NameCensus.

UK surname

Abram

A patronymic surname derived from the Hebrew personal name Abraham, meaning "father of many."

In the 1881 census there were 1,073 people recorded with the Abram surname, ranking it #3,691 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,379, ranked #4,378, down from #3,691 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to North Meols, Poulton and Tarleton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Lancashire and Sefton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Abram is 1,537 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.5%.

1881 census count

1,073

Ranked #3,691

Modern count

1,379

2016, ranked #4,378

Peak year

1911

1,537 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Abram had 1,073 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,691 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,379 in 2016, ranked #4,378.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,537 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Abram surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Abram surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Abram 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 726 #3,613
1861 historical 723 #3,763
1881 historical 1,073 #3,691
1891 historical 1,209 #3,549
1901 historical 1,351 #3,712
1911 historical 1,537 #3,157
1997 modern 1,367 #4,214
1998 modern 1,419 #4,229
1999 modern 1,434 #4,220
2000 modern 1,413 #4,254
2001 modern 1,371 #4,275
2002 modern 1,385 #4,330
2003 modern 1,343 #4,365
2004 modern 1,344 #4,373
2005 modern 1,319 #4,390
2006 modern 1,343 #4,333
2007 modern 1,369 #4,308
2008 modern 1,369 #4,329
2009 modern 1,408 #4,313
2010 modern 1,407 #4,385
2011 modern 1,397 #4,364
2012 modern 1,333 #4,473
2013 modern 1,391 #4,399
2014 modern 1,392 #4,417
2015 modern 1,385 #4,388
2016 modern 1,379 #4,378

Geography

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Where Abrams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around North Meols, Poulton, Tarleton, Liverpool and Ormskirk. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Lancashire and Sefton. 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 North Meols Lancashire
2 Poulton Lancashire
3 Tarleton Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Ormskirk Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Lancashire 002 West Lancashire
2 West Lancashire 001 West Lancashire
3 Sefton 002 Sefton
4 Sefton 005 Sefton
5 Sefton 003 Sefton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Abram

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Abram

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Abram, 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 Abram surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Abram 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Abram is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Abram is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Abram falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Abram is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Abram

The surname ABRAM originated in England and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Hebrew personal name 'Abraham', which means 'father of many' or 'father of multitudes'. The name was likely brought to England by Jewish settlers or adopted by Christians as a baptismal name.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname ABRAM can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275, where a Richard Abram is mentioned. The surname also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1327, where a John Abram is listed.

The ABRAM surname may have originated from various place names in England, such as Abram in Lancashire or Abram in Buckinghamshire. These place names are believed to derive from the Old English words 'æt' (at) and 'bræm' (broom), referring to a location near a broom plant or a broom-covered area.

In the 16th century, a notable bearer of the ABRAM surname was Robert Abram, a Church of England clergyman who served as the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore in Ireland from 1564 to 1567.

Another historical figure with the ABRAM surname was John Abram (1585-1655), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Boston in Lincolnshire during the 17th century.

In the 18th century, Joseph Abram (1705-1769) was a prominent English lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Baron of the Exchequer from 1766 until his death.

During the 19th century, Edward Abram (1819-1888) was a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in Manchester and Liverpool.

Another notable bearer of the ABRAM surname was William Abram (1857-1936), a Scottish architect who worked in the Arts and Crafts style and designed several churches and public buildings in Glasgow and the surrounding areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Abram families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Abram 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. Lancashire leads with 523 Abrams recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.20x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 523 4.20x
Yorkshire 119 1.15x
Cheshire 68 2.94x
Middlesex 42 0.40x
Norfolk 39 2.42x
Northamptonshire 28 2.84x
Lincolnshire 24 1.43x
Westmorland 22 9.55x
Durham 20 0.64x
Glamorgan 20 1.10x
Caernarfonshire 19 4.48x
Kent 18 0.50x
Surrey 17 0.33x
Hampshire 13 0.60x
Cumberland 10 1.11x
Denbighshire 10 2.52x
Somerset 9 0.53x
Buckinghamshire 8 1.26x
Essex 8 0.39x
Devon 7 0.32x
Renfrewshire 7 0.86x
Kincardineshire 5 3.92x
Suffolk 5 0.39x
Sussex 4 0.23x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.45x
Cornwall 3 0.25x
Monmouthshire 3 0.40x
Northumberland 3 0.19x
Wiltshire 3 0.32x
Berkshire 2 0.25x
Dorset 2 0.29x
Warwickshire 2 0.08x
Bedfordshire 1 0.18x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.35x
Gloucestershire 1 0.05x
Isle of Man 1 0.51x
Lanarkshire 1 0.03x
Oxfordshire 1 0.15x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.30x
Royal Navy 1 0.80x
Shropshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Meols in Lancashire leads with 180 Abrams recorded in 1881 and an index of 147.78x.

Place Total Index
North Meols 180 147.78x
Runcorn 35 65.58x
Lathom 28 186.29x
Everton 23 5.80x
Scarisbrick 23 159.28x
Haxey 22 308.99x
Thornton In Fylde 22 80.82x
Leyland 20 92.38x
Burniston 19 1496.06x
Conway 18 219.24x
Halsall 15 305.50x
Tarleton 15 219.30x
Blackburn 14 4.23x
Bishopwearmouth 13 4.85x
Brough Sowerby 12 2500.00x
Liverpool 12 1.59x
Wigan 12 6.90x
Manchester 11 1.97x
Holy Trinity 10 4.00x
Minera 10 186.22x
Northampton St Sepulchre 10 19.93x
West Kirby 10 248.14x
Westleigh 10 35.39x
Brough 9 400.00x
Islington London 9 0.89x
Mawdesley 9 269.46x
Ormskirk 9 37.80x
Cogenhoe 8 634.92x
Kirkdale 8 3.82x
Letheringsett 8 784.31x
Liscard 8 19.18x
Merthyr Tydfil 8 4.56x
Ramsgate 8 13.70x
Skelmersdale 8 38.57x
Snainton 8 286.74x
St Cuthbert W O 8 18.18x
St Pancras London 8 0.95x
Walton On Hill 8 11.87x
Wells St Andrew 8 529.80x
Widnes 8 8.91x
Bishops Waltham 7 78.21x
Chorley 7 10.03x
Gelligaer 7 16.79x
Neilston 7 17.16x
Northampton All Sts 7 20.91x
Thornage 7 598.29x
Walton Le Dale 7 20.93x
Barton Upon Irwell 6 6.41x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 6 16.88x
Bridlington 6 25.22x
Castleton 6 4.83x
Frodsham 6 66.89x
Hesketh Cum Becconsall 6 192.93x
Lofthouse 6 38.68x
Methley 6 41.01x
Parbold 6 310.88x
West Ham 6 1.31x
Wing 6 102.04x
Clerkenwell London 5 2.02x
Hackney London 5 0.85x
Holt 5 90.74x
Livesey 5 22.89x
Lockngtn In Kilnwck 5 270.27x
Portsea 5 1.19x
St Cyrus 5 93.63x
St John Near Swansea 5 22.14x
Toxteth Park 5 1.19x
Wawne 5 454.55x
Wilpshire 5 500.00x
Birkenhead 4 2.17x
Deptford St Paul 4 1.45x
Falsgrave 4 26.13x
Hastings St Mary 4 9.09x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 4 2.96x
Hinderwell 4 45.10x
Hunmanby 4 82.47x
New Malton 4 32.21x
Storkhill Sandholme 4 2352.94x
Worsbrough 4 13.14x
Wrightington 4 73.66x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 79
Elizabeth 51
Ann 39
Ellen 30
Alice 29
Jane 28
Margaret 26
Sarah 25
Betty 13
Catherine 13
Martha 12
Annie 11
Hannah 11
Edith 8
Eliza 8
Emma 7
Emily 6
Agnes 5
Caroline 5
Frances 5
Harriet 5
Anne 4
Cicely 4
Kate 4
Ada 3
Bertha 3
Esther 3
Fanny 3
Florence 3
Lucy 3
Maria 3
Charlotte 2
Dorothy 2
Eliz. 2
Elizth. 2
Isabel 2
Isabella 2
Jennet 2
Julia 2
Louisa 2
Matilda 2
Rachel 2
Rebecca 2
Ruth 2
Bridget 1
Elizebeth 1
Ellenor 1
Eloanor 1
Jemima 1
Zilla 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 92
William 56
Thomas 54
Robert 35
James 33
George 25
Richard 24
Joseph 17
Henry 15
Charles 13
Lawrence 13
Wm. 9
Edward 8
Samuel 8
Arthur 7
Peter 6
Walter 6
Francis 5
Frederick 5
Albert 4
Frank 4
Hugh 4
Alfred 3
Benjamin 3
David 3
Ernest 3
Isaac 3
Robt. 3
Chas. 2
Enoch 2
Fredk. 2
Harry 2
Jacob 2
Johnson 2
Lancelott 2
Nathan 2
Rich. 2
Alexander 1
Andrew 1
Christopher 1
Clemment 1
Craten 1
Daniel 1
Geo. 1
Geoffrey 1
Graham 1
Jeffery 1
Jno. 1
Joe 1
Wm.V. 1

FAQ

Abram surname: questions and answers

How common was the Abram surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,073 people were recorded with the Abram surname. That placed it at #3,691 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Abram surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,379 in 2016. That gives Abram a modern rank of #4,378.

What does the Abram surname mean?

A patronymic surname derived from the Hebrew personal name Abraham, meaning "father of many."

What does the Abram map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Abram 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.