NameCensus.

UK surname

Allis

A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "dweller by the cliffs".

In the 1881 census there were 198 people recorded with the Allis surname, ranking it #12,922 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 193, ranked #20,039, down from #12,922 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lincoln St Botolph, Nettleham and Scothern. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Flintshire, Rutland and Chiltern.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Allis is 240 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.5%.

1881 census count

198

Ranked #12,922

Modern count

193

2016, ranked #20,039

Peak year

1861

240 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Allis had 198 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,922 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 193 in 2016, ranked #20,039.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 240 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Allis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Allis surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Allis 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 166 #11,986
1861 historical 240 #10,226
1881 historical 198 #12,922
1891 historical 210 #14,412
1901 historical 185 #15,892
1911 historical 177 #16,129
1997 modern 212 #16,996
1998 modern 219 #17,115
1999 modern 219 #17,203
2000 modern 204 #17,987
2001 modern 201 #17,885
2002 modern 213 #17,603
2003 modern 205 #17,851
2004 modern 195 #18,500
2005 modern 184 #19,117
2006 modern 196 #18,512
2007 modern 199 #18,542
2008 modern 194 #19,011
2009 modern 205 #18,722
2010 modern 212 #18,726
2011 modern 203 #19,098
2012 modern 188 #20,018
2013 modern 183 #20,722
2014 modern 195 #20,036
2015 modern 194 #19,994
2016 modern 193 #20,039

Geography

Back to top

Where Allis' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lincoln St Botolph, Nettleham, Scothern, Lincoln St Peter at Gowts and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Flintshire, Rutland, Chiltern, East Dorset and East 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 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
2 Nettleham Lincolnshire
3 Scothern Lincolnshire
4 Lincoln St Peter at Gowts Lincolnshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Flintshire 006 Flintshire
2 Rutland 004 Rutland
3 Chiltern 005 Chiltern
4 East Dorset 005 East Dorset
5 East Lindsey 008 East Lindsey

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Allis

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Allis

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Allis surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Allis household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Allis is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Allis is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Allis falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Allis

The surname Allis originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English personal name "Ælfsige," which consists of the elements "ælf" meaning "elf" and "sige" meaning "victory." This name was likely given to someone who was believed to possess elven-like qualities or who achieved a significant victory.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Allis can be found in the Domesday Book, a record of landholdings compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The entry mentions an individual named "Aluuoldus de Alls" in Huntingdonshire.

During the 13th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as "Alls," "Allis," and "Allys." These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in spelling practices at the time.

In the 14th century, there are records of individuals named Allis residing in Oxfordshire and Berkshire. One notable example is John Allis, a landowner in Wantage, Berkshire, who was mentioned in a document dated 1327.

The 16th century saw the emergence of several notable figures with the surname Allis. One of them was Thomas Allis (1500-1572), an English clergyman who served as the rector of St. Margaret's Church in Leicester. Another was William Allis (1556-1628), a prominent lawyer and member of the Inner Temple in London.

In the 17th century, the surname Allis continued to be found in various parts of England. One notable individual from this period was Reverend John Allis (1621-1686), a Puritan minister who emigrated to New England and served as the pastor of the First Church in Taunton, Massachusetts.

Another prominent figure with the surname Allis was Sir Thomas Allis (1670-1741), a British naval officer and Member of Parliament for Seaford. He played a significant role in the War of the Spanish Succession and was knighted for his service.

During the 18th century, the surname Allis was found in various parts of England, as well as in the American colonies. One notable individual was Samuel Allis (1724-1804), a merchant and patriot from Connecticut who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Allis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Allis 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. Lincolnshire leads with 62 Allis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.78x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 62 19.78x
Surrey 22 2.30x
Cornwall 17 7.66x
Middlesex 13 0.66x
Gloucestershire 11 2.86x
Yorkshire 11 0.57x
Northumberland 9 3.09x
Hampshire 8 1.99x
Glamorgan 7 2.05x
Kent 7 1.05x
Warwickshire 6 1.21x
Essex 5 1.29x
Nottinghamshire 5 1.89x
Lancashire 4 0.17x
Norfolk 3 1.00x
Bedfordshire 2 1.97x
Channel Islands 2 3.44x
West Lothian 2 6.78x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.81x
Devon 1 0.25x
Shropshire 1 0.59x
Somerset 1 0.32x
Worcestershire 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gwennap in Cornwall leads with 17 Allis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 405.73x.

Place Total Index
Gwennap 17 405.73x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 11 249.43x
Scothern 10 3030.30x
Rotherhithe 7 28.90x
Swansea Town 7 25.01x
Ulgham 7 1458.33x
Portsea 6 7.62x
St Peters 6 194.17x
St Swithin Lincoln 6 121.70x
Warlingham 6 769.23x
Aston 5 3.67x
Bristol St James St Paul 5 39.00x
Camberwell 4 3.19x
Leeds 4 3.65x
Nettleham 4 625.00x
Newark Upon Trent 4 42.11x
Westbury On Trym 4 30.70x
Battersea 3 4.16x
Beesby 3 3000.00x
Great Yarmouth 3 12.01x
Hampstead London 3 9.83x
Hogsthorpe 3 612.24x
Kimberworth 3 27.83x
Loughton 3 157.07x
Market Rasen 3 171.43x
Scarborough 3 17.00x
St Paul Lincoln 3 545.45x
St Peterin Eastgate 3 309.28x
Bathgate 2 31.20x
Branston 2 208.33x
Hackney London 2 1.82x
Huttoft 2 500.00x
Leake 2 138.89x
Newington 2 2.76x
Old Warden 2 606.06x
Panton 2 1818.18x
St Pancras London 2 1.27x
Tewkesbury 2 58.31x
West Ham 2 2.34x
Westminster St James 2 9.93x
Wragby 2 588.24x
Alford 1 51.55x
Bellingham 1 204.08x
Bow London 1 4.01x
Broughton In Salford 1 4.70x
Chirton 1 15.15x
Chislehurst 1 27.86x
Dunston 1 192.31x
East Broughton 1 151.52x
Exeter Allhallows On The 1 149.25x
Great Malvern 1 18.73x
Hulme 1 2.06x
Islington London 1 0.53x
Kensington London 1 0.92x
Lyncombe Widcombe 1 12.11x
Market Weighton Arras 1 79.37x
Northwood 1 17.48x
Pontesbury 1 48.54x
Portsmouth 1 10.81x
Riseholme 1 2000.00x
St John 1 90.09x
St Marylebone London 1 0.96x
St Saviour 1 31.15x
Stamford St Michael 1 112.36x
Stratford On Avon 1 36.50x
Sturton 1 277.78x
Washingborough 1 204.08x
Well 1 1250.00x
Wisbech St Peter 1 16.05x
Wuerdle Wardle 1 14.16x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Ann 10
Elizabeth 8
Sarah 8
Louisa 5
Ada 3
Charlotte 3
Eliza 3
Maria 3
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Catherine 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Nellie 2
Agnes 1
Alexandre 1
Alice 1
Annie 1
Arabella 1
Blanche 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Christiana 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Elvina 1
Emerley 1
Emily 1
Eva 1
Fanney 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Jemima 1
Lavinnia 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Rachel 1
Susan 1
Susana 1
Tamar 1
Whilmot 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 13
William 13
John 10
Charles 8
Henry 8
Edward 4
James 4
Samuel 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Francis 2
Joseph 2
Richard 2
Thomas 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Andrew 1
Bartholomew 1
Chas 1
Christopher 1
David 1
Fred 1
Fred.Chas. 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Geo.W. 1
Gilbert 1
Jno.G. 1
Matthew 1
Mayrick 1
Paull 1
Robert 1
Sellars 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Allis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Allis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 198 people were recorded with the Allis surname. That placed it at #12,922 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Allis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 193 in 2016. That gives Allis a modern rank of #20,039.

What does the Allis surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "dweller by the cliffs".

What does the Allis map show?

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