NameCensus.

UK surname

Ballam

A locational surname denoting an English person from any of several places named Ballam.

In the 1881 census there were 300 people recorded with the Ballam surname, ranking it #9,724 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 430, ranked #11,195, down from #9,724 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Toxteth Park and Horsham, Sullington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, East Dorset and Sevenoaks.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ballam is 461 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.3%.

1881 census count

300

Ranked #9,724

Modern count

430

2016, ranked #11,195

Peak year

2010

461 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ballam had 300 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,724 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 430 in 2016, ranked #11,195.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 436 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Ballam surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ballam surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ballam 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 195 #10,620
1861 historical 185 #12,799
1881 historical 300 #9,724
1891 historical 364 #9,538
1901 historical 436 #8,907
1911 historical 425 #8,877
1997 modern 442 #10,209
1998 modern 440 #10,581
1999 modern 427 #10,919
2000 modern 440 #10,629
2001 modern 436 #10,500
2002 modern 443 #10,577
2003 modern 426 #10,742
2004 modern 422 #10,838
2005 modern 416 #10,855
2006 modern 407 #11,087
2007 modern 409 #11,182
2008 modern 419 #11,058
2009 modern 445 #10,780
2010 modern 461 #10,701
2011 modern 446 #10,863
2012 modern 432 #11,015
2013 modern 436 #11,106
2014 modern 433 #11,262
2015 modern 432 #11,183
2016 modern 430 #11,195

Geography

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Where Ballams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Toxteth Park, Horsham, Sullington, Winterbourne Kingston and Lytchett Minster. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, East Dorset, Sevenoaks and Crawley. 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 3
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Horsham, Sullington Sussex
4 Winterbourne Kingston Dorset
5 Lytchett Minster Dorset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 047 Wiltshire
2 East Dorset 007 East Dorset
3 Sevenoaks 014 Sevenoaks
4 Crawley 006 Crawley
5 East Dorset 010 East Dorset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ballam

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ballam

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

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Ballam is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Ballam 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

Ballam falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Ballam

The surname Ballam has its origins in England, with records dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "balu" meaning "misfortune" or "evil," and "ham" meaning "home" or "village." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a place or settlement associated with calamity or hardship.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199, where a person named Adam de Balham is mentioned. This entry suggests that the name may have originated from the area of Balham, which is now a district in south London.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, variations of the name such as Baleham, Baluham, and Balleham can be found in various historical documents, including the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 and the Subsidy Rolls of 1327.

A notable figure bearing the Ballam surname was Sir John Ballam, a Member of Parliament for Worcestershire in the early 15th century. He served during the reign of King Henry V and was recorded as being present at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.

Another prominent individual was William Ballam, born in 1602 in Dorset, England. He was a renowned Puritan minister and writer who authored several religious works, including "The Believer's Golden Chain" and "The Saint's Anchor-Hold."

In the late 17th century, the Ballam name appears in connection with the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685, where a certain Thomas Ballam is recorded as having been involved in the uprising against King James II.

During the 18th century, the name is associated with the town of Balham Hill in Gloucestershire, which may have been derived from the surname itself. A notable figure from this time was John Ballam, born in 1723, who served as the Mayor of Bristol in 1783.

In the 19th century, one of the most well-known individuals with the Ballam surname was Alfred Ballam, born in 1840 in Warwickshire. He was a prominent figure in the Arts and Crafts movement and worked as an architect, designing several notable buildings in the Birmingham area.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ballam families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ballam 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. Dorset leads with 84 Ballams recorded in 1881 and an index of 43.59x.

County Total Index
Dorset 84 43.59x
Hampshire 34 5.65x
Somerset 31 6.56x
Lancashire 27 0.78x
Middlesex 22 0.75x
Surrey 21 1.47x
Yorkshire 18 0.62x
Gloucestershire 11 1.91x
Sussex 10 2.02x
Hertfordshire 6 2.96x
Kent 6 0.60x
Northamptonshire 6 2.17x
Cornwall 5 1.50x
Lincolnshire 5 1.07x
Suffolk 5 1.40x
Derbyshire 2 0.44x
Durham 2 0.23x
Lanarkshire 2 0.21x
Staffordshire 2 0.20x
Cheshire 1 0.15x
Wiltshire 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Winterborne Kingston in Dorset leads with 28 Ballams recorded in 1881 and an index of 5384.62x.

Place Total Index
Winterborne Kingston 28 5384.62x
Toxteth Park 16 13.56x
Christchurch 15 114.94x
Lytchett Minster 15 1764.71x
Holdenhurst 14 88.72x
Stockland Bristol 14 7368.42x
Winterborne Stickland 10 2083.33x
Bristol St George 8 30.04x
Nether Hallam 8 20.33x
Horsham 7 72.77x
Poole St James 7 96.69x
Ashton Under Lyne 6 7.88x
Battersea 6 5.55x
Little Gaddesden 6 1621.62x
Mile End Old Town London 6 9.60x
Newington 6 5.53x
Wembdon 6 428.57x
Bridgewater 5 38.97x
Longfleet 5 224.22x
Lytchett Matravers 5 714.29x
Phillack 5 116.55x
Southowram 5 56.31x
Spitalfields London 5 22.64x
Sutton St Mary 5 112.61x
Wellingborough 5 36.00x
Wetherden 5 1000.00x
Willesden 5 18.06x
Camberwell 4 2.13x
Liverpool 4 1.89x
Portsea 4 3.39x
Putney 4 29.90x
Hougham 3 50.34x
Margate St John Baptist 3 16.36x
Morden 3 365.85x
Skircoat 3 26.16x
Stourpaine 3 526.32x
Wimborne 3 128.76x
Armley 2 15.59x
Barcombe 2 168.07x
Barony 2 0.83x
Bristol St Peter 2 97.09x
Glossop Dale 2 9.29x
Midsomer Norton 2 44.94x
Shincliffe 2 206.19x
Shoreditch London 2 1.57x
St Marylebone London 2 1.28x
Wolverhampton 2 2.62x
Wrington 2 125.79x
All Hallows Less London 1 2500.00x
Blandford Forum 1 26.32x
Brighton 1 1.00x
Bristol St Paul In 1 6.52x
Chester St Olave 1 172.41x
Croydon 1 1.26x
Dorchester St Peter 1 71.43x
Great Bedwin 1 54.35x
Hardingstone 1 37.88x
Islington London 1 0.35x
Langton Long Blandford 1 357.14x
Long Ashton 1 42.74x
Preston 1 1.07x
Southampton All Sts 1 9.68x
Stogursey 1 78.74x
Sydling St Nicholas 1 178.57x
Winterborne Zelstone 1 666.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Elizabeth 11
Sarah 10
Jane 6
Ellen 5
Emily 5
Emma 5
Julia 5
Alice 4
Eliza 4
Louisa 4
Ann 3
Charlotte 3
Florence 3
Rose 3
Annie 2
Bella 2
Caroline 2
Edith 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Jessie 2
Kate 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Susan 2
Beatrice 1
Clara 1
Constance 1
Dina 1
Eliz. 1
Elizeabth 1
Emava 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Grace 1
Henrietta 1
Hesther 1
Jean 1
Laura 1
Lavinia 1
Leatha 1
Mabel 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Martha 1
Thurza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 17
Frederick 13
George 12
Thomas 12
John 10
Charles 9
James 9
Harry 6
Edwin 5
Arthur 4
Herbert 4
Joseph 4
Richard 4
Edward 3
Fredrick 3
Henry 3
Robert 3
Samuel 3
Ambrose 2
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Sidney 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Austin 1
Dickes 1
Earnest 1
Edmund 1
Ellis 1
Ernest 1
Fredk.C. 1
Harold 1
Levi 1
Lowther 1
Mervin 1
Michal 1
W. 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Ballam surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ballam surname in 1881?

In 1881, 300 people were recorded with the Ballam surname. That placed it at #9,724 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ballam surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 430 in 2016. That gives Ballam a modern rank of #11,195.

What does the Ballam surname mean?

A locational surname denoting an English person from any of several places named Ballam.

What does the Ballam map show?

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