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 (17)
  2. John (13)
  3. George (12)
  4. Thomas (10)
  5. James (9)
  6. Edwin (8)
  7. Samuel (5)
  8. Richard (5)
  9. Walter (5)
  10. Edward (4)
  11. Arthur (4)
  12. Albert (3)
  13. Frederick (3)
  14. Charles (3)
  15. Sydney (2)
  16. Stephen (2)
  17. Horace (2)
  18. Frank (2)
  19. Henry (2)
  20. Horrace (1)
  21. Ann (1)
  22. Harry (1)
  23. Herbert (1)
  24. Charlie (1)
  25. Ruebin (1)
  26. Ruben (1)
  27. Chas. (1)
  28. Joseph (1)
  29. Hillary (1)
  30. Jesse (1)
  31. Jemima (1)
  32. Ernest (1)
  33. Hugh (1)
  34. David (1)

Top female names

  1. Mary (17)
  2. Sarah (12)
  3. Annie (7)
  4. Elizabeth (6)
  5. Rose (5)
  6. Emma (5)
  7. Ellen (4)
  8. Ann (4)
  9. Harriett (4)
  10. Louisa (4)
  11. Martha (4)
  12. Frances (3)
  13. Fanny (3)
  14. Eliza (3)
  15. Charlotte (3)
  16. Caroline (3)
  17. Kate (2)
  18. Amelia (2)
  19. Alice (2)
  20. Florence (2)
  21. Adelaide (2)
  22. Emily (2)
  23. Edith (2)
  24. Catherine (2)
  25. Rozella (1)
  26. Louisia (1)
  27. Lucy (1)
  28. Sophy (1)
  29. Ada (1)
  30. Maryann (1)
  31. Rebecca (1)
  32. Rhoda (1)
  33. Dorothy (1)
  34. Jane (1)
  35. Eleanor (1)
  36. Celia (1)
  37. Catharine (1)
  38. Abbey (1)
  39. Blanche (1)
  40. Beatrice (1)
  41. Grace (1)
  42. Anna (1)
  43. Hepzibah (1)
  44. Irene (1)
  45. Isabel (1)
  46. Isabella (1)
  47. Victoria (1)

Top occupations

  1. Scholar (51)
  2. Ag Lab (31)
  3. Ag Labourer (4)
  4. Dressmaker (4)
  5. Letter Carrier (3)
  6. Housemaid Domestic (2)
  7. General Servant (2)
  8. Laundress (2)
  9. Carman (2)
  10. Bricklayer (2)
  11. Railway Porter (2)
  12. Domestic Servant (2)
  13. General Serv (1)
  14. General Labourer Ag (1)
  15. Glove Maker (1)
  16. Hospital Day Nurse (1)
  17. House Boy (1)
  18. House Keeper (1)
  19. Housemaid (1)
  20. Housemaid Dom Serv (1)
  21. Millers Carman (1)
  22. Letting Furnishing Apartment (1)
  23. Labourer Bricklayers (1)
  24. Labourer (Pauper) (1)
  25. Labourer (General) (1)
  26. Kept By Son Cannot Work (1)
  27. Journeyman Bricklr (1)
  28. Independant (1)
  29. Gardener (1)
  30. Garden Labourer (1)
  31. Furniture Remover Carman (1)
  32. Chimney Sweep (1)
  33. Charwoman (1)
  34. Carpenter & Joiner (1)
  35. Carpenter (1)
  36. Carmen (1)
  37. Carmans Wife (1)
  38. Wife Of Farmer (1)
  39. Bricklayers Laboureer (1)
  40. Commercial Clerk (1)
  41. Constable Met.Police (1)
  42. Cook Domestic Serv Unemployed (1)
  43. Farmers Son (1)
  44. Farmer Of 100 Acres Employing 5 Men (1)
  45. Farm Labourer Wife (1)
  46. Farm Labourer (1)
  47. Engine Fitter At Cement Works (1)
  48. Employed At Brick & Tile Works (1)
  49. Dress (Mkr) (1)
  50. Domestic Serv (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 204 people with the surname Vousden in the county of Kent in 1881.

The Frequency column shows the percentage of people in this county or town with this surname. For example, 0.02% of the people in Kent were called Vousden.

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 Vousden surname has an index of 24.13 in Kent, meaning that you are 24.13 times as likely to find a Vousden 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.