NameCensus.

UK surname

Ball

An occupational surname referring to a rotund or bald person, or a maker or user of balls.

In the 1881 census there were 24,730 people recorded with the Ball surname, ranking it #136 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 35,448, ranked #146, down from #136 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolsover, West Lancashire and Staffordshire Moorlands.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ball is 37,538 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.3%.

1881 census count

24,730

Ranked #136

Modern count

35,448

2016, ranked #146

Peak year

1999

37,538 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ball had 24,730 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #136 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 35,448 in 2016, ranked #146.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 35,510 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ball surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ball surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ball 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 15,133 #144
1861 historical 17,721 #121
1881 historical 24,730 #136
1891 historical 27,728 #124
1901 historical 31,756 #128
1911 historical 35,510 #106
1997 modern 35,598 #134
1998 modern 37,303 #134
1999 modern 37,538 #134
2000 modern 37,278 #134
2001 modern 36,354 #135
2002 modern 36,936 #137
2003 modern 35,989 #140
2004 modern 35,769 #141
2005 modern 35,085 #141
2006 modern 34,923 #142
2007 modern 35,027 #142
2008 modern 35,103 #142
2009 modern 35,704 #144
2010 modern 36,387 #145
2011 modern 35,902 #143
2012 modern 35,311 #143
2013 modern 35,986 #143
2014 modern 36,113 #145
2015 modern 35,623 #146
2016 modern 35,448 #146

Geography

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Where Balls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and North Meols. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolsover, West Lancashire 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 North Meols Lancashire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolsover 009 Bolsover
2 West Lancashire 001 West Lancashire
3 West Lancashire 002 West Lancashire
4 Staffordshire Moorlands 005 Staffordshire Moorlands
5 Staffordshire Moorlands 001 Staffordshire Moorlands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ball

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ball

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Ball is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Ball 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

Ball falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Ball

The surname Ball originated in medieval England, deriving from the Old English pre-7th century word 'beal' or 'beall', meaning a rounded hill or elevated ground. This name would have been used to distinguish people who lived on or near such geographical features.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Ball appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, compiled by order of William the Conqueror. Here, the name is listed as 'Balle' in the county of Suffolk. This early spelling variation highlights the name's longevity and Anglo-Saxon roots.

During the 13th century, the name was found in various regions across England, including Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire. Place names like Bawldwin Ball in Staffordshire and Ballinghall in Warwickshire may have contributed to the surname's development and spread.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Ball include John Ball, a influential rebel leader during the Peasants' Revolt of 1381. Another early figure was Thomas Ball, born around 1590, who served as an English clergyman and became the 37th Master of Christ's College, Cambridge.

In the 17th century, the Ball family established themselves as prominent landowners in Gloucestershire. One member, Sir Peter Ball (1615-1680), served as a Royalist officer during the English Civil War and later became a member of Parliament.

The 18th century saw the rise of George Ball (1765-1856), a prominent English lawyer and judge who served as Recorder of London and a Baron of the Exchequer. Meanwhile, John Ball (1585-1640), born in Cassington, Oxfordshire, was an influential Puritan minister and one of the earliest writers on the subject of covenant theology.

In the 19th century, Dyer Ball (1796-1869) gained recognition as an English naturalist and writer, publishing works on the flora and fauna of Ireland. Another notable figure was John Ball (1818-1889), an Irish mountain climber and naturalist who made significant contributions to the exploration of the European Alps.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals who have carried the surname Ball throughout history, reflecting its enduring presence and diverse origins across various regions of England and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ball families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ball 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. Lancashire leads with 4,415 Balls recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.54x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 4,415 1.54x
Middlesex 2,365 0.98x
Staffordshire 2,306 2.83x
Yorkshire 1,307 0.55x
Surrey 1,246 1.06x
Warwickshire 1,053 1.73x
Gloucestershire 969 2.05x
Devon 955 1.90x
Derbyshire 891 2.36x
Leicestershire 808 3.02x
Cheshire 800 1.50x
Nottinghamshire 701 2.16x
Somerset 666 1.71x
Cornwall 540 1.98x
Hampshire 484 0.98x
Shropshire 465 2.23x
Wiltshire 450 2.11x
Kent 445 0.54x
Northamptonshire 417 1.84x
Worcestershire 329 1.04x
Sussex 300 0.74x
Glamorgan 289 0.69x
Durham 243 0.34x
Buckinghamshire 238 1.63x
Essex 211 0.44x
Berkshire 210 1.16x
Dorset 173 1.09x
Bedfordshire 168 1.34x
Lincolnshire 140 0.36x
Monmouthshire 131 0.75x
Oxfordshire 104 0.70x
Cambridgeshire 97 0.63x
Huntingdonshire 81 1.69x
Hertfordshire 80 0.48x
Lanarkshire 57 0.07x
Herefordshire 52 0.53x
Northumberland 52 0.14x
Suffolk 50 0.17x
Rutland 45 2.54x
Flintshire 41 0.63x
Isle of Man 37 0.83x
Norfolk 35 0.09x
Channel Islands 32 0.45x
Royal Navy 32 1.11x
Brecknockshire 30 0.62x
Cardiganshire 23 0.39x
Pembrokeshire 19 0.25x
Cumberland 18 0.09x
Renfrewshire 17 0.09x
Radnorshire 14 0.72x
Denbighshire 10 0.11x
Midlothian 10 0.03x
Anglesey 9 0.21x
Caernarfonshire 9 0.09x
Carmarthenshire 9 0.09x
Stirlingshire 9 0.10x
Kirkcudbrightshire 8 0.23x
Perthshire 6 0.06x
Westmorland 6 0.11x
Angus 5 0.02x
Ayrshire 5 0.03x
Morayshire 5 0.13x
Dumfriesshire 4 0.08x
Fife 4 0.03x
Montgomeryshire 3 0.05x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.02x
Wigtownshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Meols in Lancashire leads with 627 Balls recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.37x.

Place Total Index
North Meols 627 22.37x
Stoke Upon Trent 394 4.56x
Birmingham 289 1.42x
Lambeth 256 1.22x
Aston 248 1.48x
Islington London 247 1.06x
St Pancras London 227 1.17x
Leicester St Margaret 199 3.05x
Wolstanton 199 8.04x
Kensington London 189 1.41x
Liverpool 171 0.98x
Newington 165 1.85x
Leek Lowe 155 14.30x
Nottingham St Mary 152 1.81x
Everton 147 1.61x
Camberwell 141 0.91x
Bethnal Green London 140 1.34x
Manchester 137 1.06x
Shoreditch London 137 1.31x
Hackney London 133 0.98x
Preston 129 1.68x
Walsall Foreign 127 3.02x
Portsea 122 1.26x
West Derby 120 1.43x
Bermondsey 118 1.64x
Stoke Damerel 108 3.07x
St Marylebone London 104 0.81x
Congleton 102 11.08x
Sedgley 101 3.34x
Wycombe 100 9.20x
Salford 99 1.18x
Toxteth Park 98 1.01x
Mile End Old Town London 93 1.81x
Birkdale 91 12.56x
Battersea 89 1.00x
Bedminster 84 2.30x
Dudley 83 2.17x
Wellington 83 7.08x
West Ham 83 0.79x
Dawley 82 10.81x
Hammersmith London 82 1.38x
South Normanton 78 29.39x
Chelsea London 77 1.06x
Paddington London 77 0.87x
Leeds 76 0.56x
Leicester St Mary 76 3.52x
Macclesfield 76 3.21x
Rainhill 73 39.79x
Mansfield 72 6.40x
St George Hanover Square 71 1.67x
Burslem 69 2.96x
Wolverhampton 68 1.09x
Blackburn 67 0.88x
Clifton 66 2.76x
Radford 66 3.99x
Hulme 64 1.07x
Wigan 64 1.60x
Kirkdale 62 1.29x
Southwark St George Martyr 62 1.28x
Walcot 62 3.00x
Kingswinford 61 2.06x
Plymouth St Andrew 61 1.58x
Tarleton 61 38.74x
Bromley London 60 1.13x
Gomersal 60 5.38x
Great Bolton 60 1.58x
Stone 59 5.66x
Thornton In Fylde 59 9.42x
Coventry Holy Trinity 58 3.19x
Warrington 58 1.71x
Ashton Under Lyne 57 0.91x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 57 1.28x
Oldham 57 0.62x
Alfreton 56 4.88x
Broseley 54 14.58x
Croydon 54 0.83x
Kirkby Mallory Earl 53 41.29x
Blackwell 52 28.00x
Plymouth Charles The 52 2.35x
Swansea Town 52 1.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,607
Elizabeth 1,042
Sarah 942
Jane 514
Ann 478
Alice 427
Emma 412
Ellen 402
Eliza 397
Annie 347
Hannah 309
Emily 271
Margaret 242
Martha 214
Harriet 174
Maria 163
Louisa 159
Ada 146
Charlotte 140
Fanny 135
Edith 129
Catherine 123
Florence 123
Clara 114
Lucy 107
Caroline 104
Kate 104
Anne 98
Frances 83
Susan 83
Agnes 73
Harriett 70
Amy 59
Matilda 59
Elizth. 57
Isabella 53
Minnie 52
Esther 50
Rose 50
Amelia 49
Rebecca 49
Sophia 49
Julia 46
Eleanor 45
Jessie 43
Selina 40
Susannah 40
Beatrice 38
Lizzie 38
Lydia 38

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 1,578
John 1,386
Thomas 907
George 860
James 788
Henry 563
Joseph 485
Charles 474
Samuel 293
Richard 286
Arthur 259
Edward 251
Alfred 243
Frederick 237
Robert 184
Albert 182
Walter 144
Harry 136
Frank 112
Edwin 99
Herbert 99
Ernest 85
David 82
Benjamin 80
Wm. 79
Francis 74
Peter 65
Isaac 54
Thos. 49
Daniel 48
Stephen 48
Abraham 43
Fredrick 37
Edmund 35
Fred 33
Enoch 27
Geo. 26
Gilbert 25
Mark 25
Fredk. 23
Jesse 23
Sidney 23
Tom 23
Alexander 21
Edgar 21
Joshua 20
Saml. 20
Josiah 19
Luke 19
Richd. 19

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 Ball households.

FAQ

Ball surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ball surname in 1881?

In 1881, 24,730 people were recorded with the Ball surname. That placed it at #136 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ball surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 35,448 in 2016. That gives Ball a modern rank of #146.

What does the Ball surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a rotund or bald person, or a maker or user of balls.

What does the Ball map show?

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