NameCensus.

UK surname

Illman

A surname potentially meaning a person who was ill or sickly.

In the 1881 census there were 239 people recorded with the Illman surname, ranking it #11,446 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 338, ranked #13,533, down from #11,446 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Greenwich, Worth and Brighton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, Flintshire and Cotswold.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Illman is 349 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.4%.

1881 census count

239

Ranked #11,446

Modern count

338

2016, ranked #13,533

Peak year

2010

349 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Illman had 239 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,446 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 338 in 2016, ranked #13,533.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 323 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Illman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Illman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Illman 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 150 #12,905
1861 historical 133 #16,835
1881 historical 239 #11,446
1891 historical 274 #11,880
1901 historical 285 #12,063
1911 historical 323 #10,842
1997 modern 332 #12,645
1998 modern 337 #12,859
1999 modern 336 #12,969
2000 modern 329 #13,090
2001 modern 328 #12,944
2002 modern 338 #12,939
2003 modern 323 #13,161
2004 modern 314 #13,473
2005 modern 310 #13,518
2006 modern 305 #13,766
2007 modern 315 #13,593
2008 modern 315 #13,686
2009 modern 329 #13,548
2010 modern 349 #13,280
2011 modern 337 #13,463
2012 modern 345 #13,093
2013 modern 343 #13,372
2014 modern 341 #13,528
2015 modern 347 #13,252
2016 modern 338 #13,533

Geography

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Where Illmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Greenwich, Worth, Brighton, Reigate and Charlwood. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, Flintshire, Cotswold and Dover. 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 Greenwich London (South Districts)
2 Worth Sussex
3 Brighton Sussex
4 Reigate Surrey
5 Charlwood Surrey

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 002 Doncaster
2 Flintshire 001 Flintshire
3 Doncaster 004 Doncaster
4 Cotswold 009 Cotswold
5 Dover 006 Dover

Forenames

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First names often paired with Illman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Illman

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Illman is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Illman 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

Illman falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Illman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Illman

The surname ILLMAN is of English origin, and it is thought to have emerged in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "ille" and "mann," which together translate to "ill man" or "sick man." This suggests that the name may have originally been a descriptive nickname given to someone who was frequently ill or in poor health.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the ILLMAN surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1327, where a person named John Illman is listed. The name also appears in various other medieval records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1379, which mention a William Illman.

In the 16th century, the ILLMAN surname can be found in various parish records and tax rolls across England. For example, in 1524, a John Illman was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Oxfordshire. Additionally, in 1587, a marriage record in the parish of St. Dunstan's in Stepney, London, mentions a Thomas Illman.

One notable figure with the ILLMAN surname was Sir Henry Illman (1564-1636), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1635. He was a member of the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers and represented the City of London in the Parliament of 1625.

Another individual of note was Samuel Illman (1701-1775), an English Baptist minister and author who served as the pastor of the Baptist church in West Bromwich, Staffordshire. He wrote several religious works, including "The Christian's Grand Peculiar" and "The Life of Faith."

In the 19th century, the ILLMAN surname can be found in various parts of England, with concentrations in areas such as Worcestershire, Warwickshire, and Gloucestershire. One example is John Illman (1820-1895), a British industrialist and engineer who founded the Illman Engineering Company in Birmingham.

While the ILLMAN surname is predominantly English, there have been instances of the name being found in other parts of the world, likely due to emigration from England. For example, in the late 19th century, a family with the surname ILLMAN settled in New Zealand, where descendants still reside today.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Illman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Illman 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. Surrey leads with 107 Illmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.38x.

County Total Index
Surrey 107 9.38x
Middlesex 40 1.71x
Sussex 40 10.13x
Kent 35 4.38x
Herefordshire 9 9.38x
Glamorgan 2 0.49x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.63x
Warwickshire 2 0.34x
Devon 1 0.21x
Lincolnshire 1 0.27x
Royal Navy 1 3.58x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Charlwood in Surrey leads with 25 Illmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2293.58x.

Place Total Index
Charlwood 25 2293.58x
Brighton 22 27.63x
Burstow 15 1546.39x
Limpsfield 13 1192.66x
Nutfield 11 1279.07x
Eynsford 10 729.93x
Hornsey 10 33.78x
Breinton 9 2432.43x
Bletchingley 7 469.80x
Croydon 7 11.06x
Greenwich 7 18.78x
Hammersmith London 7 12.14x
Reigate Foreign 7 56.68x
Strood 7 153.51x
Islington London 6 2.64x
Lydd 6 350.88x
Reigate Borough 6 228.14x
Worth 6 209.06x
Banstead 5 161.81x
Paddington London 5 5.81x
Horley 4 209.42x
Hove 4 23.09x
Westminster St Margaret 4 35.43x
Chelsea London 3 4.25x
Ditchling 3 277.78x
Keymer 3 107.53x
Aston 2 1.23x
Llandaff 2 14.75x
Mansfield 2 18.32x
Merstham 2 277.78x
Rudgwick 2 222.22x
St Marylebone London 2 1.60x
St Pancras London 2 1.06x
Tonbridge 2 6.94x
Betchworth 1 70.92x
Bideford 1 19.16x
Cowden 1 192.31x
Lee 1 8.62x
Newdigate 1 188.68x
Northfleet 1 14.20x
Penge 1 6.69x
Royal Navy 1 4.19x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 1 19.01x
St Sepulchre London 1 29.15x
Tandridge 1 204.08x
Wimbledon 1 7.81x

FAQ

Illman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Illman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 239 people were recorded with the Illman surname. That placed it at #11,446 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Illman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 338 in 2016. That gives Illman a modern rank of #13,533.

What does the Illman surname mean?

A surname potentially meaning a person who was ill or sickly.

What does the Illman map show?

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