UK surname
A short form of the German surname Egger, referring to someone who lived by a field or planted seeds.
In the 1881 census there were 125 people recorded with the Egg surname, ranking it #17,335 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 28, ranked #36,125, down from #17,335 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin, Poole St James and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Egg is 125 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 77.6%.
1881 census count
125
Ranked #17,335
Modern count
28
2016, ranked #36,125
Peak year
1881
125 bearers
Map years
1
1881 to 1881
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Egg surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Egg surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 99 | #17,294 |
| 1881 | historical | 125 | #17,335 |
| 1891 | historical | 1 | #34,674 |
| 1901 | historical | 95 | #23,462 |
| 1997 | modern | 34 | #34,282 |
| 1998 | modern | 34 | #34,433 |
| 1999 | modern | 31 | #34,821 |
| 2000 | modern | 34 | #34,517 |
| 2001 | modern | 35 | #34,261 |
| 2002 | modern | 31 | #34,866 |
| 2003 | modern | 27 | #35,279 |
| 2004 | modern | 29 | #35,270 |
| 2005 | modern | 33 | #35,119 |
| 2006 | modern | 30 | #35,526 |
| 2007 | modern | 28 | #35,801 |
| 2008 | modern | 31 | #35,670 |
| 2009 | modern | 28 | #35,988 |
| 2010 | modern | 29 | #36,024 |
| 2011 | modern | 31 | #35,892 |
| 2012 | modern | 29 | #35,991 |
| 2013 | modern | 28 | #36,096 |
| 2014 | modern | 28 | #36,107 |
| 2015 | modern | 27 | #36,173 |
| 2016 | modern | 28 | #36,125 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin, Poole St James, London parishes, St Mary Stratford-le-Bow and Boldre, Brockenhurst. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin | Devon |
| 2 | Poole St James | Dorset |
| 3 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 4 | St Mary Stratford-le-Bow | London (East Districts) |
| 5 | Boldre, Brockenhurst | Hampshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Egg surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Egg, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Egg surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Egg household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Egg is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Egg is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Egg, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Egg is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "egg," which referred to the oval-shaped object laid by birds and certain reptiles. The name may have been initially used as a nickname for someone who was associated with the trade or production of eggs.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Egg appears in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, where it is listed as "Robert le Egge." This entry suggests that the name may have originated as a descriptive phrase, "the egg," before evolving into a hereditary surname.
In the 14th century, the surname Egg can be found in various historical records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which mentions a "William Egge." The Lay Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1380 also list a "John Egge," indicating the name's presence in different regions of England during that period.
The Egg surname has also been associated with place names. One notable example is the village of Egg in Somerset, which was recorded as "Egga" in the Domesday Book of 1086. It's possible that some individuals with the surname Egg may have originated from or been associated with this location.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Egg was John Egg, a 14th-century English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Norwich from 1369 to 1376. Another notable figure was Roger Egg (c. 1420-1493), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset in 1472.
In the 16th century, a prominent individual with the surname Egg was Sir Sampson Egg (c. 1520-1596), an English merchant and philanthropist. He was a member of the Worshipful Company of Salters and served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1579.
Another notable bearer of the surname was Edward Egg (1585-1671), an English clergyman and academic who was appointed as the Provost of King's College, Cambridge, in 1642.
During the 17th century, a notable figure with the surname Egg was John Egg (1622-1687), an English Puritan minister and author who served as the vicar of Battersea in London.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Egg surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Devon leads with 31 Eggs recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.93x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Devon | 31 | 11.93x |
| Middlesex | 30 | 2.40x |
| Hampshire | 27 | 10.55x |
| Surrey | 10 | 1.64x |
| Yorkshire | 7 | 0.57x |
| Dorset | 4 | 4.88x |
| Essex | 3 | 1.22x |
| Royal Navy | 3 | 20.16x |
| Derbyshire | 2 | 1.02x |
| Northamptonshire | 2 | 1.70x |
| Sussex | 2 | 0.95x |
| Warwickshire | 2 | 0.64x |
| Worcestershire | 2 | 1.23x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.23x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.07x |
| Northumberland | 1 | 0.54x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Damerel in Devon leads with 15 Eggs recorded in 1881 and an index of 82.46x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Stoke Damerel | 15 | 82.46x |
| Bow London | 13 | 81.76x |
| Plymouth St Andrew | 8 | 39.96x |
| Christchurch | 7 | 126.13x |
| Croydon | 7 | 20.73x |
| Leeds | 7 | 10.02x |
| Bethnal Green London | 6 | 11.06x |
| Boldre | 6 | 652.17x |
| Southampton St Mary | 6 | 37.29x |
| Islington London | 5 | 4.13x |
| Lymington | 4 | 212.77x |
| Dartmouth St Saviour | 3 | 405.41x |
| Dartmouth Townstall | 3 | 283.02x |
| Poole St James | 3 | 97.40x |
| Royal Navy | 3 | 23.58x |
| Woodford | 3 | 107.53x |
| Battersea | 2 | 4.35x |
| Birmingham | 2 | 1.91x |
| Hastings St Mary In The | 2 | 44.54x |
| Worcester All Sts | 2 | 212.77x |
| Aston | 1 | 357.14x |
| Devonport | 1 | 33.44x |
| East Stonehouse | 1 | 19.53x |
| Foots Cray | 1 | 121.95x |
| Hackney London | 1 | 1.43x |
| Holdenhurst | 1 | 14.90x |
| Kensington London | 1 | 1.44x |
| Kinson | 1 | 62.50x |
| Lambeth | 1 | 0.92x |
| Liverpool | 1 | 1.11x |
| Millbrook | 1 | 15.50x |
| Newcastle On Tyne All Sts | 1 | 9.01x |
| Northampton St Sepulchre | 1 | 16.75x |
| Offcote Underwood | 1 | 500.00x |
| Paddington London | 1 | 2.18x |
| Poplar London | 1 | 4.24x |
| Southampton All Sts | 1 | 22.78x |
| St Marylebone London | 1 | 1.50x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 1.00x |
| Ventnor | 1 | 41.15x |
| Weedon Beck | 1 | 119.05x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Egg surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 8 |
| Agnes | 4 |
| Caroline | 4 |
| Emily | 4 |
| Emma | 4 |
| Sarah | 4 |
| Alice | 3 |
| Ann | 3 |
| Annie | 3 |
| Charlotte | 3 |
| Louisa | 3 |
| Ada | 2 |
| Clara | 2 |
| Edith | 2 |
| Eliza | 2 |
| Elizabeth | 2 |
| Carry | 1 |
| Charlott | 1 |
| Daisy | 1 |
| Elfrida | 1 |
| Ellen | 1 |
| Esther | 1 |
| Hannah | 1 |
| Jane | 1 |
| Kate | 1 |
| Katherine | 1 |
| Lavinia | 1 |
| Leonora | 1 |
| Lydia | 1 |
| Marg.E. | 1 |
| Maria | 1 |
| Martha | 1 |
| Melinda | 1 |
| Rosalie | 1 |
| Sena | 1 |
| Siman | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Egg surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Egg households.
FAQ
In 1881, 125 people were recorded with the Egg surname. That placed it at #17,335 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 28 in 2016. That gives Egg a modern rank of #36,125.
A short form of the German surname Egger, referring to someone who lived by a field or planted seeds.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Egg bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.