NameCensus.

UK surname

Flight

A surname derived from the Old English word "fluht," meaning "to flee or take flight."

In the 1881 census there were 516 people recorded with the Flight surname, ranking it #6,607 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 591, ranked #8,825, down from #6,607 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, Cargill and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stroud and Cotswold.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Flight is 608 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 14.5%.

1881 census count

516

Ranked #6,607

Modern count

591

2016, ranked #8,825

Peak year

1901

608 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Flight had 516 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,607 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 591 in 2016, ranked #8,825.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 608 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Flight surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Flight surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Flight 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 355 #6,654
1861 historical 320 #7,960
1881 historical 516 #6,607
1891 historical 527 #7,112
1901 historical 608 #7,000
1911 historical 560 #7,188
1997 modern 555 #8,600
1998 modern 573 #8,643
1999 modern 585 #8,587
2000 modern 579 #8,611
2001 modern 566 #8,619
2002 modern 574 #8,697
2003 modern 574 #8,581
2004 modern 582 #8,530
2005 modern 569 #8,594
2006 modern 573 #8,575
2007 modern 576 #8,619
2008 modern 569 #8,742
2009 modern 577 #8,838
2010 modern 589 #8,912
2011 modern 589 #8,814
2012 modern 585 #8,763
2013 modern 600 #8,752
2014 modern 599 #8,816
2015 modern 589 #8,850
2016 modern 591 #8,825

Geography

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Where Flights are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, Cargill, London parishes, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stroud and Cotswold. 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 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 Cargill Perth
3 London parishes London 3
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stroud 004 Stroud
2 Stroud 005 Stroud
3 Stroud 006 Stroud
4 Stroud 010 Stroud
5 Cotswold 011 Cotswold

Forenames

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First names often paired with Flight

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Flight

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Flight is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Flight 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

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

Meaning and origin of Flight

The surname Flight originated in England during the late medieval period, deriving from the Old English word 'fleogan' meaning 'to fly'. It is thought to have been an occupational name for someone who was a skilled archer or who worked with birds of prey.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where a John le Flighte is mentioned. This early spelling variation highlights the name's evolution over time.

During the 14th century, the surname appears in various records across different counties in England. In 1327, a Thomas Flight is recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire. Additionally, the Placita de Quo Warranto from 1346 lists a William Flyght from Warwickshire.

The name is also linked to several place names in England, such as Flight Hill in Somerset and Flight's Green in Cambridgeshire. These locations may have been named after individuals bearing the surname or could have influenced the adoption of the name by local residents.

Notable individuals with the surname Flight include Sir Walter Flight (c.1570-1640), an English diplomat and politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of King Charles I. Another prominent figure was Vincent Joseph Flight (1790-1864), a British engraver and printmaker renowned for his landscape etchings.

In the literary world, John Flight (1786-1854) was an English novelist and poet, best known for his work "The Village Curate" published in 1824. Additionally, William Watts Flight (1826-1892) was a prominent English architect and designer who contributed significantly to the Gothic Revival style in the 19th century.

Moving into the 20th century, Sir Armine Woodhouse Flight (1884-1962) was a British civil servant and diplomat who served as the Governor of Bombay Province in British India from 1937 to 1942.

Throughout its history, the surname Flight has maintained a strong presence in various regions of England, reflecting its origins as an occupational name associated with skilled archers or those working with birds of prey.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Flight families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Flight 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 138 Flights recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.74x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 138 2.74x
Gloucestershire 87 8.80x
Kent 62 3.60x
Angus 43 9.20x
Hampshire 34 3.29x
Lancashire 27 0.45x
Perthshire 22 9.72x
Brecknockshire 17 16.86x
Surrey 17 0.69x
Yorkshire 8 0.16x
Essex 7 0.70x
Derbyshire 6 0.76x
Sussex 6 0.71x
Berkshire 5 1.32x
Oxfordshire 5 1.61x
Renfrewshire 5 1.28x
Staffordshire 5 0.29x
Somerset 4 0.49x
Hertfordshire 3 0.86x
Norfolk 3 0.39x
Worcestershire 3 0.46x
Dorset 2 0.60x
Glamorgan 2 0.23x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.31x
Channel Islands 1 0.67x
Cheshire 1 0.09x
Fife 1 0.34x
Midlothian 1 0.15x
Wiltshire 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shoreditch London in Middlesex leads with 35 Flights recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.01x.

Place Total Index
Shoreditch London 35 16.01x
Islington London 23 4.71x
Kingstanley 23 630.14x
Stroud 22 114.29x
Greenwich 18 22.42x
Dundee 17 9.75x
Llanelly 17 140.85x
Gillingham 15 42.28x
Cargill 14 593.22x
Liff Benvie 14 19.74x
Manchester 14 5.20x
Bisley 13 145.09x
Bromley London 13 11.72x
Deptford St Paul 11 8.29x
Hackney London 11 3.89x
St Marylebone London 10 3.71x
Kensington London 9 3.21x
Woolwich 9 14.16x
Bethnal Green London 8 3.65x
Camberwell 8 2.48x
Leonard Stanley 8 615.38x
Paddington London 8 4.31x
Stonehouse 8 142.35x
Rodborough 7 146.44x
East Ham 6 32.49x
Glossop Dale 6 16.23x
Liverpool 6 1.65x
Lochee 6 143.88x
Mains 6 151.13x
St Bartholomew Hyde 6 242.92x
Whitechapel London 6 12.07x
Beswick 5 32.68x
Kinnoull 5 84.03x
St Maurice Winchester 5 116.28x
West Greenock 5 7.13x
Burton Extra 4 40.98x
Eltham 4 39.68x
Oxford St Giles 4 26.92x
Portishead 4 66.34x
Portsea 4 1.97x
St Peter Colebrook 4 275.86x
Walkington 4 236.69x
Gate Fulford 3 25.71x
Gravesend 3 20.59x
Harpenden 3 56.60x
Ratcliffe London 3 10.77x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 2.96x
St George Hanover Square 3 3.38x
St Thomas Winchester 3 41.10x
Twyford 3 121.46x
Battersea 2 1.08x
Bradpole 2 73.80x
Collace 2 281.69x
Earley 2 31.70x
Hurst 2 40.40x
Lymington 2 26.32x
Mile End Old Town London 2 1.86x
Minchinhampton 2 25.38x
Newington 2 1.07x
Rhyndwyclydach 2 32.84x
South Bersted 2 27.66x
St Martin In Fields 2 6.62x
Stoke Prior 2 49.26x
Brighton 1 0.58x
Buckholt 1 1250.00x
Burntisland 1 11.98x
Cheltenham 1 1.31x
Chesterton 1 10.15x
Chichester All Sts 1 175.44x
Cirencester 1 7.47x
Ealing 1 2.22x
Great Malvern 1 7.28x
Ingoldisthorpe 1 188.68x
Portsmouth 1 4.20x
South Lynn 1 11.43x
South Mimms 1 14.45x
Southampton St Mary 1 1.54x
Sutton Courtney 1 64.10x
Swindon 1 2.89x
West Ham 1 0.46x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 24
William 24
Thomas 16
James 12
George 11
Walter 11
Charles 10
Joseph 7
Henry 6
Samuel 6
Albert 5
Alfred 5
Benjamin 4
Edward 4
Frank 4
Frederick 4
Geo. 4
Harry 4
David 3
Robert 3
Edwin 2
Philip 2
Richard 2
Sidney 2
Thos. 2
Byoney 1
Chs. 1
Daniel 1
Earnest 1
Ebenezer 1
Edgar 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Herbert 1
Infant 1
Isaac 1
Jas.J. 1
Joshua 1
Josiah 1
Millicent 1
Nicolas 1
Oliver 1
Peter 1
Phillip 1
Richd. 1
Robt.E. 1
Robt.Hy. 1
T.H. 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Flight surname: questions and answers

How common was the Flight surname in 1881?

In 1881, 516 people were recorded with the Flight surname. That placed it at #6,607 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Flight surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 591 in 2016. That gives Flight a modern rank of #8,825.

What does the Flight surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word "fluht," meaning "to flee or take flight."

What does the Flight map show?

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