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 (10)
  2. James (8)
  3. George (5)
  4. Edwin (5)
  5. John (4)
  6. Frank (4)
  7. Thomas (3)
  8. Robert (3)
  9. Herbert (3)
  10. Fred (3)
  11. Harry (3)
  12. Henry (2)
  13. Wm. (2)
  14. Andrew (2)
  15. Philip (2)
  16. Thornton (2)
  17. Ernest (2)
  18. Saml. (1)
  19. Samuel (1)
  20. Ralph (1)
  21. Phillip (1)
  22. Tom (1)
  23. Oswald (1)
  24. Alfred (1)
  25. Ben (1)
  26. Buckley (1)
  27. Charles (1)
  28. Fk. (1)
  29. Jas. (1)
  30. Jonathan (1)
  31. Josiah (1)
  32. Leonard (1)
  33. Albert (1)

Top female names

  1. Sarah (8)
  2. Jane (8)
  3. Ann (7)
  4. Mary (7)
  5. Elizabeth (4)
  6. Maria (4)
  7. Eliza (3)
  8. Bertha (3)
  9. Annie (3)
  10. Florence (2)
  11. Anne (2)
  12. Hannah (2)
  13. Edith (2)
  14. Matilda (2)
  15. Catherine (2)
  16. Julia (1)
  17. Lizzie (1)
  18. Lucy (1)
  19. Lydia (1)
  20. Maud (1)
  21. Marjorie (1)
  22. Minnie (1)
  23. Milly (1)
  24. Jessie (1)
  25. Gertrude (1)
  26. Adelaide (1)
  27. Alice (1)
  28. Betty (1)
  29. Charlotte (1)
  30. Elizth.Ann (1)
  31. Ellen (1)
  32. Emiley (1)
  33. Emily (1)
  34. Estelle (1)
  35. Florance (1)
  36. Ada (1)

Top occupations

  1. Scholar (29)
  2. Cotton Weaver (4)
  3. Operative Coal Miner (3)
  4. Weaver Cotton Mill (3)
  5. Milliner (2)
  6. Hawker Greengrocer (2)
  7. Warehouseman (2)
  8. Cotton Mule Piecer (2)
  9. Cotton Operative (2)
  10. Dressmaker (2)
  11. Cotton Reeler (2)
  12. Fustian Cutter (2)
  13. Grocers Assistant (2)
  14. Cotton Piecer (2)
  15. Chandlers Daughter (2)
  16. Chandlers Son (2)
  17. House Keeper (1)
  18. House Painter (1)
  19. General Labourer (1)
  20. Hatter (1)
  21. Hat Trimmer (1)
  22. Housekeeper (1)
  23. Marine Shopwoman (1)
  24. Manchester Goods Agent (1)
  25. Laborer In Sand Pit (1)
  26. Iron Roller Finisher (S & W M) (1)
  27. Iron Labouerer (1)
  28. Iron Grinder (1)
  29. Iron Furnace Tender (1)
  30. Invoice Clerk (Comm) (1)
  31. Housewife (1)
  32. General Carrier (1)
  33. Gas Fitter (1)
  34. Draper Cooperative Store (1)
  35. Blacksmith (1)
  36. Book Keeper (1)
  37. Clerk (Shipping) (1)
  38. Clerk Railway (1)
  39. Clerk To Agent (1)
  40. Com Trav (Wholesale Clothing) (1)
  41. Com Traveller (Clothing) (1)
  42. Commercial Traveller (1)
  43. Cotton Cloth Looker (1)
  44. Cotton Self Actor Minder (1)
  45. Cotton Spinner (Operative) (1)
  46. Curate of St Johns Killingworth Clergyman (1)
  47. Carter (1)
  48. Errand Boy (1)
  49. Farm Laborer (1)
  50. Formerly Cotton Reeler (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 Ousey 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 Ousey.

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 Ousey surname has an index of 5.54 in Lancashire, meaning that you are 5.54 times as likely to find a Ousey 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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