NameCensus.

UK surname

Close

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "an enclosure" or "a narrow passage between buildings."

In the 1881 census there were 2,612 people recorded with the Close surname, ranking it #1,707 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,057, ranked #1,670, up from #1,707 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Minchinhampton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Copeland, Stockton-on-Tees and Craven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Close is 4,257 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 55.3%.

1881 census count

2,612

Ranked #1,707

Modern count

4,057

2016, ranked #1,670

Peak year

1998

4,257 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Close had 2,612 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,707 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,057 in 2016, ranked #1,670.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,403 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Close surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Close surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Close 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 1,638 #1,754
1861 historical 1,673 #1,708
1881 historical 2,612 #1,707
1891 historical 2,800 #1,687
1901 historical 3,233 #1,730
1911 historical 3,403 #1,539
1997 modern 4,139 #1,562
1998 modern 4,257 #1,575
1999 modern 4,245 #1,599
2000 modern 4,234 #1,588
2001 modern 4,115 #1,600
2002 modern 4,149 #1,631
2003 modern 4,037 #1,636
2004 modern 4,030 #1,635
2005 modern 3,930 #1,654
2006 modern 3,948 #1,649
2007 modern 3,990 #1,650
2008 modern 4,024 #1,645
2009 modern 4,192 #1,618
2010 modern 4,242 #1,630
2011 modern 4,174 #1,638
2012 modern 4,092 #1,640
2013 modern 4,110 #1,666
2014 modern 4,118 #1,668
2015 modern 4,105 #1,659
2016 modern 4,057 #1,670

Geography

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Where Closes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Minchinhampton, Middlesborough and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Copeland, Stockton-on-Tees, Craven and County Durham. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Minchinhampton Gloucestershire
4 Middlesborough Durham
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Copeland 004 Copeland
2 Stockton-on-Tees 014 Stockton-on-Tees
3 Craven 002 Craven
4 Stockton-on-Tees 021 Stockton-on-Tees
5 County Durham 066 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Close

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Close

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Close surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Close household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Close 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

Close 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

Close falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Close

The surname Close originated in England, with earliest records dating back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "clos", meaning an enclosure or courtyard. The name likely referred to someone who lived near or worked at an enclosed area or field.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Close surname appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which lists a William le Clos. The Hundred Rolls were administrative records kept during the reign of King Edward I.

In the 14th century, the name was also found in other areas of England, such as Yorkshire and Gloucestershire. Variations in spelling included Cloos, Cloose, and Closse. The surname may have originated from a place name, such as Close in Derbyshire or Closes in Staffordshire.

A notable early bearer of the name was Robert Close, a 15th-century English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Carlisle from 1450 to 1452.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Close surname continued to appear in various records and documents across England. One example is John Close, a renowned English musician and composer who lived from around 1520 to 1597.

In the 18th century, the Close family established themselves as prominent landowners and gentry in Northamptonshire. Sir Henry Close (1753-1845) was a respected member of this family and served as a magistrate and Deputy Lieutenant of the county.

Another notable figure was Francis Close (1797-1882), an English Anglican clergyman and social reformer. He was a vocal advocate for the abolition of slavery and played a significant role in the establishment of the Church Missionary Society.

In the 19th century, the Close surname was also found in Scotland, where it was sometimes spelled Closs or Cluese. One notable Scottish bearer of the name was John Close (1816-1890), a minister and author who wrote extensively on religious topics.

As the Close surname spread across the British Isles and beyond, it continued to be associated with various professions, including farming, trade, and the clergy. The name's origins as a reference to an enclosure or courtyard have been retained throughout its long history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Close families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Close 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. Yorkshire leads with 589 Closes recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.33x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 589 2.33x
Durham 413 5.45x
Lancashire 310 1.02x
Gloucestershire 198 3.96x
Middlesex 103 0.40x
Northamptonshire 102 4.25x
Lanarkshire 90 1.09x
Surrey 81 0.65x
Somerset 80 1.95x
Lincolnshire 57 1.40x
Northumberland 56 1.48x
Cumberland 44 2.01x
Ayrshire 34 1.78x
Glamorgan 33 0.74x
Westmorland 30 5.36x
Derbyshire 29 0.73x
Warwickshire 28 0.44x
Hampshire 25 0.48x
Kent 22 0.25x
Sussex 22 0.51x
Cheshire 20 0.36x
Devon 18 0.34x
Monmouthshire 18 0.98x
Staffordshire 17 0.20x
Cardiganshire 16 2.57x
Carmarthenshire 15 1.40x
Herefordshire 14 1.34x
Midlothian 14 0.41x
Oxfordshire 14 0.89x
Renfrewshire 13 0.66x
Nottinghamshire 11 0.32x
Bedfordshire 9 0.68x
Rutland 9 4.81x
Worcestershire 8 0.24x
Leicestershire 7 0.25x
Wiltshire 7 0.31x
Inverness-shire 6 0.79x
Essex 5 0.10x
Kirkcudbrightshire 5 1.36x
West Lothian 5 1.30x
Berkshire 4 0.21x
Dorset 4 0.24x
Huntingdonshire 4 0.79x
Suffolk 4 0.13x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.19x
Cornwall 3 0.10x
Shropshire 3 0.14x
Wigtownshire 3 0.89x
Hertfordshire 2 0.11x
Merionethshire 2 0.43x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.04x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.15x
Isle of Man 1 0.21x
Royal Navy 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Minchinhampton in Gloucestershire leads with 53 Closes recorded in 1881 and an index of 133.07x.

Place Total Index
Minchinhampton 53 133.07x
Collyweston 48 1269.84x
Barony 36 1.73x
Middlesbrough 35 10.64x
Darlington 29 9.91x
Stockton On Tees 29 7.93x
Baltonsborough 28 456.77x
Eccleshill 26 42.30x
Shildon 26 42.66x
Stroud 24 24.67x
Sunderland 24 17.92x
Crook Billy Row 22 22.65x
Blackrod 21 55.87x
Dalry 21 23.40x
West Derby 21 2.37x
Arlecdon 20 34.27x
Roath 20 9.92x
Bishopwearmouth 19 2.92x
Aspull 18 25.30x
Battersea 18 1.92x
Ince In Makerfield 18 12.79x
Norton 18 64.56x
Shevington 18 130.15x
Ecclesall Bierlow 17 3.31x
Kirkdale 17 3.34x
Melbecks 17 167.16x
Gateshead 16 2.82x
Liverpool 16 0.87x
Staindrop 16 139.01x
Bermondsey 15 1.98x
Islington London 15 0.61x
Ormesby 15 22.10x
Sculcoates 15 3.75x
West Auckland 15 54.09x
Aston 14 0.79x
Hartlepool 14 12.99x
Helmington Row 14 39.64x
Old Monkland 14 4.28x
Stranton 14 5.48x
Cottingham 13 23.88x
Everton 13 1.35x
Lambeth 13 0.58x
Leeds 13 0.91x
Manchester 13 0.96x
New Monkland 13 5.33x
St Martin Lincoln 13 34.37x
Tanfield 13 14.42x
Marston Upon Dove 12 93.53x
Patrington 12 100.42x
Peterborough 12 6.91x
Westbury On Severn East 12 10.62x
Winterbourne 12 43.45x
York St Mary 12 11.47x
Barrow In Furness 11 2.67x
Horsley 11 49.68x
Horton In Bradford 11 2.79x
North Bedburn 11 51.91x
Northowram 11 6.21x
Croydon 10 1.45x
Farnborough 10 18.22x
Glastonbury 10 29.86x
Iffley 10 75.30x
Kimblesworth 10 98.52x
Llanguick 10 12.58x
Preston In Tynemouth 10 67.07x
Rodborough 10 41.43x
Studley Roger 10 775.19x
Thormanby 10 847.46x
Toxteth Park 10 0.98x
West Tanfield 10 207.90x
Brightside Bierlow 9 1.82x
Christchurch 9 15.79x
Kilwinning 9 14.61x
Kirkby Stephen 9 61.94x
Ripon 9 15.36x
Salford 9 1.01x
Sedbergh 9 96.67x
Sutton 9 31.27x
Wittering 9 394.74x
Woolwich 9 2.80x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 193
Elizabeth 112
Sarah 75
Jane 73
Margaret 56
Ann 54
Annie 41
Hannah 38
Ellen 30
Alice 29
Isabella 28
Martha 25
Eliza 22
Emma 22
Emily 19
Louisa 17
Charlotte 16
Ada 12
Esther 12
Edith 11
Caroline 10
Florence 10
Kate 10
Agnes 9
Catherine 9
Harriet 9
Anne 8
Sophia 8
Clara 7
Fanny 7
Susan 7
Elizth. 6
Frances 6
Maria 6
Minnie 6
Eleanor 5
Lilly 5
Lucy 5
Lydia 5
Barbara 4
Margt. 4
Matilda 4
Rebecca 4
Betsy 3
Elizebeth 3
Gertrude 3
Jessie 3
Julia 3
Katherine 3
Marion 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 183
William 131
Thomas 96
James 86
George 78
Henry 64
Robert 50
Charles 39
Edward 33
Joseph 32
Richard 23
Alfred 20
Albert 19
Arthur 17
Frederick 17
Frank 14
Herbert 14
Walter 14
Ralph 13
Edwin 12
David 9
Samuel 9
Wm. 9
Harry 8
Edmund 6
Francis 6
Fred 6
Ernest 5
Hugh 5
Peter 5
Thos. 5
Abraham 4
Andrew 4
Anthony 4
Isaac 4
Matthew 4
Nathan 4
Stephen 4
Tom 4
Emmanuel 3
Frances 3
Horace 3
Christopher 2
Daniel 2
Job 2
Levi 2
Mark 2
Mary 2
Mathew 2
Nicholas 2

FAQ

Close surname: questions and answers

How common was the Close surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,612 people were recorded with the Close surname. That placed it at #1,707 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Close surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,057 in 2016. That gives Close a modern rank of #1,670.

What does the Close surname mean?

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "an enclosure" or "a narrow passage between buildings."

What does the Close map show?

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