NameCensus.

UK surname

Adrian

A surname derived from the Latin name Hadrianus, which referred to a person from the ancient city of Hadria.

In the 1881 census there were 84 people recorded with the Adrian surname, ranking it #21,690 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 362, ranked #12,810, up from #21,690 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cowal North, Larbert - South Broomage and Village and Northampton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Adrian is 362 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 331.0%.

1881 census count

84

Ranked #21,690

Modern count

362

2016, ranked #12,810

Peak year

2016

362 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Adrian had 84 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,690 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 362 in 2016, ranked #12,810.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 87 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Adrian surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Adrian surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Adrian 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 53 #23,739
1861 historical 47 #28,023
1881 historical 84 #21,690
1891 historical 87 #25,802
1901 historical 63 #27,134
1911 historical 78 #25,013
1997 modern 189 #18,267
1998 modern 192 #18,561
1999 modern 194 #18,579
2000 modern 200 #18,209
2001 modern 192 #18,388
2002 modern 194 #18,651
2003 modern 206 #17,799
2004 modern 204 #17,992
2005 modern 220 #17,078
2006 modern 221 #17,149
2007 modern 238 #16,505
2008 modern 235 #16,777
2009 modern 241 #16,848
2010 modern 247 #16,931
2011 modern 256 #16,383
2012 modern 297 #14,607
2013 modern 316 #14,223
2014 modern 331 #13,851
2015 modern 332 #13,705
2016 modern 362 #12,810

Geography

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Where Adrians are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cowal North, Larbert - South Broomage and Village, Northampton, Wokingham and West Lindsey. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cowal North Argyll and Bute
2 Larbert - South Broomage and Village Falkirk
3 Northampton 014 Northampton
4 Wokingham 013 Wokingham
5 West Lindsey 009 West Lindsey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Adrian

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Adrian

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Adrian, 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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Adrian surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Adrian 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Adrian is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Adrian is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Adrian falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Adrian is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Adrian

The surname Adrian originates from the ancient Roman family name Hadrianus, which derived from the name of the Roman emperor Hadrian. This name comes from the Latin name Hadrianus, itself originating from the name of the town Adria, formerly Hatria, which was located in the Veneto region of northern Italy.

The earliest known records of the name Adrian as a surname date back to the 12th century in England, where it was likely introduced by Norman settlers after the Norman Conquest of 1066. It appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Adrianus and Hadrianus.

In the 13th century, the name Adrian appeared in various English records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it was spelled as Adriane and Adrien. During this time, the name was also found in Scotland, where it was recorded as Adriane in the Ragman Rolls of 1296.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Adrian was John Adrian, a 14th-century English philosopher and theologian who lived from around 1290 to 1349. He was a prominent scholar at the University of Oxford and authored several works on logic and philosophy.

Another early bearer of the name was Adrianus Carthusius, a 15th-century Dutch theologian and writer who lived from around 1423 to 1476. He was known for his works on Christian spirituality and his contributions to the Carthusian Order.

In the 16th century, the surname Adrian was found in various parts of Europe, including Germany, where it was recorded as Adriani and Adriaen. One notable figure from this period was Adriaen Adriaenszoon, a Dutch navigator and explorer who lived from around 1490 to 1558. He is known for his voyages to the Arctic regions and his exploration of the northern coasts of Russia.

In the 17th century, the name Adrian was also present in France, where it was spelled as Adrien. One notable Frenchman with this surname was Adrien Baillet, a scholar and writer who lived from 1649 to 1706. He is known for his biographies of famous individuals and his contributions to the field of hagiography.

Another prominent figure with the surname Adrian was Adrianus Valesius, a 17th-century Dutch scholar and philologist who lived from 1607 to 1692. He is renowned for his critical editions of ancient Greek and Latin texts, as well as his contributions to the study of ancient history and geography.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Adrian families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Adrian 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 33 Adrians recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.03x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 33 4.03x
Warwickshire 33 15.97x
Lincolnshire 7 5.34x
Lancashire 6 0.62x
Surrey 2 0.50x
Dunbartonshire 1 4.54x
Lanarkshire 1 0.38x
Royal Navy 1 10.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 15 Adrians recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.37x.

Place Total Index
Aston 15 26.37x
Shoreditch London 9 25.35x
Coventry Holy Trinity 8 129.66x
St George In East London 7 90.91x
Birmingham 5 7.26x
Leamington Priors 5 98.43x
St Botolph Lincoln 5 531.91x
Toxteth Park 4 12.15x
Hampstead London 3 23.51x
Hampton London 3 222.22x
Islington London 3 3.78x
St Anne Soho London 3 64.10x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 2 108.70x
West Derby 2 7.03x
Windlesham 2 266.67x
Barony 1 1.49x
Chelsea London 1 4.05x
Hammersmith London 1 4.96x
Kirkintilloch 1 33.44x
St Giles In Fields London 1 24.88x
St Pancras London 1 1.52x
Tottenham 1 7.66x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Elizabeth 3
Clara 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Louisa 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Alice 1
Ann 1
Carolina 1
Carrie 1
Catherine 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Elzbth. 1
Ernest 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Letitia 1
Minnie 1
Petorenella 1
Rosina 1
Sarah 1
Selina 1
Selma 1
Ullphor 1
Winnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 4
Henry 4
John 4
Adam 2
Alfred 2
Bartholomew 2
Hugh 2
James 2
Thomas 2
Benedict 1
Chas. 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Julius 1
Lewis 1
Louis 1
Richard 1
William 1

FAQ

Adrian surname: questions and answers

How common was the Adrian surname in 1881?

In 1881, 84 people were recorded with the Adrian surname. That placed it at #21,690 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Adrian surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 362 in 2016. That gives Adrian a modern rank of #12,810.

What does the Adrian surname mean?

A surname derived from the Latin name Hadrianus, which referred to a person from the ancient city of Hadria.

What does the Adrian map show?

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