NameCensus.

UK surname

Ebbs

A surname derived from the Old English word "ebban", meaning "ebb" or "low tide".

In the 1881 census there were 315 people recorded with the Ebbs surname, ranking it #9,393 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 563, ranked #9,114, up from #9,393 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Worksop, London parishes and King's Lynn St Margaret. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Holland, Forest Heath and King's Lynn and West Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ebbs is 626 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 78.7%.

1881 census count

315

Ranked #9,393

Modern count

563

2016, ranked #9,114

Peak year

2000

626 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ebbs had 315 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,393 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 563 in 2016, ranked #9,114.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 484 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ebbs surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ebbs surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ebbs 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 224 #9,534
1861 historical 261 #9,481
1881 historical 315 #9,393
1891 historical 344 #9,969
1901 historical 435 #8,922
1911 historical 484 #8,026
1997 modern 590 #8,250
1998 modern 608 #8,310
1999 modern 623 #8,224
2000 modern 626 #8,179
2001 modern 610 #8,193
2002 modern 605 #8,415
2003 modern 578 #8,546
2004 modern 574 #8,601
2005 modern 582 #8,450
2006 modern 565 #8,657
2007 modern 577 #8,604
2008 modern 581 #8,623
2009 modern 584 #8,761
2010 modern 600 #8,787
2011 modern 608 #8,597
2012 modern 569 #8,942
2013 modern 577 #8,995
2014 modern 571 #9,113
2015 modern 562 #9,141
2016 modern 563 #9,114

Geography

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Where Ebbs' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Worksop, London parishes, King's Lynn St Margaret 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 Holland, Forest Heath, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, South Oxfordshire and North East Lincolnshire. 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 Worksop Nottinghamshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 King's Lynn St Margaret Norfolk
4 London parishes London 3
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Holland 008 South Holland
2 Forest Heath 005 Forest Heath
3 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 018 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
4 South Oxfordshire 012 South Oxfordshire
5 North East Lincolnshire 003 North East Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ebbs

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ebbs

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

Ebbs 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

Ebbs falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Ebbs

The surname Ebbs is believed to have originated from the county of Yorkshire, England in the late medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "ebba," which means a river or stream. This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a river or worked with water in some capacity.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ebbs can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, where a John Ebbes is listed. It is likely that this was an early spelling variation of the surname. Additionally, the Ebbs surname is also found in various other records from the 14th and 15th centuries in Yorkshire, indicating that the name was established in that region during that time period.

In the 16th century, the name appears in the parish records of Ripon, Yorkshire, with the baptism of a Roger Ebbes in 1549. This suggests that the name was still prevalent in the area and had maintained its connection to Yorkshire.

One notable individual with the surname Ebbs was William Ebbs, a merchant and landowner who lived in the town of Wakefield, Yorkshire in the late 16th century. Records show that he owned several properties and was involved in local government affairs.

Another person of historical significance was John Ebbs, a Puritan minister who lived in the late 17th century. He was born in Yorkshire in 1632 and later became the rector of St. Mary's Church in Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire, where he served until his death in 1698.

In the 18th century, the name Ebbs can be found in various records from the county of Derbyshire, indicating that the surname had spread to other parts of England. One example is Samuel Ebbs, who was born in Derbyshire in 1745 and later became a successful businessman and landowner.

Moving into the 19th century, the Ebbs surname continued to be prevalent in Yorkshire and other parts of northern England. One notable figure was Thomas Ebbs, a prominent industrialist from Leeds who was born in 1812. He was involved in the textile industry and played a significant role in the city's economic development during the Industrial Revolution.

Throughout its history, the surname Ebbs has maintained its connection to the county of Yorkshire and its origins related to rivers and streams. While the name has spread to other regions over time, its roots can be traced back to the medieval period in northern England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ebbs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ebbs 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 75 Ebbs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.43x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 75 2.43x
Norfolk 33 6.96x
Hertfordshire 32 15.06x
Lancashire 28 0.77x
Buckinghamshire 18 9.66x
Kent 18 1.71x
Surrey 17 1.13x
Suffolk 13 3.46x
Nottinghamshire 11 2.65x
Yorkshire 11 0.36x
Essex 9 1.48x
Lincolnshire 9 1.83x
Sussex 9 1.73x
Bedfordshire 7 4.39x
Northumberland 6 1.31x
Cheshire 4 0.59x
Hampshire 4 0.63x
Huntingdonshire 4 6.54x
Midlothian 4 0.97x
Dorset 1 0.49x
Durham 1 0.11x
Lanarkshire 1 0.10x
Staffordshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Offley in Hertfordshire leads with 10 Ebbs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 724.64x.

Place Total Index
Offley 10 724.64x
South Mimms 10 236.41x
Bradwell 9 343.51x
Hastings St Clement 9 184.05x
Battersea 8 7.05x
Great Yarmouth 8 20.38x
Limehouse London 8 23.64x
Owston 8 571.43x
Preston 8 8.17x
Kings Walden 7 583.33x
Lambeth 7 2.60x
Liverpool 7 3.15x
Normanby In 7 85.68x
Slapton 7 2500.00x
South Shoebury 7 286.89x
Swanton Morley 7 958.90x
Babworth 6 779.22x
Bethnal Green London 6 4.48x
Fulham London 6 13.42x
Kensington London 6 3.50x
St Pancras London 6 2.42x
West Lynn 6 983.61x
Beckenham 5 36.36x
Bow London 5 12.74x
Hertford St John 5 157.73x
Hexham 5 70.42x
Luton 5 18.10x
St Giles In Fields London 5 33.07x
Fletton 4 204.08x
Gillingham 4 851.06x
Heigham 4 15.72x
Paddington London 4 3.53x
South Elmham St Peter 4 5000.00x
South Leith 4 8.61x
Chislehurst 3 53.19x
Deptford St Paul 3 3.70x
East Retford 3 83.33x
Enfield 3 14.84x
Eston 3 45.11x
Everton 3 2.57x
Great Little Marsden 3 17.91x
Lee 3 19.65x
Melton 3 202.70x
North Meols 3 8.38x
Ridge 3 697.67x
Ringsfield 3 1000.00x
Amersham 2 75.76x
Charlton 2 28.65x
Charlton Next Woolwich 2 18.23x
Clarborough 2 64.31x
Dunstable 2 40.82x
Finchley 2 16.92x
Layston 2 176.99x
Mile End Old Town London 2 3.05x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 2 25.54x
Romford 2 20.79x
Shoreditch London 2 1.50x
St Albans St Peter 2 27.89x
St Marylebone London 2 1.22x
Carisbrooke 1 11.40x
Chester St John Baptist 1 8.18x
Croydon 1 1.20x
East Dereham 1 16.69x
Fulwood 1 25.32x
Hampstead London 1 2.08x
Hickling 1 114.94x
Hitchin 1 10.43x
Homersfield 1 666.67x
Islington London 1 0.33x
Moss Side 1 5.19x
Newington 1 0.88x
Palling 1 208.33x
Sedgley 1 2.59x
Spital Boughton 1 666.67x
St Albans St Stephen 1 53.76x
St George Bloomsbury 1 5.66x
Stoke Newington London 1 4.16x
Ufford 1 172.41x
Westminster St John 1 2.66x
Woodbridge 1 20.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Elizabeth 12
Sarah 11
Alice 8
Ellen 7
Ann 6
Maria 6
Anne 5
Emma 5
Margaret 5
Clara 4
Jane 4
Louisa 4
Catherine 3
Charlotte 3
Eliza 3
Emily 3
Esther 3
Fanny 3
Harriet 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Elizth. 2
Florence 2
Hannah 2
Harriett 2
Kate 2
Rachel 2
Susan 2
Susannah 2
Adeline 1
Anna 1
Bridget 1
Comfort 1
Eleanor 1
Ester 1
Henrietta 1
Honor 1
Lavinia 1
Lillian 1
Margt. 1
Nelly 1
Rebecca 1
Richanda 1
Ruth 1
S.A. 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 19
George 18
John 17
James 10
Joseph 10
Thomas 10
Henry 9
Arthur 7
Charles 7
Alfred 6
Robert 5
Frederick 4
Harry 3
Walter 3
Edward 2
Frank 2
Jesse 2
Samuel 2
Stephen 2
Wm. 2
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Horace 1
Leonard 1
M.E. 1
Percy 1
Richard 1
Sam. 1
Sidney 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Ebbs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ebbs surname in 1881?

In 1881, 315 people were recorded with the Ebbs surname. That placed it at #9,393 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ebbs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 563 in 2016. That gives Ebbs a modern rank of #9,114.

What does the Ebbs surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word "ebban", meaning "ebb" or "low tide".

What does the Ebbs map show?

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