NameCensus.

UK surname

Figures

A surname derived from the French word meaning "human figure" or "model".

In the 1881 census there were 76 people recorded with the Figures surname, ranking it #22,745 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 116, ranked #28,197, down from #22,745 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Paisley West, North Somerset and Johnstone South West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Figures is 126 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.6%.

1881 census count

76

Ranked #22,745

Modern count

116

2016, ranked #28,197

Peak year

2002

126 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Figures had 76 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,745 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 116 in 2016, ranked #28,197.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 99 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Routine Occupations or Retirement.

Figures surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Figures surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Figures 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 19 #29,904
1861 historical 44 #28,433
1881 historical 76 #22,745
1891 historical 69 #28,188
1901 historical 99 #22,999
1911 historical 91 #23,684
1997 modern 105 #26,188
1998 modern 107 #26,555
1999 modern 112 #26,044
2000 modern 119 #25,072
2001 modern 121 #24,493
2002 modern 126 #24,393
2003 modern 120 #24,909
2004 modern 117 #25,448
2005 modern 116 #25,564
2006 modern 118 #25,556
2007 modern 119 #25,747
2008 modern 116 #26,510
2009 modern 117 #26,927
2010 modern 112 #28,336
2011 modern 108 #28,811
2012 modern 113 #28,016
2013 modern 111 #28,856
2014 modern 117 #28,109
2015 modern 117 #27,982
2016 modern 116 #28,197

Geography

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Where Figures' 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 Paisley West, North Somerset, Johnstone South West, Renfrew South and Corstorphine South. 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 Paisley West Renfrewshire
2 North Somerset 010 North Somerset
3 Johnstone South West Renfrewshire
4 Renfrew South Renfrewshire
5 Corstorphine South City of Edinburgh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Figures

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Figures

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Figures, 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 Figures surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Routine Occupations or Retirement, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Figures 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Figures is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Figures is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Figures 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 Figures is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Figures

The surname FIGURES has its origins in the Mediterranean region, specifically in the areas that are now modern-day Italy and Greece. It is believed to have emerged sometime in the late 13th or early 14th century. The name is derived from the Latin word "figura," which means "shape" or "form." This connection suggests that the earliest bearers of the FIGURES name may have been associated with occupations or trades involving the creation or manipulation of shapes or forms, such as sculptors, architects, or artisans.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the FIGURES name can be found in a collection of medieval Venetian documents from the late 14th century. These documents mention a merchant named Pietro Figures, who was involved in the lucrative trade between Venice and the Byzantine Empire. Another notable early bearer of the name was a Greek scholar and philosopher named Demetrios FIGURES, who lived in the early 15th century and is known for his commentaries on the works of Aristotle.

The FIGURES name also appears in several historical records from the Renaissance period. For example, records from the city of Florence in the late 15th century mention a family of artists and sculptors named FIGURES, who were commissioned to create works for various churches and noble households. One member of this family, Giuliano FIGURES (1445-1512), gained particular renown for his sculptures adorning the Duomo di Milano.

In the 16th century, the FIGURES name can be found in records from various Spanish territories, including the Kingdom of Naples and parts of the Americas. One notable figure was Juan FIGURES (1520-1585), a Spanish explorer and conquistador who played a role in the early colonization efforts in the Caribbean and Mexico.

As the centuries progressed, the FIGURES name spread across Europe and eventually to other parts of the world. In the 17th century, a French nobleman named Henri FIGURES (1610-1678) served as a diplomat and ambassador for King Louis XIV. In the 19th century, a British painter named Emma FIGURES (1825-1895) gained recognition for her landscape paintings depicting the English countryside.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Figures families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Figures 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. Warwickshire leads with 49 Figures' recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.21x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 49 26.21x
Middlesex 9 1.21x
Staffordshire 7 2.80x
Renfrewshire 6 10.45x
Worcestershire 3 3.10x
Gloucestershire 1 0.69x
Wigtownshire 1 10.16x

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 32 Figures' recorded in 1881 and an index of 51.37x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 32 51.37x
Aston 17 33.03x
Shoreditch London 8 24.90x
Walsall Foreign 7 54.18x
Paisley Middle Church 6 179.64x
Kings Norton 3 34.56x
Bethnal Green London 1 3.11x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 7.30x
Glasserton 1 322.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ellen 4
Mary 3
Elizabeth 2
Elizebeth 2
Emma 2
Isabella 2
Jane 2
Martha 2
Alice 1
Allice 1
Anney 1
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
E... 1
Edith 1
Elliber 1
Fanny 1
Louisia 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Maud 1
Mirriam 1
Rosina 1
Theresa 1
Therresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 6
Joseph 5
James 4
Charles 3
Alfred 2
Cornelious 2
George 2
Thomas 2
David 1
Edwin 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1

FAQ

Figures surname: questions and answers

How common was the Figures surname in 1881?

In 1881, 76 people were recorded with the Figures surname. That placed it at #22,745 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Figures surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 116 in 2016. That gives Figures a modern rank of #28,197.

What does the Figures surname mean?

A surname derived from the French word meaning "human figure" or "model".

What does the Figures map show?

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