NameCensus.

UK surname

Arthurs

A patronymic surname derived from the given name Arthur, meaning "noble" or "courageous."

In the 1881 census there were 455 people recorded with the Arthurs surname, ranking it #7,268 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,130, ranked #5,212, up from #7,268 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Hawkesbury and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Devon, Cotswold and The Vale of Glamorgan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Arthurs is 1,136 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 148.4%.

1881 census count

455

Ranked #7,268

Modern count

1,130

2016, ranked #5,212

Peak year

2014

1,136 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Arthurs had 455 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,268 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,130 in 2016, ranked #5,212.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 734 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Arthurs surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Arthurs surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Arthurs 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 126 #14,626
1861 historical 229 #10,660
1881 historical 455 #7,268
1891 historical 462 #7,917
1901 historical 683 #6,403
1911 historical 734 #5,850
1997 modern 1,080 #5,156
1998 modern 1,124 #5,158
1999 modern 1,104 #5,273
2000 modern 1,107 #5,244
2001 modern 1,095 #5,191
2002 modern 1,110 #5,235
2003 modern 1,067 #5,305
2004 modern 1,062 #5,341
2005 modern 1,034 #5,391
2006 modern 1,031 #5,424
2007 modern 1,044 #5,422
2008 modern 1,046 #5,443
2009 modern 1,086 #5,373
2010 modern 1,118 #5,362
2011 modern 1,120 #5,297
2012 modern 1,096 #5,307
2013 modern 1,132 #5,243
2014 modern 1,136 #5,261
2015 modern 1,127 #5,241
2016 modern 1,130 #5,212

Geography

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Where Arthurs' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Hawkesbury, London parishes, Featherstone and Swansea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Devon, Cotswold, The Vale of Glamorgan, Broxburn Kirkhill and Cornwall. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Hawkesbury Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Featherstone Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Swansea Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Devon 001 West Devon
2 Cotswold 002 Cotswold
3 The Vale of Glamorgan 003 Vale of Glamorgan
4 Broxburn Kirkhill West Lothian
5 Cornwall 024 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Arthurs

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Arthurs

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Arthurs surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Arthurs household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Arthurs 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

Arthurs 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

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

Meaning and origin of Arthurs

The surname Arthurs is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, derived from the given name Arthur, which itself traces its roots back to the ancient Britons. The name Arthur is thought to have its origins in the Celtic words 'artos', meaning bear, and 'viros', meaning man, potentially signifying qualities like courage and strength.

The earliest known record of the surname Arthurs can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Artur'. This census, commissioned by William the Conqueror, recorded landholders and their properties across England and parts of Wales. The presence of the name in this document suggests that Arthurs was an established surname by the 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the Arthurs family was predominantly concentrated in the counties of Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall in the southwest of England. Variations in spelling, such as 'Arthuris' and 'Arthurez', were common due to the inconsistencies in record-keeping at the time. Some early bearers of the name were likely associated with places like Arthurston (now Arthurstoun) in Renfrewshire, Scotland, or Arthur's Stone, a Neolithic chambered tomb in Herefordshire, England.

One notable figure from history bearing the surname Arthurs was John Arthurs (c. 1590-1654), a Welsh clergyman and puritan writer. He served as the rector of Cheddon Fitzpaine in Somerset and published several religious works, including 'The Unmasking of Mental Reservations' in 1630.

Another prominent individual was Sir William Arthurs (1642-1712), a British soldier and member of Parliament. He fought in the Nine Years' War and the War of the Spanish Succession, earning recognition for his military service. Sir William represented the borough of Queenborough in the House of Commons from 1701 to 1705.

In the 18th century, Thomas Arthurs (1718-1792) was a successful merchant and landowner in Bristol, England. He amassed a considerable fortune through his trading ventures and was influential in local affairs.

Moving into the 19th century, Charles Arthurs (1823-1897) was a noted civil engineer and surveyor. He was responsible for the construction of several major railway lines in England and Wales, including the Mid-Wales Railway.

Lastly, William Arthurs (1860-1943) was a British educator and author. He served as the headmaster of several prestigious schools in England and wrote extensively on topics related to education and child development.

While the surname Arthurs may have originated from humble beginnings, its bearers have left their mark across various fields, including religion, military service, commerce, engineering, and education, contributing to the rich tapestry of history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Arthurs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Arthurs 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. Devon leads with 95 Arthurs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.26x.

County Total Index
Devon 95 10.26x
Gloucestershire 81 9.28x
Yorkshire 40 0.91x
Middlesex 29 0.65x
Oxfordshire 25 9.10x
Surrey 25 1.15x
Lancashire 20 0.38x
Durham 18 1.36x
Glamorgan 13 1.68x
Kent 10 0.66x
Pembrokeshire 9 6.37x
Warwickshire 9 0.80x
Worcestershire 9 1.55x
Lanarkshire 7 0.49x
Somerset 7 0.98x
Berkshire 5 1.50x
Cumberland 5 1.31x
Derbyshire 5 0.72x
Cheshire 4 0.41x
Midlothian 4 0.67x
Staffordshire 4 0.27x
Anglesey 3 3.81x
Clackmannanshire 3 8.17x
Cornwall 3 0.60x
Leicestershire 3 0.61x
Brecknockshire 2 2.25x
Dunbartonshire 2 1.67x
Shropshire 2 0.52x
Stirlingshire 2 1.22x
Wiltshire 2 0.51x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.35x
Flintshire 1 0.84x
Hampshire 1 0.11x
Herefordshire 1 0.55x
Hertfordshire 1 0.33x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.13x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.17x
Royal Navy 1 1.89x
Sussex 1 0.13x
Wigtownshire 1 1.69x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whitwood in Yorkshire leads with 22 Arthurs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 351.44x.

Place Total Index
Whitwood 22 351.44x
Tiverton 20 125.39x
Fifield 18 4736.84x
Hawkesbury 11 370.37x
Uplowman 11 1803.28x
Alderley 10 7142.86x
Poughill 10 2500.00x
St Anne Soho London 10 39.37x
Aston 9 2.91x
Burlescombe 9 714.29x
Erith 9 60.20x
Little Rissington 9 2571.43x
Longborough 9 937.50x
Crediton 8 91.22x
Llangwm 8 601.50x
Normanton 8 60.38x
Penderry 8 583.94x
Thornbury 8 134.23x
Whickham 8 65.68x
Govan 7 1.97x
Lambeth 7 1.80x
Ribbesford 7 144.93x
St Luke London 7 9.81x
St Martin In Fields 7 26.29x
Bourton On The Water 6 337.08x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 7.30x
Croydon 6 4.99x
Exeter St Sidwell 6 28.29x
Lostock 6 504.20x
Lower Swell 6 967.74x
Berkeley 5 103.09x
Bishop Auckland 5 28.17x
Burford 5 210.08x
Cleator 5 31.37x
East West Hanney 5 381.68x
Sampford Peverell 5 510.20x
Walcot 5 13.11x
Colinton 4 60.24x
New Windsor 4 416.67x
Swansea Town 4 6.30x
Whalley 4 52.02x
Brampton 3 30.83x
Bristol St James In 3 23.38x
Bury 3 4.98x
Conside Knitsley 3 29.15x
Culmstock 3 229.01x
Holyhead 3 20.41x
Hunslet 3 4.36x
Leicester St Margaret 3 2.49x
Manchester 3 1.26x
Oakford 3 394.74x
Rewe 3 697.67x
Stockport 3 5.94x
Tavistock 3 28.44x
Tillicoultry 3 36.72x
Castle Combe 2 266.67x
Cheltenham 2 2.97x
Combmartin 2 99.50x
East Stonehouse 2 10.96x
Handsworth 2 17.17x
Lanteglos 2 85.84x
Patshull 2 689.66x
Plymouth Charles The 2 4.90x
Row 2 12.94x
Sheffield 2 1.43x
St Marylebone London 2 0.84x
Stirling 2 9.67x
Stoodleigh 2 298.51x
Stow On The Wold 2 103.09x
Wellington 2 9.26x
West Derby 2 1.30x
Westoe 2 2.67x
Betley 1 80.00x
Croxton 1 222.22x
Eckington 1 5.91x
Lewisham 1 1.24x
Shipton Under Wychwood 1 56.50x
Stoke Damerel 1 1.54x
Watford 1 4.21x
Yeadon 1 10.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Elizabeth 16
Ann 12
Sarah 12
Jane 10
Alice 6
Ellen 6
Emma 6
Harriet 6
Annie 5
Martha 5
Emily 4
Charlotte 3
Edith 3
Fanny 3
Florance 3
Florence 3
Hannah 3
Louisa 3
Margaret 3
Ada 2
Anne 2
Clara 2
Eliza 2
Grace 2
Harriett 2
Jeannette 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Lillian 2
Lily 2
Lucy 2
Mabel 2
Rebecca 2
Rosa 2
Susan 2
Anna 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Cora 1
Ella 1
Ellin 1
Elsie 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Hester 1
Janthe 1
Jenefar 1
Lilian 1
Thurza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 26
William 23
George 15
Thomas 12
James 9
Joseph 8
Albert 7
Henry 7
Edward 6
Abraham 5
Frederick 5
Alfred 4
Frank 4
Richard 4
Samuel 4
Walter 4
Arthur 3
Benjamin 3
Ernest 3
Fredrick 3
Robert 3
Sidney 3
Stephen 3
Charles 2
David 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Hugh 2
Isaac 2
Tom 2
Eber 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Eloy 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Frederk. 1
Hubert 1
Joshua 1
Leondra 1
Lewin 1
Lewis 1
Lydia 1
Michael 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Reginald 1
Reuben 1
Reubin 1
Winefred 1

FAQ

Arthurs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Arthurs surname in 1881?

In 1881, 455 people were recorded with the Arthurs surname. That placed it at #7,268 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Arthurs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,130 in 2016. That gives Arthurs a modern rank of #5,212.

What does the Arthurs surname mean?

A patronymic surname derived from the given name Arthur, meaning "noble" or "courageous."

What does the Arthurs map show?

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