NameCensus.

UK surname

Isaac

From a biblical name meaning "he will laugh," which later came to be used as a surname.

In the 1881 census there were 3,750 people recorded with the Isaac surname, ranking it #1,219 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,630, ranked #1,468, down from #1,219 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Devon, Carmarthenshire and Swansea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Isaac is 5,035 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.5%.

1881 census count

3,750

Ranked #1,219

Modern count

4,630

2016, ranked #1,468

Peak year

1911

5,035 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Isaac had 3,750 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,219 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,630 in 2016, ranked #1,468.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,035 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Isaac surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Isaac surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Isaac 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 2,873 #1,014
1861 historical 2,857 #1,022
1881 historical 3,750 #1,219
1891 historical 3,854 #1,243
1901 historical 4,400 #1,292
1911 historical 5,035 #1,041
1997 modern 4,343 #1,505
1998 modern 4,491 #1,507
1999 modern 4,486 #1,521
2000 modern 4,492 #1,512
2001 modern 4,379 #1,513
2002 modern 4,432 #1,524
2003 modern 4,422 #1,498
2004 modern 4,449 #1,494
2005 modern 4,382 #1,496
2006 modern 4,395 #1,494
2007 modern 4,436 #1,487
2008 modern 4,479 #1,489
2009 modern 4,654 #1,466
2010 modern 4,754 #1,466
2011 modern 4,668 #1,473
2012 modern 4,581 #1,472
2013 modern 4,687 #1,463
2014 modern 4,700 #1,470
2015 modern 4,638 #1,474
2016 modern 4,630 #1,468

Geography

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Where Isaacs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton, London parishes and Llanguick. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Devon, Carmarthenshire and Swansea. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton Devon
4 London parishes London 3
5 Llanguick Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Devon 012 North Devon
2 North Devon 008 North Devon
3 Carmarthenshire 013 Carmarthenshire
4 North Devon 003 North Devon
5 Swansea 009 Swansea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Isaac

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Isaac

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Isaac is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Isaac is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Isaac falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Isaac

The surname Isaac originated from the Hebrew name Yitzchak, which means "he will laugh." The name can be traced back to the biblical patriarch Isaac, the son of Abraham and Sarah, who was born when his parents were advanced in age, causing Sarah to laugh with joy upon hearing the news of her pregnancy.

The name Isaac likely entered European usage through its adoption by Jewish communities and later spread to various regions through migrations and cultural exchanges. It is believed that the surname Isaac first appeared in England during the Norman Conquest of 1066, when many Jewish families accompanied William the Conqueror from Normandy.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Isaac can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which documented landholdings in England after the Norman Conquest. The entry "Isac de Gloucestre" refers to an individual named Isaac from Gloucestershire.

In the 12th century, the surname Isaac was prevalent among Jewish communities in England, as evidenced by records from the Pipe Rolls and other historical documents. Notable individuals from this period include Isaac of Norwich (c. 1110 - c. 1180), a Jewish scholar and philosopher, and Isaac the Scribe (fl. 1190-1210), a prominent scribe and calligrapher.

The surname Isaac also has a strong presence in various European countries, including France, Germany, and the Netherlands. In France, the name can be traced back to the 13th century, with records mentioning individuals such as Isaac de Corbeil (c. 1225 - c. 1300), a renowned Jewish physician and scholar.

In the 16th century, the surname Isaac gained prominence in Spain and Portugal, where it was often used by conversos, Jews who converted to Christianity during the Inquisition. One notable example is Isaac Abravanel (1437 - 1508), a renowned Portuguese philosopher, biblical commentator, and statesman.

In the 17th century, the surname Isaac became widespread in the Netherlands, particularly among the Sephardic Jewish community. One of the most famous individuals with this surname was Isaac de Pinto (1717 - 1787), a Dutch-Jewish philosopher and economist.

Other notable individuals with the surname Isaac throughout history include Sir Saul Isaac (1618 - 1704), an English merchant and financier; Isaac Bashevis Singer (1902 - 1991), a Polish-American writer and Nobel laureate; and Sir Walter Isaac (1858 - 1940), a British civil servant and administrator.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Isaac families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Isaac 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 638 Isaacs recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.37x.

County Total Index
Devon 638 8.37x
Glamorgan 611 9.58x
Middlesex 370 1.01x
Carmarthenshire 224 14.51x
Gloucestershire 199 2.77x
Lancashire 183 0.42x
Hampshire 134 1.79x
Lincolnshire 129 2.20x
Surrey 124 0.69x
Cardiganshire 120 13.43x
Somerset 88 1.49x
Wiltshire 70 2.16x
Brecknockshire 69 9.42x
Yorkshire 67 0.18x
Dorset 61 2.54x
Monmouthshire 59 2.23x
Cornwall 53 1.28x
Kent 45 0.36x
Worcestershire 32 0.67x
Warwickshire 29 0.31x
Norfolk 28 0.50x
Aberdeenshire 25 0.74x
Durham 25 0.23x
Pembrokeshire 25 2.15x
Essex 24 0.33x
Shropshire 22 0.70x
Sussex 22 0.36x
Lanarkshire 21 0.18x
Montgomeryshire 21 2.50x
Hertfordshire 20 0.79x
Nottinghamshire 20 0.41x
Northumberland 18 0.33x
Staffordshire 18 0.15x
Berkshire 14 0.51x
Denbighshire 14 1.01x
Northamptonshire 13 0.38x
Perthshire 13 0.79x
Renfrewshire 10 0.35x
Angus 8 0.24x
Cheshire 8 0.10x
Fife 8 0.37x
Anglesey 7 1.08x
Leicestershire 7 0.17x
Midlothian 7 0.14x
Royal Navy 7 1.60x
Buckinghamshire 6 0.27x
Caernarfonshire 6 0.41x
Roxburghshire 6 0.90x
Merionethshire 5 0.75x
Oxfordshire 5 0.22x
Derbyshire 4 0.07x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.09x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.28x
Isle of Man 2 0.29x
Banffshire 1 0.13x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.10x
Herefordshire 1 0.07x
Kincardineshire 1 0.22x
Radnorshire 1 0.34x
Suffolk 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ystradyfodwg in Glamorgan leads with 65 Isaacs recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.62x.

Place Total Index
Ystradyfodwg 65 11.62x
Aberdare 55 12.57x
Islington London 55 1.55x
Swansea Town 53 10.14x
St Pancras London 48 1.63x
Barnstaple 42 35.10x
Everton 41 2.96x
Bedwellty 39 8.34x
Llanguick 39 34.14x
Llanelly 38 10.93x
Southampton St Mary 37 7.84x
Lambeth 35 1.10x
Merthyr Tydfil 32 5.22x
Camberwell 31 1.33x
Great Torrington 31 71.73x
Swansea Higher 31 46.68x
Chittlehampton 30 159.57x
Cwmdu 27 225.00x
Llanrhidian Higher 27 66.67x
Portsea 27 1.84x
Cwmdu 26 33.47x
St John Near Swansea 25 31.71x
Battersea 24 1.78x
Bideford 24 29.39x
Great Yarmouth 24 5.15x
Bristol St George 23 6.92x
Llancynfelin 23 201.58x
Plymouth St Andrew 23 3.92x
Swansea Lower 23 70.73x
Hungerton Cum Wyville 22 1517.24x
Black Torrington 21 191.26x
Ottery St Mary 21 42.00x
Yate 21 133.50x
Clase 20 8.44x
Clifton 20 5.51x
Coedfrank 20 45.28x
Llandilo Talybont 20 59.74x
Llangennech 19 76.86x
Llangwyryfon 19 290.52x
Llanwonno 19 8.29x
Scredington 19 444.96x
Aberystwith 18 23.41x
Liverpool 18 0.68x
West Derby 18 1.42x
Birmingham 17 0.55x
Paddington London 17 1.26x
Sculcoates 17 2.95x
St Luke London 17 2.89x
Llangadock 16 37.61x
Llangeinor 16 42.62x
Mile End Old Town London 16 2.05x
Plymouth Charles The 16 4.76x
Silverton 16 100.82x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 16 30.87x
St Marylebone London 16 0.82x
Carmarthen St Peter 15 11.37x
Newport 15 79.49x
Ropsley 15 184.73x
Stoke Damerel 15 2.81x
Cramlington 14 19.44x
Gelligaer 14 9.61x
Hampstead London 14 2.45x
Iron Acton 14 96.55x
Kensington London 14 0.69x
Leeds 14 0.68x
Llanelly 14 15.98x
Northam 14 25.20x
Sixpenny Handley 14 119.05x
Wickwar 14 121.42x
Alverstoke 13 4.78x
Bedminster 13 2.35x
Cheetham 13 4.01x
Exeter Holy Trinity 13 43.52x
Great Grimsby 13 3.50x
Harberton 13 74.88x
Hawkesbury 13 53.19x
Honiton 13 30.82x
Tetney 13 128.46x
Uplowman 13 260.52x
Whitechapel London 13 3.60x

FAQ

Isaac surname: questions and answers

How common was the Isaac surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,750 people were recorded with the Isaac surname. That placed it at #1,219 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Isaac surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,630 in 2016. That gives Isaac a modern rank of #1,468.

What does the Isaac surname mean?

From a biblical name meaning "he will laugh," which later came to be used as a surname.

What does the Isaac map show?

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