NameCensus.

UK surname

Foale

In the 1881 census there were 304 people recorded with the Foale surname, ranking it #9,637 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 316, ranked #14,227, down from #9,637 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Hams and Central Bedfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Foale is 479 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.9%.

1881 census count

304

Ranked #9,637

Modern count

316

2016, ranked #14,227

Peak year

1901

479 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Foale had 304 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,637 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 316 in 2016, ranked #14,227.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 479 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Foale surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Foale surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Foale 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 229 #9,390
1861 historical 202 #11,906
1881 historical 304 #9,637
1891 historical 406 #8,765
1901 historical 479 #8,313
1911 historical 476 #8,124
1997 modern 347 #12,251
1998 modern 358 #12,349
1999 modern 366 #12,225
2000 modern 360 #12,309
2001 modern 349 #12,392
2002 modern 347 #12,699
2003 modern 357 #12,233
2004 modern 362 #12,155
2005 modern 338 #12,698
2006 modern 328 #13,073
2007 modern 323 #13,351
2008 modern 327 #13,350
2009 modern 331 #13,483
2010 modern 323 #14,005
2011 modern 323 #13,868
2012 modern 309 #14,236
2013 modern 327 #13,868
2014 modern 326 #14,006
2015 modern 322 #14,023
2016 modern 316 #14,227

Geography

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Where Foales are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin, London parishes, St Pancras and Plymouth St Charles the Martyr. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Hams and Central Bedfordshire. 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 Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin Devon
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Plymouth St Charles the Martyr Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Hams 010 South Hams
2 South Hams 003 South Hams
3 South Hams 011 South Hams
4 South Hams 006 South Hams
5 Central Bedfordshire 016 Central Bedfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Foale

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Foale

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

London Fringe

Within London, Foale is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Foale is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Foale falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Foale families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Foale 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. Devon leads with 177 Foales recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.67x.

County Total Index
Devon 177 28.67x
Middlesex 53 1.79x
Kent 16 1.58x
Surrey 13 0.90x
Gloucestershire 12 2.06x
Essex 11 1.88x
Cornwall 9 2.68x
Warwickshire 6 0.80x
Yorkshire 3 0.10x
Sussex 2 0.40x
Berkshire 1 0.45x
Hertfordshire 1 0.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackawton in Devon leads with 15 Foales recorded in 1881 and an index of 1388.89x.

Place Total Index
Blackawton 15 1388.89x
Plymouth Charles The 15 55.17x
Paddington London 14 12.84x
Plymouth St Andrew 13 27.34x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 12 21.91x
Dodbrooke 12 975.61x
Newington 12 10.95x
St Pancras London 12 5.03x
Brixham 10 139.86x
Compton Gifford 10 518.13x
Deptford St Paul 10 12.81x
Harberton 9 638.30x
Tamerton Foliott 9 756.30x
West Alvington 9 1034.48x
Charleton 8 1428.57x
Hammersmith London 8 10.95x
Malborough 8 326.53x
Ashprington 7 1521.74x
Ugborough 7 469.80x
Charlton Next Woolwich 6 56.87x
Leyton Low 6 50.42x
Stoke Damerel 6 13.89x
Aston 5 2.43x
Kingsbridge 5 322.58x
Stokefleming 5 641.03x
Lanteglos 4 258.06x
Modbury 4 253.16x
St George Hanover Square 4 7.66x
West Ham 4 3.10x
Bovey Tracey 3 138.89x
Gulval 3 138.89x
Holy Trinity 3 4.24x
Hornsey 3 8.00x
Islington London 3 1.04x
Newton Abbot St Mary 3 57.92x
Thurlestone 3 810.81x
Totnes 3 83.10x
Botolphs 2 2000.00x
Cockington 2 555.56x
Egg Buckland 2 190.48x
Hackney London 2 1.20x
Paignton 2 42.55x
Battersea 1 0.92x
Birmingham 1 0.40x
Bow London 1 2.65x
Bushey 1 20.53x
Chelsea London 1 1.12x
Cornwood 1 84.75x
Dartmouth St Saviour 1 56.82x
Dartmouth Townstall 1 39.84x
Hampstead London 1 2.17x
Hillingdon 1 10.58x
Mile End New Town London 1 17.06x
North Huish 1 270.27x
Reading St Giles 1 4.58x
Saffron Walden 1 16.16x
Salcombe Regis 1 172.41x
Saltash 1 38.46x
St George In East London 1 3.59x
St Ives 1 15.22x
St Marylebone London 1 0.63x
Stoke Gabriel 1 153.85x
Stokenham 1 57.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Sarah 15
Elizabeth 14
Emily 8
Ann 5
Jane 5
Susan 5
Agnes 4
Annie 4
Eliza 4
Louisa 4
Alice 3
Caroline 3
Ellen 3
Emma 3
Florence 3
Bessie 2
Edith 2
Fanny 2
Henrietta 2
Isabella 2
Kate 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Susanna 2
Adele 1
Alma 1
Anne 1
Beatrice 1
Blanche 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1
Ellin 1
Ethel 1
Faney 1
Grace 1
Ida 1
James 1
Jemmima 1
Keziah 1
Mabel 1
Marian 1
Martha 1
Minnie 1
Nellie 1
Prudence 1
Rhoda 1
Rosette 1
Rosina 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Foale surname: questions and answers

How common was the Foale surname in 1881?

In 1881, 304 people were recorded with the Foale surname. That placed it at #9,637 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Foale surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 316 in 2016. That gives Foale a modern rank of #14,227.

What does the Foale map show?

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