NameCensus.

UK surname

Abbiss

In the 1881 census there were 234 people recorded with the Abbiss surname, ranking it #11,607 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 360, ranked #12,867, down from #11,607 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sedgley, Pirton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dudley, South Staffordshire and Dacorum.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Abbiss is 462 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.8%.

1881 census count

234

Ranked #11,607

Modern count

360

2016, ranked #12,867

Peak year

1911

462 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Abbiss had 234 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,607 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 360 in 2016, ranked #12,867.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 462 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Abbiss surname distribution map

The map shows where the Abbiss surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Abbiss surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Abbiss over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 110 #16,093
1861 historical 153 #15,032
1881 historical 234 #11,607
1891 historical 280 #11,665
1901 historical 334 #10,818
1911 historical 462 #8,329
1997 modern 395 #11,106
1998 modern 384 #11,727
1999 modern 389 #11,678
2000 modern 387 #11,692
2001 modern 375 #11,774
2002 modern 388 #11,689
2003 modern 385 #11,570
2004 modern 373 #11,859
2005 modern 376 #11,730
2006 modern 375 #11,796
2007 modern 376 #11,925
2008 modern 380 #11,942
2009 modern 381 #12,174
2010 modern 376 #12,548
2011 modern 371 #12,546
2012 modern 369 #12,443
2013 modern 364 #12,790
2014 modern 373 #12,633
2015 modern 370 #12,596
2016 modern 360 #12,867

Geography

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Where Abbiss' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sedgley, Pirton, London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Shitlington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dudley, South Staffordshire, Dacorum and North Hertfordshire. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Sedgley Staffordshire
2 Pirton Hertfordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 Shitlington Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dudley 008 Dudley
2 South Staffordshire 013 South Staffordshire
3 Dacorum 012 Dacorum
4 Dudley 009 Dudley
5 North Hertfordshire 013 North Hertfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Abbiss

These lists show first names that appear often with the Abbiss surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Abbiss

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Abbiss, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Abbiss surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Abbiss household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Abbiss is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Abbiss is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Abbiss falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Abbiss is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Abbiss, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Abbiss families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Abbiss surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Hertfordshire leads with 71 Abbiss' recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.74x.

County Total Index
Hertfordshire 71 44.74x
Bedfordshire 56 46.98x
Staffordshire 39 5.02x
Middlesex 21 0.91x
Yorkshire 14 0.61x
Kent 10 1.27x
Nottinghamshire 6 1.93x
Worcestershire 5 1.66x
Surrey 4 0.36x
Warwickshire 4 0.69x
Lancashire 2 0.07x
Carmarthenshire 1 1.03x
Leicestershire 1 0.39x
Midlothian 1 0.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hitchin in Hertfordshire leads with 37 Abbiss' recorded in 1881 and an index of 516.76x.

Place Total Index
Hitchin 37 516.76x
Sedgley 31 107.42x
Pirton 24 2696.63x
Holwell 22 12941.18x
Ampthill 12 674.16x
Bedford St Peter 8 258.06x
West Bromwich 8 17.98x
Leeds 7 5.43x
Basford 6 41.96x
Ickleford 6 1363.64x
Burley In Wharfdale 5 248.76x
Hagley 5 515.46x
Tenterden 5 180.51x
Harrow On The Hill 4 86.96x
Hornsey 4 13.74x
Toddington 4 233.92x
Birmingham 3 1.55x
Heston 3 39.22x
Lewisham 3 7.16x
Luton 3 14.54x
Steppingley 3 1200.00x
Stoke Newington London 3 16.73x
Streatham 3 17.56x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 2 9.41x
Barton In Clay 2 238.10x
Bedford St Paul 2 24.45x
Lee 2 17.54x
Liverpool 2 1.21x
St Marylebone London 2 1.63x
Stevenage 2 81.30x
Aston 1 0.63x
Enfield 1 6.62x
Islington London 1 0.45x
Kensington London 1 0.78x
Kings Langley 1 86.21x
Kingston On Thames 1 3.71x
Leicester St Margaret 1 1.61x
Llanllawddog 1 212.77x
Queensferry 1 322.58x
St Ippollitts 1 125.00x
Twickenham 1 10.13x
Westminster St Margaret 1 9.01x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Abbiss surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Elizabeth 18
Sarah 12
Mary 11
Emma 9
Emily 6
Ann 5
Eliza 5
Alice 4
Ellen 4
Jane 4
Susan 4
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Fanny 2
Margaret 2
Abigail 1
Ada 1
Adelaide 1
Agnes 1
Edith 1
Eveline 1
Florence 1
Harriett 1
Isabel 1
Janes 1
Kezria 1
Lavinia 1
Lillian 1
Lizzie 1
Louise 1
Marian 1
Martha 1
Rose 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Abbiss surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 13
John 11
George 10
Joseph 9
James 8
Samuel 8
Charles 7
Arthur 6
David 5
Thomas 4
Albert 3
Alfred 3
Frank 3
Harry 3
Henry 3
Jessie 3
Amos 2
Frederick 2
Bertie 1
Christopher 1
Edgar 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.C. 1
Fredk.J. 1
Henery 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Jesse 1
Jos. 1
Ralph 1
Walter 1
Wm.E. 1

FAQ

Abbiss surname: questions and answers

How common was the Abbiss surname in 1881?

In 1881, 234 people were recorded with the Abbiss surname. That placed it at #11,607 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Abbiss surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 360 in 2016. That gives Abbiss a modern rank of #12,867.

What does the Abbiss map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Abbiss bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.