NameCensus.

UK surname

Josh

A Hebrew name meaning "to permit" or "to forgive".

In the 1881 census there were 64 people recorded with the Josh surname, ranking it #24,561 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 198, ranked #19,713, up from #24,561 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Barking, Tilney St Lawrence and Terrington St Clement, Terrington St John. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dartford, Gravesham and Medway.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Josh is 198 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 209.4%.

1881 census count

64

Ranked #24,561

Modern count

198

2016, ranked #19,713

Peak year

2016

198 bearers

Map years

4

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Josh had 64 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,561 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 198 in 2016, ranked #19,713.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 140 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Josh surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Josh surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Josh 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 92 #18,050
1861 historical 140 #16,169
1881 historical 64 #24,561
1891 historical 99 #24,200
1901 historical 97 #23,227
1911 historical 91 #23,684
1997 modern 112 #25,244
1998 modern 118 #25,041
1999 modern 125 #24,366
2000 modern 128 #24,015
2001 modern 128 #23,665
2002 modern 122 #24,874
2003 modern 124 #24,378
2004 modern 114 #25,870
2005 modern 116 #25,564
2006 modern 116 #25,813
2007 modern 120 #25,606
2008 modern 109 #27,533
2009 modern 114 #27,363
2010 modern 121 #27,005
2011 modern 121 #26,789
2012 modern 138 #24,614
2013 modern 148 #23,884
2014 modern 153 #23,537
2015 modern 160 #22,701
2016 modern 198 #19,713

Geography

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Where Joshs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Barking, Tilney St Lawrence, Terrington St Clement, Terrington St John, Manchester and Kirby, South. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dartford, Gravesham and Medway. 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 Barking Essex
2 Tilney St Lawrence Cambridgeshire
3 Terrington St Clement, Terrington St John Cambridgeshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Kirby, South Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dartford 002 Dartford
2 Gravesham 006 Gravesham
3 Medway 026 Medway
4 Gravesham 004 Gravesham
5 Gravesham 011 Gravesham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Josh

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Josh

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Josh surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Josh household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Josh is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Josh 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

Josh 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 Josh is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Josh

The surname JOSH is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "giocc," which referred to a type of coat or tunic commonly worn by farmers and peasants.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name JOSH can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Radulfus Josh, who held lands in the county of Norfolk.

During the 13th century, the name JOSH appeared in various medieval records and charters, often associated with families from rural areas of England. For instance, a document from 1256 mentions a William Josh, a freeholder in the village of Hartington, Derbyshire.

In the 16th century, the surname JOSH was found in several parish records, such as the baptismal record of John Josh, born in 1542 in the village of Chaddesley Corbett, Worcestershire. Another notable figure from this period was Thomas Josh (1551-1621), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol.

As the centuries progressed, the surname JOSH spread to various regions of England, and variations in spelling emerged, including Joshe, Joss, and Josse. Some notable individuals bearing this surname include:

1. Sir William Josh (1634-1692), a Member of Parliament and landowner from Gloucestershire. 2. Mary Josh (1704-1783), a renowned poet and writer from Oxfordshire. 3. John Josh (1762-1829), a celebrated architect who designed several churches in London. 4. Edward Josh (1812-1887), a renowned botanist and explorer who traveled extensively in Africa and Asia. 5. Elizabeth Josh (1865-1941), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights in Yorkshire.

While the surname JOSH originated in England, it has since been carried to various parts of the world by emigrants and descendants, contributing to its diverse geographic distribution and cultural significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Josh families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Josh 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. Norfolk leads with 20 Joshs recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.84x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 20 20.84x
Yorkshire 11 1.78x
Cambridgeshire 6 15.17x
Middlesex 6 0.96x
Aberdeenshire 5 8.65x
Suffolk 4 5.26x
Carmarthenshire 3 11.40x
Lancashire 3 0.41x
Surrey 3 0.99x
Berkshire 1 2.13x
Kent 1 0.47x
Midlothian 1 1.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Swaffham in Norfolk leads with 8 Joshs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1025.64x.

Place Total Index
Swaffham 8 1025.64x
Coton 6 8571.43x
Shipton In Pocklington 5 5555.56x
Walpole St Andrew 5 3333.33x
Aberdeen Old Machar 4 33.14x
Terrington St Clement 4 930.23x
Haverhill 3 441.18x
Hillingdon 3 150.75x
Sutton 3 428.57x
Toxteth Park 3 11.96x
Wandsworth 3 49.92x
Holy Trinity 2 13.44x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 2 69.44x
Tottenham 2 20.12x
Bury St Edmunds St James 1 49.26x
Carmarthen St Peter 1 44.44x
Chelsea London 1 5.32x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 2.97x
Heckmondwike 1 50.25x
Llandingat 1 166.67x
Milton In Gravesend 1 31.35x
Myddfai 1 769.23x
Peterhead 1 32.68x
Shalbourn 1 555.56x
Tilney St Lawrence 1 666.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Alice 2
Elizabeth 2
Ellen 2
Hannah 2
Jane 2
Lucy 2
Ada 1
Annie 1
Charllote 1
Ella 1
Fanny 1
Lavinia 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Minnie 1
Rebecca 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
Samuel 3
William 3
Henry 2
Isaac 2
Charles 1
David 1
Elijah 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
George 1
Issac 1
Jacob 1
James 1
Tho. 1
Thomas 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Wm. 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 Josh households.

FAQ

Josh surname: questions and answers

How common was the Josh surname in 1881?

In 1881, 64 people were recorded with the Josh surname. That placed it at #24,561 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Josh surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 198 in 2016. That gives Josh a modern rank of #19,713.

What does the Josh surname mean?

A Hebrew name meaning "to permit" or "to forgive".

What does the Josh map show?

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