NameCensus.

UK surname

Field

An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived or worked on land that had been cleared for cultivation.

In the 1881 census there were 14,896 people recorded with the Field surname, ranking it #266 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 18,107, ranked #331, down from #266 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lambeth and St Mary Islington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forest Heath, Runnymede and Birmingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Field is 20,477 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.6%.

1881 census count

14,896

Ranked #266

Modern count

18,107

2016, ranked #331

Peak year

1911

20,477 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Field had 14,896 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #266 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 18,107 in 2016, ranked #331.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 20,477 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Field surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Field surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Field 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 10,084 #253
1861 historical 10,077 #257
1881 historical 14,896 #266
1891 historical 16,316 #253
1901 historical 18,571 #268
1911 historical 20,477 #218
1997 modern 18,525 #315
1998 modern 19,252 #312
1999 modern 19,325 #312
2000 modern 19,156 #312
2001 modern 18,668 #314
2002 modern 19,039 #314
2003 modern 18,444 #316
2004 modern 18,467 #316
2005 modern 18,019 #323
2006 modern 17,915 #323
2007 modern 17,982 #324
2008 modern 17,962 #325
2009 modern 18,341 #326
2010 modern 18,633 #326
2011 modern 18,374 #327
2012 modern 18,084 #327
2013 modern 18,495 #327
2014 modern 18,545 #327
2015 modern 18,246 #332
2016 modern 18,107 #331

Geography

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Where Fields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lambeth and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Forest Heath, Runnymede, Birmingham, Bedford and Thanet. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forest Heath 001 Forest Heath
2 Runnymede 007 Runnymede
3 Birmingham 096 Birmingham
4 Bedford 018 Bedford
5 Thanet 007 Thanet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Field

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Field

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

Field 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

Field falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Field

The surname Field is an English locational name derived from the Old English word 'feld', meaning a pasture or an open area of land. It originated in various regions of England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Derbyshire, where the name was first recorded in the late 11th century.

The earliest known record of the surname Field can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'de la Felde' or 'atte Felde'. This suggests that the name was initially used to identify individuals who lived near or worked on open fields or pastures.

In the 13th century, the surname Field began to appear in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it was spelled as 'Feld' and 'Felde'. Other variants of the name included 'Feild', 'Feyld', and 'Fielde'.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Field was William de la Felde, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1199. Another notable individual was John atte Felde, a prominent landowner in Essex, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the surname Field became more widespread throughout England. Several place names, such as Field Place in Sussex and Field House in Yorkshire, were derived from the surname, reflecting the prominence of families bearing this name in those areas.

Notable individuals with the surname Field include:

1. John Field (1782-1837), an Irish composer and pianist, known for his nocturnes and his influence on Frédéric Chopin. 2. Cyrus W. Field (1819-1892), an American businessman and financier, best known for his efforts in laying the first successful transatlantic telegraph cable. 3. Eugene Field (1850-1895), an American writer and poet, best known for his children's poetry, including the famous "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod". 4. Marshall Field (1835-1906), an American entrepreneur and the founder of the Marshall Field and Company department store chain. 5. Mary Field (1870-1968), an American painter and illustrator, known for her portraits and landscapes.

In summary, the surname Field has its roots in the Old English language and originated as a locational name in various regions of England. It has a long and rich history, with records dating back to the Domesday Book, and has been borne by notable individuals in various fields, from music and literature to business and art.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Field families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Field 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. Middlesex leads with 2,821 Fields recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.94x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 2,821 1.94x
Surrey 1,615 2.28x
Yorkshire 1,603 1.11x
Warwickshire 1,049 2.86x
Kent 1,000 2.02x
Sussex 844 3.44x
Worcestershire 695 3.66x
Hertfordshire 507 5.06x
Lancashire 437 0.25x
Staffordshire 423 0.86x
Essex 335 1.17x
Gloucestershire 329 1.15x
Bedfordshire 300 3.99x
Hampshire 292 0.98x
Somerset 256 1.09x
Norfolk 242 1.08x
Oxfordshire 189 2.11x
Buckinghamshire 185 2.11x
Devon 182 0.60x
Berkshire 173 1.59x
Durham 151 0.35x
Herefordshire 114 1.91x
Wiltshire 111 0.86x
Suffolk 106 0.60x
Cheshire 97 0.30x
Northamptonshire 90 0.66x
Lincolnshire 86 0.37x
Nottinghamshire 68 0.35x
Derbyshire 62 0.27x
Monmouthshire 56 0.53x
Glamorgan 55 0.22x
Shropshire 48 0.38x
Midlothian 42 0.22x
Northumberland 40 0.19x
Angus 39 0.29x
Cambridgeshire 33 0.36x
Dorset 23 0.24x
Leicestershire 20 0.12x
Pembrokeshire 20 0.43x
Royal Navy 20 1.15x
Lanarkshire 17 0.04x
Cornwall 14 0.09x
Channel Islands 13 0.30x
Renfrewshire 12 0.11x
Cumberland 9 0.07x
Huntingdonshire 9 0.31x
Denbighshire 7 0.13x
Dunbartonshire 6 0.15x
Aberdeenshire 5 0.04x
Caernarfonshire 5 0.09x
Dumfriesshire 5 0.16x
Montgomeryshire 5 0.15x
Rutland 5 0.47x
Selkirkshire 5 0.38x
Westmorland 5 0.16x
Brecknockshire 4 0.14x
Cardiganshire 4 0.11x
Ross-shire 3 0.08x
West Lothian 3 0.14x
Anglesey 1 0.04x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.02x
Fife 1 0.01x
Flintshire 1 0.03x
Inverness-shire 1 0.02x
Merionethshire 1 0.04x
Stirlingshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 387 Fields recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.17x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 387 3.17x
Islington London 376 2.67x
Aston 321 3.18x
Lambeth 203 1.60x
Battersea 189 3.53x
Camberwell 183 1.97x
St Pancras London 167 1.43x
Dewsbury 160 10.83x
Brighton 150 3.03x
Shoreditch London 148 2.35x
St Marylebone London 144 1.86x
Hackney London 136 1.67x
Bethnal Green London 128 2.03x
Kensington London 124 1.53x
Clerkenwell London 108 3.15x
Luton 106 8.14x
Leeds 105 1.29x
West Bromwich 97 3.45x
Croydon 96 2.44x
Chelsea London 94 2.15x
Deptford St Paul 94 2.46x
Oldbury 93 9.96x
Kings Norton 84 4.94x
Mile End Old Town London 81 2.62x
West Ham 80 1.26x
Newington 74 1.38x
Tonbridge 74 4.14x
Harborne 73 4.64x
St George Hanover Square 73 2.85x
Paddington London 71 1.33x
Chertsey 70 15.30x
Huddersfield 66 3.15x
Bromsgrove 65 10.17x
Clapham 63 3.47x
Hammersmith London 61 1.70x
Redditch 61 15.85x
Hove 60 5.58x
Kingswinford 60 3.37x
Soothill 60 11.53x
Hornsey 59 3.21x
Chatham 56 4.10x
Hampstead London 55 2.43x
Portsea 53 0.91x
Westminster St Margaret 52 7.42x
Bermondsey 51 1.18x
Dunstable 51 22.05x
Olney 51 41.97x
Tottenham 50 2.16x
Rotherhithe 49 2.73x
Blackburn 47 1.02x
Stevenage 47 30.26x
Cheltenham 46 2.09x
Skelmanthorpe 46 29.58x
Broadwater 45 8.01x
Westminster St John 45 2.54x
Bushey 43 18.03x
Southwark St George Martyr 43 1.47x
Watford 43 5.54x
Kingston On Thames 38 2.23x
Studley 38 24.25x
Hastings St Mary 37 6.07x
Oldham 37 0.66x
St Luke London 37 1.59x
Brandon 36 29.97x
Dudley 36 1.56x
Edgbaston 36 3.17x
Tupsley 36 71.15x
Bradford 35 1.00x
Northfield 35 9.72x
Southwark St Saviour 35 4.69x
Wandsworth 35 2.50x
Bromley London 34 1.06x
Edmonton 34 2.90x
Enfield 34 3.56x
Hastings St Mary In The 34 6.50x
Isleworth 34 5.26x
Kidderminster Borough 34 3.06x
Limehouse London 34 2.13x
Liverpool 34 0.32x
Castleford 33 6.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 865
Elizabeth 555
Sarah 495
Emma 290
Jane 277
Alice 267
Eliza 258
Ann 240
Annie 234
Emily 207
Ellen 198
Hannah 150
Martha 136
Louisa 129
Harriet 127
Charlotte 122
Florence 114
Caroline 112
Edith 109
Ada 106
Fanny 94
Maria 88
Clara 85
Frances 76
Kate 73
Lucy 67
Margaret 62
Harriett 58
Amelia 56
Sophia 55
Susan 49
Rose 46
Catherine 45
Anne 42
Matilda 39
Agnes 38
Isabella 35
Rebecca 35
Esther 34
Minnie 34
Eleanor 32
Susannah 32
Laura 29
Julia 28
Amy 27
Elizth. 25
Lydia 24
Beatrice 23
Rachel 23
Rosa 23

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 889
John 690
George 583
Thomas 445
James 410
Henry 380
Charles 376
Joseph 229
Alfred 222
Frederick 190
Edward 170
Arthur 160
Albert 140
Walter 138
Robert 113
Samuel 106
Harry 99
Richard 94
Frank 75
Herbert 71
Ernest 67
Benjamin 56
Edwin 55
Francis 52
Wm. 42
Stephen 35
Fred 32
David 29
Thos. 28
Geo. 26
Daniel 25
Fredk. 24
Sidney 20
Fredrick 18
Leonard 18
Percy 18
Christopher 16
Jesse 16
Edmund 15
Tom 15
Chas. 14
Edgar 14
Frederic 13
Isaac 13
Joshua 13
Horace 12
Mark 12
Amos 11
Harold 11
Louis 11

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 Field households.

FAQ

Field surname: questions and answers

How common was the Field surname in 1881?

In 1881, 14,896 people were recorded with the Field surname. That placed it at #266 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Field surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 18,107 in 2016. That gives Field a modern rank of #331.

What does the Field surname mean?

An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived or worked on land that had been cleared for cultivation.

What does the Field map show?

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