UK surname
A surname possibly derived from an old English term for a ditch or stream.
In the 1881 census there were 94 people recorded with the Fose surname, ranking it #20,467 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1, ranked #39,061, down from #20,467 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Minster, London parishes and Wingfield, North. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fose is 139 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 98.9%.
1881 census count
94
Ranked #20,467
Modern count
1
2016, ranked #39,061
Peak year
1891
139 bearers
Map years
1
1891 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Fose surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Fose surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 52 | #23,915 |
| 1861 | historical | 18 | #31,580 |
| 1881 | historical | 94 | #20,467 |
| 1891 | historical | 139 | #19,311 |
| 1901 | historical | 25 | #31,259 |
| 1911 | historical | 63 | #26,537 |
| 1998 | modern | 2 | #38,550 |
| 2000 | modern | 1 | #38,790 |
| 2001 | modern | 1 | #38,647 |
| 2002 | modern | 1 | #38,709 |
| 2003 | modern | 1 | #38,735 |
| 2004 | modern | 1 | #38,771 |
| 2005 | modern | 1 | #38,814 |
| 2009 | modern | 1 | #38,998 |
| 2010 | modern | 1 | #39,020 |
| 2011 | modern | 1 | #39,015 |
| 2012 | modern | 1 | #38,986 |
| 2013 | modern | 1 | #39,008 |
| 2014 | modern | 1 | #39,020 |
| 2015 | modern | 1 | #39,021 |
| 2016 | modern | 1 | #39,061 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Minster, London parishes, Wingfield, North, Bulwell and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minster | Kent |
| 2 | London parishes | London 1 |
| 3 | Wingfield, North | Derbyshire |
| 4 | Bulwell | Nottinghamshire |
| 5 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Fose surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Fose, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Fose surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Fose household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Fose is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fose is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Fose, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname FOSE has its origins in the region of Normandy, France, dating back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "fosse," meaning a ditch or moat, suggesting that the name may have originated as a descriptive name for someone who lived near a ditch or moat.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name FOSE can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey commissioned by William the Conqueror to record the landholdings in England. The entry referred to a person named Reinard Fose, who held land in the county of Essex.
During the 12th century, the name FOSE appeared in various historical records across Normandy and northern France. Notable examples include Robert de Fose, a knight who participated in the Third Crusade (1189-1192), and Guilleaume Fose, a merchant from Rouen who traded goods across Europe.
In the 13th century, the surname FOSE began to spread beyond Normandy and France. One of the earliest recorded instances was Sir John Fose, an English knight who fought alongside King Edward I during the Wars of Scottish Independence (1296-1328).
Over the centuries, variations of the name emerged, such as Fosse, Fossey, and Fossi, reflecting the different spellings and pronunciations adopted in various regions. One notable bearer of the name was Sir Thomas Fosse (1557-1610), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
Other historical figures bearing the surname FOSE include:
1. Jacques Fose (1620-1678), a French explorer and cartographer who mapped parts of the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes region. 2. Marie-Françoise Fose (1737-1805), a French painter and engraver renowned for her portraits of the French nobility. 3. Heinrich Fose (1819-1892), a German composer and music theorist who made significant contributions to the development of harmonic theory. 4. William Fose (1856-1934), an English architect and urban planner who designed several notable buildings in London and Birmingham. 5. Élisabeth Fose (1901-1988), a French writer and poet whose works explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition.
While the name FOSE may have originated as a descriptive name related to physical features or locations, it has since become a well-established surname with a rich history spanning multiple countries and centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fose surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Derbyshire leads with 11 Foses recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.66x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Derbyshire | 11 | 7.66x |
| Staffordshire | 10 | 3.23x |
| Yorkshire | 10 | 1.10x |
| Gloucestershire | 9 | 5.01x |
| Lancashire | 8 | 0.74x |
| Monmouthshire | 6 | 9.05x |
| Angus | 5 | 5.89x |
| Middlesex | 5 | 0.55x |
| Nottinghamshire | 5 | 4.05x |
| Westmorland | 5 | 24.81x |
| Hampshire | 4 | 2.13x |
| Cumberland | 3 | 3.80x |
| Durham | 2 | 0.73x |
| Midlothian | 2 | 1.63x |
| Norfolk | 2 | 1.42x |
| Somerset | 2 | 1.36x |
| Surrey | 2 | 0.45x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.32x |
| Northumberland | 1 | 0.73x |
| Suffolk | 1 | 0.90x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Pilsley in Derbyshire leads with 10 Foses recorded in 1881 and an index of 2127.66x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Pilsley | 10 | 2127.66x |
| Batley | 9 | 104.29x |
| Newnham | 9 | 1956.52x |
| Walsall Foreign | 8 | 50.06x |
| Newport | 6 | 189.87x |
| Dundee | 5 | 15.77x |
| Kendal | 5 | 135.50x |
| Nottingham St Mary | 5 | 15.64x |
| Kirkdale | 4 | 21.86x |
| Aldershot | 3 | 47.69x |
| Liverpool | 3 | 4.54x |
| Paddington London | 3 | 8.90x |
| Workington | 3 | 66.37x |
| Aylsham | 2 | 238.10x |
| Dalkeith | 2 | 82.64x |
| St Marylebone London | 2 | 4.09x |
| Uttoxeter | 2 | 126.58x |
| Walcot | 2 | 25.45x |
| Alverstoke | 1 | 14.71x |
| Bradford | 1 | 4.55x |
| Canterbury St Mary | 1 | 47.62x |
| Carham | 1 | 285.71x |
| Clapham | 1 | 8.73x |
| Elstob | 1 | 5000.00x |
| Fritton | 1 | 1250.00x |
| Hayfield | 1 | 113.64x |
| Kingston On Thames | 1 | 9.32x |
| Ulverston | 1 | 31.55x |
| Westoe | 1 | 6.47x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Fose surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Fose surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Fose households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 14 |
| Carpenter | 2 |
| Coal Miner | 2 |
| Dividends | 2 |
| Dress Maker | 2 |
| Assistant Surveyor (Town) (Munic) | 1 |
| Bank Clerk | 1 |
| Book Traveller | 1 |
| Clerk On Railway | 1 |
| Coachman | 1 |
| Colliery Labourer | 1 |
| Cook | 1 |
| Corporal | 1 |
| Domestic Gardeners Wife | 1 |
| Farmer Of 27 Acres | 1 |
| Gen Lab | 1 |
| Gen Serv Indoor | 1 |
| General Laborer | 1 |
| General Servant | 1 |
| Groom | 1 |
| Honble Independent Means | 1 |
| Hosiery Seamstress | 1 |
| Housekeeper | 1 |
| Innkeeper | 1 |
| Labourer | 1 |
| Lace Hand | 1 |
| Late Seaman Greenh.Pensr. | 1 |
| Milk Seller | 1 |
| Miner Coal | 1 |
| Needlewoman | 1 |
| None | 1 |
| Nurse | 1 |
| Plumber | 1 |
| Private | 1 |
| Sch | 1 |
| School Mistress | 1 |
| Shoemaker | 1 |
| Steel Worker | 1 |
| Tailor | 1 |
| Tin Plate Worker | 1 |
| Warehouseman | 1 |
| Washerwoman | 1 |
| Woollen Furnisher & Raiser | 1 |
| Woollen Manuf | 1 |
| Work In Fields | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 94 people were recorded with the Fose surname. That placed it at #20,467 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 1 in 2016. That gives Fose a modern rank of #39,061.
A surname possibly derived from an old English term for a ditch or stream.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Fose bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.