NameCensus.

UK surname

Colvill

In the 1881 census there were 153 people recorded with the Colvill surname, ranking it #15,320 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 179, ranked #21,086, down from #15,320 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Arbroath and St. Vigeans, London parishes and St Dunstan Stepney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tower Hamlets, Medway and Castle Point.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Colvill is 211 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.0%.

1881 census count

153

Ranked #15,320

Modern count

179

2016, ranked #21,086

Peak year

2002

211 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Colvill had 153 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,320 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 179 in 2016, ranked #21,086.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 197 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Colvill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Colvill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Colvill 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 197 #10,535
1861 historical 174 #13,483
1881 historical 153 #15,320
1891 historical 124 #20,818
1901 historical 150 #18,075
1911 historical 164 #16,879
1997 modern 190 #18,199
1998 modern 199 #18,177
1999 modern 205 #17,960
2000 modern 199 #18,278
2001 modern 200 #17,948
2002 modern 211 #17,696
2003 modern 199 #18,195
2004 modern 198 #18,308
2005 modern 182 #19,259
2006 modern 176 #19,787
2007 modern 171 #20,387
2008 modern 167 #20,901
2009 modern 174 #20,782
2010 modern 175 #21,186
2011 modern 170 #21,407
2012 modern 172 #21,219
2013 modern 179 #21,028
2014 modern 185 #20,739
2015 modern 177 #21,220
2016 modern 179 #21,086

Geography

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Where Colvills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Arbroath and St. Vigeans, London parishes, St Dunstan Stepney, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tower Hamlets, Medway, Castle Point and Stevenage. 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 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tower Hamlets 001 Tower Hamlets
2 Tower Hamlets 005 Tower Hamlets
3 Medway 020 Medway
4 Castle Point 008 Castle Point
5 Stevenage 010 Stevenage

Forenames

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First names often paired with Colvill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Colvill

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Colvill surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Colvill household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Challenged Inner London Communities

Within London, Colvill is most associated with areas classed as Challenged Inner London Communities, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

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Group profile

Resident in some of Inner London’s most over-crowded communities, many families have children and marriage/civil partnership rates are above the Supergroup average. Other adults such as students live in communal establishments. Few residents have Level 4 educational qualifications, levels of unemployment are above the Supergroup average, and employment is concentrated in service occupations such as distribution, hotels and restaurants. Relative to the Supergroup average, fewer residents identify as being of mixed/multiple ethnicities, Black or Other Asian.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Colvill 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

Colvill falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Colvill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Colvill 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. Middlesex leads with 52 Colvills recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.51x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 52 3.51x
Surrey 22 3.05x
Northumberland 10 4.53x
Sussex 10 4.00x
Angus 8 5.82x
Argyllshire 6 14.54x
Kent 6 1.19x
Inverness-shire 5 11.29x
Lanarkshire 5 1.04x
Cornwall 4 2.38x
Devon 4 1.30x
Lancashire 4 0.23x
Yorkshire 4 0.27x
Midlothian 3 1.51x
Monmouthshire 3 2.80x
Ayrshire 2 1.80x
Kinross-shire 2 53.33x
Fife 1 1.14x
Hampshire 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. Hammersmith London in Middlesex leads with 12 Colvills recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.86x.

Place Total Index
Hammersmith London 12 32.86x
Lambeth 11 8.51x
Bethnal Green London 8 12.42x
Sunbury 8 449.44x
Addington 7 2058.82x
Clerkenwell London 7 20.00x
Hastings St Mary In The 6 112.57x
St Vigeans 6 80.97x
Beckenham 5 75.64x
Bow London 5 26.50x
Campbeltown 5 100.40x
Cowpen 5 98.43x
Inverness 5 44.88x
Mile End Old Town London 5 15.85x
Barrow In Furness 4 16.72x
Berry Pomeroy 4 784.31x
Horton In Bradford 4 17.44x
Longbenton 4 42.83x
Sidlesham 4 833.33x
Battersea 3 5.50x
Bedwellty 3 15.86x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 3.75x
Helland 3 3000.00x
St Marylebone London 3 3.79x
Dalmellington 2 61.35x
Fossoway 2 312.50x
Kensington London 2 2.43x
New Monkland 2 14.11x
St Paul Covent Garden 2 135.14x
Deptford St Paul 1 2.56x
Dundee 1 1.95x
Gorbals 1 35.09x
Govan 1 0.84x
Holdenhurst 1 12.55x
Liff Benvie 1 4.80x
Markinch 1 33.56x
Newington 1 1.83x
North Shields 1 22.73x
Old Monkland 1 5.25x
Southend 1 208.33x
St Cleer 1 68.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Ellen 5
Emma 4
Jane 4
Louisa 4
Elizabeth 3
Emily 3
Margaret 3
Annie 2
Barbara 2
Eliza 2
Harriet 2
Helen 2
Martha 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Beatrice 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Clarissa 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Isabella 1
Isalen 1
Maria 1
Pricella 1
Priscalla 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 7
Charles 6
James 6
Thomas 6
Edward 5
George 5
Edwin 2
Henry 2
Andrew 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Isaac 1
Jane 1
Jas. 1
John 1
Patrick 1
Percy 1
Richard 1
Richd. 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Colvill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Colvill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 153 people were recorded with the Colvill surname. That placed it at #15,320 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Colvill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 179 in 2016. That gives Colvill a modern rank of #21,086.

What does the Colvill map show?

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