UK surname
A surname derived from the Latin name Horatius, meaning "time-keeper" or "watchman".
In the 1881 census there were 32 people recorded with the Horace surname, ranking it #29,082 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 19, ranked #36,760, down from #29,082 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Battersea and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Horace is 133 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 40.6%.
1881 census count
32
Ranked #29,082
Modern count
19
2016, ranked #36,760
Peak year
1911
133 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Horace surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Horace surname density by area, 1911 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 | 11 | #31,309 |
| 1861 | historical | 105 | #20,298 |
| 1881 | historical | 32 | #29,082 |
| 1891 | historical | 95 | #24,694 |
| 1901 | historical | 51 | #28,492 |
| 1911 | historical | 133 | #19,214 |
| 1997 | modern | 15 | #36,409 |
| 1998 | modern | 16 | #36,361 |
| 1999 | modern | 11 | #36,917 |
| 2000 | modern | 11 | #36,879 |
| 2001 | modern | 11 | #36,727 |
| 2002 | modern | 8 | #37,206 |
| 2003 | modern | 10 | #36,964 |
| 2004 | modern | 11 | #36,969 |
| 2005 | modern | 12 | #36,936 |
| 2006 | modern | 12 | #37,014 |
| 2007 | modern | 15 | #36,793 |
| 2008 | modern | 12 | #37,143 |
| 2009 | modern | 13 | #37,140 |
| 2010 | modern | 15 | #37,038 |
| 2011 | modern | 15 | #37,030 |
| 2012 | modern | 15 | #36,982 |
| 2013 | modern | 17 | #36,857 |
| 2014 | modern | 17 | #36,888 |
| 2015 | modern | 17 | #36,887 |
| 2016 | modern | 19 | #36,760 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Battersea, Manchester, Liverpool and Walton-on-the-Hill. 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 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 2 | Battersea | London (South Districts) |
| 3 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 4 | Liverpool | Lancashire |
| 5 | Walton-on-the-Hill | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Horace 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 Horace, 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 Horace surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Horace 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, Horace 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 Horace is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Horace, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Horace is believed to have originated in ancient Rome, derived from the Latin name "Horatius." This name can be traced back to the Latin word "hōra," meaning "hour" or "season." It may have been initially given as a descriptive surname to someone born at a particular hour or season.
During the Roman era, the name Horatius was borne by several notable individuals, including the legendary Roman hero Horatius Cocles, who defended the Pons Sublicius (a bridge across the Tiber River) against the Etruscan army in the 6th century BC. Another famous bearer of this name was the Roman poet Quintus Horatius Flaccus, better known as Horace (65 BC - 8 BC), whose works greatly influenced Western literature.
The surname Horace made its way into various European languages, including English, French, and Italian, through the influence of Roman culture and the spread of Latin. In England, the earliest recorded instance of the surname Horace dates back to the 13th century, appearing in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire (1273) as "Horitz."
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Horace. One of the earliest was the French philosopher and writer Pierre Gassendi (1592-1655), known for his revival of Epicureanism and his influential work on the philosophy of science. Another prominent figure was the English philosopher and author James Horace Newton (1785-1844), known for his work on the philosophy of language and logic.
In the realm of literature, the name Horace is associated with the American poet and critic James Russell Lowell (1819-1891), who wrote under the pseudonym "Hosea Biglow." His satirical works, such as "The Biglow Papers," gained him widespread recognition. Another notable literary figure was the English writer and critic Sir Edmund Horace Currie (1875-1943), known for his works on literature and literary criticism.
Other notable bearers of the surname Horace include the British architect Sir Horace Jones (1819-1887), responsible for designing several iconic buildings in London, including Billingsgate Market and Tower Bridge; and the American composer and pianist William Horace Mallory (1834-1920), renowned for his compositions and performances in the late 19th century.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Horace 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. Lancashire leads with 14 Horaces recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.78x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 14 | 3.78x |
| Middlesex | 8 | 2.56x |
| Devon | 3 | 4.62x |
| Durham | 3 | 3.23x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 4.27x |
| Essex | 1 | 1.62x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 26.88x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.32x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 14 Horaces recorded in 1881 and an index of 62.25x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | 14 | 62.25x |
| St Martin In Fields | 4 | 213.90x |
| Middridge | 3 | 3333.33x |
| Enfield | 2 | 97.56x |
| Plymouth St Andrew | 2 | 40.00x |
| Bradford | 1 | 13.37x |
| East Stonehouse | 1 | 78.13x |
| Kensington London | 1 | 5.76x |
| Reading St Giles | 1 | 43.48x |
| West Ham | 1 | 7.35x |
| Westminster St James | 1 | 31.15x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Horace 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 Horace surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 32 people were recorded with the Horace surname. That placed it at #29,082 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 19 in 2016. That gives Horace a modern rank of #36,760.
A surname derived from the Latin name Horatius, meaning "time-keeper" or "watchman".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Horace 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.