NameCensus.

UK surname

Earls

A surname derived from the Old English word "eorl," meaning a nobleman or warrior of high rank.

In the 1881 census there were 183 people recorded with the Earls surname, ranking it #13,596 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 275, ranked #15,720, down from #13,596 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Leek and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire East, Mid Devon and Blaenau Gwent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Earls is 288 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 50.3%.

1881 census count

183

Ranked #13,596

Modern count

275

2016, ranked #15,720

Peak year

2014

288 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Earls had 183 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,596 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 275 in 2016, ranked #15,720.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 194 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Earls surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Earls surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Earls 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 127 #14,547
1861 historical 138 #16,365
1881 historical 183 #13,596
1891 historical 194 #15,277
1901 historical 172 #16,643
1911 historical 125 #19,932
1997 modern 256 #15,034
1998 modern 268 #14,978
1999 modern 272 #14,912
2000 modern 245 #15,955
2001 modern 237 #16,048
2002 modern 259 #15,453
2003 modern 256 #15,377
2004 modern 250 #15,695
2005 modern 257 #15,365
2006 modern 259 #15,370
2007 modern 252 #15,815
2008 modern 259 #15,688
2009 modern 270 #15,551
2010 modern 271 #15,856
2011 modern 260 #16,188
2012 modern 256 #16,253
2013 modern 269 #15,963
2014 modern 288 #15,285
2015 modern 283 #15,380
2016 modern 275 #15,720

Geography

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Where Earls' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Leek, Manchester, Radley, Sunningwell and Wembworthy. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire East, Mid Devon, Blaenau Gwent, Islington and Birmingham. 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 Leek Staffordshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Radley, Sunningwell Berkshire
5 Wembworthy Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire East 049 Cheshire East
2 Mid Devon 005 Mid Devon
3 Blaenau Gwent 007 Blaenau Gwent
4 Islington 010 Islington
5 Birmingham 020 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Earls

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Earls

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Earls, 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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Earls surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Earls household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Earls is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

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

Earls 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

Earls falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Earls

The surname Earls is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "eorl," which means "nobleman" or "leader." The name first appeared in the 12th century and was often used to refer to individuals who held the title of Earl, a rank of nobility in the British peerage system.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Earls can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1190, where a man named William Earls is mentioned. It is believed that this individual may have been a landowner or a person of some standing in the community.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Earls was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Wiltshire. In some cases, the name may have derived from place names such as Earls Court in London or Earls Barton in Northamptonshire.

One notable historical figure with the surname Earls was Sir Walter Earls, a prominent English soldier and naval commander who lived from 1556 to 1615. He served in the Dutch Revolt against Spain and later became a vice-admiral in the English Navy.

Another noteworthy individual was John Earls (1605-1665), an English divine and author who served as the Bishop of Worcester and Salisbury. He was known for his writings on theology and his support for the Church of England during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, Richard Earls (1708-1782) was a prominent English lawyer and politician who served as the Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench from 1776 to 1782.

The surname Earls also has connections to the arts, with Jane Earls (1766-1846) being a well-known English painter and engraver during the Regency era. Her works were exhibited at the Royal Academy and other prestigious venues.

Another notable figure was Sir Percy Earls (1875-1953), a British diplomat and ambassador who served in various countries, including China, Japan, and Turkey, during the early 20th century.

While the surname Earls is not as common as other English surnames, it has a rich history and has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including nobility, clergy, law, politics, and the arts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Earls families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Earls 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. Staffordshire leads with 31 Earls' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.14x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 31 5.14x
Cheshire 24 6.09x
Middlesex 24 1.34x
Devon 14 3.77x
Kent 12 1.97x
Surrey 11 1.26x
Yorkshire 11 0.62x
Lancashire 10 0.47x
Ayrshire 7 5.24x
Berkshire 6 4.48x
Lanarkshire 6 1.04x
Warwickshire 6 1.33x
Glamorgan 5 1.61x
Worcestershire 5 2.15x
Renfrewshire 4 2.89x
Bedfordshire 3 3.25x
Essex 1 0.28x
Northamptonshire 1 0.60x
Shropshire 1 0.65x
Somerset 1 0.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leek Lowe in Staffordshire leads with 24 Earls' recorded in 1881 and an index of 299.25x.

Place Total Index
Leek Lowe 24 299.25x
Sutton In Macclesfield 13 317.85x
Wembworthy 11 4230.77x
Chorlton On Medlock 9 26.75x
Dailly 7 514.71x
Lenham 7 573.77x
Newington 7 10.62x
Titteworth 7 760.87x
Aston 6 4.84x
Macclesfield 6 34.27x
St Pancras London 6 4.18x
Chelsea London 5 9.30x
Glasgow 5 4.88x
Pollington 5 2083.33x
Swansea Town 5 19.62x
Inchinnan 4 1290.32x
Kensington London 4 4.03x
Kidderminster Borough 4 29.33x
Leeds 4 909.09x
Northwich 4 634.92x
Ryhill 4 816.33x
Shoreditch London 4 5.17x
Bermondsey 3 5.65x
Radley 3 882.35x
Toddington 3 225.56x
Greenham 2 298.51x
Paddington London 2 3.05x
Plymouth Charles The 2 12.22x
St Luke London 2 6.99x
Bedminster 1 3.70x
Bollington In 1 28.49x
Brington 1 196.08x
Cambusnethan 1 7.80x
Cholsey 1 94.34x
Christow 1 277.78x
Epsom 1 23.58x
Holme On Spalding Moor 1 86.21x
Kings Norton 1 4.78x
Lewisham 1 3.08x
Mirfield 1 10.30x
Newport 1 53.76x
Oldham 1 1.46x
West Ham 1 1.29x
Willesden 1 5.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Alice 7
Elizabeth 6
Eliza 5
Sarah 5
Ann 4
Emily 4
Harriet 4
Annie 2
Bridget 2
Elizath. 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Jane 2
Agnes 1
Amy 1
Anna 1
Arabella 1
Cathe. 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elenor 1
Elizth. 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Janet 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Maud 1
Minnie 1
Naomi 1
Phoebe 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
S.C. 1
Temperance 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
John 10
Joseph 6
George 5
Thomas 5
Arthur 4
Charles 4
James 4
Jesse 4
Ralph 3
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Henry 2
Michael 2
Noah 2
Abraham 1
Anthony 1
Batchelor 1
David 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
Geo.Dishley 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
J.H. 1
Patrick 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
Wm.Cardina 1

FAQ

Earls surname: questions and answers

How common was the Earls surname in 1881?

In 1881, 183 people were recorded with the Earls surname. That placed it at #13,596 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Earls surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 275 in 2016. That gives Earls a modern rank of #15,720.

What does the Earls surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word "eorl," meaning a nobleman or warrior of high rank.

What does the Earls map show?

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