NameCensus.

UK surname

Auburn

Surname referring to someone originating from a place named Auburn.

In the 1881 census there were 95 people recorded with the Auburn surname, ranking it #20,349 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 188, ranked #20,417, down from #20,349 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Fryern Barnet, St Leonard Shoreditch and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Central Bedfordshire, South Gloucestershire and Northampton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Auburn is 194 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 97.9%.

1881 census count

95

Ranked #20,349

Modern count

188

2016, ranked #20,417

Peak year

2000

194 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Auburn had 95 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,349 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 188 in 2016, ranked #20,417.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 151 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Auburn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Auburn surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Auburn 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 25 #28,853
1861 historical 56 #26,864
1881 historical 95 #20,349
1891 historical 104 #23,388
1901 historical 130 #19,649
1911 historical 151 #17,797
1997 modern 178 #18,958
1998 modern 186 #18,918
1999 modern 185 #19,127
2000 modern 194 #18,554
2001 modern 184 #18,907
2002 modern 188 #19,012
2003 modern 187 #18,856
2004 modern 185 #19,114
2005 modern 178 #19,535
2006 modern 186 #19,140
2007 modern 189 #19,146
2008 modern 193 #19,077
2009 modern 185 #20,010
2010 modern 186 #20,379
2011 modern 185 #20,288
2012 modern 185 #20,223
2013 modern 181 #20,879
2014 modern 189 #20,441
2015 modern 192 #20,138
2016 modern 188 #20,417

Geography

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Where Auburns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Fryern Barnet, St Leonard Shoreditch, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory, St John Hackney and Langford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Central Bedfordshire, South Gloucestershire, Northampton and North Hertfordshire. 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 Fryern Barnet Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
4 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
5 Langford Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Central Bedfordshire 010 Central Bedfordshire
2 South Gloucestershire 004 South Gloucestershire
3 Northampton 020 Northampton
4 South Gloucestershire 011 South Gloucestershire
5 North Hertfordshire 014 North Hertfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Auburn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Auburn

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Auburn is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Auburn 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

Auburn falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Auburn is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Auburn

The surname AUBURN has its origins in England, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English words "æl" meaning "elf" and "burna" meaning "stream" or "brook," suggesting a connection to a location near a stream inhabited by elves or sprites according to folklore.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name AUBURN can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Alburna" in reference to a settlement in Wiltshire. This indicates that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

During the 13th century, variations of the name such as "Alburne" and "Alborn" were documented in historical records, reflecting the evolution of the spelling over time. It is believed that the name may have originated as a place name before becoming a surname.

Notable individuals with the surname AUBURN include Sir John Auburn (1435-1492), a prominent knight and landowner in Warwickshire during the Wars of the Roses. Another noteworthy figure was Robert Auburn (1568-1637), a successful merchant and benefactor who established a charitable foundation in London.

In the 17th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as "Auborne" and "Auburne," as evidenced in parish records and legal documents. One example is William Auborne (1621-1684), a respected lawyer and judge who served in the Court of Common Pleas.

The 18th century saw the emergence of several notable AUBURN individuals, including the writer and poet Elizabeth Auburn (1723-1786) and the renowned landscape architect Lancelot Auburn (1749-1828), known for his work on several grand estates in England.

By the 19th century, the spelling had largely settled on the modern form of "AUBURN." One prominent figure from this period was the explorer and naturalist Charles Auburn (1837-1909), who undertook expeditions to Africa and published several books on his travels and discoveries.

Over the centuries, the surname AUBURN has been associated with various locations in England, particularly in the counties of Wiltshire, Warwickshire, and Surrey, where the name has deep historical roots. While the name has spread globally, its origins can be traced back to the picturesque English countryside and its connection to the elven folklore of the medieval period.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Auburn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Auburn 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 28 Auburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.02x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 28 3.02x
Bedfordshire 18 37.52x
Northamptonshire 13 14.92x
Cumberland 8 10.03x
Surrey 8 1.77x
Angus 7 8.15x
Lancashire 5 0.45x
Lanarkshire 3 1.00x
Durham 1 0.36x
Kent 1 0.32x
Northumberland 1 0.73x
Oxfordshire 1 1.75x
Yorkshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stotfold in Bedfordshire leads with 18 Auburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 1956.52x.

Place Total Index
Stotfold 18 1956.52x
Northampton Priory St 13 248.57x
Lambeth 8 9.90x
Shoreditch London 8 19.92x
Islington London 6 6.68x
Kirriemuir 6 283.02x
Hackney London 5 9.62x
Moss Side 5 86.36x
Bethnal Green London 4 9.94x
Keswick 4 392.16x
Hornsey 3 25.60x
Walton 3 2307.69x
Lanark 2 82.99x
Caldewgate 1 22.88x
Deptford St Paul 1 4.10x
Eassie Nevay 1 555.56x
Gorbals 1 56.18x
Holy Trinity 1 4.53x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 13.99x
Ratcliffe London 1 19.53x
St George Bloomsbury 1 18.80x
Stockton On Tees 1 7.52x
Wood Eaton 1 5000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 7
Mary 5
Elizabeth 4
Ann 3
Ellen 3
Jane 3
Alice 2
Florence 2
Ada 1
Edith 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Rosine 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 7
John 6
George 5
Walter 4
William 4
Alfred 3
Frederick 2
Henry 2
James 2
Arthur 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Josiah 1
Louis 1
Nicholas 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Auburn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Auburn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 95 people were recorded with the Auburn surname. That placed it at #20,349 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Auburn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 188 in 2016. That gives Auburn a modern rank of #20,417.

What does the Auburn surname mean?

Surname referring to someone originating from a place named Auburn.

What does the Auburn map show?

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