NameCensus.

UK surname

Furlong

A surname derived from a medieval measurement of distance, equal to one-eighth of a mile.

In the 1881 census there were 1,037 people recorded with the Furlong surname, ranking it #3,787 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,652, ranked #2,516, up from #3,787 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Liverpool, Knowsley and South Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Furlong is 2,766 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 155.7%.

1881 census count

1,037

Ranked #3,787

Modern count

2,652

2016, ranked #2,516

Peak year

2010

2,766 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Furlong had 1,037 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,787 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,652 in 2016, ranked #2,516.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,421 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Furlong surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Furlong surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Furlong 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 405 #5,976
1861 historical 525 #4,992
1881 historical 1,037 #3,787
1891 historical 1,080 #3,903
1901 historical 1,268 #3,912
1911 historical 1,421 #3,397
1997 modern 2,632 #2,420
1998 modern 2,733 #2,425
1999 modern 2,745 #2,435
2000 modern 2,740 #2,422
2001 modern 2,664 #2,433
2002 modern 2,735 #2,428
2003 modern 2,654 #2,446
2004 modern 2,684 #2,425
2005 modern 2,602 #2,455
2006 modern 2,552 #2,498
2007 modern 2,625 #2,460
2008 modern 2,659 #2,449
2009 modern 2,730 #2,446
2010 modern 2,766 #2,469
2011 modern 2,710 #2,484
2012 modern 2,659 #2,487
2013 modern 2,705 #2,491
2014 modern 2,709 #2,498
2015 modern 2,700 #2,491
2016 modern 2,652 #2,516

Geography

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Where Furlongs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Toxteth Park, Manchester and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Liverpool, Knowsley and South Somerset. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Liverpool 022 Liverpool
2 Knowsley 010 Knowsley
3 Knowsley 002 Knowsley
4 South Somerset 008 South Somerset
5 Knowsley 011 Knowsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Furlong

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Furlong

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Furlong, 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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Furlong surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Furlong household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Furlong 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

Furlong is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Furlong falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Furlong is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Furlong

The surname Furlong is believed to have originated in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "furlang," which referred to a furrow or a long strip of cultivated land. This word was commonly used to describe the length of a field or the distance a team of oxen could plow without resting.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Furlong can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1203, where a person named Robertus Furelong is mentioned. The name also appears in various other medieval records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which lists a John Furlong.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Furlong was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire, suggesting that these areas might have been the original homelands of families bearing this name.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there is no direct mention of the surname Furlong. However, there are several references to place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as "Forlonga" in Gloucestershire.

One notable individual with the surname Furlong was Sir Thomas Furlong (c. 1590-1658), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in the 17th century. Another prominent bearer of this name was Sir John Furlong (c. 1625-1689), an English lawyer and politician who held the position of Recorder of London.

In Ireland, the surname Furlong is believed to have been introduced by English settlers during the Norman invasion of the 12th century. One famous Irish figure with this surname was Nicholas Furlong (c. 1686-1749), a Catholic priest and philosopher who played a significant role in the Irish philosophical movement known as the Irish Enlightenment.

Other historical figures with the surname Furlong include Robert Furlong (c. 1670-1724), an English clergyman and author, and William Furlong (1744-1808), an Irish-born British Army officer who served during the American Revolutionary War.

While the surname Furlong has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through immigration and colonial expansion. However, the historical records and early references suggest that its origins can be traced back to the English countryside and the agricultural communities of the medieval era.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Furlong families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Furlong 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. Lancashire leads with 373 Furlongs recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.08x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 373 3.08x
Middlesex 143 1.40x
Essex 104 5.17x
Hampshire 48 2.30x
Pembrokeshire 42 12.96x
Cheshire 39 1.73x
Surrey 37 0.74x
Glamorgan 36 2.03x
Kent 34 0.98x
Gloucestershire 26 1.30x
Durham 23 0.76x
Flintshire 14 5.11x
Yorkshire 13 0.13x
Cumberland 11 1.25x
Hertfordshire 9 1.28x
Midlothian 8 0.59x
Sussex 8 0.47x
Berkshire 7 0.91x
Caernarfonshire 7 1.70x
Derbyshire 7 0.44x
Bedfordshire 6 1.14x
Cornwall 6 0.52x
Monmouthshire 6 0.81x
Somerset 6 0.37x
Warwickshire 5 0.19x
Lanarkshire 4 0.12x
Royal Navy 4 3.29x
Suffolk 4 0.32x
Carmarthenshire 3 0.70x
Channel Islands 3 0.99x
Herefordshire 3 0.72x
Devon 2 0.09x
Wiltshire 2 0.22x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.68x
Shropshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 128 Furlongs recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.42x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 128 17.42x
Everton 39 10.12x
Manchester 38 6.99x
Portsea 37 9.04x
Toxteth Park 28 6.84x
West Derby 28 7.91x
West Ham 27 6.08x
Kirkdale 19 9.34x
Navestock 16 549.83x
Islington London 15 1.52x
Cosheston 14 707.07x
Westminster St John 14 11.28x
Hackney London 13 2.27x
Swansea Town 13 8.93x
Theydon Garnon 13 282.61x
Bow London 11 8.48x
Flint 11 70.69x
St George Hanover Square 11 6.12x
Woolwich 11 8.56x
Arlecdon 10 42.84x
Birkenhead 10 5.57x
Formby 10 72.99x
Poplar London 10 5.20x
Brading 9 32.41x
Bristol St James St Paul 9 13.50x
Tranmere 9 10.88x
Bootle Cum Linacre 8 8.33x
Bristol St Michael 8 46.67x
Chelmsford 8 23.18x
Hartlepool 8 18.56x
Leyton Low 8 19.56x
Llanwonno 8 12.54x
Monks Coppenhall 8 9.42x
South Leith 8 5.21x
Wavertree 8 20.66x
Bishopwearmouth 7 2.69x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 7 3.72x
Charlton Next Woolwich 7 19.30x
Chelsea London 7 2.28x
Eglwys Rhos 7 135.14x
Fishguard 7 99.72x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 7 5.33x
Llangynwyd Lower 7 445.86x
Newton 7 7.51x
Pendleton In Salford 7 4.86x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 7 27.05x
Sandhurst 7 47.23x
St Brides Minor 7 218.75x
Camberwell 6 0.92x
Deptford St Paul 6 2.24x
Falmouth 6 14.69x
Fulwood 6 45.91x
Luton 6 6.57x
Sawbridgeworth 6 56.39x
Trevethin 6 8.62x
Westminster St James 6 5.73x
Weston 6 47.54x
All Hallows Bread Street 5 4166.67x
Castlemartin 5 364.96x
Church Coniston 5 147.49x
Hendon 5 13.63x
High Ongar 5 134.77x
Lambeth 5 0.56x
Lamphey 5 462.96x
Salford 5 1.41x
St Luke London 5 3.06x
Bermondsey 4 1.32x
Blackburn 4 1.24x
Coventry St Michael 4 4.84x
Hammersmith London 4 1.59x
Mile End Old Town London 4 1.84x
North Meols 4 3.38x
Pembroke St Mary 4 9.59x
Putney 4 8.61x
Rottingdean 4 68.14x
Saffron Walden 4 18.81x
Southowram 4 12.97x
St George In East London 4 4.17x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 4 8.52x
Tottenham 4 2.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 102
Elizabeth 30
Margaret 25
Ann 24
Sarah 23
Ellen 18
Jane 16
Eliza 15
Alice 13
Catherine 13
Annie 11
Emily 10
Emma 10
Kate 10
Bridget 8
Clara 8
Louisa 8
Edith 7
Johanna 7
Martha 7
Hannah 6
Susan 6
Agnes 5
Anne 5
Charlotte 5
Fanny 5
Florence 5
Lizzie 5
Margt. 5
Ada 4
Anastasia 4
Harriet 4
Anna 3
Elizth. 3
Helen 3
Henrietta 3
Julia 3
Maria 3
Minnie 3
Rose 3
Teresa 3
Amelia 2
Caroline 2
Eleanor 2
Frances 2
Harriett 2
Hester 2
Jessie 2
Marian 2
Rachel 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 72
James 60
William 54
Thomas 22
Charles 21
Edward 15
Richard 15
George 14
Joseph 13
Patrick 12
Walter 11
Frederick 10
Peter 10
Henry 8
Michael 8
Albert 7
Alfred 7
Robert 7
Arthur 6
Andrew 5
Francis 5
Frank 5
Martin 5
David 4
Ernest 4
Herbert 4
Philip 4
Wm. 4
Harry 3
Michl. 3
Nicholas 3
Christopher 2
Edwd. 2
Fred 2
Geo. 2
J. 2
Laurence 2
Lawrance 2
Lewis 2
Moses 2
Patk. 2
Robt. 2
Samuel 2
Stephen 2
Timothy 2
Angelo 1
Clifford 1
Everard 1
Frederic 1
Wm.James 1

FAQ

Furlong surname: questions and answers

How common was the Furlong surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,037 people were recorded with the Furlong surname. That placed it at #3,787 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Furlong surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,652 in 2016. That gives Furlong a modern rank of #2,516.

What does the Furlong surname mean?

A surname derived from a medieval measurement of distance, equal to one-eighth of a mile.

What does the Furlong map show?

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