NameCensus.

UK surname

Allum

An occupational surname derived from the Old French word for garlic, referring to one who grew or sold garlic.

In the 1881 census there were 1,147 people recorded with the Allum surname, ranking it #3,487 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,166, ranked #2,985, up from #3,487 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Marylebone and St Mary Islington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mid Suffolk, Richmondshire and Three Rivers.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Allum is 2,334 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 88.8%.

1881 census count

1,147

Ranked #3,487

Modern count

2,166

2016, ranked #2,985

Peak year

2002

2,334 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Allum had 1,147 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,487 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,166 in 2016, ranked #2,985.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,950 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Allum surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Allum surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Allum 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 913 #3,025
1861 historical 582 #4,530
1881 historical 1,147 #3,487
1891 historical 1,216 #3,534
1901 historical 1,773 #2,934
1911 historical 1,950 #2,547
1997 modern 2,241 #2,768
1998 modern 2,306 #2,800
1999 modern 2,331 #2,792
2000 modern 2,290 #2,819
2001 modern 2,235 #2,825
2002 modern 2,334 #2,779
2003 modern 2,274 #2,780
2004 modern 2,264 #2,783
2005 modern 2,211 #2,820
2006 modern 2,200 #2,840
2007 modern 2,203 #2,860
2008 modern 2,197 #2,888
2009 modern 2,265 #2,874
2010 modern 2,263 #2,933
2011 modern 2,270 #2,894
2012 modern 2,211 #2,909
2013 modern 2,229 #2,929
2014 modern 2,215 #2,961
2015 modern 2,186 #2,976
2016 modern 2,166 #2,985

Geography

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Where Allums are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Mid Suffolk, Richmondshire and Three Rivers. 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 Marylebone London (North Districts)
4 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
5 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mid Suffolk 006 Mid Suffolk
2 Richmondshire 001 Richmondshire
3 Three Rivers 001 Three Rivers
4 Mid Suffolk 005 Mid Suffolk
5 Mid Suffolk 008 Mid Suffolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Allum

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Allum

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Allum is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Allum 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

Allum falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Allum

The surname ALLUM is of Anglo-Saxon origin, believed to have emerged in England during the 7th or 8th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "alor," meaning "alder tree," potentially indicating that the original bearers of this name lived near or worked with alder trees.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Alor" and "Aloure." This famous survey, commissioned by William the Conqueror, documented landholders and their properties throughout England.

Over time, the name evolved into various spellings, such as Alore, Alure, and eventually ALLUM. Some of these variations may have been influenced by the Norman-French word "aulne," which also means "alder tree."

Notable historical figures with the surname ALLUM include:

1. Robert ALLUM (c. 1500 - 1572), an English landowner and merchant from Hertfordshire. 2. William ALLUM (1776 - 1846), a British artist known for his landscape paintings. 3. Jane ALLUM (1817 - 1897), a British educator and advocate for women's education. 4. Thomas ALLUM (1804 - 1872), an English architect who designed numerous churches and public buildings in London. 5. Charles ALLUM (1865 - 1938), a British architect and surveyor known for his work in the Greater London area.

The name ALLUM has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Allum Green in Hertfordshire and Allum Lane in Buckinghamshire. These locations may have been named after early settlers with the ALLUM surname or derived from the Old English word "alor," indicating the presence of alder trees in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Allum families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Allum 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 298 Allums recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.69x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 298 2.69x
Berkshire 159 19.10x
Surrey 127 2.35x
Suffolk 123 9.10x
Oxfordshire 84 12.26x
Hertfordshire 62 8.11x
Kent 41 1.08x
Buckinghamshire 37 5.52x
Sussex 26 1.39x
Lancashire 23 0.17x
Northamptonshire 23 2.20x
Norfolk 21 1.23x
Warwickshire 18 0.64x
Hampshire 15 0.66x
Shropshire 13 1.36x
Staffordshire 12 0.32x
Essex 11 0.50x
Yorkshire 9 0.08x
Inverness-shire 7 2.11x
Cumberland 4 0.42x
Huntingdonshire 4 1.82x
Lincolnshire 4 0.23x
Stirlingshire 4 0.98x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.28x
Gloucestershire 2 0.09x
Bedfordshire 1 0.17x
Cheshire 1 0.04x
East Lothian 1 0.68x
Glamorgan 1 0.05x
Midlothian 1 0.07x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.07x
Royal Navy 1 0.76x
Somerset 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kensington London in Middlesex leads with 42 Allums recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.81x.

Place Total Index
Kensington London 42 6.81x
Islington London 30 2.79x
Badingham 26 1015.63x
Mile End Old Town London 25 10.59x
Camberwell 24 3.39x
Langley Marish 24 291.62x
Reading St Giles 24 29.38x
Greenwich 20 11.33x
Shoreditch London 19 3.95x
Hurst 18 165.14x
Hammersmith London 17 6.22x
St Pancras London 17 1.90x
Crowmarsh Gifford 16 1379.31x
Rotherhithe 16 11.68x
Bermondsey 15 4.54x
Colne 15 38.26x
Hemel Hempstead 15 43.54x
Reading St Mary 15 22.50x
St George Hanover Square 14 7.16x
Bethnal Green London 13 2.70x
Dallington 13 212.07x
Horham 12 930.23x
Tamworth 12 59.94x
Claxton 11 1375.00x
Hayes 11 97.17x
S Stoke 11 343.75x
Ludlow St Lawrence 10 52.47x
Thundridge 10 558.66x
Yattendon 10 854.70x
Brickendon 9 253.52x
Coventry Holy Trinity 9 10.78x
Henley On Thames 9 947.37x
St Marylebone London 9 1.52x
Wokingham 9 47.37x
Aston Cantlow 8 191.39x
Bix 8 490.80x
Croydon 8 2.67x
Culham 8 390.24x
Limehouse London 8 6.57x
Ore 8 57.47x
Rickmansworth 8 38.00x
Southampton St Mary 8 5.60x
St George In East London 8 7.67x
West Ham 8 1.66x
Beckenham 7 14.15x
Bucklebury 7 161.29x
Caterham 7 29.30x
Coney Weston 7 933.33x
Dartford 7 18.09x
Hillingdon 7 19.80x
Inverness 7 8.40x
Laxfield 7 208.33x
Sutton Wick 7 526.32x
Wilby 7 393.26x
Woolhampton 7 372.34x
Ashford 6 68.49x
Brighton 6 1.59x
Covehithe 6 909.09x
Easthampstead 6 134.53x
Enfield 6 8.25x
Goring 6 153.45x
Harrow 6 35.40x
Harrow On The Hill 6 27.08x
Kingston On Thames 6 4.62x
Lambeth 6 0.62x
Norwich St Julian 6 83.57x
Peterborough 6 7.94x
Wantage 6 45.21x
Warfield 6 79.37x
Acton 5 7.69x
Battersea 5 1.23x
Chelsea London 5 1.50x
Denham 5 297.62x
Dennington 5 166.67x
Horspath 5 406.50x
Kesgrave 5 1351.35x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 2.24x
St Luke London 5 2.81x
Wargrave 5 69.93x
West Derby 5 1.30x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 64
Elizabeth 48
Sarah 41
Ann 20
Emily 20
Alice 19
Eliza 19
Annie 18
Emma 18
Jane 17
Louisa 17
Ellen 14
Harriet 13
Hannah 12
Caroline 11
Martha 11
Fanny 10
Charlotte 7
Rose 7
Amelia 6
Anne 6
Elizth. 6
Ada 5
Agnes 5
Amy 5
Edith 5
Florence 5
Kate 5
Lucy 5
Minnie 5
Susan 5
Bertha 4
Clara 4
Laura 4
Margaret 4
Phoebe 4
Rebecca 4
Anna 3
Frances 3
Julia 3
Louise 3
Rosa 3
Betsy 2
Dorothy 2
Ethel 2
Flora 2
Georgina 2
Lydia 2
Maria 2
Violet 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 75
John 48
George 46
James 40
Henry 38
Charles 29
Thomas 23
Joseph 15
Alfred 14
Frederick 14
Robert 14
David 13
Edward 13
Harry 13
Arthur 12
Francis 11
Walter 11
Albert 6
Ernest 6
Frank 6
Benjamin 5
Herbert 5
Richard 5
Isaac 3
Joshua 3
Thos. 3
Abram 2
Alexr. 2
Fred 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
Geo. 2
Jonathan 2
Saml. 2
Samuel 2
Annie 1
Benjm. 1
Bertie 1
Boman 1
Bruce 1
Edwin 1
Edwyn 1
Elisha 1
Elizabeth 1
Elliah 1
F. 1
Federick 1
Jeremiah 1
Jesse 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Allum surname: questions and answers

How common was the Allum surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,147 people were recorded with the Allum surname. That placed it at #3,487 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Allum surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,166 in 2016. That gives Allum a modern rank of #2,985.

What does the Allum surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the Old French word for garlic, referring to one who grew or sold garlic.

What does the Allum map show?

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