NameCensus.

UK surname

Bound

A surname derived from the Old English word for a messenger or herald.

In the 1881 census there were 544 people recorded with the Bound surname, ranking it #6,344 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 673, ranked #7,962, down from #6,344 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Dudley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Powys, Shropshire and Copeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bound is 730 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.7%.

1881 census count

544

Ranked #6,344

Modern count

673

2016, ranked #7,962

Peak year

1901

730 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bound had 544 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,344 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 673 in 2016, ranked #7,962.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 730 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Bound surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bound surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bound 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 430 #5,692
1861 historical 584 #4,524
1881 historical 544 #6,344
1891 historical 728 #5,439
1901 historical 730 #6,065
1911 historical 729 #5,874
1997 modern 659 #7,592
1998 modern 721 #7,307
1999 modern 707 #7,457
2000 modern 725 #7,300
2001 modern 685 #7,485
2002 modern 689 #7,605
2003 modern 664 #7,707
2004 modern 639 #7,931
2005 modern 654 #7,734
2006 modern 650 #7,795
2007 modern 635 #8,022
2008 modern 634 #8,060
2009 modern 648 #8,093
2010 modern 651 #8,233
2011 modern 677 #7,893
2012 modern 643 #8,141
2013 modern 661 #8,105
2014 modern 671 #8,046
2015 modern 673 #7,965
2016 modern 673 #7,962

Geography

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Where Bounds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Dudley, Newchurch and Beaulieu. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Powys, Shropshire and Copeland. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Dudley Staffordshire
4 Newchurch Hampshire
5 Beaulieu Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Powys 010 Powys
2 Shropshire 018 Shropshire
3 Shropshire 014 Shropshire
4 Powys 006 Powys
5 Copeland 003 Copeland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bound

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bound

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bound, 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 Bound surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Bound 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Bound is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bound 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

Bound falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bound

The surname BOUND is of English origin, with roots that can be traced back to the early medieval period in Britain. The name likely derives from the Old English word 'bunden,' which means 'bound' or 'tied,' suggesting that the name may have been originally associated with an occupation or a descriptive characteristic.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname BOUND can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a person named Ricardus Bunde is mentioned. This suggests that the name had already developed its modern spelling by the 12th century.

During the 13th century, the surname BOUND appeared in various records across England, including the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which listed individuals with the name in counties such as Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. This indicates that the name had spread to different regions of the country by this time.

In the 14th century, the BOUND surname can be found in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a certain John Bounde is mentioned in 1322. This record provides evidence of the name's continued presence in the northern regions of England.

One notable historical figure with the surname BOUND was Sir Henry Bound (1604-1677), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in the 17th century. He was also a prominent figure during the English Civil War, initially supporting the Parliamentarian cause but later switching sides to join the Royalists.

Another person of note was John Bound (1615-1692), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Compton near Winchester. He is known for his work 'The Humble Remonstrance,' published in 1661, which addressed religious and political issues of the time.

In the 18th century, the BOUND surname was associated with John Bound (1714-1766), an English antiquarian and topographer who wrote extensively about the history and geography of various counties in England, including Oxfordshire and Berkshire.

The 19th century saw the rise of William Bound (1808-1882), a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, such as the St. James's Church in Pentonville and the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Holloway.

Another significant figure was Samuel Bound (1811-1889), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for the Marylebone Cricket Club and various other teams in the mid-19th century. He was a prominent figure in the early development of the sport in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bound families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bound 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. Hampshire leads with 108 Bounds recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.97x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 108 9.97x
Radnorshire 64 150.02x
Montgomeryshire 54 44.57x
Glamorgan 48 5.21x
Middlesex 46 0.87x
Herefordshire 33 15.22x
Somerset 32 3.76x
Kent 19 1.05x
Surrey 18 0.70x
Gloucestershire 15 1.45x
Cornwall 14 2.34x
Wiltshire 14 2.99x
Shropshire 13 2.85x
Devon 10 0.91x
Sussex 8 0.90x
Lancashire 7 0.11x
Dorset 6 1.73x
Hertfordshire 5 1.37x
Royal Navy 5 7.94x
Warwickshire 4 0.30x
Cheshire 3 0.26x
Derbyshire 3 0.36x
Berkshire 2 0.50x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.63x
Flintshire 2 1.41x
Channel Islands 1 0.64x
Denbighshire 1 0.50x
Monmouthshire 1 0.26x
Northamptonshire 1 0.20x
Renfrewshire 1 0.24x
Staffordshire 1 0.06x
Yorkshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Llanidloes in Montgomeryshire leads with 23 Bounds recorded in 1881 and an index of 256.12x.

Place Total Index
Llanidloes 23 256.12x
Llangurig 21 721.65x
Beaulieu 18 1071.43x
Kington 17 316.57x
Portsea 17 8.00x
Easton In Gordano 16 466.47x
Ystradyfodwg 14 17.34x
Islington London 12 2.34x
Nantmel 11 493.27x
Swansea Lower 11 234.54x
Llanbadarnfynydd 9 825.69x
Presteigne 9 332.10x
Shanklin 9 278.64x
Llandinam 8 285.71x
Southampton St Mary 8 11.74x
Bristol St Peter 7 188.68x
Hornsey 7 10.47x
Hereford St Owen 6 83.80x
Hurstbourne Tarrant 6 397.35x
St Harmon Clas 6 882.35x
St Helens 6 76.14x
Abbey Cwm Hir 5 568.18x
Bedhampton 5 390.63x
Berkeley 5 86.66x
Binsted 5 121.07x
Bromley London 5 4.30x
Clapham 5 7.56x
Clunbury 5 280.90x
Cogan 5 364.96x
Disserth Trecoed 5 537.63x
Freshwater 5 101.01x
Huntspill 5 143.68x
Millbrook 5 18.32x
Plymouth St Andrew 5 5.90x
Roath 5 11.96x
Royal Navy 5 9.28x
St Pinnock 5 549.45x
Weston Zoyland 5 413.22x
Wimbledon 5 17.29x
Boldre 4 103.09x
Church Stretton 4 130.72x
Coombe Bissett 4 606.06x
Croydon 4 2.80x
Devizes St John 4 113.96x
Eye 4 314.96x
Hastings St Leonards 4 30.53x
Llanyre 4 314.96x
Merthyr Tydfil 4 4.52x
Orleton 4 384.62x
St Albans St Stephen 4 125.39x
St Gluvias Penryn 4 83.33x
St Harmon Cennarth 4 481.93x
St Marylebone London 4 1.42x
St Pancras London 4 0.94x
Tonbridge 4 6.15x
Bodmin 3 30.30x
Brighton 3 1.67x
Burnham 3 46.23x
Chislehurst 3 31.02x
Drayton In Hales 3 31.85x
Greenwich 3 3.56x
Heyop 3 769.23x
Kensington London 3 1.02x
Leamington 3 33.94x
Litchurch 3 9.01x
Llanbister 3 204.08x
Southampton St John 3 270.27x
Stoke Damerel 3 3.89x
Alverstoke 2 5.10x
Brading 2 13.89x
Damerham 2 178.57x
Eltham 2 18.92x
Great Chart 2 148.15x
Margate St John Baptist 2 6.06x
Portsmouth 2 8.02x
Romsey Infra 2 54.50x
St Helen Bishopsgate 2 384.62x
Uxbridge 2 33.11x
Wimborne Minster 2 35.65x
Witchampton 2 227.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 49
Elizabeth 37
Ellen 14
Margaret 14
Sarah 14
Ann 11
Jane 9
Eliza 8
Emma 7
Annie 6
Emily 6
Martha 5
Alice 4
Fanny 4
Louisa 4
Anne 3
Harriett 3
Kate 3
Laura 3
Amelia 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Dora 2
Edith 2
Eunice 2
Eva 2
Frances 2
Gertrude 2
Grace 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Miriam 2
Susanna 2
Amy 1
Blanche 1
Bridget 1
Cathrin 1
Celia 1
Elizath. 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Helen 1
Hemly 1
Hoppuch 1
Ida 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Lilly 1
Lily 1
Lottie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 41
John 29
Thomas 25
Joseph 14
Charles 13
George 13
Edward 11
Henry 9
Samuel 9
Arthur 6
Benjamin 6
Edwin 6
Frank 6
Frederick 6
Alfred 5
David 5
Harry 5
Richard 5
Walter 5
James 4
Albert 2
Daniel 2
Ernest 2
Jonathan 2
Oliver 2
W. 2
Wm. 2
Abraham 1
Ambrose 1
Benjn. 1
Chales 1
Edmond 1
Ellthu 1
Emanuel 1
Ernos 1
Ezekiel 1
Henery 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Louis 1
Monague 1
Norman 1
Price 1
Pryce 1
Ralph 1
Robert 1
Rowland 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1

FAQ

Bound surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bound surname in 1881?

In 1881, 544 people were recorded with the Bound surname. That placed it at #6,344 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bound surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 673 in 2016. That gives Bound a modern rank of #7,962.

What does the Bound surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word for a messenger or herald.

What does the Bound map show?

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