NameCensus.

UK surname

Alen

A variant of Allen, referring to someone who lived near or worked with alder trees.

In the 1881 census there were 98 people recorded with the Alen surname, ranking it #19,999 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 117, ranked #28,033, down from #19,999 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Cheshunt St Mary, Kingston-on-Thames and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Braintree, Havering and Three Rivers.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Alen is 239 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.4%.

1881 census count

98

Ranked #19,999

Modern count

117

2016, ranked #28,033

Peak year

1861

239 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Alen had 98 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,999 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016, ranked #28,033.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 239 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Alen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Alen surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Alen 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 144 #13,277
1861 historical 239 #10,273
1881 historical 98 #19,999
1891 historical 169 #16,885
1901 historical 119 #20,624
1911 historical 209 #14,557
1997 modern 120 #24,158
1998 modern 114 #25,589
1999 modern 109 #26,439
2000 modern 109 #26,381
2001 modern 106 #26,468
2002 modern 100 #27,944
2003 modern 95 #28,536
2004 modern 93 #29,065
2005 modern 104 #27,369
2006 modern 107 #27,179
2007 modern 97 #29,156
2008 modern 100 #29,001
2009 modern 104 #28,982
2010 modern 107 #29,153
2011 modern 100 #30,058
2012 modern 110 #28,514
2013 modern 113 #28,502
2014 modern 115 #28,439
2015 modern 108 #29,512
2016 modern 117 #28,033

Geography

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Where Alens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Cheshunt St Mary, Kingston-on-Thames, Portsmouth, Portsea, Great and Little Totham, Goldhanger, Heybridge, Tolleshunt Major, Tolleshunt Knights, Tolleshunt Dar and Woodford St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Braintree, Havering, Three Rivers, Southend-on-Sea and South Hams. 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 Cheshunt St Mary Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 Kingston-on-Thames Surrey
3 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
4 Great and Little Totham, Goldhanger, Heybridge, Tolleshunt Major, Tolleshunt Knights, Tolleshunt Dar Essex
5 Woodford St Mary Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Braintree 010 Braintree
2 Havering 009 Havering
3 Three Rivers 001 Three Rivers
4 Southend-on-Sea 016 Southend-on-Sea
5 South Hams 010 South Hams

Forenames

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First names often paired with Alen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Alen

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Alen 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

Alen is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Alen 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 Alen 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 Alen, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Alen

The surname ALEN is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "alor," meaning "alder tree." This suggests that the name may have initially been a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near an alder tree or in an area where alder trees grew abundantly.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name ALEN can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Alun" and "Alein." These early spellings reflect the influence of Norman-French scribes who transcribed the name according to their own pronunciation and spelling conventions.

In the 13th century, the name ALEN began to appear in various records and documents, including the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire and the Curia Regis Rolls. These early mentions often referred to landowners or individuals of some prominence within their respective communities.

One notable figure bearing the surname ALEN was William Alen, a merchant and Lord Mayor of London in 1624-1625. He was born in 1584 and played a significant role in the development of London's trade and commerce during his tenure as mayor.

Another historical figure was John Alen, a 16th-century English Protestant clergyman and religious reformer. Born around 1476, he was a notable figure in the early days of the English Reformation and served as the Archbishop of Dublin from 1528 until his death in 1534.

In the realm of literature, we find Thomas Alen, an English writer and translator who lived during the 16th century. He is best known for his translation of "The Book of the Courtier" by Baldassare Castiglione, which was published in 1561.

The surname ALEN also has a connection to various place names in England, such as Allen Valleys in Northumberland and Allen's Green in Hertfordshire. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Lastly, one cannot overlook the contributions of Sir John Fortescue Alen, a British military officer and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of British Honduras (now Belize) from 1883 to 1887. Born in 1833, he played a significant role in the development and governance of the British colony during his tenure.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Alen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Alen 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. Essex leads with 30 Alens recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.23x.

County Total Index
Essex 30 16.23x
Surrey 14 3.07x
Middlesex 13 1.39x
Suffolk 13 11.40x
Somerset 6 3.98x
Yorkshire 5 0.54x
Glamorgan 4 2.45x
Norfolk 2 1.39x
Bedfordshire 1 2.06x
Cheshire 1 0.48x
Cornwall 1 0.94x
Hampshire 1 0.52x
Kent 1 0.31x
Lancashire 1 0.09x
Lincolnshire 1 0.67x
Montgomeryshire 1 4.66x
Staffordshire 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. Kingston On Thames in Surrey leads with 13 Alens recorded in 1881 and an index of 118.61x.

Place Total Index
Kingston On Thames 13 118.61x
Great Wigborough 9 10000.00x
Wells St Cuthbert 6 582.52x
Hipperholme Cum 5 122.55x
Layer De La Hay 5 2272.73x
Preston 5 5000.00x
Tottenham 5 33.53x
Walthamstow 5 75.19x
Brent Eleigh 4 5714.29x
Chigwell 4 229.89x
Lavenham 4 666.67x
Llanhary 4 5000.00x
Feering 3 1250.00x
Hillingdon 2 66.89x
St Martin In Fields 2 35.65x
West Ham 2 4.90x
Bedford St Peter 1 79.37x
Bermondsey 1 3.59x
Birkenhead 1 6.07x
Blackburn 1 3.38x
Bromley London 1 4.85x
Burnham 1 147.06x
Chilton Candover 1 2000.00x
Colchester St Giles 1 54.64x
Ealing 1 11.95x
Erpingham 1 833.33x
Falmouth 1 26.67x
Kensington London 1 1.92x
Luddington 1 526.32x
Newtown 1 72.99x
Paddington London 1 2.90x
Ringwould 1 370.37x
Roughton 1 714.29x
Sedgley 1 8.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Charlotte 5
Ada 3
Edith 3
Mary 3
Agnes 2
Anne 2
Emily 2
Florence 2
Maria 2
Rosina 2
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Eliza 1
Ellan 1
Emma 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Jessa 1
Jessie 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Margret 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Nelly 1
Rebecca 1
Rhoda 1
Rosanna 1
Rose 1
Sarah 1
Siliam 1
Sophia 1
Tric 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 6
William 5
Charles 3
James 3
Samuel 3
Arthur 2
Edward 2
Mark 2
Matthew 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Charls 1
Chas.Saml. 1
Everett 1
Frederick 1
Garnst 1
Geo.Hy. 1
George 1
Henry 1
Louis 1
Luke 1
Maurice 1
Robert 1
Wm.Ed. 1
Wm.Edwd. 1

FAQ

Alen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Alen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 98 people were recorded with the Alen surname. That placed it at #19,999 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Alen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016. That gives Alen a modern rank of #28,033.

What does the Alen surname mean?

A variant of Allen, referring to someone who lived near or worked with alder trees.

What does the Alen map show?

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