NameCensus.

UK surname

Ash

An English toponymic surname referring to someone who lived near an ash tree or a place with ash trees.

In the 1881 census there were 4,883 people recorded with the Ash surname, ranking it #911 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,188, ranked #1,091, down from #911 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wyre Forest, Lewes and Isle of Wight.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ash is 6,646 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.7%.

1881 census count

4,883

Ranked #911

Modern count

6,188

2016, ranked #1,091

Peak year

1998

6,646 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ash had 4,883 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #911 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,188 in 2016, ranked #1,091.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,120 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ash surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ash surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ash 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 3,403 #840
1881 historical 4,883 #911
1891 historical 53 #29,946
1901 historical 6,120 #909
1997 modern 6,417 #1,017
1998 modern 6,646 #1,017
1999 modern 6,629 #1,038
2000 modern 6,562 #1,041
2001 modern 6,368 #1,050
2002 modern 6,467 #1,056
2003 modern 6,341 #1,056
2004 modern 6,304 #1,059
2005 modern 6,167 #1,065
2006 modern 6,147 #1,068
2007 modern 6,163 #1,069
2008 modern 6,200 #1,069
2009 modern 6,308 #1,072
2010 modern 6,422 #1,081
2011 modern 6,343 #1,080
2012 modern 6,173 #1,085
2013 modern 6,256 #1,090
2014 modern 6,318 #1,086
2015 modern 6,229 #1,088
2016 modern 6,188 #1,091

Geography

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Where Ashs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, London parishes, Lambeth and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wyre Forest, Lewes, Isle of Wight, South Hams and Staffordshire Moorlands. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wyre Forest 009 Wyre Forest
2 Lewes 003 Lewes
3 Isle of Wight 002 Isle of Wight
4 South Hams 007 South Hams
5 Staffordshire Moorlands 002 Staffordshire Moorlands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ash

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ash

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Ash is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ash 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

Ash falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Ash

The surname Ash has its origins in England and dates back to the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "aesc," which means ash tree. This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived near or was associated with an ash tree or a location where ash trees grew abundantly.

One of the earliest known records of the surname Ash can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de Aessce" and "de Asse." This suggests that the name was already in use during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century.

In the 13th century, the surname Ash appeared in various forms, such as "Asse," "Ashe," and "Aysshe," reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation at the time. The name was also associated with various place names, such as Ash in Derbyshire, Ash in Hampshire, and Ash in Somerset, indicating that the name may have originated from these locations.

One notable early bearer of the surname Ash was John Ash, a 14th-century English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Derbyshire in 1376 and 1379. Another prominent figure was Thomas Ash, a 15th-century English writer and translator who lived from approximately 1425 to 1490.

In the 16th century, the surname Ash gained further prominence with individuals like Valentine Ash, an English clergyman and writer who lived from 1530 to 1608. He is known for his work "The Supplie of Dearth," which addressed the issue of food scarcity in England.

The 17th century saw the birth of John Ash, an English philologist and lexicographer who lived from 1624 to 1686. He is best known for his work "The New and Complete Dictionary of the English Language," which was published in 1775.

In the 18th century, Edward Ash, an English politician and landowner, lived from 1718 to 1802. He served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset and was known for his involvement in the American Revolutionary War.

Throughout history, the surname Ash has been associated with various notable individuals across different fields, such as literature, politics, and academia, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of those who have carried this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ash families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ash 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. Middlesex leads with 662 Ashs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.37x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 662 1.37x
Devon 584 5.81x
Staffordshire 519 3.19x
Surrey 356 1.51x
Yorkshire 309 0.65x
Somerset 246 3.17x
Hampshire 235 2.38x
Gloucestershire 184 1.94x
Kent 170 1.03x
Warwickshire 163 1.34x
Lancashire 155 0.27x
Lincolnshire 127 1.65x
Cornwall 102 1.87x
Nottinghamshire 102 1.57x
Wiltshire 102 2.39x
Derbyshire 101 1.34x
Durham 99 0.69x
Cheshire 82 0.77x
Glamorgan 75 0.89x
Worcestershire 64 1.02x
Leicestershire 56 1.05x
Shropshire 45 1.08x
Buckinghamshire 42 1.44x
Dorset 42 1.33x
Sussex 42 0.52x
Oxfordshire 32 1.07x
Essex 25 0.26x
Cumberland 24 0.58x
Cambridgeshire 19 0.62x
Lanarkshire 18 0.12x
Berkshire 17 0.47x
Northamptonshire 17 0.37x
Norfolk 15 0.20x
Northumberland 14 0.20x
Renfrewshire 13 0.35x
Perthshire 12 0.55x
Hertfordshire 11 0.33x
Bedfordshire 10 0.40x
Monmouthshire 9 0.26x
Channel Islands 8 0.56x
Denbighshire 7 0.38x
Royal Navy 7 1.22x
Ayrshire 5 0.14x
Pembrokeshire 4 0.26x
Dumfriesshire 3 0.28x
Suffolk 3 0.05x
Rutland 2 0.56x
Angus 1 0.02x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.05x
Flintshire 1 0.08x
Herefordshire 1 0.05x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.10x
Isle of Man 1 0.11x
Kinross-shire 1 0.82x
Midlothian 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 87 Ashs recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.49x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 87 4.49x
Lambeth 84 2.00x
Willenhall 76 24.91x
Stoke Upon Trent 75 4.34x
St Marylebone London 69 2.68x
Rotherhithe 56 9.39x
Tormoham 52 12.23x
Birmingham 49 1.21x
Nottingham St Mary 48 2.85x
Aston 46 1.37x
Islington London 46 0.98x
Wolverhampton 42 3.35x
Bethnal Green London 41 1.96x
Carisbrooke 39 28.40x
Newington 39 2.19x
Kings Norton 37 6.55x
Paul 37 37.28x
Walsall Foreign 35 4.16x
St Pancras London 33 0.85x
Kensington London 32 1.19x
Bayards Leap 30 371.29x
Brixham 29 24.92x
Sheffield 29 1.90x
Camberwell 28 0.91x
St George Hanover Square 28 3.29x
Chelsea London 27 1.86x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 27 4.34x
East Stonehouse 26 13.14x
Plymouth St Andrew 26 3.36x
Clapham 25 4.14x
Plymouth Charles The 25 5.65x
Stranton 25 5.17x
Hampstead London 24 3.19x
Mile End Old Town London 24 2.34x
Stone 24 11.52x
Bedminster 23 3.15x
Leek Lowe 23 10.61x
Swanbourne 23 288.94x
Battersea 22 1.24x
Avebury 21 175.15x
Leeds 21 0.78x
Llanwonno 21 6.96x
Darlaston 20 8.88x
Ecclesall Bierlow 20 2.06x
St George In East London 20 4.41x
Stoke Damerel 20 2.84x
North Tawton 19 61.57x
St Andrew Holborn London 19 9.09x
Colwich 18 46.49x
Croydon 18 1.38x
Dilhorne 18 66.40x
Fulham London 18 2.57x
Leicester St Margaret 18 1.38x
Seavington St Mary 18 358.57x
Bridgewater 17 8.06x
Burton Upon Trent 17 4.46x
Leek Frith 17 125.37x
Madron Penzance 17 8.56x
Newbold Dunston 17 23.67x
Paddington London 17 0.96x
Southwark St George Martyr 17 1.75x
Deptford St Paul 16 1.26x
Liverpool 16 0.46x
Westminster St Margaret 16 6.87x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 15 3.37x
Newport 15 27.96x
Saltby 15 334.08x
St Luke London 15 1.94x
Tiverton 15 8.67x
Washingborough 15 124.58x
Willesden 15 3.30x
Derby St Peter 14 5.82x
Malborough 14 35.06x
Preston 14 0.91x
Sibertswold 14 161.48x
Beckenham 13 6.04x
Cheetham 13 3.04x
Exeter St Sidwell 13 5.65x
Finchley 13 7.03x
Govan 13 0.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 321
Elizabeth 209
Sarah 182
Jane 93
Ann 83
Eliza 74
Emma 72
Ellen 71
Annie 67
Emily 67
Alice 63
Caroline 45
Florence 41
Edith 36
Harriet 34
Margaret 34
Ada 33
Charlotte 32
Fanny 31
Martha 30
Hannah 29
Louisa 29
Kate 27
Maria 25
Harriett 24
Susan 24
Catherine 23
Rebecca 19
Anne 18
Clara 18
Amelia 17
Frances 17
Lucy 16
Matilda 15
Elizth. 14
Rose 14
Selina 14
Jessie 13
Agnes 12
Isabella 12
Bertha 11
Eleanor 11
Julia 11
Rosa 11
Susannah 11
Amy 10
Ethel 10
Gertrude 10
Sophia 10
Maud 9

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 339
John 263
George 184
Thomas 179
James 112
Henry 101
Charles 96
Joseph 86
Richard 65
Robert 60
Arthur 54
Frederick 54
Edward 53
Albert 43
Samuel 42
Alfred 36
Edwin 36
Harry 28
Ernest 26
Walter 26
Frank 21
Herbert 16
Francis 14
Thos. 12
David 11
Fred 11
Isaac 11
Fredrick 10
Wm. 10
Michael 9
Alexander 8
Percy 8
Edmund 7
Fredk. 7
Moses 7
Sydney 7
Benjamin 6
Daniel 6
Stephen 6
Amos 5
Luke 5
Hubert 4
Jacob 4
Oliver 4
Patrick 4
Philip 4
Reginald 4
Sidney 4
Willie 4
Willm. 4

FAQ

Ash surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ash surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,883 people were recorded with the Ash surname. That placed it at #911 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ash surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,188 in 2016. That gives Ash a modern rank of #1,091.

What does the Ash surname mean?

An English toponymic surname referring to someone who lived near an ash tree or a place with ash trees.

What does the Ash map show?

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