NameCensus.

UK surname

Job

A biblical surname referring to the Old Testament figure known for his patience and endurance during suffering.

In the 1881 census there were 885 people recorded with the Job surname, ranking it #4,292 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 871, ranked #6,451, down from #4,292 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Llangendeirne, Gwennap and St Austell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Solihull, Doncaster and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Job is 980 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.6%.

1881 census count

885

Ranked #4,292

Modern count

871

2016, ranked #6,451

Peak year

1901

980 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Job had 885 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,292 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 871 in 2016, ranked #6,451.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 980 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Job surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Job surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Job 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 651 #3,995
1881 historical 885 #4,292
1891 historical 6 #33,800
1901 historical 980 #4,838
1997 modern 801 #6,532
1998 modern 839 #6,504
1999 modern 834 #6,580
2000 modern 836 #6,544
2001 modern 799 #6,655
2002 modern 796 #6,805
2003 modern 792 #6,701
2004 modern 772 #6,867
2005 modern 783 #6,711
2006 modern 791 #6,692
2007 modern 796 #6,721
2008 modern 798 #6,757
2009 modern 836 #6,655
2010 modern 866 #6,597
2011 modern 852 #6,602
2012 modern 855 #6,502
2013 modern 887 #6,400
2014 modern 886 #6,459
2015 modern 873 #6,463
2016 modern 871 #6,451

Geography

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Where Jobs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Llangendeirne, Gwennap, St Austell, Birmingham Town: Birmingham and Llanelly. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Solihull, Doncaster, Cornwall and Telford and Wrekin. 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 Llangendeirne Carmarthenshire
2 Gwennap Cornwall
3 St Austell Cornwall
4 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
5 Llanelly Carmarthenshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Solihull 004 Solihull
2 Doncaster 010 Doncaster
3 Cornwall 050 Cornwall
4 Telford and Wrekin 023 Telford and Wrekin
5 Solihull 002 Solihull

Forenames

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First names often paired with Job

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Job

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Job surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Job household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Job 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

Job 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

Job 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 Job 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 Job, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Job

The surname Job is of English origin, deriving from the Old French personal name "Job" or "Jobe," which itself comes from the Latin name "Job," meaning "persecuted" or "afflicted." The name ultimately traces its roots back to the Hebrew name "Iyyov," which is the name of the biblical figure Job, known for his resilience in the face of suffering.

The surname Job is first recorded in England in the late 12th century, with one of the earliest known bearers being Adam Job, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1191. The name was particularly prevalent in the eastern counties of England during the Middle Ages.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, there is a record of a Richard Job in Oxfordshire, suggesting the name's early presence in various parts of the country. The Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296 list a John Job, further reinforcing the name's widespread use in medieval England.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Job with a documented date of birth is Thomas Job, born around 1555 in Chittlehampton, Devon. Another notable early bearer was John Job, born in 1610 in Taunton, Somerset, who later emigrated to America and settled in Virginia.

Throughout history, several individuals with the surname Job have achieved notable accomplishments or gained recognition in various fields. One such figure is Samuel Job, a 17th-century English composer and organist who was born in Lydd, Kent, in 1628 and died in 1717.

Another prominent bearer of the surname was Thomas Job, a British military engineer and surveyor who was born in 1742 in Nottinghamshire and served in the American Revolutionary War. He played a significant role in the defense of Fort Stanwix in New York during the Siege of 1777.

In the realm of literature, Gertrude Job, an English novelist and playwright, was born in 1888 and is known for her works such as "The Unborn Child" and "Arabella the Romany."

Sir Salomon Job, born in 1826 in London, was a prominent British businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of the city of Bath and its educational institutions.

Lastly, Vere Job, born in 1910 in Sydney, Australia, was a renowned Australian artist and printmaker known for his depictions of urban and industrial landscapes, particularly those of Sydney.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Job families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Job 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. Cornwall leads with 179 Jobs recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.91x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 179 17.91x
Middlesex 108 1.22x
Devon 93 5.06x
Warwickshire 92 4.13x
Carmarthenshire 67 18.01x
Glamorgan 58 3.77x
Lancashire 41 0.39x
Kent 32 1.06x
Surrey 30 0.70x
Durham 26 0.99x
Yorkshire 26 0.30x
Nottinghamshire 16 1.34x
Pembrokeshire 14 4.99x
Sussex 14 0.94x
Lanarkshire 13 0.46x
Hampshire 10 0.55x
Staffordshire 10 0.34x
Caernarfonshire 8 2.24x
Cheshire 8 0.41x
Somerset 8 0.56x
Gloucestershire 7 0.40x
Monmouthshire 7 1.10x
Shropshire 6 0.79x
Anglesey 5 3.20x
Channel Islands 5 1.91x
Oxfordshire 5 0.92x
Worcestershire 4 0.35x
Hertfordshire 3 0.49x
Essex 2 0.11x
Lincolnshire 2 0.14x
Cumberland 1 0.13x
Derbyshire 1 0.07x
Dorset 1 0.17x
Leicestershire 1 0.10x
Royal Navy 1 0.95x
Rutland 1 1.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Austell in Cornwall leads with 49 Jobs recorded in 1881 and an index of 143.44x.

Place Total Index
St Austell 49 143.44x
Islington London 28 3.27x
Aston 27 4.40x
Birmingham 27 3.64x
Gwennap 26 137.93x
Tormoham 25 32.15x
Llanelly 23 27.45x
St Pancras London 20 2.81x
Llangendeirne 17 246.38x
Falmouth 16 45.22x
Mile End Old Town London 14 7.45x
Claverdon 13 747.13x
Plymouth St Andrew 13 9.18x
Deal 12 46.71x
Plymouth Charles The 12 14.82x
Lambeth 11 1.43x
Talland 11 468.09x
Harworth 10 602.41x
Margate St John Baptist 10 18.13x
Redruth 10 35.37x
Swansea Higher 10 62.46x
Putney 9 22.37x
Swansea Town 9 7.14x
Bromley London 8 4.12x
Litherland 8 36.53x
Monkwearmouth 8 31.82x
Paddington London 8 2.46x
Sithney 8 79.21x
Barony 7 0.97x
Barrow In Furness 7 4.91x
Bere Ferrers 7 231.79x
Conwil 7 149.25x
Ecclesall Bierlow 7 3.93x
Northowram 7 11.41x
St Blazey 7 79.73x
St Marylebone London 7 1.49x
St Mewan 7 227.27x
Tywardreath 7 109.03x
Bedminster 6 4.49x
Bettws 6 202.70x
Bow London 6 5.34x
Buckland Monachorum 6 152.67x
Foleshill 6 25.62x
Harrow On The Hill 6 34.01x
Hastings St Mary 6 16.20x
Illogan 6 22.68x
Kirkdale 6 3.40x
Llanwnda 6 90.77x
Minsterley 6 213.52x
Portsea 6 1.69x
Swansea St Thomas 6 38.86x
Cardiff St Mary 5 5.91x
Christow 5 280.90x
Coventry Holy Trinity 5 7.52x
Hindley 5 11.20x
Kenn 5 174.83x
Lichfield St Michael 5 53.48x
Llandebie 5 46.34x
Manchester 5 1.06x
Preston On Stour 5 609.76x
Shotts 5 14.63x
Southwick 5 20.10x
St Saviour 5 34.58x
Aberystruth 4 7.11x
Carmarthen St Ishmael 4 101.78x
Holy Trinity 4 1.90x
Houghton Le Spring 4 22.03x
Lewisham 4 2.49x
Llandewy Velfrey 4 219.78x
Llanfihangel Esceifiog 4 146.52x
Llangeinor 4 44.20x
Narberth North 4 80.16x
St Clement 4 38.35x
St Enoder 4 117.65x
St Helens 4 30.42x
Truro St Mary 4 47.62x
Wardington 4 213.90x
Warwick St Mary 4 20.69x
Wilnecote 4 62.70x
Ynysawdre 4 161.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 55
Elizabeth 39
Sarah 26
Eliza 15
Ellen 15
Margaret 15
Ann 13
Annie 13
Jane 13
Catherine 10
Edith 9
Emma 9
Florence 9
Harriet 9
Louisa 8
Emily 7
Fanny 7
Alice 6
Bessie 6
Charlotte 6
Frances 6
Kate 6
Maria 6
Martha 6
Sophia 6
Susan 6
Ada 4
Caroline 4
Lucy 4
Eleanor 3
Esther 3
Hannah 3
Margret 3
Minnie 3
Adelaide 2
Agnes 2
Angelina 2
Anne 2
Beatrice 2
Betsy 2
Clara 2
Elizth. 2
Lydia 2
Margt. 2
Maud 2
Mildred 2
Priscilla 2
Rachael 2
Selina 2
Susannah 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 62
William 49
Thomas 32
Henry 31
David 20
Charles 18
James 14
Robert 14
Alfred 12
Samuel 11
Edward 10
George 10
Arthur 9
Frederick 9
Francis 8
Albert 6
Daniel 6
Joseph 6
Walter 6
Edwin 5
Ernest 5
Harry 5
Richard 5
Frank 4
Jonathan 4
Tom 4
Zephaniah 4
Michael 3
Amos 2
Andrew 2
Edgar 2
Evan 2
Jacob 2
Jason 2
Johnson 2
Nathaniel 2
Stapleton 2
Thos. 2
Augustus 1
Bailey 1
Conrad 1
Eli 1
Elijah 1
Emmanuel 1
Florence 1
Hugh 1
Isaac 1
Ishmael 1
Jeremiah 1
Jno. 1

FAQ

Job surname: questions and answers

How common was the Job surname in 1881?

In 1881, 885 people were recorded with the Job surname. That placed it at #4,292 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Job surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 871 in 2016. That gives Job a modern rank of #6,451.

What does the Job surname mean?

A biblical surname referring to the Old Testament figure known for his patience and endurance during suffering.

What does the Job map show?

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