Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record William Geddes

    Born 1891 at Lossiemouth; baker. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)

Showing 3 of 92 records for Geddes in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

New Zealand24 records

24 records of the Geddes name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 21
  • Timaru and Mackenzie District cemetery records 2
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Annie May Geddes

    Died 1965, aged 82; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Edith Geddes

    Buried in 1973 at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 94.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Flora Geddes

    Died 1918, aged 65; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 24 records for Geddes in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands4 records

4 records of the Geddes name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 3
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Russel Alexander Geddes

    Married in 1945 in Assen; miner.

    Open Archives, Drents Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Isabel Geddes

    Married in 1619 in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 4 records for Geddes in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

France3 records

3 records of the Geddes name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record William Keith Elliott Geddes

    Born 1926 in Great Britain; died 1998 in Dijon (Côte-d'Or).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Jean Urquhart Geddes

    Born 1948 in Glasgow (Ecosse); died 2000 in Thonon-les-Bains (Haute-Savoie).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 3 records for Geddes in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Norway1 record

1 record of the Geddes name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Petter Geddes

    Census of 1910: Langum, Skoger; born 1886 in Scotland.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Geddes.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Geddes is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Geddes volume
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