NameCensus.

UK surname

Ephraim

A biblical place name originating from the name of a son of Joseph.

In the 1881 census there were 38 people recorded with the Ephraim surname, ranking it #28,285 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 154, ranked #23,293, up from #28,285 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gwynedd, Hackney and Newham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ephraim is 160 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 305.3%.

1881 census count

38

Ranked #28,285

Modern count

154

2016, ranked #23,293

Peak year

2013

160 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ephraim had 38 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,285 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 154 in 2016, ranked #23,293.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 63 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Ephraim surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ephraim surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ephraim 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 29 #28,082
1861 historical 39 #29,099
1881 historical 38 #28,285
1891 historical 49 #30,349
1901 historical 63 #27,134
1911 historical 46 #28,224
1997 modern 89 #28,490
1998 modern 93 #28,563
1999 modern 106 #26,885
2000 modern 105 #27,001
2001 modern 111 #25,767
2002 modern 118 #25,358
2003 modern 115 #25,538
2004 modern 123 #24,679
2005 modern 129 #23,963
2006 modern 128 #24,267
2007 modern 128 #24,632
2008 modern 127 #25,020
2009 modern 136 #24,485
2010 modern 141 #24,460
2011 modern 140 #24,395
2012 modern 148 #23,457
2013 modern 160 #22,621
2014 modern 154 #23,439
2015 modern 154 #23,306
2016 modern 154 #23,293

Geography

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Where Ephraims are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gwynedd, Hackney, Newham and Shropshire. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gwynedd 009 Gwynedd
2 Gwynedd 016 Gwynedd
3 Hackney 001 Hackney
4 Newham 030 Newham
5 Shropshire 032 Shropshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ephraim

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ephraim

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Ephraim surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Ephraim 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Ephraim 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

Ephraim is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ephraim falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ephraim 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
Black - African

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

Meaning and origin of Ephraim

The surname Ephraim has its origins in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the name of one of the sons of Joseph and Asenath, who was also one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The name itself means "doubly fruitful" or "twice fruitful" in Hebrew.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Ephraim dates back to the late 12th century in England, where it was likely adopted by Jewish families who had arrived in the country during the Norman Conquest. It is believed that these families chose the name as a way to honor their biblical heritage and to distinguish themselves from the predominantly Christian population.

In the 13th century, records show that a man named Isaac Ephraim was a prominent member of the Jewish community in London. He was a wealthy merchant and a respected scholar, and his name appears in several legal documents from that time period.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Ephraim began to spread throughout Europe, particularly in areas with significant Jewish populations, such as Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands. One notable bearer of the name was Jacob Ephraim, a German-born rabbi and philosopher who lived from 1618 to 1679.

In the 18th century, the surname Ephraim made its way to the American colonies, where it was adopted by both Jewish and Christian families. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in America was that of Ephraim Williams, a colonial soldier and benefactor who founded what would later become Williams College in Massachusetts. He was born in 1715 and died in 1755.

Another notable figure with the surname Ephraim was Sir John Ephraim, a British lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer in the late 18th century. He was born in 1736 and died in 1805.

In the 19th century, the surname Ephraim continued to be used by both Jewish and Christian families around the world. One prominent bearer of the name was John Ephraim Milhau, a French-American artist and illustrator who lived from 1833 to 1888.

Throughout its history, the surname Ephraim has been spelled in various ways, including Ephraym, Ephraïm, and Efraim, among others. However, the spelling "Ephraim" has become the most commonly accepted variant in English-speaking countries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ephraim families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ephraim 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. Merionethshire leads with 24 Ephraims recorded in 1881 and an index of 353.98x.

County Total Index
Merionethshire 24 353.98x
Northumberland 4 7.26x
Cheshire 2 2.45x
Glamorgan 2 3.10x
Monmouthshire 2 7.47x
Yorkshire 2 0.54x
Brecknockshire 1 13.50x
Surrey 1 0.55x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Festiniog in Merionethshire leads with 17 Ephraims recorded in 1881 and an index of 1188.81x.

Place Total Index
Festiniog 17 1188.81x
Llanfrothen 6 4615.38x
Elswick 4 90.91x
Leeds 2 9.65x
Swansea Town 2 37.81x
Tranmere 2 66.45x
Upper Llanvrechva 2 476.19x
Bermondsey 1 9.07x
Hay 1 357.14x
Trawsfynydd 1 416.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Catherine 3
Alida 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Cathrine 1
Clara 1
Eliz. 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Flora 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Maggie 1
Mary 1
Owen 1
Sarah 1
Yetta 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Joseph 3
Adolphus 1
Barthus 1
Cadwaladr 1
David 1
Edward 1
Ephraim 1
Gth. 1
James 1
Jno. 1
John 1
Levy 1
Michael 1
Owen 1
Punch 1
Simon 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 Ephraim households.

FAQ

Ephraim surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ephraim surname in 1881?

In 1881, 38 people were recorded with the Ephraim surname. That placed it at #28,285 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ephraim surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 154 in 2016. That gives Ephraim a modern rank of #23,293.

What does the Ephraim surname mean?

A biblical place name originating from the name of a son of Joseph.

What does the Ephraim map show?

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