NameCensus.

UK surname

Amos

A biblical name derived from the Hebrew name Amos, meaning "carried by God" or "borne by God."

In the 1881 census there were 4,929 people recorded with the Amos surname, ranking it #901 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,955, ranked #973, down from #901 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blaenau Gwent, South Gloucestershire and Herefordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Amos is 7,238 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.1%.

1881 census count

4,929

Ranked #901

Modern count

6,955

2016, ranked #973

Peak year

1999

7,238 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Amos had 4,929 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #901 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,955 in 2016, ranked #973.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,300 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Amos surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Amos surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Amos 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 2,873 #1,014
1861 historical 3,131 #923
1881 historical 4,929 #901
1891 historical 5,331 #879
1901 historical 6,165 #899
1911 historical 6,300 #815
1997 modern 6,842 #950
1998 modern 7,184 #946
1999 modern 7,238 #944
2000 modern 7,213 #941
2001 modern 7,016 #943
2002 modern 7,148 #944
2003 modern 6,968 #940
2004 modern 6,946 #948
2005 modern 6,841 #950
2006 modern 6,839 #957
2007 modern 6,862 #960
2008 modern 6,895 #962
2009 modern 7,065 #962
2010 modern 7,203 #961
2011 modern 7,096 #965
2012 modern 6,972 #956
2013 modern 6,977 #972
2014 modern 7,012 #978
2015 modern 6,973 #976
2016 modern 6,955 #973

Geography

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Where Amos' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Dover St James, Dover St Mary and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blaenau Gwent, South Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Dover and Denholm and Hermitage. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Dover St James, Dover St Mary Kent
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blaenau Gwent 005 Blaenau Gwent
2 South Gloucestershire 029 South Gloucestershire
3 Herefordshire 003 Herefordshire, County of
4 Dover 011 Dover
5 Denholm and Hermitage Scottish Borders

Forenames

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First names often paired with Amos

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Amos

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Amos is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

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

Amos 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

Amos falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Amos

The surname Amos finds its origins in England, with roots tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Hebrew personal name "Amos," which means "burden" or "burden-bearer." The name's earliest recorded instances can be found in medieval English records and documents, often associated with individuals of Jewish descent who lived in England during that time period.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Amos dates back to the 13th century, when a certain William Amos was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1273. These rolls were a census-like record of landowners and their holdings, providing valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of surnames across England at the time.

The surname Amos also appears in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, further cementing its presence in medieval England. This tax record contains entries for individuals named Johannes Amos and Robertus Amos, indicating that the name was in use across different regions of the country.

Throughout the centuries, the surname Amos has been associated with several notable individuals. One such figure was John Amos (1689-1760), an English naval officer and hydrographer who played a significant role in the mapping and surveying of coastal regions during his time in the Royal Navy. Another prominent individual was Sheldon Amos (1835-1886), a distinguished English lawyer and legal scholar who served as a professor of jurisprudence at University College London.

In the realm of literature, the surname Amos is associated with Tori Amos (born 1963), an American singer-songwriter and pianist known for her critically acclaimed albums and unique musical style. While not directly related to the English surname's origins, her stage name has contributed to the name's recognition in modern times.

Other notable individuals with the surname Amos include John Amos (born 1939), an American actor best known for his roles in TV shows like "Good Times" and "The West Wing," and Wally Amos (born 1936), an American entrepreneur and creator of the famous "Famous Amos" chocolate chip cookie brand.

Throughout its history, the surname Amos has undergone various spelling variations, such as Amos, Amoss, Amusse, and Amis, reflecting the fluidity of surname spellings in earlier periods. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the name has since spread globally, carried by individuals of diverse backgrounds and nationalities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Amos families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Amos 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. Kent leads with 887 Amos' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.42x.

County Total Index
Kent 887 5.42x
Middlesex 405 0.84x
Essex 305 3.22x
Gloucestershire 304 3.23x
Staffordshire 296 1.83x
Surrey 275 1.18x
Northamptonshire 179 3.96x
Yorkshire 164 0.34x
Lancashire 139 0.24x
East Lothian 130 20.45x
Midlothian 126 1.96x
Warwickshire 119 0.98x
Durham 99 0.69x
Suffolk 95 1.62x
Lincolnshire 93 1.21x
Northumberland 92 1.29x
Roxburghshire 91 10.47x
Norfolk 69 0.93x
Somerset 68 0.88x
Herefordshire 63 3.20x
Nottinghamshire 63 0.97x
Monmouthshire 60 1.73x
Glamorgan 56 0.67x
Buckinghamshire 54 1.86x
Flintshire 51 3.95x
Worcestershire 51 0.81x
Selkirkshire 50 11.51x
Cumberland 41 0.99x
Lanarkshire 40 0.26x
Shropshire 36 0.87x
Cambridgeshire 33 1.09x
Leicestershire 33 0.62x
Cheshire 32 0.30x
Wiltshire 31 0.73x
Derbyshire 29 0.39x
Hampshire 29 0.29x
Sussex 29 0.36x
Perthshire 23 1.07x
Devon 22 0.22x
Hertfordshire 21 0.63x
Brecknockshire 16 1.67x
Oxfordshire 15 0.51x
Peeblesshire 10 4.43x
Berwickshire 9 1.55x
Denbighshire 9 0.50x
Fife 9 0.32x
Angus 8 0.18x
Berkshire 7 0.19x
Cardiganshire 7 0.60x
Huntingdonshire 6 0.63x
Dorset 5 0.16x
Aberdeenshire 4 0.09x
Carmarthenshire 4 0.20x
Pembrokeshire 4 0.26x
Ross-shire 4 0.30x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.15x
Dumfriesshire 3 0.28x
Dunbartonshire 3 0.23x
Anglesey 2 0.24x
Ayrshire 2 0.06x
Cornwall 2 0.04x
Renfrewshire 2 0.05x
Royal Navy 2 0.35x
Bedfordshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 58 Amos' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.24x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 58 2.24x
Folkestone 51 16.05x
Deptford St Paul 50 3.96x
Doynton 47 711.04x
Battersea 45 2.55x
St Pancras London 44 1.14x
Haddington 43 45.81x
Lambeth 42 1.00x
West Ham 39 1.86x
Camberwell 38 1.24x
Bedwellty 36 5.88x
Hythe St Leonard 34 58.75x
Shoreditch London 34 1.63x
Newington In Elham 33 355.60x
Bethnal Green London 32 1.53x
Iron Acton 32 168.33x
Willenhall 32 10.54x
Wye 32 126.23x
Braintree 30 35.26x
Islington London 30 0.64x
Wednesbury 29 7.16x
Belchamp St Paul 28 240.76x
Dunbar 26 29.17x
Faversham 25 16.01x
West Bromwich 25 2.70x
Lewisham 24 2.75x
Newington 24 1.35x
Northbourne 24 153.94x
Saltwood 24 210.16x
Ystradyfodwg 24 3.27x
Birmingham 23 0.57x
Kensington London 23 0.86x
Wolstanton 23 4.67x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 22 2.48x
Great Coggeshall 22 44.64x
Margate St John Baptist 22 7.34x
Ettrick 21 322.09x
Hougham 21 21.56x
Weston 21 35.34x
Wolverhampton 21 1.69x
Clifton 20 4.20x
Hanslope 20 76.69x
Rotherhithe 20 3.37x
Sutton St Mary 20 27.56x
Wick Abson 20 138.60x
Dover St Mary Virgin 19 11.99x
Lower Boddington 19 485.93x
Burslem 18 3.88x
Mile End Old Town London 18 1.76x
Sedgley 18 2.99x
Wilton 18 18.87x
Bitton Oldland 17 17.66x
Bromley 17 6.81x
Cannock 17 6.01x
March 17 16.70x
Oare 17 203.59x
St Woollos 17 4.39x
Charlton 16 14.71x
Coventry St Michael 16 4.11x
Croydon 16 1.23x
Eydon 16 216.80x
Great Henny 16 323.23x
Hawick 16 8.22x
Playford 16 407.12x
Rhuddlan 16 14.09x
St Marylebone London 16 0.62x
Stoke Upon Trent 16 0.93x
Bermondsey 15 1.05x
Bristol St George 15 3.44x
Dover St James 15 20.90x
Glasgow 15 0.54x
Gorleston 15 10.10x
Northampton Priory St 15 5.54x
Preston Next Faversham 15 38.96x
Chelsea London 14 0.97x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 14 2.26x
Kings Norton 14 2.49x
Liverpool 14 0.40x
Nottingham St Mary 14 0.84x
Whitstable 14 17.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 284
Elizabeth 159
Sarah 159
Eliza 80
Ann 77
Jane 71
Annie 68
Emma 67
Alice 64
Ellen 57
Emily 57
Hannah 50
Charlotte 37
Margaret 36
Maria 36
Harriet 35
Fanny 33
Martha 32
Florence 30
Edith 28
Kate 28
Louisa 27
Catherine 26
Clara 22
Ada 21
Frances 21
Lucy 19
Susan 19
Caroline 18
Rebecca 17
Susannah 13
Eleanor 12
Elizth. 12
Sophia 12
Harriett 11
Lizzie 11
Rosa 11
Amelia 10
Esther 10
Isabella 10
Julia 10
Amy 9
Anne 9
Jessie 9
Bertha 8
Betsy 8
Lydia 8
Beatrice 7
Rachel 7
Rose 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 285
John 227
George 188
Thomas 176
James 127
Henry 108
Charles 100
Joseph 69
Alfred 56
Edward 52
Frederick 51
Arthur 49
Richard 49
Robert 38
Albert 31
Harry 30
Samuel 28
Ernest 25
Frank 22
Edwin 18
Walter 17
David 16
Herbert 15
Benjamin 14
Daniel 13
Stephen 11
Wm. 11
Francis 10
Andrew 8
Isaac 8
Mark 7
Alexander 6
Edgar 6
Gabriel 6
Willm. 6
Edmund 5
Fredk. 5
Fredrick 5
Geo. 5
Jesse 5
Lewis 5
Moses 5
Percy 5
Christopher 4
Fred 4
Horace 4
Josiah 4
Nathaniel 4
Sydney 4
Tom 4

FAQ

Amos surname: questions and answers

How common was the Amos surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,929 people were recorded with the Amos surname. That placed it at #901 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Amos surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,955 in 2016. That gives Amos a modern rank of #973.

What does the Amos surname mean?

A biblical name derived from the Hebrew name Amos, meaning "carried by God" or "borne by God."

What does the Amos map show?

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