NameCensus.

UK surname

Born

Derived from Middle English and Old Norse, referring to a person dwelling at or near a stream or brook.

In the 1881 census there were 219 people recorded with the Born surname, ranking it #12,122 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 228, ranked #17,936, down from #12,122 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), London parishes and Gretton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, South Northamptonshire and City of London.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Born is 403 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.1%.

1881 census count

219

Ranked #12,122

Modern count

228

2016, ranked #17,936

Peak year

1861

403 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Born had 219 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,122 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 228 in 2016, ranked #17,936.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 403 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Born surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Born surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Born 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 236 #9,174
1861 historical 403 #6,372
1881 historical 219 #12,122
1891 historical 313 #10,723
1901 historical 349 #10,457
1911 historical 263 #12,473
1997 modern 194 #17,978
1998 modern 211 #17,532
1999 modern 220 #17,160
2000 modern 211 #17,603
2001 modern 204 #17,736
2002 modern 196 #18,535
2003 modern 189 #18,738
2004 modern 189 #18,855
2005 modern 176 #19,667
2006 modern 171 #20,131
2007 modern 177 #19,965
2008 modern 182 #19,800
2009 modern 186 #19,946
2010 modern 185 #20,453
2011 modern 196 #19,538
2012 modern 213 #18,422
2013 modern 214 #18,671
2014 modern 223 #18,279
2015 modern 227 #17,941
2016 modern 228 #17,936

Geography

Back to top

Where Borns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), London parishes, Gretton and Colerdige. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, South Northamptonshire, City of London, Slough and Shepway. 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 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gretton Rutland
5 Colerdige Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 037 Cornwall
2 South Northamptonshire 002 South Northamptonshire
3 City of London 001 City of London
4 Slough 006 Slough
5 Shepway 003 Shepway

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Born

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Born

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Born is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Born 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

Born falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Born

The surname Born is of German origin and is believed to have originated in the medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is derived from the German word "Born," which means "well" or "spring," and may have initially referred to someone who lived near a well or spring.

The name is first recorded in various German records and documents from the 14th century, such as the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of official documents from the Margraviate of Brandenburg. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is Johann Born, mentioned in a document from 1342 in the town of Nuremberg.

As the name spread throughout Germany, it developed different spellings and variations, including Borne, Bornemann, and Borner. These variations often reflected regional dialects and the influence of local scribes who recorded names based on their pronunciation.

The name Born is also associated with several notable historical figures. One such figure is the German composer and musician, Johann Born (1677-1748), known for his contributions to the development of the bassoon and his compositions for wind instruments.

Another prominent individual with the surname Born was the Prussian mineralogist and geologist, Ignaz Edler von Born (1742-1791), who made significant contributions to the study of mineralogy and was a pioneering figure in the field of crystallography.

In the 19th century, the German mathematician and physicist, Gustav Born (1851-1900), gained recognition for his work in the field of fluid dynamics and the study of turbulence. He is particularly known for the Born equation, which describes the motion of a particle in a fluid.

The surname Born has also been associated with places and geographical locations. For example, the town of Born in the Netherlands is named after a stream that runs through the area, reflecting the original meaning of the name.

Throughout history, the surname Born has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, scientists, musicians, and scholars, reflecting the widespread distribution and long-standing presence of this name across German-speaking regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Born families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Born 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. Devon leads with 80 Borns recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.16x.

County Total Index
Devon 80 18.16x
Middlesex 74 3.50x
Gloucestershire 9 2.17x
Lancashire 9 0.36x
Yorkshire 8 0.38x
Derbyshire 7 2.11x
Surrey 7 0.68x
Cornwall 6 2.50x
Aberdeenshire 4 2.04x
Somerset 3 0.88x
Leicestershire 2 0.85x
Northumberland 2 0.64x
Dorset 1 0.72x
Flintshire 1 1.76x
Glamorgan 1 0.27x
Kent 1 0.14x
Lanarkshire 1 0.15x
Worcestershire 1 0.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Coldridge in Devon leads with 15 Borns recorded in 1881 and an index of 4545.45x.

Place Total Index
Coldridge 15 4545.45x
Kensington London 13 11.05x
Black Torrington 9 1428.57x
Exeter St Sidwell 9 89.20x
St Luke London 9 26.51x
St Pancras London 8 4.70x
Manchester 7 6.20x
Twickenham 7 77.09x
Crediton 6 143.88x
Gwennap 6 132.74x
Holy Trinity 6 11.89x
St George Hanover Square 6 16.09x
Hackney London 5 4.21x
St George In East London 5 25.11x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 4 10.91x
Horsley 4 217.39x
Islington London 4 1.95x
Litchurch 4 29.99x
North Tawton 4 296.30x
Derby St Alkmund 3 30.21x
Exeter St David 3 79.79x
George Nympton 3 2142.86x
Lambeth 3 1.63x
Mile End Old Town London 3 6.66x
South Molton 3 123.97x
St Stephen Coleman Street 3 405.41x
Westbury On Trym 3 21.34x
White Lackington 3 1428.57x
Winkleigh 3 340.91x
Battersea 2 2.57x
Belstone 2 1818.18x
Bethnal Green London 2 2.18x
Chagford 2 190.48x
Chawleigh 2 408.16x
Denbury 2 833.33x
East Worlington 2 1333.33x
Exeter Holy Trinity 2 115.61x
Husbands Bosworth 2 333.33x
Iddesleigh 2 666.67x
St Martin In Fields 2 15.79x
Stoke Newington London 2 12.13x
Tavistock 2 39.84x
Anderston 1 555.56x
Ashford 1 59.88x
Aylesbeare 1 156.25x
Bristol 1 256.41x
Chulmleigh 1 100.00x
Cullompton 1 52.08x
Dorchester St Peter 1 99.01x
East Budleigh 1 48.08x
East Stonehouse 1 11.52x
Exeter St George The 1 204.08x
Exminster 1 63.29x
Fordwich 1 588.24x
Greasbrough 1 36.10x
Hale 1 243.90x
Hampstead London 1 3.03x
Henbury 1 49.26x
Leeds 1 0.84x
Modbury 1 88.50x
Mold 1 19.38x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 5.32x
Newington 1 1.28x
Okehampton 1 60.24x
Penarth 1 27.78x
Poplar London 1 2.50x
Salford 1 1.35x
Seaton Delaval 1 36.10x
Shoreditch London 1 1.09x
St Sepulchre London 1 32.26x
Walton On Thames 1 21.10x
Yardley 1 14.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 13
Mary 13
Louisa 5
Emma 4
Sarah 4
Eliza 3
Jane 3
Maria 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Annie 2
Bessie 2
Caroline 2
Emily 2
Albertin 1
Anna 1
Augusta 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Elisabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Emmeline 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Gabriel 1
Georgina 1
Hannah 1
Helen 1
Isabela 1
Janie 1
Johanna 1
Kezia 1
Lillian 1
Lizzie 1
Lousia 1
Lovedy 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
May 1
Rebecca 1
Regina 1
Rhoda 1
Rosina 1
Sharlott 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1
Susanna 1
Walley 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 17
John 15
Henry 9
Thomas 8
Richard 5
Robert 5
Alfred 4
Charles 4
James 4
Christopher 3
Frederick 3
George 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Harry 2
Joseph 2
Wm. 2
Albrey 1
Alexander 1
Aubrey 1
August 1
C. 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fredk.Chas. 1
Fredrick 1
G.C.B. 1
Gerard 1
Herbert 1
Herman 1
Hy.Jas.Wm. 1
Jane 1
Jarvis 1
Martin 1
Oscar 1
Rodber 1
Samuel 1
Theodore 1
Trude 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Born surname: questions and answers

How common was the Born surname in 1881?

In 1881, 219 people were recorded with the Born surname. That placed it at #12,122 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Born surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 228 in 2016. That gives Born a modern rank of #17,936.

What does the Born surname mean?

Derived from Middle English and Old Norse, referring to a person dwelling at or near a stream or brook.

What does the Born map show?

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