NameCensus.

UK surname

Binns

Derived from the Welsh "ap Enion," meaning "son of Enion," a diminutive form of the Welsh name Einion.

In the 1881 census there were 4,965 people recorded with the Binns surname, ranking it #896 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,433, ranked #1,534, down from #896 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Halifax, Bingley and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, Calderdale and Craven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Binns is 5,956 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 10.7%.

1881 census count

4,965

Ranked #896

Modern count

4,433

2016, ranked #1,534

Peak year

1911

5,956 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Binns had 4,965 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #896 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,433 in 2016, ranked #1,534.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,956 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Binns surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Binns surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Binns 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 2,966 #979
1861 historical 2,924 #983
1881 historical 4,965 #896
1891 historical 4,724 #984
1901 historical 5,903 #939
1911 historical 5,956 #870
1997 modern 4,701 #1,389
1998 modern 4,804 #1,410
1999 modern 4,816 #1,419
2000 modern 4,797 #1,416
2001 modern 4,659 #1,428
2002 modern 4,702 #1,449
2003 modern 4,566 #1,455
2004 modern 4,552 #1,463
2005 modern 4,495 #1,458
2006 modern 4,493 #1,457
2007 modern 4,502 #1,466
2008 modern 4,519 #1,474
2009 modern 4,573 #1,497
2010 modern 4,650 #1,503
2011 modern 4,602 #1,493
2012 modern 4,489 #1,506
2013 modern 4,513 #1,523
2014 modern 4,559 #1,516
2015 modern 4,468 #1,528
2016 modern 4,433 #1,534

Geography

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Where Binns' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Halifax, Bingley, Bradford, Keighley and Leeds. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford, Calderdale 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Bingley Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Keighley Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 023 Bradford
2 Calderdale 018 Calderdale
3 Bradford 059 Bradford
4 Craven 008 Craven
5 Bradford 004 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Binns

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Binns

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Binns 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

Binns is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Binns 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 Binns is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Binns

The surname Binns originated in England and is derived from the Old English word "binne," meaning a bin or basket used for storing crops or grains. The name likely referred to someone who worked as a basket maker or seller of bins.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Binns can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Binnere" in Essex. This suggests that the name was already established in England by the 11th century.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name was primarily concentrated in the northern counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, with various spellings such as Bynnes, Bynns, and Byns appearing in local records.

One notable early bearer of the name was Sir Robert Binns, a 14th-century landowner and knight who held estates in Yorkshire. He was mentioned in the Feet of Fines records for the county in 1329.

In the 16th century, the surname Binns began to spread more widely across England, particularly in the counties of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and Staffordshire. The Binns family of Binns Hall, near Accrington, Lancashire, was a prominent family during this period.

A famous individual with the surname Binns was William Binns (1579-1654), an English lawyer and judge who served as Recorder of Leeds and was later appointed to the Court of Common Pleas by Oliver Cromwell.

Another notable figure was Thomas Binns (1636-1693), an English Puritan clergyman and author of several religious works, including "The Sinner's Redemption" and "The Christian's Guide to Eternal Life."

In the 18th century, John Binns (1713-1788) was a successful merchant and landowner in Yorkshire, known for his philanthropic contributions to the town of Bradford.

William Binns (1768-1842) was a prominent English Quaker and abolitionist who campaigned tirelessly against slavery and advocated for the rights of slaves in the British colonies.

The surname Binns has also been found in various place names across England, such as Binns Leys in Derbyshire and Binns Farm in Nottinghamshire, further reinforcing its historical roots in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Binns families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Binns 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. Yorkshire leads with 3,516 Binns' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.33x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 3,516 7.33x
Lancashire 804 1.40x
Middlesex 113 0.23x
Staffordshire 84 0.51x
Warwickshire 66 0.54x
Durham 65 0.45x
Lincolnshire 56 0.72x
Cheshire 48 0.45x
Surrey 36 0.15x
Derbyshire 24 0.32x
Kent 21 0.13x
Worcestershire 17 0.27x
Leicestershire 15 0.28x
Northamptonshire 12 0.26x
Nottinghamshire 12 0.18x
Northumberland 10 0.14x
Sussex 10 0.12x
Angus 7 0.16x
Gloucestershire 7 0.07x
Shropshire 6 0.14x
Hampshire 5 0.05x
Bedfordshire 3 0.12x
Devon 3 0.03x
Essex 3 0.03x
Hertfordshire 3 0.09x
Oxfordshire 3 0.10x
Rutland 3 0.84x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.07x
Channel Islands 1 0.07x
Cumberland 1 0.02x
Glamorgan 1 0.01x
Herefordshire 1 0.05x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.10x
Royal Navy 1 0.17x
Stirlingshire 1 0.06x
Suffolk 1 0.02x
Westmorland 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Keighley in Yorkshire leads with 323 Binns' recorded in 1881 and an index of 63.16x.

Place Total Index
Keighley 323 63.16x
Bradford 190 16.36x
Leeds 167 6.16x
Haworth 152 133.30x
Halifax 145 20.59x
Bingley 119 38.95x
Horton In Bradford 96 12.81x
Manningham 94 15.90x
Thornton In Bradford 80 50.09x
Cowling 76 244.29x
Shipley 70 28.12x
Liversedge 69 32.31x
Northowram 69 20.51x
Ovenden 65 30.44x
Oldham 63 3.40x
Huddersfield 61 8.73x
Warley 60 43.27x
Bowling 57 12.00x
Clayton 49 41.73x
Norland 47 142.73x
Hipperholme Cum 46 21.82x
Hunslet 43 5.75x
Ashton Under Lyne 41 3.27x
Burnley 41 8.47x
Salford 41 2.43x
North Bierley 40 15.44x
Cleckheaton 39 22.07x
Elland Cum Greetland 38 17.58x
Skircoat 34 17.97x
Sowerby In Halifax 34 21.67x
Manchester 33 1.28x
Wardleworth 32 9.75x
Wilsden 31 62.92x
Barkisland 30 86.13x
Bramley In Bramley 29 15.79x
Morton In Keighley 27 71.64x
Ardsley 25 45.22x
Barton Upon Irwell 25 5.78x
Birmingham 25 0.61x
Denton 25 19.64x
Headingley Cum Burley 25 8.10x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 25 20.66x
Dewsbury 24 4.88x
Mirfield 24 9.11x
Newton 24 5.42x
St Pancras London 24 0.62x
Bury 23 3.50x
Castleton 23 4.01x
Lockwood 23 13.33x
Rastrick 23 17.26x
Aston 22 0.65x
Colne 22 12.86x
Glusburn 22 81.18x
Kirkburton 22 38.90x
Pudsey 22 8.58x
Skipton 22 14.57x
Spotland 22 3.44x
Wuerdle Wardle 22 12.62x
Hulme 21 1.75x
Wyke In Bradford 21 24.48x
Batley 20 4.39x
Ecclesall Bierlow 20 2.05x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 20 8.97x
Rawdon 19 33.63x
Soothill 19 10.96x
Wakefield 19 5.16x
Dukinfield 18 3.65x
Great Little Marsden 18 6.84x
Habergham Eaves 18 3.43x
Saddleworth 18 4.86x
Stansfield 18 10.20x
West Bromwich 18 1.92x
Wortley In Bramley 18 4.74x
Bishopwearmouth 16 1.29x
Butterworth 16 11.43x
Eccleshill 16 13.70x
Nether Hallam 16 2.47x
Sculcoates 16 2.10x
Wadsworth 16 20.49x
Liverpool 15 0.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 364
Sarah 252
Elizabeth 190
Hannah 121
Ann 88
Martha 87
Annie 82
Emma 78
Jane 76
Alice 74
Ellen 57
Emily 51
Eliza 44
Clara 39
Margaret 38
Ada 35
Harriet 34
Lucy 30
Edith 25
Grace 21
Betty 20
Charlotte 20
Louisa 19
Rachel 19
Susannah 19
Rebecca 18
Esther 17
Maria 17
Frances 16
Florence 15
Catherine 14
Fanny 14
Isabella 13
Betsy 12
Caroline 12
Ethel 12
Matilda 12
Anne 11
Amelia 10
Amy 10
Elizth. 10
Gertrude 10
Harriett 10
Nancy 10
Ruth 10
Sophia 9
Eva 8
Maud 8
Minnie 8
Beatrice 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 334
William 219
Joseph 170
James 145
Thomas 131
George 99
Charles 68
Arthur 59
Robert 51
Henry 50
Fred 48
Samuel 46
Walter 39
Edward 38
Albert 37
Alfred 37
Harry 37
Jonas 27
Herbert 25
Frank 23
David 22
Richard 21
Benjamin 18
Wm. 18
Frederick 17
Abraham 16
Ernest 16
Sam 16
Tom 13
Joe 11
Timothy 11
Edwin 10
Willie 10
Peter 9
Thos. 9
Anthony 8
Jonathan 8
Andrew 7
Daniel 7
Edmund 7
Geo. 7
Nathan 7
Smith 7
Thompson 7
Eli 6
Francis 6
Isaac 6
Jeremiah 6
Joshua 5
Robinson 5

FAQ

Binns surname: questions and answers

How common was the Binns surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,965 people were recorded with the Binns surname. That placed it at #896 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Binns surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,433 in 2016. That gives Binns a modern rank of #1,534.

What does the Binns surname mean?

Derived from the Welsh "ap Enion," meaning "son of Enion," a diminutive form of the Welsh name Einion.

What does the Binns map show?

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