NameCensus.

UK surname

Bilsborough

In the 1881 census there were 311 people recorded with the Bilsborough surname, ranking it #9,470 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 358, ranked #12,931, down from #9,470 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lancaster Borough, Rochdale and Lytham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Ribble, Blackburn with Darwen and Craven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bilsborough is 402 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.1%.

1881 census count

311

Ranked #9,470

Modern count

358

2016, ranked #12,931

Peak year

1999

402 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bilsborough had 311 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,470 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 358 in 2016, ranked #12,931.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 384 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Bilsborough surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bilsborough surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bilsborough 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 123 #14,886
1861 historical 209 #11,596
1881 historical 311 #9,470
1891 historical 297 #11,192
1901 historical 384 #9,745
1911 historical 371 #9,830
1997 modern 388 #11,255
1998 modern 394 #11,474
1999 modern 402 #11,403
2000 modern 399 #11,422
2001 modern 387 #11,484
2002 modern 381 #11,865
2003 modern 383 #11,614
2004 modern 371 #11,914
2005 modern 382 #11,591
2006 modern 373 #11,854
2007 modern 386 #11,676
2008 modern 385 #11,828
2009 modern 386 #12,044
2010 modern 384 #12,374
2011 modern 374 #12,464
2012 modern 372 #12,374
2013 modern 359 #12,917
2014 modern 364 #12,876
2015 modern 362 #12,825
2016 modern 358 #12,931

Geography

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Where Bilsboroughs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lancaster Borough, Rochdale, Lytham, Preston and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Ribble, Blackburn with Darwen and Craven. 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 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
2 Rochdale Lancashire
3 Lytham Lancashire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Ribble 012 South Ribble
2 Blackburn with Darwen 009 Blackburn with Darwen
3 South Ribble 007 South Ribble
4 Craven 003 Craven
5 South Ribble 009 South Ribble

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bilsborough

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bilsborough

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Bilsborough is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bilsborough is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bilsborough falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bilsborough is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Bilsborough families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bilsborough 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 239 Bilsboroughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.66x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 239 6.66x
Yorkshire 44 1.47x
Cheshire 14 2.10x
Surrey 7 0.48x
Lanarkshire 5 0.51x
Durham 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. Preston in Lancashire leads with 76 Bilsboroughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 79.17x.

Place Total Index
Preston 76 79.17x
Blackburn 38 39.80x
Manningham 12 32.50x
Everton 10 8.74x
Walmersley Cum 10 174.52x
Clitheroe 8 75.76x
Fulwood 8 206.19x
Oswaldtwistle 8 63.09x
Pemberton 8 55.91x
Battersea 7 6.29x
Chorley In Macclesfield 7 344.83x
Dilworth 7 318.18x
Lea Ashton Ingol 7 294.12x
Wardleworth 7 34.13x
Westhoughton 7 73.07x
Winmarleigh 7 1794.87x
Elton 6 48.39x
Barony 5 2.02x
Giggleswick 5 495.05x
Gomersal 5 35.74x
Bradford 4 5.51x
Broughton In Preston 4 645.16x
Kirkdale 4 6.63x
Latchford 4 90.29x
Bolton By Bowland 3 410.96x
Fulshaw 3 243.90x
Gate Fulford 3 42.86x
Glusburn 3 177.51x
Walton Le Dale 3 31.12x
West Derby 3 2.86x
Cockerham 2 217.39x
Gargrave 2 149.25x
Gorton 2 5.93x
Grimsargh With 2 526.32x
Horton In Bradford 2 4.27x
Ince In Makerfield 2 11.98x
Whitwood 2 46.95x
Barrow In Furness 1 2.05x
Cabus 1 555.56x
Catterall 1 158.73x
Esh 1 15.27x
Fishwick 1 45.05x
Kirkland 1 303.03x
Pendleton In Salford 1 2.34x
Pilling 1 59.52x
Rathmell 1 434.78x
Roughlee Booth 1 303.03x
Sowerby In Halifax 1 10.20x
Spotland 1 2.51x
Thornton In Craven 1 41.67x
Thornton In Fylde 1 12.74x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Elizabeth 17
Ellen 10
Alice 9
Sarah 9
Hannah 8
Emma 7
Jane 7
Margaret 7
Ann 6
Harriet 4
Annie 3
Fanny 3
Isabella 3
Margt. 3
Ada 2
Edith 2
Martha 2
Nancy 2
Selina 2
Agnes 1
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Betty 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Cecily 1
Dorathy 1
Dorothy 1
Eda 1
Edna 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Florence 1
Jaraldine 1
Jennet 1
Jessie 1
Josephine 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Lucy 1
Maggie 1
May 1
My.Ann 1
Rachel 1
Winny 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 22
William 21
Thomas 15
James 13
Richard 10
Charles 6
Henry 6
Albert 5
Robert 5
Edwin 4
Joseph 4
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Jacob 3
Aaron 2
Richd. 2
Robt. 2
Thos. 2
Walter 2
Anthony 1
Benjamin 1
Christopher 1
Earnest 1
Edward 1
George 1
Harry 1
J.J. 1
Jesse 1
Jno.Js. 1
Joe 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Micheal 1
R.C. 1
Saml. 1
Thos 1
W.T.N. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Bilsborough surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bilsborough surname in 1881?

In 1881, 311 people were recorded with the Bilsborough surname. That placed it at #9,470 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bilsborough surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 358 in 2016. That gives Bilsborough a modern rank of #12,931.

What does the Bilsborough map show?

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