NameCensus.

UK surname

Careless

In the 1881 census there were 746 people recorded with the Careless surname, ranking it #4,923 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 449, ranked #10,816, down from #4,923 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Trumpington and Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wychavon, West Berkshire and Cambridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Careless is 853 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 39.8%.

1881 census count

746

Ranked #4,923

Modern count

449

2016, ranked #10,816

Peak year

1911

853 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Careless had 746 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,923 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 449 in 2016, ranked #10,816.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 853 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Careless surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Careless surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Careless 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 528 #4,753
1861 historical 464 #5,600
1881 historical 746 #4,923
1891 historical 673 #5,795
1901 historical 814 #5,545
1911 historical 853 #5,199
1997 modern 528 #8,934
1998 modern 539 #9,065
1999 modern 541 #9,092
2000 modern 520 #9,339
2001 modern 513 #9,280
2002 modern 501 #9,611
2003 modern 475 #9,848
2004 modern 482 #9,757
2005 modern 483 #9,676
2006 modern 484 #9,709
2007 modern 488 #9,740
2008 modern 489 #9,808
2009 modern 500 #9,862
2010 modern 493 #10,161
2011 modern 485 #10,180
2012 modern 441 #10,828
2013 modern 449 #10,850
2014 modern 453 #10,830
2015 modern 450 #10,819
2016 modern 449 #10,816

Geography

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Where Careless' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Trumpington, Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict, Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) and Walsall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wychavon, West Berkshire and Cambridge. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Trumpington Cambridgeshire
3 Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict Cambridgeshire
4 Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) Staffordshire
5 Walsall Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wychavon 013 Wychavon
2 Wychavon 014 Wychavon
3 West Berkshire 004 West Berkshire
4 Cambridge 003 Cambridge
5 Wychavon 011 Wychavon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Careless

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Careless

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Careless 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

Careless is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Careless 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 Careless 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 Careless, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Careless families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Careless 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. Staffordshire leads with 206 Careless' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.34x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 206 8.34x
Worcestershire 92 9.63x
Cambridgeshire 74 15.97x
Warwickshire 73 3.96x
Middlesex 37 0.51x
Yorkshire 30 0.41x
Cheshire 26 1.61x
Bedfordshire 24 6.34x
Surrey 20 0.56x
Huntingdonshire 17 11.70x
Suffolk 16 1.80x
Nottinghamshire 14 1.42x
Hertfordshire 13 2.58x
Northamptonshire 13 1.89x
Lancashire 12 0.14x
Gloucestershire 11 0.77x
Durham 10 0.46x
Shropshire 9 1.42x
Hampshire 7 0.47x
Denbighshire 6 2.17x
Herefordshire 6 2.00x
Wiltshire 6 0.93x
Berkshire 5 0.91x
Glamorgan 4 0.31x
Kent 4 0.16x
Radnorshire 4 6.78x
Leicestershire 3 0.37x
Sussex 2 0.16x
Channel Islands 1 0.46x
Derbyshire 1 0.09x
Essex 1 0.07x
Monmouthshire 1 0.19x
Oxfordshire 1 0.22x
Somerset 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wolverhampton in Staffordshire leads with 61 Careless' recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.13x.

Place Total Index
Wolverhampton 61 32.13x
Birmingham 40 6.51x
Walsall Foreign 38 29.79x
Trumpington 35 1483.05x
Aston 19 3.74x
South Littleton 16 1975.31x
Basford 14 30.80x
Offenham 14 1014.49x
St Andrewthe Less 14 26.45x
Walsall Borough 14 73.03x
Darlaston 13 38.09x
Godmanchester 12 218.58x
Norton Canes 12 133.33x
Islington London 11 1.55x
Rawmarsh 11 42.95x
Aldridge 10 210.53x
Bedford St Paul 10 38.49x
Inkberrow 10 259.07x
Mendlesham 10 354.61x
The Hill 10 162.87x
Bedford St Peter 9 91.46x
Bishop Stortford 9 53.44x
Harborne 9 11.37x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 9 9.55x
Kingswinford 9 10.04x
Ormesby 9 46.20x
Walton On Thames 9 54.98x
Barrow In Furness 8 6.78x
Claverley 8 187.35x
Willenhall 8 17.30x
Wollaston 8 132.01x
Aston Cum Aughton 7 118.04x
Betchton 7 338.16x
Burton Extra 7 49.44x
Gamlingay 7 144.93x
Oldbury 7 14.89x
Sale 7 35.34x
Edgbaston 6 10.49x
Portsea 6 2.04x
Ruabon 6 15.79x
Sandbach 6 43.57x
St Clement Cambridge 6 312.50x
Bluntisham 5 183.82x
Hendon 5 19.00x
Mickleton 5 264.55x
Saxstead 5 588.24x
St George In East London 5 7.27x
Tettenhall 5 33.11x
Bosbury 4 161.29x
Bromley London 4 2.49x
Camberwell 4 0.86x
Cardiff St Mary 4 5.70x
Cefnllys 4 235.29x
Chippenham 4 29.48x
Coughton 4 677.97x
Halesowen 4 47.68x
Maidford 4 588.24x
Towcester 4 56.34x
Bedford St Mary 3 30.74x
Bilston 3 6.27x
Broadway 3 72.99x
Hammersmith London 3 1.66x
Northfield 3 16.55x
Over 3 109.09x
Reigate Foreign 3 7.77x
St Marythe Less 3 106.38x
Tilehurst 3 27.05x
Tipton 3 3.97x
Wednesbury 3 4.86x
Baldock 2 42.19x
Castle Church 2 13.48x
Farthingstone 2 259.74x
Flyford Flavell 2 454.55x
Great Comberton 2 377.36x
Hackney London 2 0.49x
Rastrick 2 9.93x
South Mimms 2 19.94x
St Andrewthe Great 2 33.39x
Tranmere 2 3.37x
West Bromwich 2 1.41x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 47
William 44
Thomas 32
George 24
Charles 22
James 21
Joseph 11
Alfred 10
Richard 10
Edward 8
Henry 8
Robert 8
Arthur 7
Harry 6
Herbert 6
Samuel 5
Walter 5
Albert 4
Ernest 4
Frederick 4
Isaac 4
Edwin 3
Frank 3
Cornelius 2
Ezekiel 2
Jno. 2
Joel 2
Jos. 2
Leonard 2
Patrick 2
Richd. 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Algernon 1
Arther 1
Benjamin 1
Byrth 1
Chas 1
Davis 1
Dennis 1
Ebenezar 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Ephraim 1
Ephram 1
Isaiah 1
Jabes 1
Jas. 1
Jason 1
Job 1

FAQ

Careless surname: questions and answers

How common was the Careless surname in 1881?

In 1881, 746 people were recorded with the Careless surname. That placed it at #4,923 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Careless surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 449 in 2016. That gives Careless a modern rank of #10,816.

What does the Careless map show?

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