NameCensus.

UK surname

Clough

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a ravine, cliff, or steep hillside.

In the 1881 census there were 6,676 people recorded with the Clough surname, ranking it #634 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,371, ranked #1,060, down from #634 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Birstall and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford and Burnley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clough is 8,300 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.6%.

1881 census count

6,676

Ranked #634

Modern count

6,371

2016, ranked #1,060

Peak year

1911

8,300 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Clough had 6,676 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #634 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,371 in 2016, ranked #1,060.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8,300 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Clough surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Clough surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Clough 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 4,471 #631
1861 historical 4,813 #586
1881 historical 6,676 #634
1891 historical 7,214 #624
1901 historical 7,979 #669
1911 historical 8,300 #600
1997 modern 6,437 #1,010
1998 modern 6,601 #1,032
1999 modern 6,688 #1,023
2000 modern 6,611 #1,032
2001 modern 6,437 #1,037
2002 modern 6,482 #1,055
2003 modern 6,357 #1,053
2004 modern 6,321 #1,055
2005 modern 6,270 #1,052
2006 modern 6,270 #1,049
2007 modern 6,266 #1,054
2008 modern 6,256 #1,060
2009 modern 6,464 #1,050
2010 modern 6,540 #1,059
2011 modern 6,462 #1,056
2012 modern 6,327 #1,059
2013 modern 6,454 #1,053
2014 modern 6,487 #1,056
2015 modern 6,395 #1,059
2016 modern 6,371 #1,060

Geography

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Where Cloughs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Birstall, Manchester, Bradford and Ashton-under-Lyne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford and Burnley. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Ashton-under-Lyne Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 009 Bradford
2 Bradford 018 Bradford
3 Bradford 061 Bradford
4 Burnley 004 Burnley
5 Burnley 010 Burnley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Clough

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Clough

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Clough 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

Clough is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Clough

The surname Clough is of English origin and is believed to have originated in the 13th century. It is a habitational name derived from the Old English word "cloh," meaning a ravine or valley. The name was likely given to someone who lived near a ravine or valley.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Clough can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de Cloha." This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century and was likely associated with a particular location or place name.

Throughout the medieval period, the name appeared in various records and manuscripts with different spellings, such as Cloughe, Clowghe, and Cluff. These variations reflect the regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir Henry Clough, a knight who lived in the 14th century and was involved in the Hundred Years' War between England and France. Another notable figure was William Clough, a 16th-century English composer and organist who served at the Chapel Royal during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in several place names, such as Clough Head in Lancashire and Clough Lees in Yorkshire. These place names likely derived from the original Old English word "cloh" and may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname.

Arthur Hugh Clough, an English poet and educator, was born in 1819 and is considered one of the most significant poets of the Victorian era. His works, including "The Bothie of Tober-na-Vuolich" and "Dipsychus," explored themes of doubt, religious skepticism, and social commentary.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Anne Clough, an English writer and feminist who lived in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. She published several works advocating for women's rights and education, including "Letters on the Improvement of the Mind" and "Memoirs of the Life of David Clough."

In the 20th century, Brian Clough (1935-2004) was a renowned English football player and manager. He led the Nottingham Forest team to success, winning the European Cup twice in 1979 and 1980, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest managers in the history of English football.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Clough families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clough 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 2,560 Cloughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.31x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 2,560 3.31x
Yorkshire 2,508 3.88x
Durham 354 1.82x
Cheshire 344 2.39x
Northumberland 200 2.06x
Middlesex 110 0.17x
Lincolnshire 87 0.83x
Essex 75 0.58x
Derbyshire 71 0.70x
Staffordshire 62 0.28x
Surrey 35 0.11x
Nottinghamshire 27 0.31x
Leicestershire 24 0.33x
Bedfordshire 15 0.44x
Norfolk 15 0.15x
Denbighshire 14 0.57x
Sussex 14 0.13x
Flintshire 13 0.74x
Hampshire 13 0.10x
Kent 13 0.06x
Shropshire 13 0.23x
Worcestershire 12 0.14x
Aberdeenshire 9 0.15x
Cambridgeshire 7 0.17x
Gloucestershire 7 0.05x
Hertfordshire 7 0.16x
Lanarkshire 7 0.03x
Northamptonshire 7 0.11x
Cumberland 6 0.11x
Devon 6 0.04x
Glamorgan 6 0.05x
Somerset 6 0.06x
Herefordshire 4 0.15x
Angus 3 0.05x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.11x
Cornwall 3 0.04x
Rutland 3 0.63x
Suffolk 3 0.04x
Anglesey 2 0.17x
Ayrshire 2 0.04x
Fife 2 0.05x
Isle of Man 2 0.17x
Montgomeryshire 2 0.13x
Oxfordshire 2 0.05x
Warwickshire 2 0.01x
Caithness 1 0.11x
Channel Islands 1 0.05x
Merionethshire 1 0.08x
Midlothian 1 0.01x
Royal Navy 1 0.13x
Wiltshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oldham in Lancashire leads with 262 Cloughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.49x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 262 10.49x
Ashton Under Lyne 218 12.89x
Horton In Bradford 145 14.37x
Leeds 123 3.37x
Bowling 121 18.90x
Gomersal 111 36.80x
Cleckheaton 108 45.36x
Morley 95 28.27x
Burnley 93 14.27x
Keighley 92 13.35x
Sutton In Keighley 88 240.50x
Manningham 86 10.80x
Bradford 80 5.11x
Liversedge 79 27.46x
Failsworth 76 42.92x
North Bierley 74 21.21x
Manchester 73 2.10x
Newton 71 11.90x
Bury 67 7.58x
Habergham Eaves 61 8.62x
Little Bolton 61 6.13x
Blackburn 59 2.87x
Bramley In Bramley 59 23.85x
Radcliffe 57 15.28x
Castleton 56 7.25x
Spotland 55 6.39x
Worsley 55 11.53x
Mirfield 54 15.22x
Pudsey 52 15.05x
Great Bolton 48 4.68x
Shipley 48 14.31x
Huddersfield 47 4.99x
Pendleton In Salford 47 5.10x
Haswell 45 32.36x
Preston 44 2.13x
Wigan 42 3.88x
Salford 41 1.80x
Chadderton 38 10.04x
Cowpen 37 16.56x
Sculcoates 36 3.51x
Tong 36 28.84x
Warrington 36 3.92x
Batley 35 5.70x
Stretford 35 8.22x
Heckmondwike 34 16.36x
Wortley In Bramley 34 6.64x
Gateshead 31 2.13x
Clifton 30 51.66x
Rochdale 30 53.15x
West Derby 30 1.33x
Altrincham 29 11.53x
Stoke Upon Trent 29 1.24x
Cramlington 28 21.83x
Tonge With Haulgh 28 18.59x
Bingley 27 6.56x
Drighlington 27 28.68x
Farnley In Bramley 26 32.23x
Holme In Huddersfield 26 171.73x
Idle 25 8.34x
Runcorn 25 7.53x
Hulme 24 1.49x
Newchurch 24 3.79x
Heap 23 5.60x
Little Lever 23 23.24x
Thornton In Bradford 23 10.69x
Clayton Le Moors 22 14.65x
Crompton 22 9.98x
Gorton 21 2.89x
Sandbach 21 17.10x
Wardleworth 21 4.75x
Calverley Cum Farsley 20 10.90x
Gainsborough 20 8.14x
Great Harwood 20 14.30x
Seaton Delaval 20 23.47x
Accrington 19 2.70x
Baildon 19 15.61x
Brinnington 19 14.13x
Newton Cap 19 63.08x
Adlington 18 24.84x
Selby 18 13.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 515
Sarah 304
Elizabeth 279
Ann 187
Jane 163
Alice 119
Martha 115
Hannah 113
Annie 112
Emma 91
Eliza 83
Ellen 82
Margaret 68
Emily 50
Ada 45
Harriet 42
Edith 41
Clara 34
Maria 31
Isabella 28
Florence 25
Betty 24
Esther 24
Nancy 23
Lucy 22
Ruth 21
Susannah 21
Fanny 20
Frances 20
Grace 20
Louisa 20
Anne 19
Catherine 19
Betsy 17
Caroline 17
Charlotte 17
Amelia 14
Agnes 13
Elizth. 13
Rachel 13
Rebecca 13
Rose 13
Susan 13
Ethel 11
Harriett 11
Selina 11
Amy 10
Bertha 10
Kate 10
Matilda 10

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 418
William 329
James 246
Thomas 223
Joseph 167
George 159
Robert 119
Samuel 100
Henry 94
Charles 74
Edward 61
Arthur 55
Harry 52
Richard 51
Alfred 50
Walter 48
Albert 36
Fred 31
Frank 29
Benjamin 27
Frederick 27
Wm. 24
Sam 23
Herbert 22
Ernest 19
Thos. 18
Matthew 16
Edwin 15
Isaac 14
Willie 14
David 12
Francis 12
Andrew 10
Jonathan 10
Abraham 9
Edmund 9
Mark 9
Tom 9
Ben 8
Ezra 8
Geo. 8
Jas. 8
Joe 8
Joshua 8
Peter 8
Jno. 7
Percy 7
Ralph 7
Alexander 6
Amos 6

FAQ

Clough surname: questions and answers

How common was the Clough surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,676 people were recorded with the Clough surname. That placed it at #634 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Clough surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,371 in 2016. That gives Clough a modern rank of #1,060.

What does the Clough surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a ravine, cliff, or steep hillside.

What does the Clough map show?

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