NameCensus.

UK surname

Amass

An occupational surname referring to someone who gathered or collected items.

In the 1881 census there were 49 people recorded with the Amass surname, ranking it #26,735 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 127, ranked #26,566, up from #26,735 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tower Hamlets, Ipswich and Suffolk Coastal.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Amass is 129 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 159.2%.

1881 census count

49

Ranked #26,735

Modern count

127

2016, ranked #26,566

Peak year

2002

129 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Amass had 49 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,735 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 127 in 2016, ranked #26,566.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 58 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Amass surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Amass surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Amass 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 31 #27,734
1861 historical 46 #28,170
1881 historical 49 #26,735
1891 historical 48 #30,447
1901 historical 51 #28,492
1911 historical 58 #27,001
1997 modern 122 #23,917
1998 modern 126 #24,094
1999 modern 127 #24,125
2000 modern 121 #24,824
2001 modern 116 #25,089
2002 modern 129 #24,021
2003 modern 121 #24,776
2004 modern 123 #24,679
2005 modern 119 #25,193
2006 modern 119 #25,413
2007 modern 114 #26,491
2008 modern 119 #26,067
2009 modern 123 #26,098
2010 modern 123 #26,728
2011 modern 121 #26,789
2012 modern 118 #27,250
2013 modern 120 #27,406
2014 modern 123 #27,206
2015 modern 125 #26,808
2016 modern 127 #26,566

Geography

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Where Amass' 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 Tower Hamlets, Ipswich, Suffolk Coastal and Bexley. 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 Tower Hamlets 001 Tower Hamlets
2 Ipswich 016 Ipswich
3 Ipswich 014 Ipswich
4 Suffolk Coastal 014 Suffolk Coastal
5 Bexley 019 Bexley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Amass

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Amass

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Amass surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Amass household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Challenged Inner London Communities

Within London, Amass is most associated with areas classed as Challenged Inner London Communities, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Resident in some of Inner London’s most over-crowded communities, many families have children and marriage/civil partnership rates are above the Supergroup average. Other adults such as students live in communal establishments. Few residents have Level 4 educational qualifications, levels of unemployment are above the Supergroup average, and employment is concentrated in service occupations such as distribution, hotels and restaurants. Relative to the Supergroup average, fewer residents identify as being of mixed/multiple ethnicities, Black or Other Asian.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Amass 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

Amass falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Amass

The surname Amass is of English origin, and it appears to have been established during the medieval period. The name seems to derive from an old English word or phrase, likely connected to the Olde English and Anglo-Saxon words that evolved through Middle English. The roots of the surname might lie in the old word "mæswyrt," meaning marshwort or a plant growing in marshy areas, indicating a geographic connection to marshlands or wetlands where the original bearers of the name might have lived or worked.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Amass appear in historical documents dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries. One of the oldest references can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327, where a William Amass is mentioned. This document is a valuable source for tracing the lineage and provides insights into the early use of the surname in East Anglia, particularly in counties such as Suffolk and Norfolk.

The Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273 also include the surname, with a John Amass listed among the residents. This highlights the geographical spread of the family name during the medieval period and underscores its presence in the eastern regions of England. Such records are vital for understanding the distribution and commonality of the surname across different locales.

Moving forward in time, in the 16th century, records from parish registers further document the presence of the Amass surname in East Anglia. An Elizabeth Amass, born in 1563, is noted in baptismal records from Norwich. Her life in Norwich and the surrounding areas provides additional proof of the surname's persistence and the family's integration into local communities.

Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, individuals bearing the surname Amass continued to appear in various official records. Another notable individual is Thomas Amass, who was born in 1604 in Norfolk. He is documented through various legal papers, suggesting the family's involvement in local governance and affairs.

In the 19th century, Edward Amass, born in 1832, is recorded in both civil and church documents in Suffolk, highlighting the continued presence and societal roles that individuals with this surname held. Edward's baptism, marriage, and other records provide a clearer picture of the family's social standing and contributions to the local economy.

By examining these historical attestations and geographical mentions, a clearer image of the surname Amass emerges, presenting a family name deeply rooted in the eastern counties of England with connections to specific local features such as marshlands and wetlands. The historical trajectory of the surname illustrates how it has been passed down through generations, adapting yet retaining its connection to its origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Amass families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Amass 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. Suffolk leads with 31 Amass' recorded in 1881 and an index of 53.26x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 31 53.26x
Middlesex 8 1.67x
Kent 6 3.68x
Essex 2 2.12x
Yorkshire 2 0.42x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ipswich St Margaret in Suffolk leads with 15 Amass' recorded in 1881 and an index of 757.58x.

Place Total Index
Ipswich St Margaret 15 757.58x
St Pancras London 7 18.20x
Debenham 6 3157.89x
Dover Castle 3 2500.00x
Hadleigh 3 535.71x
Ipswich St Mary Key 2 1333.33x
Pettaugh 2 6666.67x
Witnesham 2 2500.00x
Woodford 2 186.92x
Bearsted 1 1000.00x
Detling 1 2000.00x
Holy Trinity 1 8.78x
Ipswich St Mathew 1 61.35x
Islington London 1 2.16x
South Cave 1 625.00x
Tonbridge 1 17.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
E. 3
Elizabeth 3
Ellen 2
Alice 1
Augusta 1
Beatrice 1
Caroline 1
Elisa 1
Elisabeth 1
Emma 1
Eveline 1
Hannah 1
Lizzie 1
Marther 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Alfred 4
John 4
Arthur 2
Charles 2
George 2
Harry 2
Samuel 2
Edgar 1
Emma 1
N. 1
Thomas 1
Thos.Geo. 1
Vincent 1
William 1

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 Amass households.

FAQ

Amass surname: questions and answers

How common was the Amass surname in 1881?

In 1881, 49 people were recorded with the Amass surname. That placed it at #26,735 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Amass surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 127 in 2016. That gives Amass a modern rank of #26,566.

What does the Amass surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who gathered or collected items.

What does the Amass map show?

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