NameCensus.

UK surname

Clive

A surname derived from a location name, possibly referring to someone from Clive near Llandaff in Wales.

In the 1881 census there were 368 people recorded with the Clive surname, ranking it #8,454 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 705, ranked #7,661, up from #8,454 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Yardley, Whitchurch and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, Ryedale and Stranraer South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clive is 712 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 91.6%.

1881 census count

368

Ranked #8,454

Modern count

705

2016, ranked #7,661

Peak year

2014

712 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Clive had 368 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,454 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 705 in 2016, ranked #7,661.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 431 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Clive surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Clive surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Clive 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 180 #11,300
1861 historical 243 #10,116
1881 historical 368 #8,454
1891 historical 392 #9,019
1901 historical 420 #9,169
1911 historical 431 #8,789
1997 modern 628 #7,884
1998 modern 669 #7,742
1999 modern 670 #7,761
2000 modern 665 #7,799
2001 modern 651 #7,785
2002 modern 656 #7,890
2003 modern 636 #7,954
2004 modern 644 #7,893
2005 modern 645 #7,818
2006 modern 636 #7,939
2007 modern 653 #7,834
2008 modern 664 #7,782
2009 modern 677 #7,841
2010 modern 687 #7,889
2011 modern 704 #7,667
2012 modern 700 #7,607
2013 modern 705 #7,688
2014 modern 712 #7,670
2015 modern 696 #7,745
2016 modern 705 #7,661

Geography

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Where Clives are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Yardley, Whitchurch, London parishes and Old Luce. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, Ryedale, Stranraer South, Stranraer West and Hillhead. 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 Yardley Warwickshire
2 Whitchurch Shropshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Old Luce Wigtown
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 001 Shropshire
2 Ryedale 003 Ryedale
3 Stranraer South Dumfries and Galloway
4 Stranraer West Dumfries and Galloway
5 Hillhead East Dunbartonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Clive

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Clive

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Clive surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Clive household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Clive 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

Clive is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Clive

The surname Clive originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word 'clif', meaning a cliff or steep slope, suggesting that early bearers of the name lived near such a geographical feature. The name is also thought to have connections to the Olde English pre-7th century personal name 'Clifa'.

Some of the earliest recorded instances of the Clive surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'de Clive' and 'de Cliua'. This suggests the name was initially a territorial surname, indicating someone who hailed from a place called Clive.

The first recorded use of the surname Clive in its modern spelling dates back to 1176 in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire. These records mention a Roger de Clyve, who likely took his name from the village of Clive in Shropshire.

In the 13th century, the Clive surname was relatively widespread in the West Midlands counties of Shropshire, Staffordshire, and Worcestershire. Notable early bearers include Richard de Clyve, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1272.

One of the most famous historical figures with the Clive surname was Robert Clive (1725-1774), known as 'Clive of India'. He was a British officer and politician who established British supremacy in Bengal and became the first British Governor of the Bengal Presidency.

Another notable Clive was Henrietta Clive (1758-1830), an English writer and poet. Her works include 'The Boarding School' and 'Sketches of Character'.

In the 19th century, Edward Clive (1804-1877) was a British naval officer who served as the First Naval Lord and Controller of the Navy from 1866 to 1867.

Caroline Clive (1801-1873) was a British writer and advocate for social reform. She co-founded the Governesses' Benevolent Institution and wrote several works, including 'Paul Ferroll' and 'Why Paul Ferroll Killed His Wife'.

Lastly, Caroline Meysey-Thompson Clive (1869-1942) was a British archer who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, where she won a gold medal in the double National round event.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Clive families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clive 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. Warwickshire leads with 120 Clives recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.22x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 120 13.22x
Middlesex 40 1.11x
Surrey 28 1.60x
Wigtownshire 28 58.59x
Lancashire 27 0.63x
Staffordshire 23 1.89x
Flintshire 15 15.50x
Devon 13 1.74x
Shropshire 13 4.18x
Cheshire 9 1.13x
Yorkshire 8 0.22x
Kent 7 0.57x
Worcestershire 7 1.49x
Herefordshire 6 4.07x
Lincolnshire 6 1.04x
Essex 2 0.28x
Glamorgan 2 0.32x
Gloucestershire 2 0.28x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.41x
Berkshire 1 0.37x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.66x
Cornwall 1 0.25x
Dumfriesshire 1 1.26x
Hampshire 1 0.14x
Leicestershire 1 0.25x
Monmouthshire 1 0.38x
Montgomeryshire 1 1.21x
Roxburghshire 1 1.53x
Royal Navy 1 2.33x
Sussex 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 76 Clives recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.41x.

Place Total Index
Aston 76 30.41x
Birmingham 28 9.26x
Old Luce 22 728.48x
Croydon 15 15.41x
Bronington 13 1547.62x
Barston 11 2750.00x
Warrington 11 21.73x
West Bromwich 11 15.81x
Whitchurch 9 149.25x
Westminster St Margaret 8 46.08x
Beckenham 6 37.38x
Inch 6 128.76x
Mile End Old Town London 6 7.83x
Plymouth St Andrew 6 10.40x
St Maryle Wigford 6 134.23x
St Marylebone London 6 3.12x
Treville 6 3157.89x
Wolstanton 6 16.26x
Northfield 5 56.05x
Sheffield 5 4.40x
Altrincham 4 28.82x
Battersea 4 3.02x
Hulme 4 4.49x
Lambeth 4 1.27x
North Meols 4 9.57x
Paddington London 4 3.02x
St Martin In Fields 4 18.56x
Tottenham 4 6.98x
Wolverhampton 4 4.28x
Alsager 3 151.52x
Pilkington 3 18.50x
Poplar London 3 4.42x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 4.14x
Stoke Damerel 3 5.72x
Sutton Coldfield 3 31.45x
Basford 2 8.94x
Bromfield 2 285.71x
Clifton 2 5.60x
Dewsbury 2 5.47x
Great Malvern 2 20.39x
Islington London 2 0.57x
Malpas Iscoyd 2 392.16x
Manchester 2 1.04x
Plymouth Charles The 2 6.06x
Solihull 2 30.63x
Tormoham 2 6.31x
Bermondsey 1 0.93x
Blymhill 1 161.29x
Brentwood 1 23.09x
Cardiff St John 1 4.89x
Carmarthen St Peter 1 7.71x
Chepstow Mounton 1 1428.57x
Chester Castle 1 238.10x
Christchurch 1 6.25x
Dumfries 1 12.76x
Edmonton 1 3.45x
Grays Thurrock 1 15.15x
Hampstead London 1 1.78x
Hampton London 1 16.89x
Kingston On Thames 1 2.37x
Lancing 1 59.88x
Leicester St Margaret 1 1.03x
Malpas 1 85.47x
Mirfield 1 5.11x
Montford 1 161.29x
Much Woolton 1 17.24x
Pool 1 16.08x
Roxburgh 1 80.00x
Royal Navy 1 2.73x
Shrewsbury St Julian 1 13.00x
Stockbury 1 129.87x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 0.78x
Stretford 1 4.26x
Swansea Lower 1 31.25x
Toxteth Park 1 0.69x
Truro St Mary 1 29.24x
Winkfield 1 22.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Elizabeth 19
Emma 10
Sarah 8
Eliza 6
Emily 6
Florence 5
Clara 4
Adelaide 3
Alice 3
Ann 3
Charlotte 3
Ellen 3
Jane 3
Kate 3
Maria 3
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Anne 2
Annie 2
Edith 2
Jemima 2
Kathleen 2
Mabel 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Nellie 2
Phoebe 2
Susan 2
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Cicely 1
Comfert 1
Elenor 1
Elizth. 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Georgin 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Isabel 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Judith 1
Katherine 1
Kezire 1
Leonora 1
Louisa 1
Winifrid 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 26
John 16
George 10
Henry 10
Edward 9
Robert 9
Thomas 9
Joseph 7
Alfred 6
James 6
Albert 5
Charles 5
Samuel 4
Baron 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Percy 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Zephaniah 2
Andrew 1
Arnie 1
Benjamin 1
Bernard 1
C.E. 1
Clifford 1
Daniel 1
Edgar 1
Ernest 1
Felix 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Guy 1
Harry 1
Harvy 1
Isiah 1
Lawrence 1
Mazly 1
Mercy 1
Meysey 1
Murray 1
Noel 1
Philip 1
Reginald 1
Richard 1
Ronald 1
Sidney 1
Wilfrid 1
Wm.C. 1

FAQ

Clive surname: questions and answers

How common was the Clive surname in 1881?

In 1881, 368 people were recorded with the Clive surname. That placed it at #8,454 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Clive surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 705 in 2016. That gives Clive a modern rank of #7,661.

What does the Clive surname mean?

A surname derived from a location name, possibly referring to someone from Clive near Llandaff in Wales.

What does the Clive map show?

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