NameCensus.

UK surname

Adams

An English patronymic surname meaning "son of Adam," derived from the Biblical figure Adam, the first man.

In the 1881 census there were 43,950 people recorded with the Adams surname, ranking it #68 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 62,896, ranked #74, down from #68 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forest of Dean, Hastings and Gwynedd.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Adams is 63,947 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.1%.

1881 census count

43,950

Ranked #68

Modern count

62,896

2016, ranked #74

Peak year

2010

63,947 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Adams had 43,950 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #68 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 62,896 in 2016, ranked #74.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 54,998 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Adams surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Adams surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Adams 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 28,545 #68
1861 historical 30,265 #65
1881 historical 43,950 #68
1891 historical 48,316 #65
1901 historical 54,998 #66
1911 historical 54,987 #63
1997 modern 60,031 #71
1998 modern 63,133 #69
1999 modern 63,393 #70
2000 modern 63,150 #70
2001 modern 61,526 #70
2002 modern 62,978 #70
2003 modern 61,433 #70
2004 modern 61,337 #71
2005 modern 60,476 #71
2006 modern 60,401 #72
2007 modern 60,843 #72
2008 modern 61,180 #73
2009 modern 62,689 #74
2010 modern 63,947 #75
2011 modern 63,005 #76
2012 modern 62,078 #75
2013 modern 63,272 #75
2014 modern 63,648 #75
2015 modern 63,138 #75
2016 modern 62,896 #74

Geography

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Where Adams' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Glasgow and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Forest of Dean, Hastings, Gwynedd, Stoke-on-Trent and Carmarthenshire. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forest of Dean 004 Forest of Dean
2 Hastings 007 Hastings
3 Gwynedd 012 Gwynedd
4 Stoke-on-Trent 007 Stoke-on-Trent
5 Carmarthenshire 027 Carmarthenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Adams

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Adams

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

Adams 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

Adams falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Adams 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 Adams, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Adams

The surname Adams has its roots in ancient England, where it first emerged in the late 11th century. Derived from the Hebrew name Adam, meaning "son of the red earth," it originally referred to a person with a ruddy complexion or reddish hair.

Adams is believed to have originated as an English patronymic name, a type of surname formed by adding a possessive suffix to the father's given name. In this case, the suffix "-s" was appended to Adam, creating Adams, indicating "son of Adam."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Adams surname appears in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name had already gained recognition by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the Adams family established a presence in various regions of England, particularly in counties like Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, and Shropshire. Historical records from this period often feature variations in spelling, such as Adame, Addams, and Addoms, reflecting the fluid nature of surnames in those times.

Notable individuals bearing the Adams surname played significant roles throughout history. One of the earliest recorded was John Adams (c. 1320-1389), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Wiltshire during the reign of Edward III.

The Adams family gained prominence in the American colonies, with several notable figures emerging. Samuel Adams (1722-1803), a Founding Father of the United States, was a prominent figure in the American Revolution and a cousin of the second U.S. President, John Adams (1735-1826).

Another influential Adams was Ansel Adams (1902-1984), an American photographer renowned for his stunning black-and-white landscapes of the American West and his contributions to the art of photography.

Additionally, the Adams surname has been associated with literary figures, such as Douglas Adams (1952-2001), the British author best known for his hugely popular science fiction series "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy."

Throughout history, the Adams name has also been linked to various place names, including the town of Adams in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, established in 1778 and named after the Adams family.

While the surname Adams originated in England, it has since spread across the globe, carried by generations of individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields, leaving an indelible mark on the rich tapestry of human history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Adams families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Adams 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. Middlesex leads with 5,341 Adams' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.24x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 5,341 1.24x
Staffordshire 2,825 1.94x
Surrey 2,596 1.24x
Yorkshire 2,222 0.52x
Kent 1,873 1.28x
Lancashire 1,758 0.34x
Devon 1,643 1.83x
Warwickshire 1,551 1.43x
Hampshire 1,475 1.67x
Somerset 1,315 1.90x
Gloucestershire 1,286 1.52x
Essex 1,204 1.42x
Lanarkshire 1,029 0.74x
Northamptonshire 1,008 2.49x
Sussex 932 1.28x
Worcestershire 866 1.54x
Derbyshire 838 1.24x
Suffolk 807 1.54x
Aberdeenshire 627 1.57x
Buckinghamshire 598 2.30x
Durham 598 0.47x
Shropshire 593 1.59x
Glamorgan 582 0.78x
Midlothian 569 0.99x
Cheshire 557 0.59x
Norfolk 547 0.83x
Oxfordshire 511 1.92x
Leicestershire 474 0.99x
Nottinghamshire 457 0.79x
Cornwall 454 0.93x
Pembrokeshire 450 3.29x
Hertfordshire 439 1.48x
Angus 437 1.10x
Wiltshire 410 1.08x
Northumberland 398 0.62x
Berkshire 391 1.21x
Monmouthshire 381 1.22x
Cambridgeshire 377 1.38x
Dorset 358 1.27x
Lincolnshire 336 0.49x
Renfrewshire 309 0.93x
Bedfordshire 243 1.09x
Fife 230 0.90x
Ayrshire 229 0.71x
Herefordshire 209 1.18x
Cumberland 146 0.39x
Flintshire 112 0.97x
Dunbartonshire 111 0.96x
Huntingdonshire 110 1.29x
Stirlingshire 104 0.66x
Carmarthenshire 103 0.57x
Perthshire 97 0.50x
Kincardineshire 91 1.74x
Channel Islands 87 0.68x
Wigtownshire 86 1.50x
Royal Navy 77 1.50x
West Lothian 59 0.91x
Montgomeryshire 55 0.56x
Brecknockshire 53 0.62x
East Lothian 51 0.89x
Denbighshire 44 0.27x
Morayshire 38 0.57x
Caernarfonshire 35 0.20x
Rutland 33 1.04x
Kirkcudbrightshire 32 0.51x
Cardiganshire 26 0.25x
Banffshire 24 0.27x
Argyllshire 23 0.19x
Isle of Man 23 0.29x
Dumfriesshire 21 0.22x
Merionethshire 20 0.25x
Roxburghshire 17 0.22x
Inverness-shire 16 0.12x
Selkirkshire 16 0.41x
Buteshire 15 0.58x
Westmorland 14 0.15x
Anglesey 12 0.16x
Nairnshire 9 0.68x
Ross-shire 8 0.07x
Peeblesshire 7 0.35x
Radnorshire 7 0.20x
Berwickshire 3 0.06x
Clackmannanshire 3 0.08x
Sutherland 3 0.09x
Kinross-shire 1 0.09x
Orkney 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 579 Adams' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.39x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 579 1.39x
Stoke Upon Trent 579 3.76x
Birmingham 550 1.52x
Lambeth 526 1.40x
St Pancras London 462 1.33x
Aston 418 1.40x
Camberwell 376 1.37x
Barony 351 1.00x
Portsea 315 1.82x
Shoreditch London 288 1.54x
Bethnal Green London 286 1.53x
Kensington London 274 1.14x
Rowley Regis 274 6.77x
West Ham 244 1.30x
Hackney London 231 0.96x
Battersea 227 1.43x
St Marylebone London 214 0.93x
Govan 207 0.60x
Dundee 198 1.33x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 197 0.85x
Mile End Old Town London 197 2.15x
Aberdeen Old Machar 196 2.35x
Newington 191 1.20x
Hammersmith London 189 1.78x
Paddington London 187 1.18x
Bermondsey 178 1.39x
West Bromwich 178 2.14x
Walsall Foreign 173 2.30x
Lewisham 168 2.14x
Plymouth Charles The 154 3.90x
Poplar London 150 1.85x
Croydon 148 1.27x
Brighton 146 1.00x
Glasgow 145 0.59x
St George Hanover Square 145 1.91x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 140 1.88x
Burslem 132 3.17x
Nottingham St Mary 132 0.88x
Liverpool 128 0.41x
Deptford St Paul 126 1.11x
Chelsea London 124 0.96x
Bromley London 123 1.30x
Leicester St Margaret 123 1.06x
Clerkenwell London 122 1.20x
Walcot 120 3.25x
Plymouth St Andrew 117 1.69x
Toxteth Park 113 0.65x
Leeds 109 0.45x
Swindon 103 3.49x
West Derby 103 0.69x
Burton Upon Trent 100 2.94x
Stoke Damerel 100 1.59x
Kingswinford 99 1.88x
Fulham London 97 1.55x
Handsworth 97 2.71x
West Dean 96 7.00x
Everton 95 0.58x
Oldham 95 0.58x
Limehouse London 93 1.97x
Tottenham 93 1.36x
Ware 93 10.93x
Gateshead 89 0.93x
Wolverhampton 87 0.78x
Ashton Under Lyne 86 0.77x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 86 1.08x
Plumstead 86 1.76x
Bristol St James St Paul 84 2.98x
Southampton St Mary 83 1.50x
Brightside Bierlow 82 0.98x
Margate St John Baptist 82 3.05x
Coventry St Michael 81 2.32x
Woodbridge 78 11.64x
Birkenhead 76 1.00x
Hampstead London 76 1.13x
Harborne 76 1.63x
Holy Trinity 76 0.74x
Sheffield 76 0.56x
Bow London 74 1.35x
Dudley 74 1.08x
Royal Navy 73 1.66x
Rotherhithe 72 1.35x
Hastings All Sts 71 10.38x
Pembroke St Mary 71 4.03x
Kimberworth 70 2.96x
Southwark St George Martyr 70 0.81x
St George In East London 70 1.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2,566
Elizabeth 1,473
Sarah 1,383
Ann 712
Eliza 711
Jane 693
Emma 640
Annie 589
Ellen 588
Alice 565
Emily 546
Hannah 354
Louisa 344
Martha 325
Margaret 294
Charlotte 290
Florence 270
Fanny 268
Maria 253
Caroline 247
Ada 235
Edith 233
Harriet 229
Kate 210
Clara 202
Catherine 183
Anne 168
Frances 167
Lucy 166
Agnes 151
Harriett 142
Susan 142
Amelia 131
Rose 119
Esther 110
Matilda 96
Eleanor 94
Jessie 94
Amy 93
Julia 93
Isabella 92
Minnie 91
Elizth. 86
Rebecca 84
Sophia 75
Gertrude 74
Anna 66
Beatrice 65
Ethel 65
Ruth 64

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 2,524
John 2,142
George 1,510
Thomas 1,331
James 1,243
Henry 915
Charles 894
Joseph 590
Alfred 512
Robert 457
Frederick 433
Edward 393
Arthur 390
Samuel 366
Albert 360
Walter 331
Richard 309
Harry 231
Frank 205
Ernest 174
Herbert 164
David 162
Francis 153
Edwin 142
Wm. 114
Benjamin 93
Stephen 69
Daniel 68
Thos. 64
Fred 60
Geo. 55
Andrew 52
Fredk. 47
Sidney 47
Percy 46
Alexander 45
Isaac 43
Peter 43
Chas. 42
Tom 42
Fredrick 38
Mark 36
Philip 34
Edmund 32
Job 32
Jas. 29
Frederic 27
Jacob 27
Jno. 27
Levi 26

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Adams households.

FAQ

Adams surname: questions and answers

How common was the Adams surname in 1881?

In 1881, 43,950 people were recorded with the Adams surname. That placed it at #68 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Adams surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 62,896 in 2016. That gives Adams a modern rank of #74.

What does the Adams surname mean?

An English patronymic surname meaning "son of Adam," derived from the Biblical figure Adam, the first man.

What does the Adams map show?

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