NameCensus.

UK surname

Cumberland

From the Old English for "land of the Cymry" or "land of the Cumbrian Britons," referring to an area in northwest England.

In the 1881 census there were 757 people recorded with the Cumberland surname, ranking it #4,879 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 781, ranked #7,060, down from #4,879 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Loughborough and Nottingham St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Nottingham, Selby and Pembrokeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cumberland is 999 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.2%.

1881 census count

757

Ranked #4,879

Modern count

781

2016, ranked #7,060

Peak year

1911

999 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cumberland had 757 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,879 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 781 in 2016, ranked #7,060.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 999 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cumberland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cumberland surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cumberland 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 493 #5,073
1861 historical 554 #4,755
1881 historical 757 #4,879
1891 historical 947 #4,373
1901 historical 998 #4,771
1911 historical 999 #4,549
1997 modern 852 #6,227
1998 modern 899 #6,167
1999 modern 878 #6,325
2000 modern 855 #6,429
2001 modern 845 #6,366
2002 modern 854 #6,438
2003 modern 828 #6,466
2004 modern 821 #6,524
2005 modern 783 #6,711
2006 modern 779 #6,780
2007 modern 778 #6,851
2008 modern 789 #6,834
2009 modern 818 #6,752
2010 modern 845 #6,727
2011 modern 831 #6,726
2012 modern 806 #6,792
2013 modern 823 #6,785
2014 modern 811 #6,906
2015 modern 807 #6,881
2016 modern 781 #7,060

Geography

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Where Cumberlands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Loughborough, Nottingham St Mary, Houghton Regis and Luton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Nottingham, Selby, Pembrokeshire and York. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 Loughborough Leicestershire
3 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
4 Houghton Regis Bedfordshire
5 Luton Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Nottingham 029 Nottingham
2 Selby 001 Selby
3 Pembrokeshire 011 Pembrokeshire
4 Nottingham 001 Nottingham
5 York 010 York

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cumberland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cumberland

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

Cumberland is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cumberland falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cumberland

The surname Cumberland originates from the historic county of Cumberland in North West England, near the border with Scotland. The name is derived from the Old English words 'cumba' meaning a valley, and 'land' meaning land or territory. The earliest recorded spelling of the placename was 'Cumbra land' in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, dated around 945 AD.

Cumberland was an important region during the Anglo-Saxon period, and the name appears in several medieval records and manuscripts. One notable example is the Domesday Book of 1086, where the area is referred to as 'Cumberlande'. This valuable historical document provides insights into the landowners and settlements of the time.

The surname Cumberland likely emerged as a locational name, referring to people who originated from or were associated with the county. Some of the earliest recorded examples of the surname include William de Cumberland, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166, and Robert de Cumberland, who was listed in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273.

Over the centuries, various spellings of the surname emerged, such as Cumberlaunde, Cumbreland, and Cumerland, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in pronunciation. The name was also influenced by the place names within Cumberland, such as Penrith, Carlisle, and Whitehaven.

Notable individuals with the surname Cumberland include:

1. Richard Cumberland (1632-1718), an English philosopher and bishop of Peterborough. 2. Denison Cumberland (1781-1865), a British naval officer and inventor of the Cumberland projectile. 3. William Augustus Cumberland (1796-1865), an English diplomat and writer, known for his plays and novels. 4. Arden Cumberland (1786-1851), an English playwright and dramatist, best known for his comedy 'The Jew'. 5. George Cumberland (1558-1628), an English bishop and scholar, known for his work on the Phoenician language.

These are just a few examples of the prominent individuals who bore the surname Cumberland throughout history, reflecting its deep roots in the region and its significance in various fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cumberland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cumberland 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 189 Cumberlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.99x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 189 18.99x
Yorkshire 71 0.97x
Leicestershire 59 7.21x
Bedfordshire 54 14.12x
Middlesex 44 0.60x
Essex 34 2.33x
Derbyshire 32 2.77x
Warwickshire 32 1.72x
Kent 24 0.95x
Durham 20 0.91x
Lanarkshire 18 0.75x
Lincolnshire 17 1.44x
Lancashire 15 0.17x
Surrey 14 0.39x
Cheshire 13 0.80x
Northamptonshire 13 1.87x
Dorset 12 2.48x
Hertfordshire 10 1.96x
Staffordshire 10 0.40x
Buckinghamshire 9 2.02x
Glamorgan 9 0.70x
Gloucestershire 9 0.62x
Huntingdonshire 7 4.77x
Cumberland 6 0.94x
Hampshire 6 0.40x
Devon 5 0.33x
Westmorland 4 2.46x
Clackmannanshire 3 4.92x
Herefordshire 3 0.99x
Sussex 3 0.24x
Worcestershire 3 0.31x
Norfolk 2 0.18x
Shropshire 2 0.31x
Cardiganshire 1 0.56x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.32x
Oxfordshire 1 0.22x
Somerset 1 0.08x
Suffolk 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ruddington in Nottinghamshire leads with 46 Cumberlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 689.66x.

Place Total Index
Ruddington 46 689.66x
Nottingham St Mary 43 16.70x
Luton 36 54.39x
Loughborough 30 80.75x
Birmingham 20 3.22x
Mansfield 19 55.17x
West Ham 19 5.90x
Govan 18 3.05x
East Leake 14 585.77x
West Rainton 14 205.88x
Glossop Dale 12 22.16x
Gotham 10 386.10x
Houghton Regis 10 163.93x
Wetherby 10 209.64x
Beckenham 8 24.29x
Great Grimsby 8 10.68x
Harborne 8 10.01x
Lambeth 8 1.24x
Lenton 8 34.13x
Newark Upon Trent 8 22.37x
Snenton 8 20.46x
Tadcaster West 8 138.17x
Tottenham 8 6.80x
Aberdare 7 7.93x
Barking 7 16.41x
Bentham 7 125.45x
Clipstone 7 933.33x
Islington London 7 0.98x
Lofthouse 7 64.10x
Mottram 7 94.85x
Selby 7 45.78x
Spaldwick 7 769.23x
Westbury On Trym 7 14.27x
Aston 6 1.17x
Hornsey 6 6.43x
St Albans St Peter 6 34.94x
St Cuthbert W O 6 19.36x
Swannington 6 198.68x
Woolwich 6 6.45x
Castle Donnington 5 73.64x
Dunstable 5 42.55x
Gedling 5 304.88x
Minster In Sheppey 5 11.98x
Northampton St Giles 5 18.90x
Pendleton In Salford 5 4.79x
Woodhouse 5 153.37x
York St Mary 5 16.50x
Beverley St Martin 4 32.76x
Bradford 4 2.26x
Bradmore 4 563.38x
Dawlish 4 34.87x
Derby St Werburgh 4 5.99x
Fenny Stratford 4 94.79x
Hollingworth 4 59.52x
Hunsingore 4 869.57x
Ilkeston 4 12.34x
Kendal 4 13.46x
Kyo 4 38.68x
Langar 4 373.83x
Langton Long Blandford 4 571.43x
Markfield 4 98.52x
North Mimms 4 124.61x
Romford 4 17.36x
St Marylebone London 4 1.01x
Barnwell St Andrew 3 461.54x
Bedford St Paul 3 11.44x
Belper 3 13.39x
Blandford Forum 3 31.38x
Cropwell Butler 3 220.59x
Derby St Peter 3 8.15x
Dollar 3 47.47x
Ecclesall Bierlow 3 2.02x
Hereford St Nicholas 3 72.82x
Kensington London 3 0.73x
Leicester St Margaret 3 1.50x
Milverton 3 54.95x
Portsea 3 1.01x
St George Hanover Square 3 2.31x
St Martin Lincoln 3 27.37x
Winteringham 3 176.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 51
Elizabeth 39
Sarah 33
Ann 20
Annie 17
Eliza 14
Emma 14
Hannah 11
Jane 9
Emily 8
Ellen 7
Martha 6
Adelaide 5
Anne 5
Catherine 5
Charlotte 5
Ethel 5
Caroline 4
Isabella 4
Louisa 4
Margaret 4
Maria 4
Rose 4
Ada 3
Agnes 3
Clara 3
Dorothy 3
Edith 3
Frances 3
Harriet 3
Kate 3
Margt. 3
Minnie 3
Ruth 3
Beatrice 2
Bertha 2
Elizth. 2
Faith 2
Florence 2
Harriett 2
Julia 2
Lilian 2
Marion 2
Matilda 2
Rebecca 2
Selina 2
Sophia 2
Eleanor 1
Eliz. 1
Elizebeth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 47
William 47
Thomas 26
George 24
James 20
Charles 12
Henry 12
Joseph 12
Arthur 11
Edward 10
Robert 7
Alfred 6
Herbert 6
Wm. 6
Albert 5
Frederick 5
Harry 5
Richard 4
David 3
Frank 3
Fredk. 3
Hugh 3
Stephen 3
Thos. 3
Walter 3
Ambrose 2
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Edmund 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Isaac 2
Jarvis 2
Archie 1
Blythe 1
Cecil 1
Chas. 1
Chas.B. 1
Chas.Edward 1
Edwd. 1
Eli 1
Elisha 1
Emmanuel 1
Ernst 1
Ethelbert 1
Fred 1
Hy. 1
I.W. 1
Israel 1
Wortley 1

FAQ

Cumberland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cumberland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 757 people were recorded with the Cumberland surname. That placed it at #4,879 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cumberland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 781 in 2016. That gives Cumberland a modern rank of #7,060.

What does the Cumberland surname mean?

From the Old English for "land of the Cymry" or "land of the Cumbrian Britons," referring to an area in northwest England.

What does the Cumberland map show?

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