NameCensus.

UK surname

Earl

A surname of noble origin, referring to a title of nobility ranking below a marquess and above a viscount.

In the 1881 census there were 3,914 people recorded with the Earl surname, ranking it #1,164 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,590, ranked #1,199, down from #1,164 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Redcar and Cleveland, Copeland and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Earl is 5,898 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.8%.

1881 census count

3,914

Ranked #1,164

Modern count

5,590

2016, ranked #1,199

Peak year

1999

5,898 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Earl had 3,914 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,164 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,590 in 2016, ranked #1,199.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,351 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Earl surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Earl surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Earl 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 2,567 #1,149
1861 historical 2,433 #1,201
1881 historical 3,914 #1,164
1891 historical 4,335 #1,091
1901 historical 4,937 #1,142
1911 historical 5,351 #976
1997 modern 5,663 #1,153
1998 modern 5,859 #1,151
1999 modern 5,898 #1,154
2000 modern 5,794 #1,165
2001 modern 5,684 #1,164
2002 modern 5,811 #1,164
2003 modern 5,665 #1,161
2004 modern 5,598 #1,172
2005 modern 5,494 #1,175
2006 modern 5,531 #1,169
2007 modern 5,526 #1,181
2008 modern 5,626 #1,163
2009 modern 5,724 #1,173
2010 modern 5,766 #1,198
2011 modern 5,695 #1,192
2012 modern 5,574 #1,193
2013 modern 5,710 #1,188
2014 modern 5,734 #1,188
2015 modern 5,622 #1,197
2016 modern 5,590 #1,199

Geography

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Where Earls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Redcar and Cleveland, Copeland 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Redcar and Cleveland 013 Redcar and Cleveland
2 Copeland 006 Copeland
3 Cornwall 013 Cornwall
4 Redcar and Cleveland 016 Redcar and Cleveland
5 Redcar and Cleveland 022 Redcar and Cleveland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Earl

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Earl

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

Earl is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Earl 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 Earl 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 Earl, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Earl

The surname Earl is derived from the Old English word "eorl", which means a nobleman or warrior. It is an occupational name, originally referring to a person who held the rank of an earl or a high-ranking military officer. The name has its roots in Anglo-Saxon England and can be traced back to the early medieval period.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Earl can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The book mentions several individuals with the name, including Aelfric Earl and Eadric Earl, indicating the presence of this surname in various parts of the country.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Earl was particularly prevalent in the counties of Northumberland, Yorkshire, and Lancashire. It was often associated with landowning families or those who held positions of authority within the feudal system. One notable example is the Earls of Derby, a prominent English noble family whose ancestry can be traced back to the 12th century.

In the 13th century, the surname Earl appeared in various legal documents and records, such as the Pipe Rolls and the Curia Regis Rolls. These sources provide valuable insights into the geographical distribution and social status of individuals bearing this surname during that period.

Among the famous historical figures with the surname Earl are:

1. Richard Earl (c. 1260 - c. 1320), an English military leader who served under Edward I and Edward II during the Scottish Wars of Independence. 2. Sir Walter Earl (c. 1350 - 1418), a prominent English soldier and landowner who fought in the Hundred Years' War. 3. Richard Earl (c. 1510 - 1588), an English composer and musician who served as a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Elizabeth I. 4. John Earl (c. 1590 - 1665), an English mathematician and philosopher who made significant contributions to the development of algebra and analytical geometry. 5. Edward Earl (1720 - 1789), a British naval officer who served during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War, and achieved the rank of Vice Admiral.

The surname Earl has also been associated with various place names and locations throughout England, such as Earl's Court in London, Earl's Barton in Northamptonshire, and Earl's Colne in Essex. These place names often reflect the presence of individuals bearing the surname Earl in those areas or their historical connections to the nobility.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Earl families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Earl 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 491 Earls recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.29x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 491 1.29x
Surrey 370 1.99x
Kent 348 2.67x
Yorkshire 280 0.74x
Norfolk 250 4.26x
Lancashire 183 0.40x
Sussex 164 2.55x
Northamptonshire 161 4.48x
Durham 124 1.09x
Lincolnshire 104 1.70x
Cumberland 101 3.07x
Hampshire 99 1.26x
Cheshire 93 1.10x
Gloucestershire 91 1.21x
Devon 81 1.02x
Suffolk 68 1.46x
Essex 64 0.85x
Glamorgan 63 0.95x
Somerset 61 0.99x
Cambridgeshire 59 2.44x
Lanarkshire 57 0.46x
Leicestershire 55 1.30x
Oxfordshire 43 1.82x
Bedfordshire 42 2.12x
Ayrshire 38 1.33x
Buckinghamshire 37 1.60x
Staffordshire 35 0.27x
Warwickshire 33 0.34x
Westmorland 32 3.81x
Wiltshire 32 0.95x
Renfrewshire 27 0.91x
Northumberland 25 0.44x
Huntingdonshire 22 2.90x
Derbyshire 19 0.32x
Midlothian 18 0.35x
Cornwall 17 0.39x
Hertfordshire 17 0.65x
Worcestershire 15 0.30x
Nottinghamshire 14 0.27x
West Lothian 13 2.26x
Monmouthshire 11 0.40x
Brecknockshire 9 1.18x
East Lothian 7 1.38x
Berkshire 5 0.17x
Denbighshire 5 0.35x
Royal Navy 5 1.10x
Shropshire 5 0.15x
Wigtownshire 5 0.99x
Berwickshire 4 0.86x
Dumfriesshire 3 0.36x
Stirlingshire 3 0.21x
Flintshire 2 0.19x
Herefordshire 2 0.13x
Anglesey 1 0.15x
Angus 1 0.03x
Argyllshire 1 0.09x
Fife 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 61 Earls recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.98x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 61 1.98x
Islington London 59 1.59x
Camberwell 49 2.01x
Lambeth 46 1.38x
Bethnal Green London 38 2.29x
West Ham 38 2.28x
Willesborough 36 102.74x
Brighton 35 2.69x
Darlington 30 6.84x
Stoke Damerel 30 5.39x
Hackney London 28 1.31x
Moulton 28 140.14x
Kingston On Thames 26 5.82x
Willesden 25 6.94x
Battersea 24 1.71x
Clifton 24 125.72x
Leeds 24 1.12x
Newington 24 1.70x
St Andrewthe Less 24 8.68x
St Marylebone London 24 1.18x
Deptford St Paul 23 2.29x
New Monkland 23 6.30x
Heeley 21 18.26x
Wellingborough 21 11.62x
Everton 20 1.38x
Govan 20 0.65x
Manchester 20 0.98x
Salford 20 1.50x
Seend 20 298.95x
Bristol St George 19 5.48x
Kingsley 19 317.20x
Liverpool 19 0.69x
Wisbech St Peter 19 15.66x
Bungay St Mary 18 78.09x
Cardiff St John 18 8.29x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 18 10.21x
Portsea 18 1.17x
Woolwich 18 3.74x
Aldington 17 192.31x
Ashford 17 13.39x
Crowley 17 664.06x
Eastbourne 17 5.74x
Great Yarmouth 17 3.49x
Paisley Low Church 17 18.14x
Acton 16 7.14x
Dallington 16 75.76x
Hainford 16 194.65x
Minster In Sheppey 16 7.41x
West Derby 16 1.21x
Bermondsey 15 1.32x
Birkenhead 15 2.23x
Boughton 15 355.45x
Broughton In Salford 15 3.62x
Croydon 15 1.45x
Cuxton 15 291.83x
Ipsden 15 161.29x
Lewisham 15 2.16x
Scarborough 15 4.36x
Alton 14 23.72x
Aston 14 0.53x
Coltishall 14 112.27x
Ealing 14 4.10x
Glasgow 14 0.64x
Hampstead London 14 2.35x
Kirkland 14 78.21x
Leicester St Margaret 14 1.36x
Moulton 14 47.62x
Plumstead 14 3.22x
Plymouth St Andrew 14 2.29x
Poplar London 14 1.94x
Roath 14 4.63x
St Luke London 14 2.28x
Melbourne 13 31.80x
Oxford St Giles 13 11.55x
Paddington London 13 0.93x
Skelton 13 136.99x
Alverstoke 12 4.23x
Bromborough 12 68.53x
Kingsthorpe 12 30.05x
Nottingham St Mary 12 0.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 226
Elizabeth 134
Sarah 105
Jane 86
Ann 62
Eliza 61
Ellen 59
Alice 58
Emily 58
Emma 55
Annie 42
Margaret 39
Charlotte 38
Martha 33
Louisa 31
Caroline 30
Fanny 28
Hannah 26
Florence 24
Frances 23
Ada 22
Harriet 22
Maria 22
Rose 19
Agnes 18
Edith 18
Kate 18
Susan 18
Amelia 16
Lucy 16
Catherine 15
Isabella 15
Rebecca 15
Anne 13
Esther 13
Clara 12
Minnie 12
Jessie 11
Harriett 10
Julia 10
Matilda 10
Sophia 10
Amy 9
Gertrude 9
Rosa 8
Anna 7
Susannah 7
Elizth. 6
May 6
Rhoda 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 232
William 225
George 155
James 139
Thomas 139
Henry 81
Charles 72
Alfred 61
Robert 56
Joseph 55
Edward 51
Richard 35
Arthur 34
Frederick 30
Samuel 29
Walter 26
Harry 24
Albert 22
Ernest 19
Francis 15
Daniel 12
David 12
Frank 10
Herbert 10
Fred 8
Mark 8
Benjamin 7
Edwin 7
Wm. 7
Edmund 6
Eli 6
Frederic 6
Jesse 6
Stephen 6
Fredrick 5
Peter 5
Isaac 4
Sidney 4
Stanley 4
Willie 4
Christopher 3
Elijah 3
Horace 3
Hugh 3
Jeremiah 3
Job 3
Jonathan 3
Percy 3
Tom 3
W. 3

FAQ

Earl surname: questions and answers

How common was the Earl surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,914 people were recorded with the Earl surname. That placed it at #1,164 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Earl surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,590 in 2016. That gives Earl a modern rank of #1,199.

What does the Earl surname mean?

A surname of noble origin, referring to a title of nobility ranking below a marquess and above a viscount.

What does the Earl map show?

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