UK surname

Civil

A surname derived from the word "civil," suggesting a connection to public service or governance.

In the 1881 census there were 131 people recorded with the Civil surname, ranking it #16,824 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 213, ranked #18,785, down from #16,824 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newchurch, London parishes and Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Daventry, Sandwell and Wellingborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Civil is 230 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.6%.

1881 census count

131

Ranked #16,824

Modern count

213

2016, ranked #18,785

Peak year

1997

230 bearers

Map years

1881 to 2016

Key insights

• Civil had 131 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,824 surname in that year.
• The latest modern count shown here is 213 in 2016, ranked #18,785.
• Within the historical census years, the highest count was 194 in 1911.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Map

Civil surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Civil surname density by area, 1881 census.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Civil 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	68	#21,302
1861	historical	81	#23,431
1881	historical	131	#16,824
1891	historical	121	#21,169
1901	historical	163	#17,205
1911	historical	194	#15,250
1997	modern	230	#16,109
1998	modern	224	#16,888
1999	modern	223	#17,025
2000	modern	221	#17,089
2001	modern	212	#17,324
2002	modern	202	#18,189
2003	modern	193	#18,501
2004	modern	200	#18,213
2005	modern	206	#17,786
2006	modern	210	#17,718
2007	modern	216	#17,575
2008	modern	217	#17,693
2009	modern	216	#18,120
2010	modern	213	#18,660
2011	modern	214	#18,436
2012	modern	212	#18,481
2013	modern	219	#18,385
2014	modern	216	#18,705
2015	modern	222	#18,225
2016	modern	213	#18,785

Geography

Where Civils are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newchurch, London parishes, Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner, Northampton All Saints 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 Daventry, Sandwell, Wellingborough and Northampton. 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	Newchurch	Hampshire
2	London parishes	London 3
3	Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner	Hampshire
4	Northampton All Saints	Northamptonshire
5	Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory	Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank	Area	District
1	Daventry 001	Daventry
2	Sandwell 039	Sandwell
3	Wellingborough 008	Wellingborough
4	Northampton 002	Northampton
5	Wellingborough 009	Wellingborough

Forenames

First names often paired with Civil

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

Historical female names

Elizabeth Mary Sarah Jane Emily Alice Florence Annie Harriet Susan

Historical male names

William Thomas George John James Charles Henry Edmund Arthur Harry

Recent female names

Helen Jacqueline Elizabeth Margaret Alison Sarah Susan Louise Pauline Charlotte

Recent male names

David Andrew Michael Mark John Christopher Robert Matthew Peter George

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Civil

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Civil, 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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Civil surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Civil household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Civil is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Civil is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Civil falls in decile 8 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.

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Civil is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate: White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Civil, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Origin

Meaning and origin of Civil

The surname CIVIL originated in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old French word "civil," which means "civilian" or "citizen." This name was likely given to someone who lived in a town or village, as opposed to a rural area.

One of the earliest records of the CIVIL surname is found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mentions a John Civil. The name also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1301, with a reference to a William Civil.

The CIVIL surname is believed to have originated in the county of Yorkshire, where it was initially concentrated. Over time, it spread to other parts of England, particularly the Midlands and the South.

One of the earliest known bearers of the CIVIL surname was William Civil, who was born around 1350 in Yorkshire. He was a landowner and is mentioned in several historical records from the late 14th century.

Another notable individual with the CIVIL surname was John Civil, a merchant who lived in London during the 16th century. He is recorded as having traded with the Netherlands and was involved in the wool trade.

In the 17th century, there was a Richard Civil who served as a captain in the English Civil War. He fought for the Parliamentarian forces and was involved in several battles, including the Battle of Naseby in 1645.

The CIVIL surname also has connections to various place names in England. For example, there is a village called Civil in Somerset, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in that region.

One of the most prominent individuals with the CIVIL surname was Sir Edward Civil, an English politician and landowner who lived from 1630 to 1712. He served as a Member of Parliament for several constituencies and was known for his advocacy of religious tolerance.

Another notable figure was John Civil, a poet and writer who lived from 1677 to 1753. He wrote several works of poetry and was also involved in literary circles in London.

In summary, the CIVIL surname has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval England. It was likely derived from the Old French word for "civilian" and was initially concentrated in Yorkshire before spreading to other parts of the country. While not a particularly common surname, it has been borne by various individuals of note throughout English history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Civil families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Civil 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 48 Civils recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.19x.

County	Total	Frequency	Index
Hampshire	48	0.01%	18.19x
Northamptonshire	40	0.01%	33.03x
Northumberland	13	0.00%	6.79x
Surrey	9	0.00%	1.43x
Middlesex	5	0.00%	0.39x
Yorkshire	5	0.00%	0.39x
Glamorgan	4	0.00%	1.78x
Norfolk	2	0.00%	1.01x
Sussex	2	0.00%	0.92x
Devon	1	0.00%	0.37x
Kent	1	0.00%	0.23x
Royal Navy	1	0.00%	6.52x
Worcestershire	1	0.00%	0.59x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Alverstoke in Hampshire leads with 13 Civils recorded in 1881 and an index of 136.13x.

Place	Total	Frequency	Index
Alverstoke	13	0.06%	136.13x
Hexham	13	0.19%	439.19x
Duston	12	0.48%	1090.91x
Northwood	12	0.14%	319.15x
Whippingham	12	0.26%	600.00x
Northampton All Sts	10	0.11%	243.31x
Dallington	9	0.56%	1267.61x
Northampton St Sepulchre	9	0.06%	146.10x
Portsea	9	0.01%	17.40x
Newington	8	0.01%	16.82x
Ecclesfield	4	0.02%	42.78x
Swansea Town	4	0.01%	21.76x
Mile End Old Town London	3	0.00%	10.95x
Middleton	2	0.23%	512.82x
Aldershot	1	0.01%	11.31x
Bromsgrove	1	0.01%	17.67x
Dorking	1	0.01%	23.75x
Holy Trinity St Mary	1	0.02%	51.55x
Kensington London	1	0.00%	1.40x
Liss	1	0.08%	185.19x
Littlehampton	1	0.03%	57.80x
Plymouth Charles The	1	0.00%	8.47x
Ramsgate	1	0.01%	13.95x
Royal Navy	1	0.00%	7.63x
St Pancras London	1	0.00%	0.97x
Wadhurst	1	0.03%	69.93x

Top female names

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

Name	Count
Mary	11
Elizabeth	10
Emily	5
Jane	5
Sarah	4
Annie	3
Eleanor	3
Harriet	3
Florence	2
Isabela	2
Ada	1
Amy	1
Anne	1
Beatrice	1
Dinah	1
Eliz.	1
Eliza	1
Eunice	1
Fanny	1
Frances	1
George	1
Laura	1
Lucy	1
Margaret	1
Marsha	1
Minnie	1
Phoebe	1
Susanna	1
Susannah	1

Top male names

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

Name	Count
John	10
Thomas	9
George	8
Arthur	5
Henry	5
James	5
Charles	4
William	4
Alfred	3
Edmund	3
Edward	2
Harry	2
Frederick	1
Jno.	1
Joseph	1
Oliver	1
Thos.	1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Civil households.

Occupation	Count
Scholar	33
Painter	3
Shipwright	3
Joiner	2
Railway Clerk	2
Servant	2
Shoe Fitter	2
Tanner	2
(Iron) Foundryman	1
Boat Builder	1
Boot Closer	1
Boot Finisher	1
Carpenter	1
Carter	1
Civil Service Writer	1
Cook (Dom)	1
Dock Labourer	1
Dockyd Apprentice (Shipwrights)	1
Dom Serv	1
Domestic Serv	1
Dress Maker	1
Errand Boy	1
Foreman In Iron Warehouse (Manuf)	1
Gardener Dom	1
Gardeners Wife	1
General Serv	1
General Serv Dom	1
Glass Blower	1
Groces Apprentice	1
Groom	1
Housekeeper Dom	1
Iron Foundry (Pudler)	1
Joiner Emp 2 Men & 4 Boys	1
Labourer	1
Labourer Iron Works	1
Leather Tanner	1
No Occupation	1
Plasterer	1
Private	1
Pudler (Iron Manuf)	1
Schollar	1
Ships Joiner	1
Shoemaker	1
Sick Nurse (3/3)	1
Under Nurse	1
Waggon Builder (No 14)	1
Warrant Officers Servant	1

FAQ

Civil surname: questions and answers

How common was the Civil surname in 1881?

In 1881, 131 people were recorded with the Civil surname. That placed it at #16,824 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Civil surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 213 in 2016. That gives Civil a modern rank of #18,785.

What does the Civil surname mean?