NameCensus.

UK surname

Commons

An English habitational name for someone who lived on common land.

In the 1881 census there were 224 people recorded with the Commons surname, ranking it #11,970 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 611, ranked #8,591, up from #11,970 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Columb Major, St Agnes and Ibstock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Charnwood, North West Leicestershire and Chesterfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Commons is 669 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 172.8%.

1881 census count

224

Ranked #11,970

Modern count

611

2016, ranked #8,591

Peak year

1998

669 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Commons had 224 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,970 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 611 in 2016, ranked #8,591.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 362 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Commons surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Commons surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Commons 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 208 #10,107
1861 historical 253 #9,764
1881 historical 224 #11,970
1891 historical 265 #12,208
1901 historical 362 #10,173
1911 historical 342 #10,445
1997 modern 645 #7,704
1998 modern 669 #7,742
1999 modern 661 #7,845
2000 modern 650 #7,936
2001 modern 644 #7,852
2002 modern 663 #7,826
2003 modern 648 #7,846
2004 modern 650 #7,838
2005 modern 627 #7,994
2006 modern 643 #7,868
2007 modern 636 #8,009
2008 modern 628 #8,121
2009 modern 647 #8,107
2010 modern 649 #8,252
2011 modern 626 #8,402
2012 modern 613 #8,463
2013 modern 606 #8,678
2014 modern 616 #8,616
2015 modern 619 #8,517
2016 modern 611 #8,591

Geography

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Where Commons' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Columb Major, St Agnes, Ibstock, Manchester and Whitwick. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Charnwood, North West Leicestershire, Chesterfield, Cornwall and Leeds. 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 St Agnes Cornwall
3 Ibstock Leicestershire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Whitwick Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Charnwood 005 Charnwood
2 North West Leicestershire 007 North West Leicestershire
3 Chesterfield 006 Chesterfield
4 Cornwall 030 Cornwall
5 Leeds 093 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Commons

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Commons

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Commons, 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 Commons surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Commons 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Challenged Inner London Communities

Within London, Commons 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.

Read profile summary

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

Commons 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

Commons 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 Commons is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Commons, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Commons

The surname Commons is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "gemæne" or "gemæne-land", meaning "common land" or "shared land". This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived or worked on common or shared lands.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Commons date back to the 13th century, with some variations in spelling including Comyn, Commine, and Comuns. It is believed that the name was initially found in counties such as Yorkshire, Northumberland, and Durham, where common lands were more prevalent.

One notable historical reference to the name Commons can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which recorded landowners and their holdings. This document mentions individuals with the surname Comyn or Comon, indicating their presence in medieval England.

In the 14th century, the name Commons appeared in various records, including the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 and the Poll Tax returns of 1379. These documents provide insight into the geographic distribution of the name across different regions of England.

Notable individuals with the surname Commons include:

1. William Commons (c. 1470 - 1537), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1531. 2. John Commons (1608 - 1668), an English clergyman and academic who served as Master of Balliol College, Oxford. 3. Anne Commons (c. 1670 - 1711), an English writer and translator, known for her translations of works by French authors. 4. Michael Commons (1702 - 1782), an English botanist and author who published several works on plants and gardening. 5. John Commons (1862 - 1945), an American economist and labor historian, known for his contributions to the field of institutional economics.

The surname Commons has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Common's Field in Gloucestershire and Common's Wood in Buckinghamshire, further reinforcing its connection to shared or common lands.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Commons families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Commons 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 55 Commons' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.13x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 55 2.13x
Cornwall 47 19.08x
Yorkshire 37 1.72x
Derbyshire 14 4.11x
Middlesex 11 0.51x
Staffordshire 11 1.50x
Leicestershire 10 4.15x
Renfrewshire 9 5.34x
Durham 8 1.24x
Somerset 6 1.71x
Surrey 6 0.57x
Midlothian 3 1.03x
Berkshire 1 0.61x
Cheshire 1 0.21x
Kent 1 0.13x
Lanarkshire 1 0.14x
Northumberland 1 0.31x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Columb Major in Cornwall leads with 28 Commons' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1372.55x.

Place Total Index
St Columb Major 28 1372.55x
St Agnes 14 405.80x
Chorley 13 89.78x
Oldham 12 14.40x
Paisley High Church 9 67.06x
Whitwick 9 293.16x
Shadwell London 7 114.94x
Spotland 7 24.39x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 7 69.93x
Bilston 6 42.16x
Lambeth 6 3.16x
Preston 6 8.69x
Scarcliff 6 1304.35x
Brimington 5 193.05x
Eccleston In Prescot 5 38.58x
Walcot 5 26.81x
Batley 4 19.52x
Burnley 4 18.40x
Hipperholme Cum 4 42.24x
Morley 4 35.68x
Havercroft Cum Cold 3 810.81x
Rotherham 3 24.69x
Walsall Foreign 3 7.91x
Bodmin 2 49.14x
Gateshead 2 4.13x
Holy Trinity 2 3.86x
Kensington London 2 1.65x
Liverpool 2 1.28x
Newbattle 2 80.32x
Stranton 2 9.18x
Wakefield 2 12.08x
Wardleworth 2 13.56x
Westminster St James 2 8.94x
Wilton In Guisbrough 2 208.33x
Brancepeth 1 84.75x
Cardinham 1 454.55x
Church Gresley 1 18.45x
Derby All Sts 1 35.21x
Dewsbury 1 4.52x
Dover St Mary Virgin 1 13.93x
Edinburgh Greenside S 1 94.34x
Edwinstowe 1 142.86x
Frome 1 11.95x
Gate Fulford 1 19.88x
Hartley 1 116.28x
Haswell 1 21.55x
Heap 1 7.30x
Hurley 1 117.65x
Ibstock 1 57.14x
Keighley 1 4.35x
Knutsford Nether 1 34.48x
Lanivet 1 129.87x
Linthwaite 1 22.08x
Monkwearmouth Shore 1 7.92x
Rutherglen 1 9.69x
St Allen 1 232.56x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 1.28x
Tadcaster West 1 58.48x
Tottington Higher End 1 34.01x
Tudhoe 1 17.67x
Upper Langwith 1 666.67x
Wigan 1 2.77x
Withnell 1 63.29x
Wolverhampton 1 1.77x
York St Sampson 1 217.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 26
Ann 6
Catherine 5
Ellen 5
Annie 4
Sarah 4
Bridget 3
Eliza 3
Alice 2
Bessie 2
Betsy 2
Elizabeth 2
Jane 2
Polly 2
Amelia 1
Amely 1
Balinda 1
Barbara 1
Bellinda 1
Cathrine 1
Christiana 1
Constance 1
Dinah 1
Eleanor 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Fanney 1
Fannie 1
Francis 1
Glesalt 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Jemima 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Kitty 1
Margaret 1
Margret 1
Maria 1
Phillipa 1
Phillippa 1
Phillis 1
Rose 1
Thereza 1
Thomisine 1
Thomison 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 28
James 13
William 9
Michael 7
Thomas 7
George 5
Patrick 5
Martin 4
Henry 3
Micheal 3
Charles 2
Chs. 2
Stephen 2
Abraham 1
Adin 1
Albert 1
Alf 1
Bernard 1
Egene 1
Harry 1
Hugh 1
Hy. 1
Hy.Geo.Robt. 1
Lackey 1
Matthew 1
Mike 1
Pat 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Commons surname: questions and answers

How common was the Commons surname in 1881?

In 1881, 224 people were recorded with the Commons surname. That placed it at #11,970 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Commons surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 611 in 2016. That gives Commons a modern rank of #8,591.

What does the Commons surname mean?

An English habitational name for someone who lived on common land.

What does the Commons map show?

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