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 (8)
  2. William (7)
  3. Richard (7)
  4. Thomas (7)
  5. Joseph (5)
  6. James (5)
  7. Joshua (3)
  8. George (3)
  9. Robert (3)
  10. Arthur (3)
  11. Daniel (2)
  12. Alfred (2)
  13. Wm. (2)
  14. Neville (1)
  15. W. (1)
  16. Lawrence (1)
  17. Walter (1)
  18. Henry (1)
  19. Adam (1)
  20. Airey (1)
  21. Charles (1)
  22. David (1)
  23. Edward (1)
  24. Ernest (1)
  25. Frank (1)
  26. Greville (1)
  27. Aaron (1)

Top female names

  1. Mary (12)
  2. Elizabeth (10)
  3. Margaret (5)
  4. Jane (5)
  5. Sarah (4)
  6. Ann (4)
  7. Isabella (3)
  8. Hannah (3)
  9. Agnes (3)
  10. Annie (3)
  11. Amy (2)
  12. Anna (2)
  13. Emma (2)
  14. Marey (2)
  15. Martha (2)
  16. Alice (1)
  17. Margret (1)
  18. Rachel (1)
  19. Rhoda (1)
  20. Ruth (1)
  21. Marian (1)
  22. Lillian (1)
  23. Lilian (1)
  24. Christiana (1)
  25. Dora (1)
  26. Edith (1)
  27. Eliza (1)
  28. Bessie (1)
  29. Ellen (1)
  30. Bertha (1)
  31. Joanna (1)
  32. Cathleen (1)

Top occupations

  1. Scholar (23)
  2. Farmers Daur (8)
  3. Farmers Son (8)
  4. Farmers Daughter (6)
  5. Farmers Wife (4)
  6. Iron Liquor Manufacturer (3)
  7. Joiner (3)
  8. Farm Servant (Indoor) (2)
  9. Iron Driver (2)
  10. Farmer Of 684 Acres (2)
  11. Needle Woman (2)
  12. General Labourer (2)
  13. Laborer At Iron Works (2)
  14. Retired Farmer (2)
  15. Joiner And Builder (1)
  16. Quilter (1)
  17. Farmers Son (Farmers Son) (1)
  18. Oilcloth Merchant (1)
  19. Farmers Son A L (1)
  20. Farmer Of 113 Acres Employing 1 Man (1)
  21. Gen Lab (1)
  22. Officers Wife (1)
  23. Gen Serv Dom (1)
  24. Iron Miner (1)
  25. Lodging House Keeper (1)
  26. Housekeeper (1)
  27. Laundry Maid & Domestic Servant (1)
  28. Shipbroker (1)
  29. Farmer Of 71 Acres Employing 1 Man (1)
  30. Cowkeeper (1)
  31. Coachmans Wife (1)
  32. Coachman (Domestic Servt) (1)
  33. Clerk (1)
  34. Civil Engineer (1)
  35. Chemists Assistant (1)
  36. Captain & Adjutant 1st Warwick Militia (1)
  37. Capt Army Pay Department (1)
  38. Capt 17th Regt Of Foot On Active List (1)
  39. Cowman (Dairy) (1)
  40. Daugh (1)
  41. Deriving Income From Interest Of Money (1)
  42. Farmer Of 70 Ac 1 Rd 6 Per (1)
  43. Farmer Of 54 Ac Emp 1 Son & 3 Daurs (1)
  44. Farmer Of 291 Acres (1)
  45. Farmer Of 153 Ac Employing 1 Man (1)
  46. Farm Servt (1)
  47. Farm Servant Indoor (Ag Lab) (1)
  48. Engineers Apprentice (...mkr) (1)
  49. Dressmaker (1)
  50. Dress Maker (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 69 people with the surname Mansergh 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 Mansergh.

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 Mansergh surname has an index of 3.97 in Lancashire, meaning that you are 3.97 times as likely to find a Mansergh 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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