NameCensus.

UK surname

Emans

English surname derived from the Latin word "Emmanuel" meaning "God with us".

In the 1881 census there were 80 people recorded with the Emans surname, ranking it #22,225 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 141, ranked #24,753, down from #22,225 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newbury, London parishes and Fordham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Maldon, Reading and Drumry East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Emans is 154 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 76.3%.

1881 census count

80

Ranked #22,225

Modern count

141

2016, ranked #24,753

Peak year

2000

154 bearers

Map years

4

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Emans had 80 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,225 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 141 in 2016, ranked #24,753.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 110 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Routine Occupations or Retirement.

Emans surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Emans surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Emans 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 110 #16,093
1861 historical 87 #22,681
1881 historical 80 #22,225
1891 historical 63 #28,881
1901 historical 96 #23,342
1911 historical 81 #24,719
1997 modern 150 #21,119
1998 modern 151 #21,578
1999 modern 150 #21,826
2000 modern 154 #21,415
2001 modern 147 #21,756
2002 modern 137 #23,198
2003 modern 137 #22,939
2004 modern 150 #21,830
2005 modern 140 #22,774
2006 modern 131 #23,942
2007 modern 134 #23,931
2008 modern 134 #24,249
2009 modern 137 #24,371
2010 modern 139 #24,688
2011 modern 132 #25,303
2012 modern 133 #25,187
2013 modern 141 #24,670
2014 modern 140 #24,977
2015 modern 141 #24,723
2016 modern 141 #24,753

Geography

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Where Emans' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newbury, London parishes, Fordham, Bray, Maidenhead, Cookham and Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early),. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Maldon, Reading, Drumry East and Isle of Wight. 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 Newbury Berkshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Fordham Cambridgeshire
4 Bray, Maidenhead, Cookham Berkshire
5 Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early), Berkshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Maldon 007 Maldon
2 Reading 012 Reading
3 Drumry East Glasgow City
4 Isle of Wight 016 Isle of Wight
5 Isle of Wight 010 Isle of Wight

Forenames

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First names often paired with Emans

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Emans

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Routine Occupations or Retirement

Nationally, the Emans surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Routine Occupations or Retirement, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Emans household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are characterised by high proportions of single, often never-married adults of normal retirement age or older, including many that are in the most advanced age groups. Most adults are UK born and live at high residential densities, and many of the children living with parents are in adulthood. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are uncommon, but above average proportions of households include individuals that identify with different ethnic groups. Long-term disability is relatively common, and the dominant accommodation type is flats. Unemployment rates are high, with most of those employed working in routine occupations. Few individuals have high level qualifications. Car ownership is not high.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Emans is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Emans 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

Emans 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 Emans is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Emans, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Emans

The surname EMANS is believed to have originated in the Netherlands during the late 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Dutch word "emmen," which means "bucket" or "pail." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a profession or trade involving the use of buckets, such as a water carrier or a brewer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the EMANS surname can be found in the Dutch city of Leiden, where a man named Jan Emans was documented in the city's archives in the year 1589. This record indicates that the name was already in use by the late 16th century, though its origins likely extend further back in time.

In the 17th century, the EMANS surname began to appear in various Dutch records and manuscripts, including church registers and tax rolls. For example, a record from the city of Amsterdam in 1635 lists a merchant named Pieter Emans, suggesting that the name was not limited to a specific trade or profession by this point.

As the Dutch established colonies and settlements around the world in the 17th and 18th centuries, the EMANS surname spread to other regions. In North America, one of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam (present-day New York City), where a man named Cornelis Emans was listed in a census record from 1655.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the EMANS surname. One example is the Dutch painter Jacob Emans (1834-1899), who was known for his landscape and genre paintings. Another is the Belgian writer and poet Émile Emans (1864-1932), whose works were influential in the early 20th century.

In the 19th century, the EMANS surname also appeared in various European countries, including Germany, where a man named Johann Emans (1824-1898) was a prominent physician and professor of medicine at the University of Bonn. Additionally, the French composer and organist Henri Émans (1853-1913) was a notable figure in the musical world of his time.

Another significant figure with the EMANS surname was the Dutch physician and anatomist Jacob Emans (1774-1842), who made important contributions to the study of human anatomy and the understanding of the nervous system. His work was widely influential in the field of medicine during the early 19th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Emans families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Emans 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. Lanarkshire leads with 22 Emans' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.72x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 22 8.72x
Berkshire 17 29.03x
Surrey 12 3.16x
Berwickshire 9 95.24x
Lancashire 6 0.65x
Nottinghamshire 5 4.75x
Derbyshire 4 3.27x
Middlesex 4 0.51x
Warwickshire 1 0.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 13 Emans' recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.01x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 13 29.01x
Barony 9 14.09x
Coldingham 9 1058.82x
Bray 8 465.12x
Lambeth 8 11.76x
Nottingham St Mary 5 18.38x
Reading St Giles 5 86.96x
Alvaston 4 1142.86x
Newington 4 13.88x
Walton On Hill 4 79.68x
Chieveley 2 645.16x
Kirkdale 2 12.84x
Sulhamstead Banister 2 2857.14x
Birmingham 1 1.52x
Hammersmith London 1 5.20x
Islington London 1 1.32x
Kensington London 1 2.31x
Paddington London 1 3.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Annie 2
Elizabeth 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Ann 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Minnie 1
Rachel 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Edward 4
John 3
Albert 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Philip 2
William 2
Arthur 1
Ben. 1
Charley 1
Edw. 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
George 1
Henry 1
Joseph 1
Robert 1
Thomas 1

Top occupations

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 Emans households.

FAQ

Emans surname: questions and answers

How common was the Emans surname in 1881?

In 1881, 80 people were recorded with the Emans surname. That placed it at #22,225 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Emans surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 141 in 2016. That gives Emans a modern rank of #24,753.

What does the Emans surname mean?

English surname derived from the Latin word "Emmanuel" meaning "God with us".

What does the Emans map show?

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