NameCensus.

UK surname

Calam

In the 1881 census there were 136 people recorded with the Calam surname, ranking it #16,433 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 203, ranked #19,396, down from #16,433 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, Westow and Leeds. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Bucks, York and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Calam is 239 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.3%.

1881 census count

136

Ranked #16,433

Modern count

203

2016, ranked #19,396

Peak year

1999

239 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Calam had 136 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,433 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 203 in 2016, ranked #19,396.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 209 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Calam surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Calam surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Calam 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 81 #19,457
1861 historical 116 #18,751
1881 historical 136 #16,433
1891 historical 156 #17,842
1901 historical 191 #15,579
1911 historical 209 #14,557
1997 modern 228 #16,211
1998 modern 235 #16,358
1999 modern 239 #16,268
2000 modern 231 #16,610
2001 modern 225 #16,664
2002 modern 222 #17,147
2003 modern 210 #17,559
2004 modern 199 #18,260
2005 modern 203 #17,961
2006 modern 203 #18,105
2007 modern 202 #18,359
2008 modern 200 #18,640
2009 modern 199 #19,090
2010 modern 210 #18,836
2011 modern 204 #19,040
2012 modern 204 #18,973
2013 modern 206 #19,153
2014 modern 210 #19,064
2015 modern 207 #19,155
2016 modern 203 #19,396

Geography

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Where Calams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, Westow, Leeds, Gainsborough, Paddocks and Bugthorpe. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Bucks, York, Doncaster, East Riding of Yorkshire and West Lindsey. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Westow Yorkshire, North Riding
3 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Gainsborough, Paddocks Lincolnshire
5 Bugthorpe Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Bucks 001 South Bucks
2 York 004 York
3 Doncaster 002 Doncaster
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 044 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 West Lindsey 011 West Lindsey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Calam

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Calam

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Calam is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Calam 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

Calam falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Calam families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Calam 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 131 Calams recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.96x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 131 9.96x
Lincolnshire 4 1.89x
Northamptonshire 1 0.80x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holme On Spalding Moor in Yorkshire leads with 15 Calams recorded in 1881 and an index of 1744.19x.

Place Total Index
Holme On Spalding Moor 15 1744.19x
Westow 14 9333.33x
Rillington 11 2750.00x
Ganton 9 6000.00x
Leeds 7 9.43x
Lofthouse Cum Carlton 7 437.50x
Scagglethorpe 7 5833.33x
Misson 6 1935.48x
Wortley In Bramley 6 57.64x
Bugthorpe 5 4545.45x
York St Mary 5 91.91x
York St Nicholas In 5 675.68x
Holy Trinity 4 12.65x
Owston 4 666.67x
Sherburn 4 370.37x
Barmby On Moor 3 1500.00x
Fridaythorpe 3 2000.00x
York All Sts Peasholme 3 1428.57x
York St Maurice 3 120.97x
Acklam With Barthorpe 2 1538.46x
Thirsk Sand Hutton 2 1428.57x
Clifford Cum Boston 1 84.75x
Coneysthorpe 1 1250.00x
Filey 1 94.34x
Hunslet 1 4.88x
New Malton 1 63.69x
Old Malton 1 120.48x
Pudsey 1 14.22x
Thorpe Bassett 1 1111.11x
Warmsworth 1 526.32x
Wellingborough 1 15.95x
Wharram Le Street 1 1666.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Sarah 9
Alice 5
Elizabeth 4
Emma 4
Ada 2
Ann 2
Annie 2
Betsy 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Jane 2
Arabell 1
Dinah 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Emm. 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Isabella 1
June 1
Keturah 1
Lilian 1
Lillie 1
Lily 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Miriam 1
Rachell 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 12
William 9
Francis 5
Richard 5
James 4
Robert 4
Frank 3
Isaac 3
Edward 2
George 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Sidney 2
Thomas 2
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Fred 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Hry. 1
Jesse 1
Joseph 1
Thom 1
Walter 1
Winter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Calam surname: questions and answers

How common was the Calam surname in 1881?

In 1881, 136 people were recorded with the Calam surname. That placed it at #16,433 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Calam surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 203 in 2016. That gives Calam a modern rank of #19,396.

What does the Calam map show?

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