NameCensus.

UK surname

Cleeves

An English surname derived from the Old English word "clif" meaning cliff or slope.

In the 1881 census there were 67 people recorded with the Cleeves surname, ranking it #24,104 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 140, ranked #24,865, down from #24,104 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Somerset, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Swindon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cleeves is 155 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 109.0%.

1881 census count

67

Ranked #24,104

Modern count

140

2016, ranked #24,865

Peak year

2000

155 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cleeves had 67 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,104 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016, ranked #24,865.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 89 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Cleeves surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cleeves surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cleeves 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 30 #27,891
1861 historical 47 #28,023
1881 historical 67 #24,104
1891 historical 55 #29,744
1901 historical 76 #25,734
1911 historical 89 #23,922
1997 modern 142 #21,856
1998 modern 146 #22,031
1999 modern 142 #22,607
2000 modern 155 #21,341
2001 modern 148 #21,664
2002 modern 154 #21,531
2003 modern 141 #22,549
2004 modern 139 #22,891
2005 modern 138 #22,999
2006 modern 137 #23,270
2007 modern 140 #23,231
2008 modern 140 #23,511
2009 modern 146 #23,352
2010 modern 143 #24,247
2011 modern 139 #24,507
2012 modern 139 #24,485
2013 modern 142 #24,547
2014 modern 149 #23,969
2015 modern 148 #23,934
2016 modern 140 #24,865

Geography

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Where Cleeves' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Somerset, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swindon and Bristol. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Somerset 008 North Somerset
2 Rhondda Cynon Taf 026 Rhondda Cynon Taf
3 Swindon 024 Swindon
4 Bristol 046 Bristol, City of
5 North Somerset 013 North Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cleeves

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cleeves

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Cleeves surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Cleeves household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Cleeves is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cleeves 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

Cleeves falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cleeves

The surname CLEEVES is of English origin and dates back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, referring to someone who hailed from a place called Cleeve or Cleve. These place names are derived from the Old English word "clif," meaning a cliff or slope.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Cliua" and "Cliue." This suggests that the name was already well-established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records as "de Cliue" and "de Clyve," reflecting the Norman influence on English surnames during this period. The prefix "de" was commonly used to denote a person's place of origin.

By the 14th century, the spelling had evolved closer to its modern form, with variations such as "Cleeve" and "Cleve" being documented in various counties across England, including Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Yorkshire.

One notable individual bearing the CLEEVES surname was Sir Andrew Cleeves, born around 1492 in Somerset. He served as a member of the English parliament and was knighted by King Henry VIII in 1544 for his military service.

Another prominent figure was Richard Cleeves, a 16th-century English explorer and colonist. He was one of the first settlers in what is now the state of Maine in the United States, establishing a settlement on the Machias River in 1633.

In the 17th century, the name was also associated with the Cleeve family of Gloucestershire, who held the manor of Cleeve Hill. One member of this family, John Cleeve (1613-1683), was a renowned horticulturist and author of several books on gardening and agriculture.

The 18th century saw the birth of William Cleeves (1742-1825), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and later became a prominent merchant and shipowner in London.

Additionally, the name CLEEVES has been linked to various place names throughout England, such as Cleeve Hill in Gloucestershire, Cleeve Prior in Worcestershire, and Cleve Abbey in Somerset, further reinforcing its locational origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cleeves families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cleeves 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. Somerset leads with 16 Cleeves' recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.68x.

County Total Index
Somerset 16 15.68x
Hampshire 15 11.54x
Staffordshire 10 4.67x
Gloucestershire 7 5.63x
Yorkshire 7 1.11x
Cheshire 3 2.14x
Middlesex 2 0.32x
Surrey 2 0.65x
Berkshire 1 2.10x
Glamorgan 1 0.91x
Lancashire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dummer in Hampshire leads with 9 Cleeves' recorded in 1881 and an index of 11250.00x.

Place Total Index
Dummer 9 11250.00x
Norton In Moors 9 796.46x
Rawmarsh 7 315.32x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 51.24x
Congresbury 6 2307.69x
Farlington 5 1851.85x
Pilton 4 1666.67x
Backwell 3 1428.57x
Stockport 3 41.67x
Clutton 2 909.09x
Farnham 2 83.33x
Aldershot 1 22.99x
Bedminster 1 10.43x
Bristol St Stephen 1 312.50x
Hackney London 1 2.81x
Handsworth 1 18.98x
Llanwonno 1 25.19x
Mile End Old Town London 1 7.41x
Newbury 1 65.79x
Wigan 1 9.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 4
Elizabeth 3
Jane 2
Mary 2
Ada 1
Amelia 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Henrietta 1
Hester 1
Joyce 1
Kate 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Roseane 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 4
James 4
John 4
William 3
Alfred 2
Charles 2
Edward 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Dan. 1
Daniel 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Elijah 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Jehn 1
Laurence 1
Montague 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Vincent 1
Walter 1
Wilfred 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 Cleeves households.

FAQ

Cleeves surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cleeves surname in 1881?

In 1881, 67 people were recorded with the Cleeves surname. That placed it at #24,104 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cleeves surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016. That gives Cleeves a modern rank of #24,865.

What does the Cleeves surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English word "clif" meaning cliff or slope.

What does the Cleeves map show?

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