NameCensus.

UK surname

Clue

A surname derived from a French word referring to a ball of thread or yarn.

In the 1881 census there were 58 people recorded with the Clue surname, ranking it #25,428 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 144, ranked #24,390, up from #25,428 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chichester, Cornwall and East Hampshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clue is 147 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 148.3%.

1881 census count

58

Ranked #25,428

Modern count

144

2016, ranked #24,390

Peak year

2014

147 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Clue had 58 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,428 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 144 in 2016, ranked #24,390.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 70 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Clue surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Clue surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Clue 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 27 #28,467
1861 historical 27 #30,543
1881 historical 58 #25,428
1891 historical 56 #29,638
1901 historical 64 #27,010
1911 historical 70 #25,853
1997 modern 128 #23,238
1998 modern 134 #23,202
1999 modern 134 #23,378
2000 modern 139 #22,855
2001 modern 139 #22,541
2002 modern 139 #22,991
2003 modern 137 #22,939
2004 modern 138 #22,997
2005 modern 133 #23,502
2006 modern 135 #23,486
2007 modern 135 #23,824
2008 modern 135 #24,123
2009 modern 141 #23,907
2010 modern 144 #24,147
2011 modern 141 #24,294
2012 modern 141 #24,258
2013 modern 142 #24,547
2014 modern 147 #24,177
2015 modern 145 #24,246
2016 modern 144 #24,390

Geography

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Where Clues 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 Chichester, Cornwall and East Hampshire. 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 Chichester 001 Chichester
2 Cornwall 016 Cornwall
3 Chichester 003 Chichester
4 Chichester 004 Chichester
5 East Hampshire 012 East Hampshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Clue

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Clue

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Clue is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Clue 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

Clue falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Clue

The surname "Clue" originated in England, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "cloh," meaning a ravine or valley, suggesting that the name may have been initially used to identify individuals who resided in or near such geographical features.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname "Clue" was John de la Clohe, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275. This record provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during the Middle Ages in England.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as "de la Clowe" and "atte Cluwe," reflecting the evolution of spelling and pronunciation over time. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and scribal practices of the era.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and resources commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not include any direct references to the surname "Clue." However, it does mention several place names that may have been related to the name's origin, such as "Clohangra" in Gloucestershire and "Clohes" in Shropshire.

Notable individuals bearing the surname "Clue" throughout history include:

1. Richard Clue (c. 1530-1592), an English merchant and explorer who led expeditions to the West Indies and South America in the 16th century.

2. Margaret Clue (c. 1620-1685), a prominent Quaker leader and author who played a significant role in the early development of the Religious Society of Friends in England.

3. Sir John Clue (1682-1745), a British naval officer who served during the War of the Spanish Succession and became a renowned admiral in the Royal Navy.

4. Thomas Clue (1725-1798), an English architect and surveyor known for his work on several notable buildings in London, including the Foundling Hospital.

5. Elizabeth Clue (1790-1860), a British philanthropist and social reformer who advocated for the improvement of living conditions for the working class and campaigned for the abolition of slavery.

The surname "Clue" has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Clue Hill in Shropshire and Clue Cross in Lancashire. These locations may have been named after individuals bearing the surname or vice versa, reflecting the deep-rooted connection between surnames and geographic locations in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Clue families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clue 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. Surrey leads with 12 Clues recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.86x.

County Total Index
Surrey 12 4.86x
Sussex 12 14.03x
Middlesex 8 1.58x
Hampshire 6 5.77x
Northamptonshire 5 10.48x
Devon 4 3.79x
Worcestershire 2 3.02x
Essex 1 1.00x
Lancashire 1 0.17x
Staffordshire 1 0.58x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 6 Clues recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.46x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 6 29.46x
Poplar London 5 52.25x
Ash Normandy 4 1176.47x
Fernhurst 4 2105.26x
Plymouth Charles The 4 86.02x
Subdeanery 4 615.38x
Long Buckby 3 681.82x
Paddington London 3 16.09x
Southwark Christchurch 3 126.05x
Cocking 2 2000.00x
Dudley 2 24.84x
Paston 2 1000.00x
Streatham 2 53.19x
Croydon 1 7.29x
Esher 1 285.71x
Harwich St Nicholas 1 129.87x
Manchester 1 3.70x
New Fishbourne 1 2000.00x
Rogate 1 588.24x
Swynnerton 1 769.23x
Wimbledon 1 36.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Anne 2
Charlotte 2
Elizabeth 2
Fanny 2
Adelaide 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Daisy 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Mary.C. 1
Patience 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 6
John 5
George 3
Henry 3
James 2
Joseph 2
Charles 1
Ernest 1
Humphrey 1
Lemox 1
Samuel 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 Clue households.

FAQ

Clue surname: questions and answers

How common was the Clue surname in 1881?

In 1881, 58 people were recorded with the Clue surname. That placed it at #25,428 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Clue surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 144 in 2016. That gives Clue a modern rank of #24,390.

What does the Clue surname mean?

A surname derived from a French word referring to a ball of thread or yarn.

What does the Clue map show?

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