NameCensus.

UK surname

Allen

Derived from a Celtic personal name meaning "harmony, stone, or noble."

In the 1881 census there were 56,290 people recorded with the Allen surname, ranking it #47 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 83,171, ranked #46, up from #47 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, North East Derbyshire and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Allen is 86,630 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.8%.

1881 census count

56,290

Ranked #47

Modern count

83,171

2016, ranked #46

Peak year

1999

86,630 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Allen had 56,290 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #47 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 83,171 in 2016, ranked #46.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 77,736 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Allen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Allen surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Allen 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 37,744 #46
1861 historical 38,955 #48
1881 historical 56,290 #47
1891 historical 62,038 #47
1901 historical 71,103 #47
1911 historical 77,736 #39
1997 modern 82,936 #42
1998 modern 86,165 #42
1999 modern 86,630 #42
2000 modern 86,075 #42
2001 modern 83,893 #42
2002 modern 85,609 #42
2003 modern 83,361 #43
2004 modern 83,246 #44
2005 modern 81,538 #46
2006 modern 81,340 #45
2007 modern 81,858 #45
2008 modern 82,310 #45
2009 modern 84,377 #45
2010 modern 85,987 #45
2011 modern 84,803 #45
2012 modern 82,829 #46
2013 modern 84,600 #46
2014 modern 84,933 #46
2015 modern 83,860 #46
2016 modern 83,171 #46

Geography

Back to top

Where Allens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars 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 Cornwall, North East Derbyshire and Leeds. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 024 Cornwall
2 North East Derbyshire 012 North East Derbyshire
3 Leeds 110 Leeds
4 Cornwall 061 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 036 Cornwall

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Allen

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Allen

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

Allen is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Allen

The surname Allen is of English origin, deriving from an ancient English pre-7th century word "alor" or "aller", meaning a meadow or valley. It is also believed to have derived from the Old English words "alor" or "aler", meaning a haunter of meadows or valleys.

The name Allen is thought to have first appeared in the English counties of Derbyshire, Staffordshire, and Warwickshire during the 11th century. Early records show variations in spelling such as Alen, Alain, Alayn, and Allyn.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Allen can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Alain" and "Alanus". This suggests that the name was already well-established in England at the time of the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, records show an Allen family holding lands in the village of Allen, near Uttoxeter in Staffordshire. This village likely took its name from the surname, indicating the presence of the Allen family in the area at that time.

Notable individuals with the surname Allen throughout history include William Allen (c.1532-1594), an English cardinal and founder of the English College in Douai, France. Another prominent figure was Ethan Allen (1738-1789), an American Revolutionary War patriot and leader of the Green Mountain Boys.

Other historical figures include: - William Allen (1770-1843), an American statesman and president of Bowdoin College. - Richard Allen (1760-1831), an American minister and founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. - Edgar Allen Poe (1809-1849), an American writer and poet known for his Gothic literature. - Viola Allen (1867-1948), an American stage actress renowned for her Shakespearean roles.

The Allen surname has been widely dispersed throughout the English-speaking world, with many bearers tracing their roots back to England. It continues to be a common surname in countries with significant British ancestry, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Allen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Allen 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 7,378 Allens recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.34x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 7,378 1.34x
Lancashire 5,154 0.79x
Yorkshire 3,554 0.65x
Surrey 3,097 1.15x
Staffordshire 2,594 1.39x
Kent 2,499 1.33x
Warwickshire 2,282 1.64x
Derbyshire 1,729 2.00x
Hampshire 1,594 1.41x
Norfolk 1,484 1.75x
Gloucestershire 1,469 1.36x
Leicestershire 1,419 2.32x
Essex 1,382 1.27x
Somerset 1,267 1.43x
Nottinghamshire 1,215 1.63x
Durham 1,213 0.74x
Northamptonshire 1,129 2.18x
Worcestershire 1,126 1.56x
Cornwall 1,041 1.67x
Berkshire 1,027 2.48x
Lincolnshire 986 1.12x
Cheshire 962 0.79x
Sussex 892 0.96x
Devon 878 0.76x
Suffolk 774 1.15x
Glamorgan 715 0.74x
Bedfordshire 708 2.48x
Oxfordshire 664 1.95x
Hertfordshire 648 1.70x
Cambridgeshire 580 1.66x
Dorset 546 1.51x
Buckinghamshire 517 1.55x
Northumberland 498 0.61x
Pembrokeshire 373 2.13x
Shropshire 343 0.72x
Wiltshire 320 0.66x
Huntingdonshire 317 2.89x
Monmouthshire 317 0.79x
Lanarkshire 239 0.13x
Cumberland 216 0.45x
Channel Islands 155 0.95x
Herefordshire 142 0.63x
Westmorland 117 0.96x
Denbighshire 92 0.44x
Midlothian 87 0.12x
Royal Navy 79 1.20x
Carmarthenshire 78 0.34x
Isle of Man 57 0.56x
Angus 56 0.11x
Rutland 55 1.36x
Aberdeenshire 51 0.10x
Fife 47 0.14x
Montgomeryshire 47 0.37x
Flintshire 46 0.31x
Renfrewshire 41 0.10x
Brecknockshire 31 0.28x
Stirlingshire 28 0.14x
Anglesey 25 0.26x
Ayrshire 25 0.06x
Perthshire 19 0.08x
West Lothian 15 0.18x
Caernarfonshire 14 0.06x
Orkney 14 0.23x
Dumfriesshire 13 0.11x
Cardiganshire 11 0.08x
Dunbartonshire 11 0.07x
Banffshire 10 0.09x
Wigtownshire 8 0.11x
Morayshire 7 0.08x
Caithness 6 0.08x
East Lothian 6 0.08x
Roxburghshire 6 0.06x
Clackmannanshire 5 0.11x
Radnorshire 4 0.09x
Argyllshire 3 0.02x
Buteshire 2 0.06x
Selkirkshire 2 0.04x
Shetland 2 0.04x
Berwickshire 1 0.02x
Kincardineshire 1 0.01x
Merionethshire 1 0.01x
Ross-shire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 855 Allens recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.84x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 855 1.84x
Aston 706 1.84x
Islington London 695 1.30x
Lambeth 667 1.39x
St Pancras London 588 1.32x
St Marylebone London 428 1.45x
West Ham 421 1.75x
Camberwell 407 1.15x
Kensington London 385 1.25x
Leicester St Margaret 379 2.54x
Manchester 366 1.24x
Hackney London 348 1.12x
Shoreditch London 329 1.38x
Newington 321 1.57x
Liverpool 315 0.79x
Radcliffe 312 9.88x
Battersea 299 1.47x
Sheffield 299 1.72x
Portsea 277 1.25x
Stoke Upon Trent 275 1.39x
Bethnal Green London 269 1.12x
Chelsea London 267 1.61x
Mile End Old Town London 253 2.15x
Deptford St Paul 245 1.69x
Nottingham St Mary 245 1.27x
St George Hanover Square 237 2.44x
Brighton 226 1.20x
Salford 223 1.16x
Leeds 213 0.69x
Paddington London 213 1.05x
Walsall Foreign 209 2.17x
Luton 208 4.20x
Bedminster 199 2.38x
Everton 190 0.91x
Brightside Bierlow 179 1.67x
West Derby 177 0.92x
Hammersmith London 176 1.29x
Poplar London 176 1.69x
Toxteth Park 176 0.79x
Westoe 172 1.85x
Bromley London 171 1.41x
Southwark St George Martyr 168 1.51x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 159 1.56x
West Bromwich 158 1.48x
Bermondsey 150 0.91x
Pilkington 147 5.91x
Warrington 147 1.89x
Tottenham 146 1.66x
Ecclesall Bierlow 143 1.29x
Wolverhampton 140 0.98x
Croydon 137 0.92x
Greenwich 136 1.55x
Leicester St Mary 136 2.75x
Plumstead 135 2.15x
Clerkenwell London 134 1.03x
Oldham 132 0.62x
Hulme 126 0.92x
Lewisham 126 1.25x
St George In East London 125 2.41x
Sedgley 123 1.78x
Limehouse London 121 2.00x
Pendleton In Salford 121 1.55x
Newton 120 2.38x
Radford 120 3.18x
Wellingborough 119 4.56x
Reading St Giles 116 2.85x
Bishopwearmouth 115 0.82x
Tipton 113 1.98x
Fulham London 111 1.39x
Kings Norton 111 1.72x
Nether Hallam 111 1.50x
Reading St Mary 110 3.32x
St Luke London 108 1.22x
Belper 107 6.39x
Woolwich 107 1.54x
Southampton St Mary 103 1.45x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 101 1.98x
Hampstead London 101 1.18x
Watford 100 3.39x
Stoke Damerel 98 1.22x
Kingswinford 92 1.36x
Dudley 91 1.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3,742
Elizabeth 2,163
Sarah 1,984
Ann 1,064
Jane 1,013
Eliza 1,008
Emma 887
Annie 815
Ellen 762
Alice 753
Emily 688
Hannah 562
Margaret 497
Martha 467
Louisa 422
Edith 381
Charlotte 363
Harriet 361
Maria 343
Caroline 342
Fanny 339
Florence 335
Ada 321
Catherine 305
Clara 270
Kate 270
Lucy 245
Agnes 233
Susan 220
Frances 211
Anne 210
Harriett 196
Rose 195
Amelia 171
Julia 156
Rebecca 138
Esther 136
Sophia 135
Isabella 132
Jessie 129
Elizth. 127
Matilda 119
Minnie 112
Gertrude 109
Eleanor 107
Susannah 105
Amy 97
Ruth 96
Lizzie 95
Lydia 93

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 3,608
John 3,157
George 2,070
Thomas 1,892
James 1,780
Henry 1,158
Charles 1,149
Joseph 970
Robert 682
Alfred 665
Edward 626
Arthur 604
Frederick 533
Richard 492
Samuel 471
Walter 428
Albert 369
Harry 304
Frank 269
Ernest 235
Herbert 228
David 202
Edwin 190
Wm. 172
Francis 170
Benjamin 154
Fred 107
Thos. 105
Daniel 87
Stephen 84
Isaac 76
Tom 76
Peter 74
Fredrick 72
Sidney 66
Fredk. 65
Geo. 63
Percy 63
Andrew 55
Michael 55
Alexander 52
Chas. 50
Jesse 50
Mark 50
Edmund 46
Sydney 44
Abraham 41
Edgar 41
Willm. 41
Christopher 40

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 Allen households.

FAQ

Allen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Allen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 56,290 people were recorded with the Allen surname. That placed it at #47 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Allen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 83,171 in 2016. That gives Allen a modern rank of #46.

What does the Allen surname mean?

Derived from a Celtic personal name meaning "harmony, stone, or noble."

What does the Allen map show?

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