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 (24)
  2. Thomas (23)
  3. William (17)
  4. Joseph (16)
  5. Mark (8)
  6. George (8)
  7. Robert (5)
  8. David (4)
  9. James (3)
  10. Benjamin (3)
  11. Henry (2)
  12. Harry (2)
  13. Alfred (2)
  14. Edwin (2)
  15. Arthur (2)
  16. Lancelot (2)
  17. Richard (1)
  18. Peter (1)
  19. Andrew (1)
  20. Stephen (1)
  21. Sydney (1)
  22. Tom (1)
  23. Walter (1)
  24. Wilfred (1)
  25. Nahan (1)
  26. Anthony (1)
  27. Lanclot (1)
  28. Fredrick (1)
  29. Geo. (1)
  30. Gilbert (1)
  31. H. (1)
  32. Herbert (1)
  33. Edward (1)
  34. Jonathan (1)
  35. Jos. (1)
  36. Frank (1)
  37. Albert (1)

Top female names

  1. Mary (22)
  2. Elizabeth (15)
  3. Sarah (13)
  4. Margaret (10)
  5. Ann (9)
  6. Jane (8)
  7. Isabella (6)
  8. Annie (5)
  9. Esther (5)
  10. Eliza (3)
  11. Catherine (3)
  12. Florence (3)
  13. Agnes (3)
  14. Louisa (2)
  15. Harriet (2)
  16. Hannah (2)
  17. Emma (2)
  18. Thomas (1)
  19. Rebecca (1)
  20. Rachel (1)
  21. Nancy (1)
  22. Janet (1)
  23. Kate (1)
  24. Madalin (1)
  25. Margt. (1)
  26. Margrett (1)
  27. Margreat (1)
  28. Grace (1)
  29. Barbara (1)
  30. Beatrice (1)
  31. Bella (1)
  32. Carolina (1)
  33. Ada (1)
  34. Charlloter (1)
  35. Clara (1)
  36. Dinah (1)
  37. Dorathy (1)
  38. Dorothy (1)
  39. Eleanor (1)
  40. Elizth.Annie (1)
  41. Ellen (1)
  42. Elyn (1)
  43. Augusta (1)
  44. Ester (1)
  45. Amy (1)

Top occupations

  1. Scholar (64)
  2. Farmers Son (12)
  3. Farmers Daur (7)
  4. Farmers Wife (5)
  5. Coal Miner (4)
  6. Railway Labourer (4)
  7. Agricultural Labourer (3)
  8. Lead Miner (3)
  9. Domestic Servant (3)
  10. Schola (3)
  11. Farm Servant (Indoor) (3)
  12. Cotton Weaver (3)
  13. Farmers Daughter (3)
  14. Farm Servant General (2)
  15. Husbandman (Ag Lab) (2)
  16. Coalminer (2)
  17. Masons Daughter (2)
  18. Farmer (2)
  19. Housemaid (2)
  20. Weaver (2)
  21. Masons Wife (2)
  22. Laundress (2)
  23. Housekeeper (2)
  24. Butcher (2)
  25. Blacksmith (2)
  26. Farmer Of 110 Acres 1 Labourer (2 Boys) (1)
  27. Farmer Of 120 Acres (1)
  28. Farmer 86 Acres Employ 1 Man & 1 Boy (1)
  29. Farmer Of 11 Acres (1)
  30. Farm Servt (Indoor) (1)
  31. Farmer (Of 108 Acres Employing 1 Laborer) (1)
  32. Farmer (Of 28 Acres) (1)
  33. Farmer 2 Acres Land & Interest On Investments (1)
  34. Farmer Of 102 Acres (1)
  35. Farmer Of 28 Acres (1)
  36. Farmer 38 Ac (1)
  37. Coachmans Wife (1)
  38. Agricultural Engineer Employing 11 Men & 3 Boys (Elm Maker) (1)
  39. Whitesmith (1)
  40. Boiler Maker (1)
  41. Boiler Maker Wife (1)
  42. Builder (1)
  43. Coalmier (1)
  44. Colliary Laborer (1)
  45. Com Traveller Drysaltering (1)
  46. Cook (Domest) (1)
  47. Cotton Creeler (1)
  48. Cotton Spinner (1)
  49. Cotton Weavers Minder (1)
  50. Dividends (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 102 people with the surname Bellas in the county of Westmorland in 1881.

The Frequency column shows the percentage of people in this county or town with this surname. For example, 0.16% of the people in Westmorland were called Bellas.

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 Bellas surname has an index of 165.77 in Westmorland, meaning that you are 165.77 times as likely to find a Bellas 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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