NameCensus.

UK surname

Common

A common surname indicating an ordinary or shared family name.

In the 1881 census there were 667 people recorded with the Common surname, ranking it #5,405 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 685, ranked #7,831, down from #5,405 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Columb Major, Roach and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Common is 753 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.7%.

1881 census count

667

Ranked #5,405

Modern count

685

2016, ranked #7,831

Peak year

1891

753 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Common had 667 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,405 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 685 in 2016, ranked #7,831.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 753 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Common surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Common surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Common 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 537 #4,693
1861 historical 717 #3,795
1881 historical 667 #5,405
1891 historical 753 #5,289
1901 historical 744 #5,980
1911 historical 664 #6,331
1997 modern 697 #7,271
1998 modern 733 #7,229
1999 modern 736 #7,249
2000 modern 742 #7,164
2001 modern 715 #7,242
2002 modern 739 #7,190
2003 modern 716 #7,246
2004 modern 718 #7,237
2005 modern 713 #7,218
2006 modern 714 #7,249
2007 modern 712 #7,331
2008 modern 713 #7,373
2009 modern 752 #7,233
2010 modern 730 #7,530
2011 modern 726 #7,491
2012 modern 708 #7,543
2013 modern 722 #7,554
2014 modern 724 #7,580
2015 modern 708 #7,652
2016 modern 685 #7,831

Geography

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Where Commons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Columb Major, Roach, Gateshead, Edinburgh and St Austell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland and Cornwall. 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 St Columb Major Cornwall
2 Roach Cornwall
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 St Austell Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 008 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 009 Northumberland
3 Cornwall 030 Cornwall
4 Northumberland 015 Northumberland
5 Northumberland 007 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Common

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Common

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Common, 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 Common surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Common 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Common 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

Common is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Common falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Common

The surname Common is derived from the Old French word 'comun', which means 'common' or 'belonging to all'. It is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages, specifically in the 12th century.

This surname was likely given to individuals who lived in or near a communal area, such as a village green or a common pasture. These areas were shared and used by all members of the community for grazing livestock or other purposes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Common can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a person named Willelmus le Comun is mentioned. The Pipe Rolls were administrative records maintained by the English Exchequer, making this an important historical reference for the surname.

In the 13th century, a variant spelling of the name, 'Comyn', can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of parchments recording acts of homage to King Edward I of England by Scottish nobles and clergy. This suggests that the name had spread to Scotland by that time.

Notable individuals with the surname Common throughout history include Robert Common (c. 1391-1457), an English churchman and Lord Privy Seal, and Sir Robert Common (c. 1501-1594), an English politician and Member of Parliament.

Another prominent figure was Andrew Ainslie Common (1841-1919), a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as the 16th Premier of New South Wales from 1904 to 1905.

In the United States, Enoch Armour Common (1866-1943) was a notable architect and designer, best known for his work on the Michigan State Capitol building in Lansing.

William Avery Common (1855-1937) was a British-born Canadian artist and educator who played a significant role in establishing the Vancouver School of Art, now known as the Emily Carr University of Art and Design.

The surname Common has also been associated with various place names, such as Common Hill in Gloucestershire, England, and Common Beck in Yorkshire, England, both of which likely derived their names from the presence of communal lands or pastures in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Common families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Common 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. Northumberland leads with 224 Commons recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.24x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 224 23.24x
Cornwall 98 13.36x
Durham 91 4.72x
Berwickshire 52 66.29x
Midlothian 40 4.61x
Dumfriesshire 37 25.86x
Middlesex 30 0.46x
Roxburghshire 16 13.64x
Yorkshire 14 0.22x
Kent 13 0.59x
Surrey 8 0.25x
Kirkcudbrightshire 7 7.47x
Berkshire 4 0.82x
Cumberland 4 0.72x
Argyllshire 3 1.66x
Essex 3 0.23x
Fife 3 0.78x
Monmouthshire 3 0.64x
Devon 2 0.15x
Lanarkshire 2 0.10x
Leicestershire 2 0.28x
Norfolk 2 0.20x
Royal Navy 2 2.59x
Sussex 2 0.18x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.26x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishopwearmouth in Durham leads with 39 Commons recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.58x.

Place Total Index
Bishopwearmouth 39 23.58x
St Austell 30 119.66x
Roche 28 752.69x
Westoe 20 18.31x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 18 5.16x
South Leith 18 18.43x
Tynemouth 16 31.00x
Alnwick 15 90.53x
Elswick 15 19.50x
St Columb Major 15 246.31x
Plashetts Tynehead 13 1326.53x
Erith 12 55.12x
Newminster Abbey 12 3076.92x
Warkworth 12 774.19x
Bedlington 11 34.18x
Chirnside 11 327.38x
Dunse 11 147.85x
Horton 11 231.09x
Newbiggin In Morpeth 11 357.14x
St Stephen In Brannel 11 164.42x
Halifax 10 10.61x
Chirton 9 41.27x
Longframlington 9 978.26x
St Boswells 9 422.54x
Canonbie 8 131.58x
Coldstream 8 140.85x
High Buston 8 3478.26x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 8 13.90x
Shadwell London 8 44.13x
Westgate 8 13.40x
Acklington Park 7 2333.33x
Ealing 7 12.09x
Edrom 7 208.33x
Kirkcudbright 7 90.21x
Tunstall 7 72.99x
Greenlaw 6 215.83x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 6 7.19x
South Blyth Newsham 6 317.46x
St Enoder 6 240.96x
Tundergarth 6 576.92x
Whitsome 6 483.87x
Benwell 5 47.48x
Dawdon 5 21.10x
Dryfesdale 5 75.87x
Eskdalemuir 5 406.50x
Framwellgate 5 43.78x
Hollinghill 5 2631.58x
Southwark Christchurch 5 16.47x
Bray 4 27.99x
Hebron Cockle Park Earsdon 4 500.00x
Hutton 4 222.22x
Monkwearmouth 4 21.69x
Ovingham Whittle Spital 4 273.97x
Whittingham 4 347.83x
Woolsington 4 2500.00x
Abberton 3 555.56x
Ewes 3 400.00x
Gateshead 3 2.08x
Harbottle Peels 3 857.14x
High Low South Brinkburn 3 681.82x
Kensington London 3 0.83x
Knapdale North 3 146.34x
Lochmaben 3 47.85x
Newburgh 3 61.60x
Southdean 3 186.34x
St Dennis 3 109.49x
St George In East London 3 4.92x
Aberystruth 2 4.85x
Clerkenwell London 2 1.31x
Edinburgh St Stephens 2 11.71x
Hainford 2 143.88x
Islington London 2 0.32x
Lambeth 2 0.35x
Long Witton 2 869.57x
Plymouth Charles The 2 3.37x
Rothbury 2 72.20x
Swinton 2 93.46x
Troughend 2 350.88x
Whitwick 2 21.91x
Withiel 2 222.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 37
Elizabeth 24
Jane 22
Margaret 16
Sarah 16
Ann 13
Isabella 12
Annie 8
Ellen 8
Catherine 7
Hannah 6
Eleanor 4
Emily 4
Agnes 3
Alice 3
Bertha 3
Eliza 3
Eva 3
Ruth 3
Bessie 2
Dorothy 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Grace 2
Janet 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Molie 2
Theadosia 2
Anney 1
Barbara 1
Caroline 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth 1
Ellan 1
Elleanor 1
Emely 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Hilda 1
Ida 1
Janf... 1
Janie 1
Jean 1
Jessie 1
June 1
Laura 1
Lillian 1
Lily 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 47
William 42
James 21
Robert 20
Thomas 16
Edward 12
George 10
Joseph 10
Richard 7
Alfred 5
Andrew 5
Charles 3
Francis 3
Henry 3
Stephen 3
Frank 2
Tom 2
Ainsle 1
Alexander 1
Benjamin 1
Clifford 1
Cuthbert 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Guy 1
Harry 1
Hart 1
Hugh 1
Josepth 1
Lambert 1
Lawrence 1
Lockey 1
Mark 1
Martin 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Nichol 1
Octavius 1
Patrick 1
Robin 1
Robt. 1
Saml. 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Stewart 1
Thos 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Common surname: questions and answers

How common was the Common surname in 1881?

In 1881, 667 people were recorded with the Common surname. That placed it at #5,405 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Common surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 685 in 2016. That gives Common a modern rank of #7,831.

What does the Common surname mean?

A common surname indicating an ordinary or shared family name.

What does the Common map show?

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