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. William (14)
  2. George (9)
  3. John (8)
  4. Thomas (6)
  5. Edward (5)
  6. Frederick (5)
  7. James (4)
  8. Walter (4)
  9. Robert (4)
  10. Charles (4)
  11. Richard (3)
  12. Joseph (3)
  13. Alfred (3)
  14. Henry (3)
  15. Harry (2)
  16. Ernest (2)
  17. David (2)
  18. Herbert (2)
  19. Saml. (1)
  20. Samuel (1)
  21. Vincent (1)
  22. Willie (1)
  23. Wm. (1)
  24. Percy (1)
  25. Josiah (1)
  26. Arthur (1)
  27. Clarence (1)
  28. Daniel (1)
  29. Edwin (1)
  30. Francis (1)
  31. Frank (1)
  32. Fred (1)
  33. Fredrick (1)
  34. Albert (1)
  35. Jeremiah (1)
  36. Zachariah (1)

Top female names

  1. Mary (10)
  2. Ellen (8)
  3. Sarah (8)
  4. Charlotte (5)
  5. Alice (4)
  6. Lucy (3)
  7. Emily (3)
  8. Emma (3)
  9. Kate (2)
  10. Florence (2)
  11. Frances (2)
  12. Hannah (2)
  13. Maria (2)
  14. Jane (2)
  15. Elizabeth (2)
  16. Ann (2)
  17. Kathleen (1)
  18. Laura (1)
  19. Mabel (1)
  20. Susanna (1)
  21. Susan (1)
  22. Rose (1)
  23. Rosa (1)
  24. Rhoda (1)
  25. Rachel (1)
  26. Polly (1)
  27. Nettie (1)
  28. Margaret (1)
  29. Jien (1)
  30. Janet (1)
  31. Amanda (1)
  32. Amy (1)
  33. Ada (1)
  34. Anna (1)
  35. Anne (1)
  36. Annie (1)
  37. Bessy (1)
  38. Betsy (1)
  39. Caroline (1)
  40. Clara (1)
  41. Daisy (1)
  42. Dinah (1)
  43. Dora (1)
  44. Edith (1)
  45. Elsie (1)
  46. Fanny (1)
  47. Adelaide (1)

Top occupations

  1. Scholar (55)
  2. Ag Lab (7)
  3. General Labourer (2)
  4. Glass Embosser (2)
  5. Bricklayer (2)
  6. Domestic Servant (2)
  7. Railway Guard (2)
  8. Agril Labr (2)
  9. Mate (1)
  10. Master (1)
  11. Laundress (1)
  12. Inspector Railway (1)
  13. Laborer In Iron Works (1)
  14. Lab (1)
  15. Laborer At Iron Works (1)
  16. Lab Wife (1)
  17. Nurse Maid (1)
  18. Servant Girl (Dom) (1)
  19. Servant Domestice (1)
  20. Retired Lady (1)
  21. Retired Governess (1)
  22. Railway Guards Wife (1)
  23. Needlewoman (1)
  24. Publicans Daur (1)
  25. Publican (1)
  26. Plasterer (1)
  27. Packer Pickle Warehouse (1)
  28. Guard Of The Railway (1)
  29. Grocer & Draper (1)
  30. Glazier ((Lead Light)) & (Painter) (1)
  31. Farm Bailiff (1)
  32. Blacksmith (1)
  33. Cook Steamship (Ship) (1)
  34. Cook (1)
  35. Carpenter (1)
  36. Brewer Innkeeper Malster Employing 5 Men & 1 Boy (1)
  37. Artificial Florist (1)
  38. Architect (1)
  39. Annuitant (1)
  40. Farm Laborer (Ag) (1)
  41. Farm Labourer (Ag) (1)
  42. Glass Writer (Manuf) (1)
  43. Glass Writer (House Shop Fit) (1)
  44. Glass Embossing Writer (Painter) (1)
  45. Glass Embosser Etc (1)
  46. General Servant (Domestic) (1)
  47. General Lab (1)
  48. Gardener (1)
  49. Formerly Laundress (1)
  50. Fish Hawker (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 90 people with the surname Moye in the county of Suffolk in 1881.

The Frequency column shows the percentage of people in this county or town with this surname. For example, 0.03% of the people in Suffolk were called Moye.

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 Moye surname has an index of 39.05 in Suffolk, meaning that you are 39.05 times as likely to find a Moye 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.

BritishSurnames.uk is a Good Stuff website.