NameCensus.

UK surname

Arch

A surname derived from the French word "arche" meaning ark or chest.

In the 1881 census there were 553 people recorded with the Arch surname, ranking it #6,244 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 490, ranked #10,129, down from #6,244 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Balsham, Kettering and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ceredigion, Barking and Dagenham and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Arch is 598 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.4%.

1881 census count

553

Ranked #6,244

Modern count

490

2016, ranked #10,129

Peak year

1911

598 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Arch had 553 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,244 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 490 in 2016, ranked #10,129.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 598 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Arch surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Arch surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Arch 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 355 #6,654
1861 historical 355 #7,198
1881 historical 553 #6,244
1891 historical 532 #7,053
1901 historical 553 #7,500
1911 historical 598 #6,857
1997 modern 497 #9,340
1998 modern 518 #9,342
1999 modern 521 #9,362
2000 modern 519 #9,352
2001 modern 509 #9,323
2002 modern 500 #9,625
2003 modern 515 #9,288
2004 modern 520 #9,244
2005 modern 505 #9,379
2006 modern 490 #9,613
2007 modern 484 #9,796
2008 modern 485 #9,864
2009 modern 504 #9,788
2010 modern 518 #9,778
2011 modern 510 #9,805
2012 modern 509 #9,734
2013 modern 510 #9,871
2014 modern 499 #10,090
2015 modern 488 #10,182
2016 modern 490 #10,129

Geography

Back to top

Where Archs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Balsham, Kettering, Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken, Doddington, Great and Walsall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ceredigion, Barking and Dagenham, Dudley, Doncaster and Walsall. 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 Balsham Cambridgeshire
2 Kettering Northamptonshire
3 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire
4 Doddington, Great Northamptonshire
5 Walsall Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ceredigion 011 Ceredigion
2 Barking and Dagenham 009 Barking and Dagenham
3 Dudley 021 Dudley
4 Doncaster 005 Doncaster
5 Walsall 021 Walsall

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Arch

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Arch

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Arch surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Arch household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Arch 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

Arch 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

Arch falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Arch is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Arch

The surname ARCH is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word 'arce' or 'arche', meaning 'ark' or 'chest'. It likely originated as an occupational surname for someone who made or sold arks, chests, or other wooden containers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ARCH can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Arche'. This suggests the name was already established in England by the 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records as 'Arche', 'Arches', and 'Atte Arche', indicating its use as a locational surname for someone living near an arch or arched structure.

Notable historical figures bearing the surname ARCH include John Arch (c. 1565-1654), an English clergyman and author, and Edward Arch (1638-1718), an English clergyman and academic.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name was also associated with several landed gentry families in counties like Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire. For instance, Sir John Arch (1594-1655) was a prominent landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire.

In the 18th century, the name appears in various parish records, particularly in the counties of Somerset and Gloucestershire, suggesting a concentration of ARCH families in those areas. One notable bearer from this period was Thomas Arch (1724-1804), an English agriculturist and writer on rural economics.

Moving into the 19th century, the surname ARCH continued to be found throughout England, with individuals like Joseph Arch (1826-1919), a prominent trade unionist and founder of the National Agricultural Labourers' Union.

Other notable individuals with the surname ARCH include the English cricketer Walter Arch (1835-1920), the British Army officer Sir Joseph Arch (1857-1935), and the American architect Joseph Milton Arch (1824-1892).

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Arch families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Arch 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. Warwickshire leads with 150 Archs recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.09x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 150 11.09x
Staffordshire 76 4.20x
Northamptonshire 67 13.28x
Cambridgeshire 43 12.65x
Yorkshire 38 0.71x
Lincolnshire 36 4.20x
Middlesex 26 0.48x
Gloucestershire 17 1.62x
Surrey 15 0.57x
Kent 12 0.66x
Devon 10 0.90x
Worcestershire 9 1.28x
Glamorgan 8 0.86x
Cardiganshire 7 5.35x
Anglesey 4 4.21x
Buckinghamshire 4 1.23x
Essex 4 0.38x
Lancashire 4 0.06x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.55x
Berkshire 3 0.74x
Suffolk 3 0.46x
Hampshire 2 0.18x
Herefordshire 2 0.91x
Norfolk 2 0.24x
Cheshire 1 0.08x
Leicestershire 1 0.17x
Oxfordshire 1 0.30x
Royal Navy 1 1.56x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Walsall Foreign in Staffordshire leads with 47 Archs recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.24x.

Place Total Index
Walsall Foreign 47 50.24x
Coventry St Michael 35 80.53x
Birmingham 28 6.21x
Coventry Holy Trinity 27 66.83x
Spalding 22 129.26x
Balsham 17 913.98x
Great Doddington 16 1467.89x
Leeds 15 5.00x
Aston 14 3.76x
Kettering 14 68.59x
Warwick St Mary 10 85.11x
Balsall 9 426.54x
Hunslet 9 10.86x
Thorney 9 238.73x
Berkswell 8 299.63x
Chesterton 8 76.34x
Islip 8 761.90x
Newington 8 4.04x
St Pancras London 8 1.85x
Tipton 8 14.43x
Cannock 7 22.15x
Cardiff St Mary 7 13.60x
Caron Uwch Clawdd 7 551.18x
Gloucester St John Baptist 7 102.94x
Horningsea 7 933.33x
Kensington London 7 2.35x
Lewisham 7 7.17x
Mears Ashby 7 752.69x
Rothwell 7 138.07x
Bedworth 6 60.79x
Handsworth 6 13.44x
Northampton Priory St 6 19.82x
Northfield 6 45.15x
Sheffield 6 3.54x
Stoke Damerel 6 7.68x
Quedgley 5 568.18x
St Margaret Lincoln 5 649.35x
Barford 4 303.03x
Beaumaris 4 114.29x
Beeston 4 48.13x
Darlaston 4 15.98x
Horton 4 253.16x
Tiverton 4 20.79x
Wellingborough 4 15.77x
Abinghall 3 612.24x
Ashford 3 16.83x
Billingborough 3 137.61x
Bow London 3 4.39x
Lambeth 3 0.64x
Old Windsor 3 64.38x
Sculcoates 3 3.56x
Wakefield 3 7.35x
West Bromwich 3 2.89x
Almeley 2 180.18x
Battersea 2 1.01x
Bethnal Green London 2 0.86x
Budbrooke 2 144.93x
Crowland 2 37.17x
Kidderminster Borough 2 4.88x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 2 8.07x
Leamington Priors 2 6.01x
Leyton Low 2 9.29x
Nuneaton 2 12.76x
Paddington London 2 1.01x
Peterborough 2 5.47x
Quadring 2 121.21x
St Marylebone London 2 0.70x
Withington 2 9.75x
Bury St Edmunds St James 1 5.73x
Canterbury St Paul 1 30.40x
Halesworth 1 21.60x
Hoyland Nether 1 7.67x
Islington London 1 0.19x
Lowestoft 1 3.24x
Lytham 1 10.29x
Oxford St Peter Le Bailey 1 60.61x
Shoreditch London 1 0.43x
St Marythe Less 1 48.31x
Stafford St Mary 1 3.90x
Yaverland 1 357.14x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
Joseph 29
William 25
John 23
Charles 21
Thomas 18
James 16
Arthur 10
George 9
Henry 9
Alfred 6
Benjamin 6
Frederick 6
Walter 6
Edward 5
Frank 4
Harry 4
Isaac 4
Nathan 4
Albert 3
David 3
Herbert 3
Samuel 3
Josiah 2
Peter 2
Robert 2
Wm. 2
Allan 1
Amos 1
Archer 1
Archibald 1
Austin 1
Chas. 1
Cyril 1
Daniel 1
Ebenezer 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk.W. 1
Fredrick 1
Hammond 1
Horace 1
Hotspur 1
Hugh 1
Hy. 1
Isaack 1
Jas. 1
Louis 1
Rowland 1
Saml.George 1
Sydney 1

FAQ

Arch surname: questions and answers

How common was the Arch surname in 1881?

In 1881, 553 people were recorded with the Arch surname. That placed it at #6,244 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Arch surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 490 in 2016. That gives Arch a modern rank of #10,129.

What does the Arch surname mean?

A surname derived from the French word "arche" meaning ark or chest.

What does the Arch map show?

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