NameCensus.

UK surname

Argue

A surname derived from the Old French word "arguer", meaning to argue or dispute.

In the 1881 census there were 14 people recorded with the Argue surname, ranking it #31,604 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 134, ranked #25,636, up from #31,604 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Summerston North, Solihull and Bishopbriggs West and Cadder.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Argue is 135 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 857.1%.

1881 census count

14

Ranked #31,604

Modern count

134

2016, ranked #25,636

Peak year

2014

135 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Argue had 14 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,604 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016, ranked #25,636.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 50 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Routine Occupations or Retirement.

Argue surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Argue surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Argue 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 13 #30,970
1861 historical 9 #32,724
1881 historical 14 #31,604
1891 historical 30 #31,889
1901 historical 50 #28,590
1911 historical 31 #29,952
1997 modern 111 #25,394
1998 modern 116 #25,332
1999 modern 125 #24,366
2000 modern 120 #24,950
2001 modern 119 #24,733
2002 modern 118 #25,358
2003 modern 116 #25,415
2004 modern 121 #24,939
2005 modern 117 #25,433
2006 modern 110 #26,717
2007 modern 114 #26,491
2008 modern 115 #26,635
2009 modern 120 #26,496
2010 modern 120 #27,124
2011 modern 118 #27,192
2012 modern 129 #25,705
2013 modern 133 #25,655
2014 modern 135 #25,581
2015 modern 130 #26,093
2016 modern 134 #25,636

Geography

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Where Argues 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 Summerston North, Solihull, Bishopbriggs West and Cadder, Redbridge and Lenzie North. 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 Summerston North Glasgow City
2 Solihull 021 Solihull
3 Bishopbriggs West and Cadder East Dunbartonshire
4 Redbridge 031 Redbridge
5 Lenzie North East Dunbartonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Argue

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Argue

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Routine Occupations or Retirement

Nationally, the Argue surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Routine Occupations or Retirement, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Argue household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are characterised by high proportions of single, often never-married adults of normal retirement age or older, including many that are in the most advanced age groups. Most adults are UK born and live at high residential densities, and many of the children living with parents are in adulthood. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are uncommon, but above average proportions of households include individuals that identify with different ethnic groups. Long-term disability is relatively common, and the dominant accommodation type is flats. Unemployment rates are high, with most of those employed working in routine occupations. Few individuals have high level qualifications. Car ownership is not high.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Argue is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Argue is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Argue 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 Argue 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 Argue, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Argue

The surname Argue is believed to have originated in the Auvergne region of south-central France during the medieval period. It is likely derived from the Old French word "arguer," meaning "to argue" or "to debate," suggesting that the name may have been initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone who was known for their argumentative nature or debating skills.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Argue can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "Arguil," which was likely a variant spelling of the French name.

In the 13th century, records show the presence of a family named Argue in the village of Arguel, located in the Franche-Comté region of eastern France. This place name may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Notable individuals with the surname Argue include:

1. Pierre Argue (c. 1500-1570), a French poet and philosopher who wrote extensively on the concept of free will and human agency.

2. Jean Argue (1620-1689), a French military officer who served in the Thirty Years' War and later became a respected military strategist and tactician.

3. Elizabeth Argue (1735-1801), an English writer and advocate for women's education who published several works on the importance of educating girls and young women.

4. William Argue (1809-1875), a Scottish painter and engraver known for his landscapes and portraits of notable figures of his time.

5. Charles Argue (1870-1942), a Canadian politician who served as a member of the House of Commons and was instrumental in the development of labor laws and workers' rights legislation in the early 20th century.

While the surname Argue has its roots in France, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly in English-speaking countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, where it has undergone various spelling variations over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Argue families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Argue 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 4 Argues recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.59x.

County Total Index
Kent 4 8.59x
Lanarkshire 3 6.80x
Lancashire 3 1.85x
Hertfordshire 2 21.28x
Hampshire 1 3.58x
Sussex 1 4.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Minster In Sheppey in Kent leads with 4 Argues recorded in 1881 and an index of 519.48x.

Place Total Index
Minster In Sheppey 4 519.48x
Glasgow 3 38.31x
Hemel Hempstead 2 476.19x
West Derby 2 42.19x
Aldershot 1 106.38x
Fairlight 1 5000.00x
Toxteth Park 1 18.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Catherine 3
Alice 1
Caroline 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 2
James 1
John 1
Robert 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 Argue households.

FAQ

Argue surname: questions and answers

How common was the Argue surname in 1881?

In 1881, 14 people were recorded with the Argue surname. That placed it at #31,604 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Argue surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016. That gives Argue a modern rank of #25,636.

What does the Argue surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old French word "arguer", meaning to argue or dispute.

What does the Argue map show?

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