NameCensus.

UK surname

Emms

A variant of the surname Ames, derived from an old English place name.

In the 1881 census there were 1,129 people recorded with the Emms surname, ranking it #3,531 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,675, ranked #3,731, down from #3,531 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, London parishes and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wychavon, Monmouthshire and Sandwell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Emms is 1,808 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 48.4%.

1881 census count

1,129

Ranked #3,531

Modern count

1,675

2016, ranked #3,731

Peak year

1998

1,808 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Emms had 1,129 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,531 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,675 in 2016, ranked #3,731.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,747 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Emms surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Emms surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Emms 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 669 #3,883
1861 historical 576 #4,576
1881 historical 1,129 #3,531
1891 historical 1,185 #3,618
1901 historical 1,641 #3,145
1911 historical 1,747 #2,809
1997 modern 1,726 #3,452
1998 modern 1,808 #3,437
1999 modern 1,788 #3,500
2000 modern 1,763 #3,532
2001 modern 1,743 #3,486
2002 modern 1,782 #3,493
2003 modern 1,734 #3,515
2004 modern 1,714 #3,556
2005 modern 1,694 #3,551
2006 modern 1,674 #3,591
2007 modern 1,681 #3,609
2008 modern 1,669 #3,650
2009 modern 1,727 #3,614
2010 modern 1,765 #3,619
2011 modern 1,741 #3,622
2012 modern 1,697 #3,649
2013 modern 1,710 #3,687
2014 modern 1,704 #3,712
2015 modern 1,696 #3,696
2016 modern 1,675 #3,731

Geography

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Where Emms' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, London parishes, Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wychavon, Monmouthshire and Sandwell. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk
5 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wychavon 016 Wychavon
2 Wychavon 014 Wychavon
3 Monmouthshire 010 Monmouthshire
4 Wychavon 017 Wychavon
5 Sandwell 009 Sandwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Emms

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Emms

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

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Emms is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Emms is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Emms

The surname Emms has its roots in England, believed to have originated in the Middle Ages around the 13th or 14th century. It is thought to be a variant of the name Emmett, which was derived from the Old French word "amet," meaning beloved or friend.

The earliest known record of the Emms surname dates back to the 14th century, appearing in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273. This document lists a person named William Emme, indicating the name's presence in the region during that time.

In the 16th century, the Emms surname was found in various parish records across England, particularly in counties like Berkshire, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. The name was sometimes spelled as Emes, Emmys, or Emmes, reflecting the variations common in that era.

One notable individual with the Emms surname was Thomas Emms (1584-1665), an English clergyman and academic who served as the rector of Chadshunt in Warwickshire. Another was John Emms (1701-1775), a renowned horticulturist and botanist from Worcestershire, who contributed significantly to the study of plant life.

In the 18th century, the Emms family had a presence in the village of Datchet, Buckinghamshire. Records show that a John Emms (1725-1790) was a prominent landowner and farmer in the area, while another John Emms (1760-1835) served as the parish clerk for several decades.

Moving into the 19th century, the Emms surname gained recognition through individuals like Samuel Emms (1810-1892), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Gloucestershire, who founded the Emms Charity for the Education of Poor Children.

Throughout its history, the Emms surname has been associated with various occupations, from clergy and academics to horticulturists, farmers, and businessmen. While not a widespread surname, it has left its mark across various regions of England over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Emms families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Emms 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. Norfolk leads with 252 Emms' recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.87x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 252 14.87x
Middlesex 165 1.50x
Surrey 110 2.05x
Worcestershire 108 7.50x
Staffordshire 73 1.96x
Gloucestershire 67 3.10x
Yorkshire 66 0.60x
Suffolk 50 3.72x
Warwickshire 49 1.76x
Monmouthshire 20 2.51x
Kent 19 0.51x
Lancashire 18 0.14x
Lincolnshire 18 1.02x
Essex 17 0.78x
Wiltshire 16 1.64x
Hampshire 15 0.66x
Durham 14 0.43x
Derbyshire 9 0.52x
Somerset 8 0.45x
Dorset 7 0.97x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.57x
Channel Islands 4 1.22x
Hertfordshire 4 0.53x
Herefordshire 3 0.66x
Leicestershire 3 0.25x
Cheshire 2 0.08x
Cornwall 2 0.16x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.13x
Berkshire 1 0.12x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.15x
Isle of Man 1 0.49x
Midlothian 1 0.07x
Northamptonshire 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. Wolverhampton in Staffordshire leads with 34 Emms' recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.88x.

Place Total Index
Wolverhampton 34 11.88x
North Lopham 33 1250.00x
Camberwell 30 4.26x
South Littleton 30 2439.02x
St Pancras London 28 3.16x
Mile End Old Town London 24 10.23x
Quinton 22 1164.02x
West Bromwich 22 10.33x
East Dereham 20 93.41x
Lambeth 19 1.98x
Broadway 18 290.79x
Bromley London 17 7.01x
Aston 16 2.09x
Leeds 16 2.59x
Ebrington 14 682.93x
Islington London 14 1.31x
Lowestoft 14 22.08x
Cheltenham 13 7.79x
Great Yarmouth 13 9.26x
Norwich St Gregory 12 404.04x
Parham 12 714.29x
Norwich St Julian 11 154.06x
Birmingham 10 1.08x
Chelsea London 10 3.01x
Harton 10 77.16x
Kensington London 10 1.63x
West Ham 10 2.08x
Bolsover 9 104.05x
Carleton Rode 9 307.17x
Evesham St Lawrence 9 117.65x
Kingston On Thames 9 6.98x
Lakenham 9 37.38x
Liverpool 9 1.13x
St Martin In Fields 9 13.64x
Aberystruth 8 11.39x
Battersea 8 1.97x
Bury St Edmunds St James 8 22.31x
Hackney London 8 1.29x
Hipperholme Cum 8 16.67x
Holbeach 8 40.75x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 3.61x
Wiggenhall St German 8 400.00x
Bermondsey 7 2.13x
Heigham 7 7.69x
Hound 7 45.66x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 7 13.76x
Newington 7 1.72x
Norwich St Benedict 7 92.72x
Norwich St Michael At 7 71.21x
Saxlingham Nethergate 7 348.26x
Scawby 7 120.07x
St George Hanover Square 7 3.60x
Thorpe Next Norwich 7 38.98x
Amesbury 6 140.85x
Barnsley 6 5.33x
Bedminster 6 3.60x
Bromsgrove 6 12.38x
Eckington 6 235.29x
Gillingham 6 7.74x
Kettlestone 6 869.57x
Little Hallingbury 6 272.73x
Lower Machen 6 153.06x
Norwich St James 6 45.11x
Old Stratford 6 38.12x
Pentridge 6 674.16x
Poplar London 6 2.88x
Rowington 6 191.69x
St Woollos 6 6.75x
Stowmarket 6 38.66x
Thames Ditton 6 53.76x
Upper Mitton 6 185.76x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 5 4.91x
Beoley 5 218.34x
Hethel 5 892.86x
Norton 5 322.58x
Norwich St John Timberhill 5 109.65x
Paddington London 5 1.23x
Staines 5 28.65x
Westbury On Trym 5 6.83x
Norwich St Stephen 4 25.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 66
Sarah 45
Elizabeth 38
Eliza 30
Ann 22
Alice 20
Emma 20
Annie 19
Jane 18
Charlotte 11
Ellen 11
Fanny 11
Harriet 11
Kate 10
Martha 10
Edith 9
Florence 9
Lucy 9
Louisa 8
Anne 7
Catherine 7
Emily 7
Maria 6
Susan 6
Agnes 5
Hannah 5
Harriett 5
Julia 5
Rebecca 5
Ada 4
Amelia 4
Eleanor 4
Frances 4
Margaret 4
Rose 4
Caroline 3
Elizth. 3
Ethel 3
Gertrude 3
Laura 3
Lydia 3
Amy 2
Clara 2
Elizebeth 2
Francis 2
Gammone 2
Lilly 2
Matilda 2
Maud 2
Myra 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 73
John 55
George 47
Thomas 38
James 29
Charles 26
Henry 24
Arthur 22
Walter 20
Robert 18
Frederick 16
Joseph 16
Albert 12
Herbert 12
Edward 11
Richard 9
Alfred 7
Harry 7
Ernest 5
Frank 5
Samuel 5
Edgar 4
Sidney 4
Wm. 4
Edwin 3
Francis 3
Geo. 3
Andrew 2
Benjamin 2
Chas. 2
Earnest 2
Edmond 2
Fredrick 2
Horace 2
Isaac 2
Jonathan 2
Josh. 2
Joshua 2
Leonard 2
Morgan 2
Saml. 2
Stephen 2
Wilson 2
Allen 1
Christopher 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Wm.S. 1

FAQ

Emms surname: questions and answers

How common was the Emms surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,129 people were recorded with the Emms surname. That placed it at #3,531 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Emms surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,675 in 2016. That gives Emms a modern rank of #3,731.

What does the Emms surname mean?

A variant of the surname Ames, derived from an old English place name.

What does the Emms map show?

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