NameCensus.

UK surname

Austen

An English surname derived from the Old English words "easti" meaning east and "tun" meaning estate or town.

In the 1881 census there were 2,294 people recorded with the Austen surname, ranking it #1,949 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,912, ranked #3,328, down from #1,949 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Tunbridge, Bidborough and Brenchley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ashford, Dover and Basingstoke and Deane.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Austen is 2,351 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 16.7%.

1881 census count

2,294

Ranked #1,949

Modern count

1,912

2016, ranked #3,328

Peak year

1911

2,351 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Austen had 2,294 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,949 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,912 in 2016, ranked #3,328.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,351 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Austen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Austen surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Austen 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 1,679 #1,714
1861 historical 1,403 #2,041
1881 historical 2,294 #1,949
1891 historical 1,972 #2,340
1901 historical 2,196 #2,460
1911 historical 2,351 #2,175
1997 modern 2,007 #3,044
1998 modern 2,056 #3,090
1999 modern 2,053 #3,115
2000 modern 2,039 #3,118
2001 modern 1,986 #3,128
2002 modern 1,988 #3,193
2003 modern 1,936 #3,197
2004 modern 1,922 #3,210
2005 modern 1,828 #3,317
2006 modern 1,842 #3,309
2007 modern 1,848 #3,321
2008 modern 1,859 #3,329
2009 modern 1,908 #3,329
2010 modern 1,959 #3,330
2011 modern 1,965 #3,281
2012 modern 1,959 #3,238
2013 modern 1,976 #3,277
2014 modern 1,975 #3,298
2015 modern 1,944 #3,306
2016 modern 1,912 #3,328

Geography

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Where Austens are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Ashford, Dover and Basingstoke and Deane. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
3 London parishes London 3
4 Brenchley Kent
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ashford 002 Ashford
2 Dover 011 Dover
3 Ashford 007 Ashford
4 Basingstoke and Deane 007 Basingstoke and Deane
5 Ashford 001 Ashford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Austen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Austen

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Austen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Austen household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Austen 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

Austen is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Austen

The surname Austen is of English origin, derived from the ancient Germanic name "Austin". It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "Aust", meaning "east" or "rising sun", which was a common name prefix in the early medieval period.

The name Austen first appeared in historical records during the 11th century, shortly after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. It is mentioned in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and their properties commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Austen surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1176, where a certain Richard de Austen is listed as a landowner. The name was initially spelled in various ways, such as Auste, Austyn, and Austeyn, before settling into its modern form.

The Austen family was particularly prominent in the county of Kent, where they owned lands and estates in the village of Austen, near Tenterden. This place name likely contributed to the surname's establishment and spread.

Notable individuals bearing the Austen surname include:

1. Thomas Austen (c. 1370 - c. 1420), an English politician and member of the House of Commons. 2. Sir Robert Austen (c. 1580 - 1637), an English merchant and politician who served as Sheriff of London. 3. Jane Austen (1775 - 1817), the renowned English novelist known for her works such as "Pride and Prejudice", "Sense and Sensibility", and "Emma". 4. Sir Francis Austen (1774 - 1865), a British naval officer and the younger brother of Jane Austen. 5. Ralph Austen (1809 - 1876), an English naturalist and writer, best known for his work on the flora and fauna of the New Forest.

Throughout its history, the Austen surname has been associated with prominent figures in various fields, including literature, politics, and the military. Its enduring legacy is a testament to the rich cultural heritage of England and the lasting impact of its historical surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Austen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Austen 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 1,149 Austens recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.00x.

County Total Index
Kent 1,149 15.00x
Middlesex 286 1.27x
Sussex 208 5.49x
Surrey 170 1.55x
Essex 50 1.13x
Hampshire 47 1.02x
Yorkshire 37 0.17x
Suffolk 34 1.24x
Lancashire 30 0.11x
Staffordshire 29 0.38x
Hertfordshire 28 1.81x
Gloucestershire 25 0.57x
Cheshire 20 0.40x
Wiltshire 20 1.01x
Warwickshire 17 0.30x
Devon 12 0.26x
Leicestershire 12 0.48x
Cornwall 11 0.43x
Huntingdonshire 11 2.47x
Buckinghamshire 10 0.74x
Lincolnshire 9 0.25x
Somerset 9 0.25x
Northumberland 8 0.24x
Oxfordshire 8 0.58x
Norfolk 7 0.20x
Midlothian 6 0.20x
Royal Navy 6 2.24x
Durham 5 0.07x
Northamptonshire 5 0.24x
Berkshire 4 0.24x
Flintshire 4 0.66x
Angus 3 0.14x
Dorset 3 0.20x
Glamorgan 3 0.08x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.10x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.42x
Channel Islands 2 0.30x
Shropshire 2 0.10x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.07x
Derbyshire 1 0.03x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.20x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.31x
Lanarkshire 1 0.01x
Shetland 1 0.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ramsgate in Kent leads with 82 Austens recorded in 1881 and an index of 65.57x.

Place Total Index
Ramsgate 82 65.57x
Tenterden 50 185.05x
Lambeth 47 2.40x
Tonbridge 44 15.92x
Ashford 42 56.29x
St Peters 38 107.22x
Brenenden 31 314.72x
St Pancras London 31 1.72x
Brighton 27 3.53x
Limehouse London 26 10.55x
Maidstone 26 11.39x
Islington London 25 1.15x
Margate St John Baptist 24 17.11x
Chatham 23 10.91x
Hackney London 23 1.83x
Camberwell 21 1.46x
Hythe St Leonard 21 77.58x
Rochester St Margaret 21 25.99x
St Lawrence 20 37.97x
Canterbury St Mary 19 36.95x
Gravesend 19 29.29x
Rolvenden 19 191.53x
Sittingbourne 19 31.41x
East Malling 18 98.31x
Hove 18 10.84x
Kensington London 17 1.36x
Paddington London 17 2.06x
Wadhurst 17 68.38x
Gillingham 16 10.13x
Snodland 16 73.66x
Thorpe 16 341.15x
Biddenden 15 143.13x
Southampton St Mary 15 5.18x
St George Hanover Square 15 3.79x
Bradfield St George 14 410.56x
Hessett 14 425.53x
Kennington 14 245.61x
Marden 14 77.95x
St Marylebone London 14 1.17x
Barcombe 13 143.01x
Brookland 13 389.22x
Croydon 13 2.14x
Deptford St Paul 13 2.20x
Hastings St Mary 13 13.80x
Sevenoaks 13 20.93x
Westminster St Margaret 13 12.00x
Battersea 12 1.45x
Bermondsey 12 1.80x
Cranbrook 12 36.98x
Bridge 11 166.92x
Hackington St Stephen 11 224.03x
New Romney 11 139.42x
Pembury 11 101.29x
Bexley 10 14.76x
Bristol St Michael 10 26.48x
Broadwater 10 11.52x
Dover St James 10 29.78x
Dymchurch 10 235.29x
Horsham 10 13.60x
Newenden 10 854.70x
Northfleet 10 14.81x
Sturry 10 110.38x
Ashton Under Lyne 9 1.55x
Brading 9 14.71x
Brenchley 9 32.82x
Bromley 9 7.71x
Chartham 9 47.15x
Hastings St Andrew 9 66.32x
Staplehurst 9 71.54x
Tonge 9 368.85x
Walthamstow 9 5.64x
Winterbourne Bassett 9 447.76x
Wittersham 9 131.77x
Birchington 8 74.63x
East Mersea 8 368.66x
Elmsted 8 240.24x
Hawkhurst 8 33.60x
Ore 8 28.39x
Preston Next Wingham 8 232.56x
Whitechapel London 8 3.61x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 151
John 99
George 95
Henry 72
James 70
Thomas 49
Charles 47
Edward 45
Alfred 30
Frederick 27
Albert 26
Walter 25
Robert 24
Ernest 23
Arthur 22
Joseph 22
Frank 20
Samuel 19
Harry 17
Richard 13
Daniel 11
Francis 11
Herbert 10
Stephen 9
Edgar 6
Ambrose 5
Edwin 5
Fredrick 5
Jesse 5
Thos. 5
Tom 5
Benjamin 4
Harold 4
Abraham 3
Alexander 3
David 3
Edmund 3
Geo. 3
Horace 3
Lewis 3
Fredk. 2
Jeffery 2
Jessie 2
Josiah 2
Mark 2
Nicholas 2
Norton 2
Peter 2
Shirley 2
Theophilus 2

FAQ

Austen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Austen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,294 people were recorded with the Austen surname. That placed it at #1,949 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Austen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,912 in 2016. That gives Austen a modern rank of #3,328.

What does the Austen surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English words "easti" meaning east and "tun" meaning estate or town.

What does the Austen map show?

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