NameCensus.

UK surname

Border

An occupational surname for a person who lived near or guarded the border of a country or region.

In the 1881 census there were 254 people recorded with the Border surname, ranking it #10,949 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 286, ranked #15,240, down from #10,949 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lincoln St Botolph, London parishes and Goxhill. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pembrokeshire, Babergh and Kensington and Chelsea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Border is 376 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.6%.

1881 census count

254

Ranked #10,949

Modern count

286

2016, ranked #15,240

Peak year

1911

376 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Border had 254 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,949 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 286 in 2016, ranked #15,240.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 376 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Border surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Border surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Border 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 208 #10,107
1861 historical 373 #6,841
1881 historical 254 #10,949
1891 historical 332 #10,251
1901 historical 344 #10,569
1911 historical 376 #9,736
1997 modern 275 #14,335
1998 modern 283 #14,442
1999 modern 293 #14,175
2000 modern 299 #13,937
2001 modern 298 #13,784
2002 modern 325 #13,275
2003 modern 313 #13,443
2004 modern 309 #13,618
2005 modern 293 #14,030
2006 modern 278 #14,623
2007 modern 274 #14,932
2008 modern 278 #14,901
2009 modern 291 #14,742
2010 modern 297 #14,841
2011 modern 291 #14,903
2012 modern 292 #14,770
2013 modern 294 #14,961
2014 modern 296 #14,982
2015 modern 286 #15,270
2016 modern 286 #15,240

Geography

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Where Borders are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lincoln St Botolph, London parishes, Goxhill, Kenton, Alphington, Dawlish and Sculcoates. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Pembrokeshire, Babergh, Kensington and Chelsea and Neath Port Talbot. 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 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Goxhill Lincolnshire
4 Kenton, Alphington, Dawlish Devon
5 Sculcoates Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Pembrokeshire 008 Pembrokeshire
2 Babergh 006 Babergh
3 Kensington and Chelsea 014 Kensington and Chelsea
4 Neath Port Talbot 010 Neath Port Talbot
5 Babergh 007 Babergh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Border

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Border

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Border surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Border household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Border is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Border is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Border falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Border

The surname BORDER is of English origin, arising in the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bordor," which referred to the boundary or edge of a piece of land. This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near the border of a town or village.

The earliest recorded instances of the BORDER surname date back to the 13th century in various regions of England. A notable early reference can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1279, which mentions a John le Bordour. The name also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327 as Robertus le Border.

During the medieval period, the BORDER surname was often spelled in various ways, reflecting regional dialects and the inconsistencies of scribes at the time. Some of these early variations include Bordour, Bordor, and Bordure.

In the 16th century, the BORDER surname can be found in the parish records of St. Martin's Church in Birmingham, where a William Border was recorded in 1581. Around the same time, the name appeared in the records of St. Mary's Church in Warwick, with the baptism of Joane Border in 1598.

One notable individual with the BORDER surname was Sir William Border (1541-1615), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Bedfordshire in 1589. Another was Thomas Border (1600-1671), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Felton in Northumberland.

In the 17th century, the BORDER surname was found in various parts of England, including Gloucestershire, where a John Border was recorded in the parish records of Tewkesbury in 1638. In the same century, a Thomas Border (1628-1696) was a notable English Puritan minister and author.

Moving into the 18th century, the BORDER name appeared in the parish records of St. Giles in Cripplegate, London, with the baptism of Sarah Border in 1720. Another notable figure was Samuel Border (1758-1832), an English portrait painter who exhibited at the Royal Academy.

While the BORDER surname has its origins in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora. The name continues to be prevalent in various English-speaking countries, carrying with it a rich historical legacy rooted in the medieval landscape and boundaries of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Border families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Border 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. Lincolnshire leads with 66 Borders recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.66x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 66 16.66x
Devon 61 11.83x
Kent 14 1.66x
Surrey 14 1.16x
Durham 12 1.63x
Middlesex 12 0.48x
Hampshire 11 2.17x
Suffolk 10 3.31x
Clackmannanshire 9 43.99x
Lanarkshire 6 0.75x
Lancashire 6 0.20x
Yorkshire 6 0.24x
Cheshire 5 0.91x
Glamorgan 5 1.16x
Gloucestershire 3 0.62x
Perthshire 3 2.70x
Leicestershire 2 0.73x
Staffordshire 2 0.24x
Stirlingshire 2 2.19x
Bedfordshire 1 0.78x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.67x
Northumberland 1 0.27x
Somerset 1 0.25x
Sussex 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Goxhill in Lincolnshire leads with 45 Borders recorded in 1881 and an index of 4591.84x.

Place Total Index
Goxhill 45 4591.84x
Stoke Damerel 12 33.24x
Southwark Christchurch 11 94.75x
Dawlish 10 259.74x
Alloa 9 90.73x
Buckfastleigh 9 378.15x
Portsea 8 8.04x
Walkhampton 8 1632.65x
Long Melford 7 250.00x
New Sleaford 7 275.59x
Spalding 7 89.06x
Wolborough 7 107.36x
Bishopwearmouth 6 9.48x
Tormoham 6 27.50x
Bredbury 5 157.73x
Dover St Mary Virgin 5 61.12x
Govan 5 2.52x
Oystermouth 5 149.70x
Plumstead 5 17.74x
Canterbury St Mary 4 70.55x
Oldham 4 4.22x
West Teignmouth 4 101.27x
Alpheton 3 1428.57x
Bitton 3 70.92x
East Murton 3 217.39x
Snitterby 3 1304.35x
St Anne Soho London 3 21.20x
St George Hanover Square 3 6.87x
Callander 2 109.29x
Cheetham 2 9.12x
Chiswick 2 14.77x
Hedleyhope 2 156.25x
Holy Trinity 2 3.39x
Portsmouth 2 17.11x
Stirling 2 17.36x
Stokeinteignhead 2 357.14x
Ulceby 2 208.33x
York St Maurice 2 43.29x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.93x
Bishopsteignton 1 102.04x
Bisley 1 181.82x
Blackfordby 1 113.64x
Brighton 1 1.19x
Cannock 1 6.85x
Chelsea London 1 1.34x
Crewkerne 1 23.58x
Croydon 1 1.49x
East Claydon 1 344.83x
Elsham 1 232.56x
Eversholt 1 153.85x
Glasgow 1 0.70x
Hackney London 1 0.72x
Holdenhurst 1 7.51x
Kingsteignton 1 69.93x
Kingswinford 1 3.29x
Leicester Newarke 1 69.93x
Logie 1 25.06x
Monkwearmouth 1 14.16x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 5.23x
Paddington London 1 1.10x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 2.52x
Scarborough 1 4.48x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 1 17.95x
Wandsworth 1 4.19x
York St John Micklegate 1 169.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 26
Elizabeth 14
Ann 9
Alice 6
Ellen 5
Jane 5
Sarah 5
Charlotte 4
Emma 4
Ada 3
Fanny 3
Annie 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Lavinia 2
Mabel 2
Minnie 2
Agnes 1
Anne 1
Betsey 1
Caroline 1
Elizbth. 1
Elizh. 1
Evelena 1
Fanney 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Julia 1
Lillian 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
M. 1
Margaret 1
Marguerite 1
Martha 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Selina 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 12
William 11
George 8
Henry 8
James 8
Richard 8
Charles 6
Thomas 6
Albert 4
Alfred 4
Frederick 4
Samuel 4
Edwin 3
Robert 3
Hewson 2
Joseph 2
Alexander 1
Andrew 1
Araham 1
Arthur 1
Chris 1
Christf. 1
David 1
Edmund 1
Edward 1
Harry 1
J. 1
Leonard 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Ralph 1
Robinson 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Border surname: questions and answers

How common was the Border surname in 1881?

In 1881, 254 people were recorded with the Border surname. That placed it at #10,949 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Border surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 286 in 2016. That gives Border a modern rank of #15,240.

What does the Border surname mean?

An occupational surname for a person who lived near or guarded the border of a country or region.

What does the Border map show?

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