NameCensus.

UK surname

Ann

A surname meaning "grace" or "favor" from the Hebrew name Hannah.

In the 1881 census there were 121 people recorded with the Ann surname, ranking it #17,671 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 399, ranked #11,902, up from #17,671 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, St Pancras and St James Clerkenwell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newcastle upon Tyne, Merton and Bristol.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ann is 3,808 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 229.8%.

1881 census count

121

Ranked #17,671

Modern count

399

2016, ranked #11,902

Peak year

1851

3,808 bearers

Map years

5

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ann had 121 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,671 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 399 in 2016, ranked #11,902.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,808 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Ann surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ann surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ann 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 3,808 #750
1881 historical 121 #17,671
1891 historical 26 #32,189
1901 historical 229 #13,894
1997 modern 90 #28,360
1998 modern 97 #28,054
1999 modern 93 #28,711
2000 modern 89 #29,173
2001 modern 85 #29,396
2002 modern 82 #30,181
2003 modern 105 #26,940
2004 modern 96 #28,605
2005 modern 100 #28,025
2006 modern 108 #27,015
2007 modern 106 #27,722
2008 modern 108 #27,684
2009 modern 133 #24,817
2010 modern 140 #24,569
2011 modern 164 #21,900
2012 modern 233 #17,339
2013 modern 260 #16,350
2014 modern 294 #15,047
2015 modern 328 #13,840
2016 modern 399 #11,902

Geography

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Where Anns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, St Pancras, St James Clerkenwell, St Dunstan Stepney and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newcastle upon Tyne, Merton, Bristol, North Somerset and Wigan. 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 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 St James Clerkenwell London (Central Districts)
4 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newcastle upon Tyne 003 Newcastle upon Tyne
2 Merton 018 Merton
3 Bristol 008 Bristol, City of
4 North Somerset 001 North Somerset
5 Wigan 020 Wigan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ann

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ann

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ann, 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 Ann surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Ann 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Ann is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Ann is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ann 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 Ann is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Other Ethnic Group

This describes the area pattern most associated with Ann, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ann

The surname Ann has its origins in Scotland and England, where it first appeared in the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic word "an", meaning "one" or "the one". This name was often used as a nickname or a descriptive term for a person who was considered unique or exceptional.

In medieval times, the spelling of surnames was not standardized, and various forms of Ann were recorded, such as Ane, Ayne, and Annan. These variations likely resulted from different regional dialects and the personal preferences of scribes who recorded the names.

One of the earliest known references to the surname Ann can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name "William Ane" appears on this list.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the Ann surname was particularly prevalent in the Scottish Lowlands and the northern counties of England, such as Northumberland and Cumberland. It is believed that some families with this surname may have had connections to the ancient Kingdom of Strathclyde, which encompassed parts of modern-day Scotland and northern England.

Notable individuals with the surname Ann throughout history include:

1. Robert Ann (c. 1550-1620), a Scottish minister and reformer who played a significant role in the establishment of Presbyterianism in Scotland. 2. John Ann (1619-1689), an English minister and author who wrote several religious texts, including "The Christian's Guide to Heaven". 3. Margaret Ann (1760-1835), a Scottish poet and songwriter known for her works in the Scots language. 4. William Ann (1792-1867), a Scottish engineer and inventor who contributed to the development of early steam engines and railway technology. 5. James Ann (1810-1876), a Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the textile industry and donated generously to educational institutions.

While the surname Ann has ancient roots in Scotland and England, it has since spread to various parts of the world through migration and intermarriage with other families. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval era, where it was a distinctive identifier for individuals of Scottish or northern English descent.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ann families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ann 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. Gloucestershire leads with 28 Anns recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.00x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 28 12.00x
Surrey 16 2.76x
Middlesex 14 1.18x
Somerset 13 6.79x
Lancashire 10 0.71x
Staffordshire 9 2.24x
Lincolnshire 6 3.15x
Yorkshire 6 0.51x
Essex 5 2.13x
Norfolk 3 1.64x
Wiltshire 3 2.85x
Renfrewshire 2 2.17x
Berwickshire 1 6.94x
Cheshire 1 0.38x
Derbyshire 1 0.54x
Devon 1 0.40x
Glamorgan 1 0.48x
Monmouthshire 1 1.16x
Warwickshire 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Alveston in Gloucestershire leads with 10 Anns recorded in 1881 and an index of 3030.30x.

Place Total Index
Alveston 10 3030.30x
Clapham 7 47.04x
Handsworth 7 70.71x
Almondsbury 6 674.16x
Bristol St James St Paul 6 77.12x
Crowland 6 504.20x
Nailsea 6 789.47x
Weston Super Mare 6 123.97x
Hackney London 5 7.50x
Leyton Low 5 104.82x
Battersea 4 9.14x
Holy Trinity 4 14.10x
Westbury On Trym 4 50.57x
Liverpool 3 3.50x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 12.53x
Swindon 3 36.76x
Dalton In Furness 2 36.70x
Eastwood 2 35.21x
Hampstead London 2 10.79x
Heigham 2 20.37x
Hornsey 2 13.29x
Warrington 2 11.95x
Beddington 1 44.64x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 1 24.81x
Birmingham 1 1.00x
Chard 1 43.10x
Chelsea London 1 2.79x
Derby St Werburgh 1 9.29x
Doynton 1 625.00x
Everton 1 2.22x
Holme On Spalding Moor 1 129.87x
Islington London 1 0.87x
Lambeth 1 0.96x
Lauder 1 125.00x
Limehouse London 1 7.66x
Llangennith 1 833.33x
Mynyddyslwyn 1 29.50x
Northrepps 1 434.78x
Parr 1 19.80x
Ratcliffe London 1 15.22x
Sedgley 1 6.70x
St Martin In Fields 1 14.04x
West Bromwich 1 4.35x
Weston In Runcorn 1 147.06x
Wigan 1 5.07x
Winterbourne 1 77.52x
Wolborough 1 31.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Elizabeth 8
Sarah 8
Emma 4
Jane 4
Eliza 3
Martha 3
Alice 2
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Evelyn 2
Frances 2
Louisa 2
Margaret 2
Margret 2
Winifred 2
... 1
Agnes 1
Ann 1
Anna 1
Blanch 1
Charlott 1
Drusilla 1
Edith 1
Elanor 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Francis 1
Hannah 1
Hilda 1
Janet 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Margeret 1
Maria 1
Maud 1
Moses 1
Phebe 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Rosina 1
Selina 1
Susan 1
Winnifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 8
George 5
William 4
Henry 3
John 3
Joseph 3
Charles 2
Edmund 2
Edwin 2
Robert 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Edgar 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
G.W. 1
Harry 1
James 1
Michael 1
Peter 1
Rodney 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Ann surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ann surname in 1881?

In 1881, 121 people were recorded with the Ann surname. That placed it at #17,671 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ann surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 399 in 2016. That gives Ann a modern rank of #11,902.

What does the Ann surname mean?

A surname meaning "grace" or "favor" from the Hebrew name Hannah.

What does the Ann map show?

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