Top Locations

See the bottom of the page for an explanation of the numeric columns.

Counties

Census Districts

Demographics

Numbers in brackets are the total recorded in the census. Note that for less common surnames, some of these may well be typos or transcription errors. See below for some more information on occupational titles.

Top male names

  1. John (13)
  2. William (9)
  3. Thomas (6)
  4. Robert (5)
  5. James (5)
  6. Henry (3)
  7. Anthony (3)
  8. George (3)
  9. Arthur (3)
  10. Michael (1)
  11. Reginald (1)
  12. Richard (1)
  13. Eavan (1)
  14. Septimas (1)
  15. Sydney (1)
  16. Walter (1)
  17. Lawrence (1)
  18. Josephus (1)
  19. Edward (1)
  20. Francis (1)
  21. Fred (1)
  22. Geoffrey (1)
  23. Herbert (1)
  24. Charles (1)
  25. Jeremiah (1)
  26. Cecil (1)
  27. Albert (1)

Top female names

  1. Mary (10)
  2. Elizabeth (9)
  3. Jane (4)
  4. Ann (4)
  5. Margaret (4)
  6. Annie (3)
  7. Nancy (3)
  8. Agnes (3)
  9. Hannah (2)
  10. Eleanor (2)
  11. Sarah (2)
  12. Harriet (1)
  13. Isabella (1)
  14. Janetta (1)
  15. Lousa (1)
  16. Grace (1)
  17. Frances (1)
  18. Alice (1)
  19. Amy (1)
  20. Anne (1)
  21. Barbara (1)
  22. Charlotte (1)
  23. Deborah (1)
  24. Ellen (1)
  25. Ethel (1)
  26. Fanny (1)
  27. (Mrs.) (1)

Top occupations

  1. Scholar (31)
  2. Farmers Daur (4)
  3. Farmers Son (3)
  4. Farmers Wife (3)
  5. Farmer Daur (3)
  6. Housekeeper (3)
  7. Annuitant (2)
  8. Farmer Wife (2)
  9. F Lab (Ag) (2)
  10. Cordwainer (Boot) (2)
  11. Worsted Rover Unemployed (2)
  12. Clergymans Wife (2)
  13. Nursemaid Domestic (1)
  14. Vicar Of Parish (1)
  15. Gamekeeper (1)
  16. Formerly Clergymans Wife (1)
  17. Vicar Of St Johns Sandbach Heath (1)
  18. Farmer 63 Acres Employing 1 Lab (1)
  19. Farmers Apprentice (1)
  20. Gamekeepers Wife (1)
  21. Vicar Of Goostry (1)
  22. General Servant (1)
  23. Groom (1)
  24. Tobacconist (1)
  25. Inmate Of Reformatory (1)
  26. Servant (Dom) (1)
  27. Joint Farmer (1)
  28. Mechanical Engineer (E&M) (1)
  29. Iron Moulder (1)
  30. Farmer Of 600 Acres (1)
  31. Farm Servant (Indoor) (1)
  32. Dress Maker (1)
  33. Domestic Serv Out Of Employ (1)
  34. Cordwainer And Oculist (Boot) (1)
  35. Colliery Clerk (1)
  36. Clerk In Holy Orders Without Cure Of Souls (1)
  37. Circular Sawyer At Colliery (1)
  38. Barrister At Law In Actual Practise MA Oxford (1)
  39. Worsted Weaver (1)
  40. Farmer (Of 143 Acres) (1)
  41. Farmer (Of 166 Acres) (1)
  42. Farmer Of 5 1/2 Acres (1)
  43. Farmer Of 228 Acres 2 Men (1)
  44. Farmer Of 160 Acres (1)
  45. Farmer Of 140 Acres (1)
  46. Farmer Of 130 Acres (1)
  47. Farmer Farming 65 Acres Employing 1 Boy (1)
  48. Farmer 63 Acres Employing 1 Lab Wife (1)
  49. Farmer 200? Acres (1)
  50. Farmer (Of 55 Acres) (1)

Explanation of numeric columns in the county and district tables

The Total column shows the total number of people in that county or town with this surname. For example, there were 47 people with the surname Armitstead in the county of Lancashire in 1881.

The Frequency column shows the percentage of people in this county or town with this surname. For example, 0% of the people in Lancashire were called Armitstead.

The Index column shows how more or less common a surname is in a particular location compared to the population as a whole. If the index is higher than 1, then you more likely to find a person with this name here than you would in the country as a whole. And if it's less than 1, you are less likely to find someone with this surname here. For example, the Armitstead surname has an index of 3.08 in Lancashire, meaning that you are 3.08 times as likely to find a Armitstead here than you would in the population as a whole.

The Total value is an absolute figure which takes no account of the size of the county or town, so it tends to be biased towards larger towns and counties. The Frequency and Index values are relative to the local population, so they give a better idea of where a surname is most concentrated.

A note on occupational titles

Occupational titles are presented exactly as recorded on the census and later transcribed, with no attempt made to unify names that are the same. So, for example, 'Ag Lab' and 'Agricultural Labourer' will apear as separate entries, and so will any misspellings of them.

'Scholar' was the census term for any child in education. Given that families tended to be large, this means that school children, or scholars, are almost always the largest recorded occupational group for any surname. A better idea of what the family breadwinners did for a living will be found in the other job titles.

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