UK surname
A surname possibly deriving from the Dutch word "borg" meaning fortification or small village.
In the 1881 census there were 9 people recorded with the Borch surname, ranking it #32,416 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5, ranked #38,264, down from #32,416 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Kington, Hayes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Borch is 107 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 44.4%.
1881 census count
9
Ranked #32,416
Modern count
5
2016, ranked #38,264
Peak year
1861
107 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Borch surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Borch 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 | 17 | #30,267 |
| 1861 | historical | 107 | #20,008 |
| 1881 | historical | 9 | #32,416 |
| 1891 | historical | 68 | #28,300 |
| 1901 | historical | 17 | #32,146 |
| 1911 | historical | 11 | #32,463 |
| 1997 | modern | 9 | #37,214 |
| 1998 | modern | 11 | #36,908 |
| 1999 | modern | 8 | #37,367 |
| 2000 | modern | 8 | #37,264 |
| 2001 | modern | 8 | #37,124 |
| 2002 | modern | 5 | #37,723 |
| 2003 | modern | 6 | #37,586 |
| 2004 | modern | 6 | #37,655 |
| 2005 | modern | 6 | #37,724 |
| 2006 | modern | 4 | #38,130 |
| 2007 | modern | 4 | #38,169 |
| 2008 | modern | 5 | #38,027 |
| 2009 | modern | 5 | #38,122 |
| 2010 | modern | 6 | #38,024 |
| 2011 | modern | 5 | #38,168 |
| 2012 | modern | 6 | #38,008 |
| 2013 | modern | 4 | #38,359 |
| 2014 | modern | 5 | #38,228 |
| 2015 | modern | 5 | #38,221 |
| 2016 | modern | 5 | #38,264 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Kington, Hayes, Manchester, Barrow-on-Soar (Barrow-on-Soar, Mountsorrel, Woodhouse, Woodhouse Eaves, Maplewell), Beaumanor, Roth and Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire). 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 | Kington | Radnorshire |
| 2 | Hayes | Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts) |
| 3 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 4 | Barrow-on-Soar (Barrow-on-Soar, Mountsorrel, Woodhouse, Woodhouse Eaves, Maplewell), Beaumanor, Roth | Leicestershire |
| 5 | Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) | Staffordshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Borch 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 Borch, 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 Borch surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Borch 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, Borch 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 Borch is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Borch, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname BORCH is believed to have originated in Germany, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old German word "burg," meaning a fortified town or castle. This surname was likely given to someone who lived near or worked in a fortified settlement or castle.
In the 12th century, the name BORCH appeared in various records and manuscripts across regions of modern-day Germany. One notable reference is found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of historical documents from the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg, where a certain "Henricus de Borch" is mentioned in a land transaction dated 1187.
The earliest recorded individual with the surname BORCH was Gerhard von Borch, a German nobleman and knight who lived in the 13th century. He was known for his participation in the Crusades and is mentioned in several chronicles from that era.
Another notable figure was Johann Borch, a German physician and botanist born in 1590. He made significant contributions to the study of plants and their medicinal properties, publishing works such as "Reliquiae Borchianae" in 1628.
In the 16th century, the name BORCH was associated with the town of Borchen, located in the Paderborn region of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. This place name likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname.
During the 17th century, a family of Dutch naval officers and explorers bore the name BORCH. The most prominent among them was Pieter Borch, born in 1626, who captained several voyages to the East Indies and played a role in the Dutch colonization of South Africa.
In the realm of art, the name BORCH is associated with Gerard ter Borch, a renowned Dutch Golden Age painter born in 1617. His works, depicting scenes of everyday life, are highly regarded and can be found in many prestigious art collections worldwide.
These are just a few examples of individuals who carried the surname BORCH throughout history, demonstrating its deep roots and presence across various regions and fields of endeavor.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Borch 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. Herefordshire leads with 6 Borchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 167.13x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Herefordshire | 6 | 167.13x |
| Northamptonshire | 2 | 24.27x |
| Middlesex | 1 | 1.14x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kington in Herefordshire leads with 6 Borchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 6666.67x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Kington | 6 | 6666.67x |
| Northampton Priory St | 2 | 408.16x |
| Kensington London | 1 | 20.53x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Borch 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 Borch 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 Borch households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Farmers Son | 2 |
| Domestic | 1 |
| Drapers Assistant | 1 |
| Farmer (230 Acres 4 Labs) | 1 |
| Farmers Wife | 1 |
| Rough Stuff Cutter (Boot) | 1 |
| Scholar | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 9 people were recorded with the Borch surname. That placed it at #32,416 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 5 in 2016. That gives Borch a modern rank of #38,264.
A surname possibly deriving from the Dutch word "borg" meaning fortification or small village.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Borch 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.