NameCensus.

UK surname

English

An English occupational surname referring to an Anglo-Saxon person or someone from England.

In the 1881 census there were 5,591 people recorded with the English surname, ranking it #793 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8,611, ranked #767, up from #793 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sunderland, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Newcastle upon Tyne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for English is 8,967 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 54.0%.

1881 census count

5,591

Ranked #793

Modern count

8,611

2016, ranked #767

Peak year

1999

8,967 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • English had 5,591 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #793 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 8,611 in 2016, ranked #767.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7,397 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

English surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

English surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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English 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 3,229 #893
1861 historical 3,792 #741
1881 historical 5,591 #793
1891 historical 6,372 #728
1901 historical 7,171 #768
1911 historical 7,397 #702
1997 modern 8,615 #728
1998 modern 8,928 #733
1999 modern 8,967 #739
2000 modern 8,890 #741
2001 modern 8,713 #739
2002 modern 8,860 #741
2003 modern 8,696 #739
2004 modern 8,688 #745
2005 modern 8,426 #752
2006 modern 8,406 #758
2007 modern 8,495 #754
2008 modern 8,479 #761
2009 modern 8,781 #753
2010 modern 8,964 #754
2011 modern 8,821 #754
2012 modern 8,587 #759
2013 modern 8,770 #756
2014 modern 8,808 #759
2015 modern 8,690 #765
2016 modern 8,611 #767

Geography

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Where Englishs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Gateshead and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sunderland, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Newcastle upon Tyne. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sunderland 009 Sunderland
2 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 017 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
3 Newcastle upon Tyne 008 Newcastle upon Tyne
4 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 003 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
5 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 018 King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with English

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for English

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

English 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

English falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of English

The surname ENGLISH originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It was initially derived from the Old English word "Englisc," which referred to the Angles, a Germanic tribe that settled in central, eastern, and northern parts of what is now England. The name likely emerged as a descriptive term for someone who was of English descent or spoke the English language.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname ENGLISH can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property across much of England and parts of Wales. The name appeared in various spellings, such as "Englis" and "Englys," reflecting the linguistic variations of the time.

In the 13th century, the surname ENGLISH is documented in various historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which listed individuals by name for taxation purposes. One notable bearer of the name during this period was John English, a landowner in Cambridgeshire mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1292.

During the 14th century, the surname ENGLISH continued to be found in various records across England. For instance, the Poll Tax of Yorkshire in 1379 listed several individuals with the surname, including William English and John English.

In the 15th century, the ENGLISH surname appeared in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence between members of the Paston family from Norfolk. One letter, dated 1448, mentioned a man named Thomas English, who was involved in a legal dispute.

In the 16th century, the surname ENGLISH gained prominence with notable figures such as John English (1512-1592), a Catholic priest and martyr who was executed during the reign of Elizabeth I for his religious beliefs.

Other historical bearers of the ENGLISH surname include: 1. Thomas English (1615-1691), an English Puritan minister and author. 2. William English (1621-1677), an English politician who served as a member of parliament during the English Civil War. 3. John English (1787-1858), an English botanist and horticulturist known for his work on the cultivation of exotic plants. 4. Beatrice English (1857-1944), an English actress and singer who performed in various theatrical productions during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The surname ENGLISH has its roots in the early days of England and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, including religious figures, politicians, scholars, and artists.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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English families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the English 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. Durham leads with 724 Englishs recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.43x.

County Total Index
Durham 724 4.43x
Middlesex 695 1.27x
Northumberland 510 6.24x
Lancashire 425 0.65x
Norfolk 353 4.18x
Surrey 291 1.09x
Yorkshire 291 0.53x
Essex 287 2.65x
Kent 205 1.09x
Suffolk 180 2.69x
Gloucestershire 139 1.29x
Lincolnshire 136 1.55x
Cumberland 116 2.45x
Sussex 114 1.23x
Lanarkshire 84 0.47x
Dorset 81 2.25x
Leicestershire 74 1.22x
Hampshire 58 0.52x
Glamorgan 56 0.59x
Somerset 55 0.62x
Warwickshire 53 0.38x
Hertfordshire 52 1.37x
Ayrshire 49 1.19x
Northamptonshire 47 0.91x
Worcestershire 47 0.66x
Wiltshire 44 0.91x
Renfrewshire 43 1.01x
Oxfordshire 41 1.21x
Cambridgeshire 40 1.15x
Devon 38 0.33x
Nottinghamshire 37 0.50x
Channel Islands 28 1.72x
Herefordshire 25 1.11x
Cheshire 22 0.18x
Midlothian 20 0.27x
Derbyshire 18 0.21x
Monmouthshire 18 0.45x
Shropshire 16 0.34x
Stirlingshire 15 0.74x
Wigtownshire 14 1.92x
Aberdeenshire 11 0.22x
Berkshire 8 0.19x
Cornwall 8 0.13x
Royal Navy 8 1.22x
Staffordshire 8 0.04x
Perthshire 7 0.28x
Dunbartonshire 6 0.41x
Angus 5 0.10x
Huntingdonshire 5 0.46x
Berwickshire 4 0.60x
Isle of Man 4 0.39x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.09x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.14x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.09x
Fife 2 0.06x
Argyllshire 1 0.07x
Buteshire 1 0.30x
Denbighshire 1 0.05x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.08x
East Lothian 1 0.14x
Flintshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 119 Englishs recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.99x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 119 4.99x
Gateshead 84 6.87x
Lambeth 79 1.65x
St Pancras London 68 1.54x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 59 8.34x
Stanhope 55 32.59x
Camberwell 52 1.48x
Islington London 52 0.98x
Liverpool 50 1.26x
Bishopwearmouth 49 3.49x
Westgate 49 9.68x
West Ham 48 2.01x
Stoke Ferry 44 342.68x
Deptford St Paul 43 2.97x
Tynemouth 42 9.60x
Peterborough 41 10.96x
Caldewgate 38 14.67x
Leeds 38 1.24x
Hackney London 35 1.14x
Manchester 35 1.19x
Shoreditch London 35 1.47x
Boughton 34 765.77x
Brighton 30 1.61x
Mile End Old Town London 29 2.48x
Battersea 28 1.39x
Bristol St George 28 5.62x
Chirton 28 15.14x
Leicester St Mary 28 5.69x
Prudhoe 27 47.49x
Elswick 26 3.99x
Everton 26 1.25x
Monkwearmouth Shore 26 8.15x
St Marylebone London 26 0.89x
Barking 24 7.56x
Leicester St Margaret 24 1.62x
Nottingham St Mary 24 1.25x
Stranton 24 4.36x
Abbey 23 3.54x
Poplar London 23 2.22x
Bromley London 22 1.82x
Kensington London 22 0.72x
Oxborough 22 512.82x
Paddington London 22 1.09x
Aylburton 21 171.29x
Lamesley 21 23.87x
Old Monkland 21 2.98x
Westoe 21 2.27x
Downham Market 20 34.46x
Hunwick Helmington 20 50.97x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 20 4.10x
Lowestoft 19 6.01x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 19 17.68x
Ystradyfodwg 19 2.26x
Hagworthingham 18 197.37x
Haswell 18 15.37x
Sudbury All Sts 18 88.32x
Croydon 17 1.14x
Dreghorn 17 22.84x
Fakenham 17 40.88x
Filby 17 154.83x
Folke 17 337.30x
Holbeach 17 17.38x
Malmesbury St Paul 17 40.69x
Portsea 17 0.77x
Salford 17 0.89x
Tillingham 17 88.91x
Wallsend 17 6.56x
West Hanningfield 17 210.14x
Ashton Under Lyne 16 1.12x
Aston 16 0.42x
Benfieldside 16 14.89x
Bootle Cum Linacre 16 3.09x
Chorlton On Medlock 16 1.55x
Hastings St Mary 16 6.94x
Stoke Newington London 16 3.74x
Tudhoe 16 11.19x
Walberswick 16 291.44x
Bromley 15 5.25x
Folkestone 15 4.13x
Newholme Cum Dunsley 15 199.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 370
Elizabeth 225
Sarah 166
Ann 112
Jane 109
Margaret 102
Eliza 83
Annie 81
Ellen 73
Alice 70
Emma 62
Isabella 52
Emily 49
Hannah 46
Louisa 41
Maria 34
Catherine 33
Harriet 33
Florence 31
Caroline 30
Martha 29
Anne 27
Edith 26
Kate 26
Frances 24
Fanny 22
Ada 21
Agnes 21
Rose 21
Susan 21
Matilda 20
Charlotte 18
Julia 18
Clara 17
Laura 16
Esther 13
Eleanor 12
Elizth. 12
Henrietta 12
Amelia 11
Gertrude 10
Jessie 10
Rebecca 10
Susannah 10
Betsy 9
Bridget 9
Georgina 9
Lucy 9
Lydia 9
Beatrice 8

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 326
William 311
George 200
Thomas 182
James 173
Robert 117
Joseph 102
Henry 92
Charles 85
Edward 79
Alfred 66
Frederick 58
Arthur 47
Richard 42
Albert 37
Samuel 31
Walter 30
Michael 24
Wm. 19
Benjamin 18
Harry 18
Herbert 18
Matthew 18
Patrick 18
Francis 17
Ernest 16
Andrew 13
Alexander 12
Christopher 10
Edwin 10
Frank 10
Mark 10
Thos. 10
Daniel 9
David 9
Isaac 9
Fred 8
Geo. 8
Ralph 8
Stephen 8
Tom 7
Hugh 6
Peter 6
Amos 5
Fredrick 5
Jno. 5
Robt. 5
Anthony 4
Archibald 4
Mathew 4

FAQ

English surname: questions and answers

How common was the English surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,591 people were recorded with the English surname. That placed it at #793 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the English surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 8,611 in 2016. That gives English a modern rank of #767.

What does the English surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to an Anglo-Saxon person or someone from England.

What does the English map show?

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