NameCensus.

UK surname

Cave

An occupational surname referring to someone who lived in or worked in a cave or a hollow.

In the 1881 census there were 4,298 people recorded with the Cave surname, ranking it #1,039 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,378, ranked #1,248, down from #1,039 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Newchurch and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hinckley and Bosworth, Newcastle upon Tyne and South Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cave is 5,841 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.1%.

1881 census count

4,298

Ranked #1,039

Modern count

5,378

2016, ranked #1,248

Peak year

1911

5,841 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cave had 4,298 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,039 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,378 in 2016, ranked #1,248.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,841 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cave surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cave surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cave 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 2,808 #1,041
1861 historical 2,447 #1,193
1881 historical 4,298 #1,039
1891 historical 4,356 #1,087
1901 historical 5,238 #1,073
1911 historical 5,841 #893
1997 modern 5,675 #1,151
1998 modern 5,811 #1,164
1999 modern 5,838 #1,169
2000 modern 5,755 #1,175
2001 modern 5,635 #1,178
2002 modern 5,771 #1,176
2003 modern 5,569 #1,185
2004 modern 5,589 #1,174
2005 modern 5,436 #1,193
2006 modern 5,386 #1,207
2007 modern 5,426 #1,205
2008 modern 5,389 #1,221
2009 modern 5,491 #1,232
2010 modern 5,641 #1,223
2011 modern 5,614 #1,215
2012 modern 5,463 #1,224
2013 modern 5,590 #1,215
2014 modern 5,560 #1,229
2015 modern 5,432 #1,239
2016 modern 5,378 #1,248

Geography

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Where Caves are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Newchurch, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hinckley and Bosworth, Newcastle upon Tyne, South Somerset and North West Leicestershire. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Newchurch Hampshire
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hinckley and Bosworth 001 Hinckley and Bosworth
2 Newcastle upon Tyne 008 Newcastle upon Tyne
3 South Somerset 002 South Somerset
4 Newcastle upon Tyne 004 Newcastle upon Tyne
5 North West Leicestershire 010 North West Leicestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cave

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cave

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Cave is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Cave is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cave falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cave

The surname Cave is of English origin and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old Norman French word "cave," meaning a cave or underground dwelling. The name likely originated as a topographic name, given to someone who lived near or in a cave.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1182, which mentions a Roger de la Cave. This suggests that the name was initially used as a descriptive surname, indicating a person's association with a specific cave or location.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records across England. The Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273 mention a Richard de la Cave, while the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1285 reference a Thomas de la Cave.

The surname Cave has also been linked to various place names throughout England. For example, there is a village called Cave in East Yorkshire, which may have contributed to the adoption of the name by individuals residing in or near that area.

Notable historical figures bearing the surname Cave include:

1. Sir Ambrose Cave (1504-1568), an English lawyer and politician who served as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

2. William Cave (1637-1713), an English clergyman and scholar known for his work "Apostolici, or, The History of the Apostles and Fathers in the First Three Centuries of the Church."

3. Edward Cave (1691-1754), an English publisher and the founder of The Gentleman's Magazine, one of the earliest periodicals in English.

4. Stephen Cave (1820-1904), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Shoreham from 1857 to 1859.

5. Sir Lewis William Cave (1832-1897), an English lawyer and judge who served as a Lord Justice of Appeal and was knighted in 1887.

The surname Cave has undergone various spelling variations throughout history, including Cave, Cavey, and Cavie. These variations likely emerged due to regional dialectal differences and the evolution of language over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cave families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cave 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. Lancashire leads with 530 Caves recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.07x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 530 1.07x
Middlesex 446 1.06x
Leicestershire 365 7.86x
Northamptonshire 333 8.45x
Yorkshire 262 0.63x
Surrey 217 1.06x
Hampshire 212 2.47x
Warwickshire 200 1.89x
Lincolnshire 196 2.93x
Somerset 137 2.03x
Kent 118 0.83x
Gloucestershire 98 1.19x
Dorset 97 3.53x
Nottinghamshire 87 1.54x
Cambridgeshire 86 3.24x
Derbyshire 76 1.16x
Wiltshire 70 1.89x
Bedfordshire 66 3.04x
Buckinghamshire 65 2.57x
Berkshire 60 1.91x
Durham 57 0.46x
Oxfordshire 52 2.01x
Staffordshire 48 0.34x
Worcestershire 47 0.86x
Sussex 41 0.58x
Cheshire 37 0.40x
Herefordshire 32 1.86x
Devon 30 0.34x
Hertfordshire 29 1.00x
Huntingdonshire 28 3.37x
Glamorgan 25 0.34x
Rutland 25 8.12x
Shropshire 21 0.58x
Northumberland 16 0.26x
Norfolk 11 0.17x
Suffolk 11 0.22x
Brecknockshire 10 1.19x
Channel Islands 9 0.72x
Cornwall 7 0.15x
Essex 7 0.08x
Anglesey 6 0.81x
Denbighshire 5 0.32x
Westmorland 4 0.43x
Cumberland 2 0.06x
Flintshire 2 0.18x
Midlothian 2 0.04x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.15x
Wigtownshire 2 0.36x
Angus 1 0.03x
Inverness-shire 1 0.08x
Isle of Man 1 0.13x
Monmouthshire 1 0.03x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.10x
Renfrewshire 1 0.03x
Royal Navy 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 81 Caves recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.15x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 81 7.15x
Leicester St Mary 59 15.72x
Nottingham St Mary 56 3.83x
Everton 48 3.03x
St Marylebone London 48 2.15x
Birmingham 47 1.33x
Lambeth 47 1.29x
Toxteth Park 45 2.67x
Kensington London 42 1.80x
Aston 39 1.34x
St Pancras London 39 1.16x
Dewsbury 38 8.92x
Liverpool 33 1.09x
Northampton Priory St 32 13.53x
Longfleet 30 94.16x
Northampton St Sepulchre 30 14.96x
Brading 29 25.40x
Husbands Bosworth 29 243.29x
Gainsborough 28 17.72x
West Derby 28 1.92x
Battersea 27 1.75x
Markfield 26 112.85x
Kempston 25 50.75x
Lee 24 11.56x
Mile End Old Town London 24 2.69x
Newport 24 51.51x
Bethnal Green London 23 1.26x
Chatteris 23 33.96x
Belgrave 22 20.98x
Ditchling 22 114.29x
Holbeach 22 29.48x
Bishopwearmouth 21 1.96x
Hunslet 21 3.24x
Northampton St Giles 21 13.99x
Lewisham 20 2.62x
Ufford 20 877.19x
Hackney London 19 0.81x
Islington London 19 0.47x
Kirkdale 19 2.27x
Paddington London 19 1.23x
Royton 19 12.49x
Trowbridge 19 11.60x
Alverstoke 18 5.79x
Deptford St Paul 18 1.63x
Manchester 18 0.80x
Ormskirk 18 18.92x
St Andrewthe Less 18 5.94x
Batley 17 4.31x
Bermondsey 17 1.36x
South Kilworth 16 263.59x
Southampton St Mary 16 2.96x
Spalding 16 12.03x
West Coker 16 116.53x
Deal 15 12.30x
Ketton 15 93.69x
Lathom 15 24.98x
Livesey 15 17.19x
Newchurch 15 77.00x
Richmond 15 5.24x
Swinford 15 259.52x
Clifton 14 3.37x
Manea 14 83.63x
Rugby 14 9.79x
St George Hanover Square 14 1.90x
Wellingborough 14 7.06x
Wigan 14 2.01x
Banbury 13 25.08x
Newbold Upon Avon 13 129.61x
North Meols 13 2.67x
Shoreditch London 13 0.72x
Surfleet 13 93.32x
Swindon 13 4.52x
Chelsea London 12 0.95x
Gilmorton 12 129.87x
Knowsley 12 66.82x
Neithrop 12 13.80x
Newbold Verdon 12 112.46x
Oldham 12 0.75x
Stilton 12 128.76x
Thorney 12 40.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 274
Sarah 165
Elizabeth 161
Ann 83
Emma 74
Annie 73
Jane 73
Ellen 71
Alice 65
Eliza 62
Hannah 47
Emily 41
Edith 40
Martha 38
Harriet 33
Fanny 32
Margaret 31
Caroline 30
Ada 29
Florence 25
Louisa 25
Catherine 21
Maria 19
Lucy 18
Clara 17
Frances 17
Anne 16
Charlotte 16
Esther 16
Kate 15
Susan 15
Agnes 14
Elizth. 14
Harriett 14
Minnie 14
Rose 13
Amy 11
Lizzie 11
Rebecca 11
Amelia 10
Jessie 10
Julia 10
Susannah 10
Ethel 8
Flora 8
Isabella 8
Ruth 8
Bessie 7
Gertrude 7
Phoebe 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 264
John 249
Thomas 144
George 143
James 110
Charles 104
Henry 100
Arthur 62
Edward 58
Frederick 55
Joseph 50
Alfred 46
Robert 45
Richard 39
Harry 35
Walter 34
Samuel 31
Frank 30
Albert 27
Herbert 18
Ernest 17
Francis 17
Edwin 15
Stephen 14
Wm. 13
Benjamin 11
Harold 9
Thos. 9
David 8
Geo. 8
Daniel 7
Sidney 7
Fred 6
Isaac 6
Percy 6
Tom 6
Edmund 5
Martin 5
Michael 5
Austin 4
Jabez 4
Josiah 4
Peter 4
Wilfred 4
Abraham 3
Fredk. 3
Fredrick 3
Horace 3
Infant 3
Jacob 3

FAQ

Cave surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cave surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,298 people were recorded with the Cave surname. That placed it at #1,039 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cave surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,378 in 2016. That gives Cave a modern rank of #1,248.

What does the Cave surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who lived in or worked in a cave or a hollow.

What does the Cave map show?

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