NameCensus.

UK surname

East

A locational surname referring to someone who lived to the east of a town or settlement.

In the 1881 census there were 4,654 people recorded with the East surname, ranking it #958 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,806, ranked #1,155, down from #958 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Northamptonshire, Forest of Dean and Tewkesbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for East is 6,414 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.8%.

1881 census count

4,654

Ranked #958

Modern count

5,806

2016, ranked #1,155

Peak year

1911

6,414 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • East had 4,654 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #958 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,806 in 2016, ranked #1,155.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,414 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

East surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

East surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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East 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 3,212 #898
1861 historical 3,563 #788
1881 historical 4,654 #958
1891 historical 5,235 #896
1901 historical 5,883 #945
1911 historical 6,414 #800
1997 modern 5,954 #1,101
1998 modern 6,157 #1,101
1999 modern 6,163 #1,114
2000 modern 6,125 #1,113
2001 modern 5,990 #1,108
2002 modern 6,042 #1,127
2003 modern 5,909 #1,122
2004 modern 5,870 #1,128
2005 modern 5,769 #1,128
2006 modern 5,678 #1,144
2007 modern 5,744 #1,143
2008 modern 5,774 #1,145
2009 modern 5,915 #1,139
2010 modern 6,044 #1,145
2011 modern 5,969 #1,140
2012 modern 5,822 #1,140
2013 modern 5,904 #1,149
2014 modern 5,932 #1,150
2015 modern 5,816 #1,157
2016 modern 5,806 #1,155

Geography

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Where Easts are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to South Northamptonshire, Forest of Dean, Tewkesbury, Neath Port Talbot and West Lindsey. 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 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Northamptonshire 001 South Northamptonshire
2 Forest of Dean 004 Forest of Dean
3 Tewkesbury 005 Tewkesbury
4 Neath Port Talbot 017 Neath Port Talbot
5 West Lindsey 006 West Lindsey

Forenames

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First names often paired with East

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for East

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, East is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

East 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

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

Meaning and origin of East

The surname "EAST" is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "east," meaning "the direction of the rising sun." It is a locational surname, given to people who lived in the eastern part of a town or village, or who came from a place name containing the word "east."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname East can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions an individual named Eadstan de Est in Cambridgeshire. This suggests that the name was already in use in the late 11th century.

During the medieval period, the surname East was found in various parts of England, particularly in counties such as Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk. In the 13th century, records show a Thomas del Est in Nottinghamshire, and a William del Est in Lincolnshire.

Over time, the spelling of the name evolved from the original "de Est" to "Est" and eventually "East." Place names like Eastwood, Eastcourt, and Eastbury may have contributed to the development of the surname.

Notable individuals with the surname East include Sir Thomas East (1568-1629), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament. Another was Edward East (1602-1696), a wealthy merchant and benefactor who funded the construction of East's Library in London.

In the 18th century, Sir William East (1735-1819) was a prominent English lawyer and judge, serving as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Judicature. He was also known for his work on maritime law.

The 19th century saw the birth of Edward Murray East (1879-1938), a British writer and playwright best known for his comedic plays and novels.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname East was Sir Alfred East (1849-1913), an English landscape painter and etcher who was a prominent member of the Royal Academy of Arts and a founding member of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers.

While these are just a few examples, the surname East has a long and rich history in England, reflecting the country's diverse geography and cultural influences over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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East families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the East 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 975 Easts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.15x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 975 2.15x
Lincolnshire 487 6.70x
Surrey 331 1.50x
Kent 278 1.79x
Buckinghamshire 268 9.76x
Oxfordshire 259 9.23x
Berkshire 186 5.45x
Hertfordshire 160 5.11x
Yorkshire 150 0.33x
Gloucestershire 146 1.64x
Essex 123 1.37x
Warwickshire 120 1.05x
Northamptonshire 110 2.57x
Lancashire 104 0.19x
Devon 84 0.89x
Nottinghamshire 78 1.27x
Sussex 77 1.01x
Herefordshire 75 4.03x
Hampshire 70 0.75x
Bedfordshire 64 2.72x
Suffolk 63 1.14x
Staffordshire 51 0.33x
Cambridgeshire 49 1.70x
Leicestershire 48 0.95x
Worcestershire 39 0.66x
Cheshire 25 0.25x
Glamorgan 25 0.32x
Somerset 25 0.34x
Durham 23 0.17x
Norfolk 23 0.33x
Dorset 22 0.74x
Huntingdonshire 21 2.33x
Angus 13 0.31x
Derbyshire 13 0.18x
Monmouthshire 10 0.30x
Northumberland 10 0.15x
Brecknockshire 9 0.99x
Wiltshire 7 0.17x
Lanarkshire 6 0.04x
Radnorshire 6 1.64x
Renfrewshire 6 0.17x
Royal Navy 4 0.74x
Anglesey 2 0.25x
Cardiganshire 2 0.18x
Cornwall 2 0.04x
Roxburghshire 2 0.24x
Berwickshire 1 0.18x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.05x
Cumberland 1 0.03x
Merionethshire 1 0.12x
Midlothian 1 0.02x
Rutland 1 0.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 107 Easts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.43x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 107 2.43x
Shoreditch London 78 3.96x
Kensington London 63 2.49x
Lambeth 55 1.39x
Oxford St Thomas 55 42.01x
St Pancras London 53 1.45x
Hackney London 51 2.00x
Paddington London 51 3.05x
Hammersmith London 49 4.38x
Great Marlow 46 62.05x
Chesham 44 43.47x
West Ham 39 1.97x
Camberwell 37 1.28x
Newington 37 2.20x
St Marylebone London 36 1.48x
Clerkenwell London 35 3.26x
Deptford St Paul 35 2.93x
Bethnal Green London 32 1.62x
Birmingham 29 0.76x
Monks Risborough 29 220.20x
Clewer 28 20.04x
Mile End Old Town London 28 2.90x
St George Hanover Square 28 3.50x
Battersea 27 1.62x
Nottingham St Mary 26 1.64x
Bromley London 25 2.50x
Great Grimsby 23 4.99x
Aston 22 0.70x
Kettering 22 12.73x
Lewisham 21 2.54x
Reading St Mary 21 7.69x
St Luke London 21 2.88x
Berkhampstead 20 28.41x
Louth 20 12.01x
Sunningwell 20 396.04x
Aldenham 19 66.69x
Beckenham 19 9.38x
Caddington 19 55.17x
Reading St Giles 19 5.68x
Wycombe 19 9.28x
Guiting Power 18 186.72x
Heston 18 11.93x
Ramsgate 18 7.11x
Bardney 17 78.49x
Boston 17 7.71x
Hampstead London 17 2.40x
Lingfield 17 39.41x
Poplar London 17 1.98x
Sulgrave 17 238.10x
Watford 17 7.00x
Birkenhead 16 2.00x
Chelsea London 16 1.17x
Clee With Weelsby 16 10.06x
Kings Norton 16 3.01x
Leamington Priors 16 5.68x
Leicester St Mary 16 3.93x
Princes Risborough 16 43.49x
Cheltenham 15 2.18x
Hillingdon 15 10.36x
Prestbury 15 67.97x
Scremby 15 561.80x
Westminster St Margaret 15 6.84x
Ashburton 14 30.97x
Bury St Edmunds St James 14 9.47x
Bushey 14 18.78x
Eatington 14 129.39x
Hemel Hempstead 14 9.92x
Leicester St Margaret 14 1.14x
Luton 14 3.44x
New Windsor 14 12.21x
Sandwich St Peter 14 85.89x
Brighton 13 0.84x
Burgh In Marsh 13 73.45x
Croydon 13 1.06x
Dundee 13 0.83x
Holy Trinity 13 1.20x
Little Gransden 13 343.92x
Rickmansworth 13 15.08x
West Bromwich 13 1.48x
Winterton 13 52.13x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 271
Elizabeth 217
Sarah 157
Eliza 84
Jane 84
Emma 78
Ann 75
Alice 73
Ellen 69
Annie 67
Emily 67
Martha 63
Louisa 52
Charlotte 41
Harriet 38
Fanny 36
Edith 32
Florence 32
Kate 32
Maria 32
Caroline 29
Lucy 29
Hannah 27
Susan 26
Ada 25
Margaret 21
Rose 20
Catherine 19
Agnes 17
Amelia 17
Esther 17
Anne 16
Clara 16
Rosa 14
Frances 13
Matilda 13
Minnie 13
Sophia 13
Jessie 11
Lizzie 11
Rebecca 11
Harriett 10
Laura 10
Lydia 10
Ruth 10
Anna 7
Hester 7
Susannah 7
Bertha 6
Nellie 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 304
John 225
George 200
Thomas 132
James 128
Henry 106
Charles 104
Alfred 67
Joseph 63
Arthur 59
Frederick 53
Robert 52
Walter 46
Edward 44
Samuel 44
Richard 39
Albert 38
Frank 35
Harry 24
Francis 22
Edwin 21
Ernest 18
Herbert 15
Edmund 12
Benjamin 11
David 11
Wm. 10
Fredk. 9
Thos. 9
Fred 8
Jesse 8
Daniel 7
Fredrick 7
Joshua 7
Matthew 7
Geo. 6
Sidney 6
Sydney 6
Tom 6
Amos 5
Edgar 5
Horace 5
Aaron 4
Chas. 4
Ebenezer 4
Henery 4
Isaac 4
Job 4
Oliver 4
Percy 4

FAQ

East surname: questions and answers

How common was the East surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,654 people were recorded with the East surname. That placed it at #958 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the East surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,806 in 2016. That gives East a modern rank of #1,155.

What does the East surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived to the east of a town or settlement.

What does the East map show?

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