NameCensus.

UK surname

Jim

A variant of the Old French given name Guillaume, derived from the Germanic elements wil (desire) and helm (helmet).

In the 1881 census there were 1 people recorded with the Jim surname, ranking it #34,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 318, ranked #14,159, up from #34,027 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cardiff, Wolverhampton and Barrow-in-Furness.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jim is 318 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31700.0%.

1881 census count

1

Ranked #34,027

Modern count

318

2016, ranked #14,159

Peak year

2016

318 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jim had 1 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #34,027 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 318 in 2016, ranked #14,159.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 16 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Jim surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jim surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jim 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 16 #30,441
1881 historical 1 #34,027
1891 historical 5 #33,939
1901 historical 5 #33,728
1997 modern 135 #22,499
1998 modern 148 #21,841
1999 modern 150 #21,826
2000 modern 148 #21,971
2001 modern 144 #22,040
2002 modern 148 #22,087
2003 modern 148 #21,866
2004 modern 148 #22,000
2005 modern 156 #21,221
2006 modern 158 #21,229
2007 modern 161 #21,201
2008 modern 162 #21,350
2009 modern 170 #21,095
2010 modern 201 #19,387
2011 modern 219 #18,145
2012 modern 263 #15,954
2013 modern 277 #15,644
2014 modern 282 #15,537
2015 modern 295 #14,935
2016 modern 318 #14,159

Geography

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Where Jims are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cardiff, Wolverhampton, Barrow-in-Furness, Sevenoaks and Harrow. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cardiff 011 Cardiff
2 Wolverhampton 015 Wolverhampton
3 Barrow-in-Furness 006 Barrow-in-Furness
4 Sevenoaks 003 Sevenoaks
5 Harrow 016 Harrow

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jim

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jim

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Jim surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Jim household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Jim is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Jim is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Jim falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Jim 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
Asian - Chinese

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

Meaning and origin of Jim

The surname Jim originated in Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is believed to be a shortened form of the Scottish surname Jamieson, which itself is derived from the personal name James. The name James comes from the Hebrew name Jacob, meaning "supplanter" or "heel-grabber".

Jim was first recorded as a surname in the late 13th century, appearing in records from the Scottish counties of Lanarkshire and Ayrshire. The earliest known bearer was William Jim, who was mentioned in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of documents recording the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England.

In the 15th century, the surname Jim was also found in the English county of Yorkshire, likely due to Scottish migration and settlement in the area. One notable bearer from this time was John Jim, a merchant from the city of York who was mentioned in the city's records in 1472.

The Jim surname is also found in various place names across Scotland, such as Jimtown in Aberdeenshire and Jim's Howe in Orkney. These place names suggest that the surname was well-established in certain areas and may have been derived from the names of early landowners or residents.

Some notable individuals with the surname Jim include:

1. Robert Jim (1587-1655), a Scottish minister and writer who served as the parish minister of Kilwinning from 1614 until his death. 2. James Jim (1640-1706), a Scottish physician and author who wrote several works on medical subjects and natural history. 3. William Jim (1705-1781), a Scottish merchant and landowner who served as the Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1762 to 1764. 4. John Jim (1812-1886), a Scottish engineer and inventor who patented several improvements to steam engines and other machinery. 5. Mary Jim (1858-1934), a Scottish artist and painter known for her landscapes and portraits of rural life in the Highlands.

While the surname Jim is not as common as some other Scottish surnames, it has a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages and has been borne by notable individuals across various fields throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jim families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jim 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. Middlesex leads with 1 Jims recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.19x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1 5.19x
Royal Navy 1 434.78x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Royal Navy in Royal Navy leads with 1 Jims recorded in 1881 and an index of 500.00x.

Place Total Index
Royal Navy 1 500.00x
St Pancras London 1 64.52x

Top male names

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

Name Count
AH 1
Jim 1
William 1

Top occupations

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 Jim households.

FAQ

Jim surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jim surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1 people were recorded with the Jim surname. That placed it at #34,027 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jim surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 318 in 2016. That gives Jim a modern rank of #14,159.

What does the Jim surname mean?

A variant of the Old French given name Guillaume, derived from the Germanic elements wil (desire) and helm (helmet).

What does the Jim map show?

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