NameCensus.

UK surname

Cullis

An English surname derived from the Old English word "cull" meaning corner or ridge.

In the 1881 census there were 463 people recorded with the Cullis surname, ranking it #7,170 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 735, ranked #7,416, down from #7,170 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, and Broseley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wolverhampton, Thorntonhall, Jackton and Gardenhall and Gloucester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cullis is 816 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 58.7%.

1881 census count

463

Ranked #7,170

Modern count

735

2016, ranked #7,416

Peak year

2000

816 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cullis had 463 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,170 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 735 in 2016, ranked #7,416.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 621 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cullis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cullis surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cullis 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 348 #6,765
1861 historical 307 #8,262
1881 historical 463 #7,170
1891 historical 516 #7,234
1901 historical 587 #7,189
1911 historical 621 #6,661
1997 modern 770 #6,736
1998 modern 801 #6,739
1999 modern 802 #6,775
2000 modern 816 #6,676
2001 modern 789 #6,715
2002 modern 773 #6,966
2003 modern 770 #6,859
2004 modern 765 #6,923
2005 modern 735 #7,065
2006 modern 744 #7,029
2007 modern 753 #7,031
2008 modern 781 #6,886
2009 modern 791 #6,961
2010 modern 812 #6,930
2011 modern 780 #7,093
2012 modern 749 #7,236
2013 modern 766 #7,220
2014 modern 765 #7,245
2015 modern 749 #7,310
2016 modern 735 #7,416

Geography

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Where Cullis' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, Broseley, Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean and Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wolverhampton, Thorntonhall, Jackton and Gardenhall, Gloucester and Malvern Hills. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, Gloucestershire
3 Broseley Shropshire
4 Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean Monmouthshire
5 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wolverhampton 030 Wolverhampton
2 Wolverhampton 001 Wolverhampton
3 Thorntonhall, Jackton and Gardenhall South Lanarkshire
4 Gloucester 004 Gloucester
5 Malvern Hills 008 Malvern Hills

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cullis

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cullis

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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Cullis is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Cullis is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cullis falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cullis

The surname Cullis is an English name derived from the Old French word 'coulisse', which means a groove or furrow. It is believed to have originated from the Normandy region of France, where many English surnames have their roots. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a groove or furrow-shaped landform.

Records show that the Cullis surname first appeared in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is possible that the name was brought over by Norman settlers who took up residence in various parts of the country. Early spellings of the name included Culis, Cullis, and Cullys.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Cullis name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1191, which mention a William Cullis. Other early records include the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which list a John Cullis from Oxfordshire.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the Cullis surname was particularly concentrated in the counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Somerset. Some notable Cullis individuals from this period include Geoffrey Cullis, a landowner from Gloucestershire mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1327, and Richard Cullis, a merchant from Bristol recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of 1380.

In the 16th century, a branch of the Cullis family settled in the parish of Swinbrook, Oxfordshire. Here, they established themselves as prominent landowners and farmers. One notable figure from this line was Thomas Cullis (1550-1624), a wealthy yeoman and benefactor who donated funds for the construction of a new church tower in Swinbrook.

Another significant individual bearing the Cullis name was Sir John Cullis (1611-1676), a English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Malmesbury during the Commonwealth period. He was also appointed as a judge on the Western Circuit.

Throughout the centuries, the Cullis surname has been associated with various locations across England, including Cullis Mill in Somerset, Cullis Farm in Gloucestershire, and Cullis Lane in Oxfordshire. These place names likely derived from the surname itself or vice versa.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cullis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cullis 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. Cornwall leads with 79 Cullis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.42x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 79 15.42x
Gloucestershire 76 8.56x
Shropshire 44 11.25x
Middlesex 36 0.80x
Worcestershire 28 4.74x
Hampshire 24 2.59x
Staffordshire 24 1.57x
Herefordshire 18 9.70x
Devon 17 1.80x
Kent 16 1.04x
Nottinghamshire 16 2.62x
Surrey 16 0.73x
Warwickshire 13 1.14x
Glamorgan 12 1.52x
Wiltshire 12 3.00x
Yorkshire 8 0.18x
Monmouthshire 6 1.83x
Sussex 6 0.79x
Roxburghshire 4 4.88x
Durham 3 0.22x
Lancashire 3 0.06x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.35x
Dorset 1 0.34x
Stirlingshire 1 0.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Broseley in Shropshire leads with 23 Cullis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 330.94x.

Place Total Index
Broseley 23 330.94x
Portsea 20 11.00x
St Blazey 17 377.78x
Wolverhampton 17 14.47x
Worcester St Peter 17 151.92x
Maker 16 338.27x
Newland 14 187.67x
Liskeard 13 151.69x
West Dean 13 90.15x
Lambeth 11 2.79x
Leominster 11 143.23x
Calstock 10 99.50x
Dawley 10 70.27x
Hammersmith London 10 8.97x
Nottingham St Mary 10 6.34x
Cwmdu 8 83.33x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 8 49.26x
Plymstock 8 162.27x
South Hamlet 8 145.72x
Birmingham 7 1.84x
Deptford St Nicholas 7 57.14x
Gloucester St Owen 7 721.65x
Westbury On Severn East 7 34.88x
Acton 6 22.62x
Altarnun 6 337.08x
Davidstow 6 952.38x
Mynyddyslwyn 6 46.48x
Radford 6 19.36x
Tipton 6 12.83x
Chippenham 5 59.59x
Claines 5 30.83x
Dover St Mary Virgin 5 33.44x
Drighlington 5 76.57x
Hampstead London 5 7.09x
Rodbourne Cheney 5 161.81x
Shrewsbury Holy Cross 5 115.74x
Hereford St John 4 188.68x
Melrose 4 56.42x
Poplar London 4 4.68x
St Marylebone London 4 1.66x
St Stephen 4 219.78x
Warwick St Nicholas 4 47.79x
Aylburton 3 297.03x
Gloucester St Catherine 3 120.00x
Gloucester St John Baptist 3 52.36x
Hereford All Sts 3 35.29x
Trewen 3 1363.64x
Westbourne 3 78.95x
Worcester St Nicholas 3 107.14x
Barnwood 2 168.07x
Bowood 2 1428.57x
Brighton 2 1.30x
Camberwell 2 0.69x
Cheltenham 2 2.92x
Clerkenwell London 2 1.87x
Deptford St Paul 2 1.68x
Holdenhurst 2 8.22x
Holy Trinity St Mary 2 29.28x
Leigh 2 27.89x
Llanfabon 2 48.54x
Merthyr Tydfil 2 2.64x
Plymouth Charles The 2 4.82x
Shrewsbury St Julian 2 20.68x
Staines 2 27.89x
Stoke Damerel 2 3.03x
Tewkesbury 2 25.25x
Westoe 2 2.62x
Worsley 2 6.04x
All Hallows Barking 1 88.50x
Churchdown 1 56.50x
Devonport 1 9.23x
Harborne 1 2.04x
Hempstead 1 91.74x
Leamington Priors 1 3.56x
Milton In Gravesend 1 4.32x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 1.38x
Shanklin 1 36.23x
St Austell 1 5.71x
Stirling 1 4.75x
Wrockwardine 1 11.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 28
Elizabeth 23
Sarah 23
Emma 13
Annie 10
Eliza 10
Fanny 8
Jane 7
Ann 5
Edith 5
Ellen 5
Alice 4
Harriet 4
Kate 4
Martha 4
Amelia 3
Caroline 3
Catherine 3
Clara 3
Elizth. 3
Emily 3
Louisa 3
Nellie 3
Anne 2
Bertha 2
Betsy 2
Celia 2
Florence 2
Georgina 2
Gertrude 2
Hannah 2
Harriett 2
Jessie 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Minnie 2
Rose 2
Sophia 2
Agnes 1
Blanch 1
Catharine 1
Editha 1
Elizth.A. 1
Esther 1
Eunice 1
Henrietta 1
Janette 1
Jemima 1
Joanna 1
Winnefred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 33
Thomas 20
John 19
George 16
James 14
Henry 10
Frederick 8
Richard 7
Albert 6
Robert 6
Samuel 6
Charles 4
Walter 4
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Edwin 3
Francis 3
Wm. 3
Buckley 2
Emanuel 2
Harry 2
Joseph 2
Sydney 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Alic 1
Arthur 1
Charley 1
Cornelius 1
Daniel 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Geo 1
Herbert 1
Hezekiah 1
Howard 1
Jas.Wm. 1
Jhon 1
Jno. 1
Labon 1
Leonard 1
Leopold 1
Mark 1
Oliver 1
Rd. 1
Robart 1
Uriah 1
W. 1
Wallis 1

FAQ

Cullis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cullis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 463 people were recorded with the Cullis surname. That placed it at #7,170 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cullis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 735 in 2016. That gives Cullis a modern rank of #7,416.

What does the Cullis surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English word "cull" meaning corner or ridge.

What does the Cullis map show?

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