UK surname
A French surname derived from the Old French word "balle" meaning "ball" or "sphere".
In the 1881 census there were 31 people recorded with the Balle surname, ranking it #29,218 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 26, ranked #36,254, down from #29,218 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Chudleigh, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) and Hull Holy Trinity. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Balle is 113 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 16.1%.
1881 census count
31
Ranked #29,218
Modern count
26
2016, ranked #36,254
Peak year
1861
113 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Balle surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Balle surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 34 | #27,194 |
| 1861 | historical | 113 | #19,151 |
| 1881 | historical | 31 | #29,218 |
| 1891 | historical | 36 | #31,465 |
| 1901 | historical | 23 | #31,466 |
| 1911 | historical | 20 | #31,288 |
| 1997 | modern | 11 | #36,912 |
| 1998 | modern | 12 | #36,790 |
| 1999 | modern | 15 | #36,476 |
| 2000 | modern | 13 | #36,635 |
| 2001 | modern | 13 | #36,483 |
| 2002 | modern | 14 | #36,484 |
| 2003 | modern | 20 | #35,915 |
| 2004 | modern | 18 | #36,245 |
| 2005 | modern | 16 | #36,530 |
| 2006 | modern | 18 | #36,412 |
| 2007 | modern | 21 | #36,290 |
| 2008 | modern | 21 | #36,355 |
| 2009 | modern | 23 | #36,313 |
| 2010 | modern | 26 | #36,220 |
| 2011 | modern | 26 | #36,193 |
| 2012 | modern | 25 | #36,227 |
| 2013 | modern | 27 | #36,150 |
| 2014 | modern | 28 | #36,107 |
| 2015 | modern | 28 | #36,106 |
| 2016 | modern | 26 | #36,254 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Chudleigh, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Hull Holy Trinity, Exeter City: Allhallows-on-the-Walls and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chudleigh | Devon |
| 2 | Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) | Devon |
| 3 | Hull Holy Trinity | Yorkshire, East Riding |
| 4 | Exeter City: Allhallows-on-the-Walls | Devon |
| 5 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Balle surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Balle, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Balle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Balle household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Balle is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Balle is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Balle, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Balle originated in Germany during the late medieval period. It is derived from the German word "ball," which refers to a small, round object or a spherical plaything. This name likely originated as a nickname for someone who played with balls or was associated with ball games or sports.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Balle can be found in various German historical records dating back to the 14th century. For example, the name appears in the Bürgermatrikel (citizen register) of the city of Nuremberg from 1379, where one Johann Balle is mentioned as a resident.
Throughout the centuries, the name Balle has been documented in various forms and spellings, such as Balle, Ballen, and Baller. These variations reflect regional dialects and scribal practices of the time.
In the 15th century, a notable bearer of the name was Hans Balle, a German painter and woodcarver active in Augsburg between 1460 and 1490. His works included altarpieces and church furnishings, some of which can still be found in various churches in southern Germany.
Another prominent figure with the surname Balle was Johann Friedrich Balle (1684-1756), a German jurist and legal scholar from Saxony. He served as a judge and authored several influential works on civil law and legal theory.
In the 19th century, Carl Balle (1804-1856) was a German composer and music teacher from Quedlinburg. He composed numerous choral works, lieder, and instrumental pieces, many of which were popular during his lifetime.
The name Balle has also been associated with various place names in Germany, such as Ballenstedt, a town in Saxony-Anhalt, and Ballendorf, a municipality in Thuringia. These place names may have influenced the surname or vice versa, reflecting the interplay between personal names and toponyms.
Other notable bearers of the surname Balle include Karl Balle (1891-1962), a German architect and urban planner who designed several residential and commercial buildings in Berlin in the early 20th century, and Gerhard Balle (1923-1996), a German film director and screenwriter known for his contributions to East German cinema.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Balle surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Devon leads with 12 Balles recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.07x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Devon | 12 | 19.07x |
| Yorkshire | 9 | 3.00x |
| Lancashire | 3 | 0.84x |
| Worcestershire | 3 | 7.60x |
| Norfolk | 2 | 4.30x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.97x |
| Middlesex | 1 | 0.33x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chudleigh in Devon leads with 8 Balles recorded in 1881 and an index of 4000.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Chudleigh | 8 | 4000.00x |
| Holy Trinity | 8 | 110.96x |
| Exeter Allhallows On The | 3 | 3000.00x |
| Liverpool | 3 | 13.77x |
| Northfield | 3 | 400.00x |
| Southrepps | 2 | 2222.22x |
| Exeter St Sidwell | 1 | 69.44x |
| Hackney London | 1 | 5.90x |
| Leeds | 1 | 5.91x |
| Lewisham | 1 | 18.18x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Balle surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Balle surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Balle households.
FAQ
In 1881, 31 people were recorded with the Balle surname. That placed it at #29,218 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 26 in 2016. That gives Balle a modern rank of #36,254.
A French surname derived from the Old French word "balle" meaning "ball" or "sphere".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Balle bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.