NameCensus.

UK surname

Camm

A surname derived from an Old English place name meaning "winding valley".

In the 1881 census there were 970 people recorded with the Camm surname, ranking it #4,010 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,397, ranked #4,349, down from #4,010 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Manchester and Nottingham St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stroud, Swansea and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Camm is 1,586 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 44.0%.

1881 census count

970

Ranked #4,010

Modern count

1,397

2016, ranked #4,349

Peak year

1911

1,586 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Camm had 970 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,010 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,397 in 2016, ranked #4,349.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,586 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Camm surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Camm surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Camm 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 644 #4,032
1861 historical 453 #5,718
1881 historical 970 #4,010
1891 historical 1,071 #3,924
1901 historical 1,388 #3,621
1911 historical 1,586 #3,063
1997 modern 1,343 #4,283
1998 modern 1,404 #4,265
1999 modern 1,380 #4,354
2000 modern 1,379 #4,348
2001 modern 1,354 #4,317
2002 modern 1,366 #4,378
2003 modern 1,353 #4,343
2004 modern 1,339 #4,385
2005 modern 1,324 #4,371
2006 modern 1,331 #4,370
2007 modern 1,350 #4,354
2008 modern 1,334 #4,413
2009 modern 1,361 #4,422
2010 modern 1,377 #4,467
2011 modern 1,404 #4,351
2012 modern 1,367 #4,389
2013 modern 1,393 #4,395
2014 modern 1,416 #4,352
2015 modern 1,408 #4,341
2016 modern 1,397 #4,349

Geography

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Where Camms are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Manchester, Nottingham St Mary, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stroud, Swansea, Barnsley, Bolsover and North Kesteven. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stroud 012 Stroud
2 Swansea 031 Swansea
3 Barnsley 023 Barnsley
4 Bolsover 007 Bolsover
5 North Kesteven 009 North Kesteven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Camm

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Camm

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Camm, 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 Camm surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Camm 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Camm 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

Camm is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Camm falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Camm

The surname Camm originated in England. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word 'cam' or 'comb', which referred to a ridge or hill. This suggests that the name may have been a topographic name, given to someone who lived near a distinctive ridge or hill.

Camm is an ancient surname that can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a record of landowners in England compiled by order of William the Conqueror. The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears as 'Cambe' in this historic document.

In medieval times, the name was often spelled as 'Camme' or 'Combe'. It was particularly prevalent in the counties of Somerset, Dorset, and Wiltshire in southwest England. Some early bearers of the name were associated with places like Compton Camm in Wiltshire and Combe Down in Somerset.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Camm was William Camm, who was born around 1230 in Somerset. He was a landowner and prominent figure in the local community.

Another notable person with the Camm surname was John Camm (c. 1605-1657), an English Quaker minister and writer who was imprisoned several times for his religious beliefs. He played a significant role in the early history of the Quaker movement.

In the 17th century, Thomas Camm (1641-1689) was a prominent English Quaker minister and author. He traveled extensively throughout England and America, spreading the Quaker faith and writing several influential works.

Sarah Camm Pauncefort (1723-1768) was an English botanist and one of the first women to be elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society. She made significant contributions to the study of plant anatomy and physiology.

Benjamin Camm (1812-1872) was an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Freemasonry Hall and the Athenaeum Club.

The Camm surname has a long and rich history, with its roots stretching back to the early medieval period in England. Although the name originated as a topographic descriptor, it has been borne by many notable individuals over the centuries, including religious leaders, scientists, and architects.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Camm families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Camm 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 156 Camms recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.36x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 156 12.36x
Yorkshire 152 1.64x
Lancashire 147 1.32x
Lincolnshire 118 7.88x
Gloucestershire 110 5.99x
Staffordshire 44 1.39x
Middlesex 36 0.38x
Leicestershire 35 3.37x
Derbyshire 21 1.43x
Surrey 18 0.39x
Warwickshire 14 0.59x
Shropshire 13 1.61x
Cheshire 12 0.58x
Worcestershire 11 0.90x
Cumberland 8 0.99x
Northamptonshire 8 0.91x
Herefordshire 7 1.82x
Rutland 7 10.18x
Somerset 7 0.46x
Essex 6 0.32x
Westmorland 5 2.43x
Brecknockshire 4 2.14x
Wiltshire 4 0.48x
Renfrewshire 3 0.41x
Devon 2 0.10x
Dorset 2 0.33x
Hertfordshire 2 0.31x
Monmouthshire 2 0.30x
Norfolk 2 0.14x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.17x
Glamorgan 1 0.06x
Hampshire 1 0.05x
Kent 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nottingham St Mary in Nottinghamshire leads with 34 Camms recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.41x.

Place Total Index
Nottingham St Mary 34 10.41x
Haslingden 26 56.51x
Sheffield 24 8.12x
Harborne 22 21.72x
Barrow On Humber 19 218.64x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 18 10.41x
Basford 14 24.06x
Quorndon 14 240.14x
Egham 13 46.41x
Birmingham 12 1.52x
Lydney 12 126.58x
Nuthall 12 253.70x
Ovenden 12 29.06x
Saul 12 628.27x
Lancaster 11 16.64x
Norton 11 91.06x
Radford 11 17.16x
Stainby 11 2244.90x
Toxteth Park 11 2.92x
Habergham Eaves 10 9.85x
Oldham 10 2.79x
West Derby 10 3.08x
Cadeby 9 1034.48x
Dunston 9 360.00x
Greasley 9 31.60x
Nether Hallam 9 7.17x
Nottingham St Nicholas 9 52.36x
Ripple 9 389.61x
Scrooby 9 1428.57x
Skegby 9 116.43x
Wolstanton 9 9.38x
Alfreton 8 17.96x
Arlingham 8 398.01x
Bowling 8 8.70x
Fretherne 8 1038.96x
Kensington London 8 1.54x
Keswick 8 77.59x
Mile End Old Town London 8 4.01x
Shawbury 8 257.23x
Shipley 8 16.61x
Ashby De La Laund 7 1296.30x
Belton 7 578.51x
Handsworth 7 28.54x
Hoyland Nether 7 30.76x
Kingstanley 7 103.09x
North Nibley 7 266.16x
North Rauceby 7 804.60x
Peterborough 7 10.98x
Preston 7 2.35x
Prestwich 7 25.25x
Ross 7 45.84x
Styrrup 7 372.34x
Aylestone 6 73.26x
Biddulph 6 33.63x
Clapham Cum Newby 6 276.50x
Deeping St James 6 113.42x
Everton 6 1.69x
Garston 6 18.29x
Grantham 6 30.74x
Hoole 6 76.73x
Layton With Warbreck 6 14.71x
Lenton 6 20.18x
Liversedge 6 14.52x
Newton In Makerfield 6 17.63x
Ordsall 6 62.11x
Ranskill 6 495.87x
Snenton 6 12.10x
Walthamstow 6 9.02x
Whalley 6 37.06x
Barrow In Furness 5 3.31x
Buckminster 5 617.28x
Careby 5 925.93x
Horton In Bradford 5 3.45x
Newton 5 5.84x
Poplar London 5 2.83x
Salford 5 1.53x
Worfield 5 88.97x
Elmore 4 353.98x
Leeds 4 0.76x
Wysall 4 476.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 74
Elizabeth 41
Sarah 39
Ann 19
Alice 18
Jane 17
Annie 13
Eliza 12
Lucy 11
Emily 10
Margaret 10
Ellen 9
Hannah 9
Martha 8
Amelia 7
Harriet 7
Maria 7
Clara 6
Ada 5
Catherine 5
Charlotte 5
Edith 5
Emma 5
Esther 5
Anne 4
Harriett 4
Agnes 3
Amy 3
Caroline 3
Fanny 3
Florence 3
Isabella 3
Louisa 3
Mabel 3
Minnie 3
Ruth 3
Susannah 3
Anna 2
Betsey 2
Christiana 2
Clarinda 2
Elisa 2
Ethel 2
Fanney 2
Flora 2
Helen 2
Matilda 2
Maud 2
Mercy 2
Nancy 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 82
William 58
George 34
Thomas 34
Joseph 32
James 23
Charles 21
Henry 20
Robert 19
Arthur 11
Edward 9
Samuel 8
Alfred 7
Richard 6
Harry 5
Walter 5
David 4
Frederick 4
Abel 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Darius 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Fredrick 2
Herbert 2
Job 2
Joe 2
Matthew 2
Maurice 2
Oliver 2
Stephen 2
Thos. 2
Ben 1
Cuthbert 1
Daniel 1
Dean 1
Emma 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Geo.B. 1
Geo.Edward 1
Howard 1
I.J. 1
Infant 1
J.Wm. 1
Jas. 1
Jno.Thos. 1
Zachariah 1

FAQ

Camm surname: questions and answers

How common was the Camm surname in 1881?

In 1881, 970 people were recorded with the Camm surname. That placed it at #4,010 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Camm surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,397 in 2016. That gives Camm a modern rank of #4,349.

What does the Camm surname mean?

A surname derived from an Old English place name meaning "winding valley".

What does the Camm map show?

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