NameCensus.

UK surname

Judge

An occupational surname referring to an official who presided over court proceedings or delivered judgments.

In the 1881 census there were 3,235 people recorded with the Judge surname, ranking it #1,397 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,685, ranked #1,452, down from #1,397 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Rolvenden and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derbyshire Dales, Conwy and Newcastle upon Tyne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Judge is 4,833 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 44.8%.

1881 census count

3,235

Ranked #1,397

Modern count

4,685

2016, ranked #1,452

Peak year

2010

4,833 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Judge had 3,235 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,397 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,685 in 2016, ranked #1,452.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,829 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Judge surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Judge surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Judge 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 1,788 #1,613
1861 historical 1,817 #1,596
1881 historical 3,235 #1,397
1891 historical 3,226 #1,472
1901 historical 3,799 #1,478
1911 historical 3,829 #1,356
1997 modern 4,648 #1,408
1998 modern 4,769 #1,422
1999 modern 4,754 #1,444
2000 modern 4,714 #1,446
2001 modern 4,638 #1,437
2002 modern 4,740 #1,439
2003 modern 4,506 #1,473
2004 modern 4,542 #1,465
2005 modern 4,505 #1,454
2006 modern 4,512 #1,450
2007 modern 4,518 #1,460
2008 modern 4,515 #1,475
2009 modern 4,685 #1,456
2010 modern 4,833 #1,442
2011 modern 4,793 #1,436
2012 modern 4,678 #1,436
2013 modern 4,768 #1,440
2014 modern 4,762 #1,447
2015 modern 4,712 #1,447
2016 modern 4,685 #1,452

Geography

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Where Judges are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Rolvenden, Edinburgh, Manchester and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Derbyshire Dales, Conwy, Newcastle upon Tyne, Bedford and Rugby. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Rolvenden Kent
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derbyshire Dales 001 Derbyshire Dales
2 Conwy 007 Conwy
3 Newcastle upon Tyne 008 Newcastle upon Tyne
4 Bedford 016 Bedford
5 Rugby 007 Rugby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Judge

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Judge

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Judge is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

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

Judge 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

Judge falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Judge

The surname Judge is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "jugge," which in turn comes from the Latin word "judex," meaning "judge" or "one who judges." This surname emerged in the 12th century and was initially an occupational name given to those who served as judges or arbitrators in legal proceedings.

The name Judge is believed to have first appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive record of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1176, where a person named Richard le Jugge is mentioned.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Judge was often associated with individuals who held positions of authority and legal expertise. It was not uncommon for the name to be used interchangeably with other occupational surnames such as "Law" or "Justice."

One of the earliest documented bearers of the surname Judge was Sir William Judge, who lived in the late 13th century and served as a Justice of the Common Pleas in England. Another notable individual was Robert Judge (c. 1490-1556), an English clergyman and Lord Chancellor of Ireland during the reign of King Henry VIII.

In the 16th century, the surname Judge can be found in various historical records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk from 1524, which mention a Thomas Judge. Additionally, the name appears in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1672, where a John Judge is listed.

Other notable individuals with the surname Judge throughout history include:

1. Samuel Judge (1612-1688), an English nonconformist minister and author. 2. Thomas Judge (1772-1848), an English-born judge and politician who served as the first Chief Justice of Prince Edward Island, Canada. 3. Aretas Akers-Douglas, 1st Viscount Chilston (1851-1926), a British judge and politician whose birth name was Aretas Akers. 4. William Quan Judge (1851-1896), an Irish-American mystic and one of the founders of the Theosophical Society. 5. John Judge (1938-2016), an American researcher and author known for his work on conspiracy theories and alternative history.

Over time, the surname Judge has evolved and taken on various spellings, including Jugge, Jugger, and Juge, reflecting regional variations and linguistic influences. However, the name has maintained its connection to the legal profession and judiciary throughout its history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Judge families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Judge 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. Lancashire leads with 423 Judges recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.13x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 423 1.13x
Middlesex 374 1.18x
Yorkshire 328 1.05x
Kent 293 2.72x
Surrey 238 1.55x
Buckinghamshire 142 7.43x
Northamptonshire 135 4.54x
Oxfordshire 132 6.77x
Lanarkshire 114 1.12x
Midlothian 86 2.03x
Staffordshire 80 0.75x
Sussex 80 1.50x
Warwickshire 78 0.98x
Durham 71 0.76x
Hertfordshire 58 2.66x
Cheshire 51 0.73x
Gloucestershire 38 0.61x
Bedfordshire 35 2.14x
Worcestershire 34 0.82x
Ayrshire 32 1.35x
Derbyshire 32 0.65x
Berkshire 28 1.18x
Hampshire 27 0.42x
Essex 26 0.42x
Nottinghamshire 21 0.49x
Angus 20 0.68x
Cambridgeshire 20 1.00x
Lincolnshire 20 0.40x
Renfrewshire 19 0.78x
Shropshire 18 0.66x
Northumberland 17 0.36x
Cumberland 16 0.59x
Somerset 16 0.31x
Selkirkshire 15 5.25x
Suffolk 15 0.39x
East Lothian 13 3.11x
Devon 12 0.18x
Huntingdonshire 10 1.59x
Stirlingshire 9 0.77x
Fife 7 0.37x
Berwickshire 6 1.57x
Brecknockshire 5 0.79x
Denbighshire 5 0.42x
Dunbartonshire 5 0.59x
Leicestershire 5 0.14x
Roxburghshire 5 0.87x
Perthshire 4 0.28x
Flintshire 3 0.35x
Herefordshire 3 0.23x
Norfolk 3 0.06x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.29x
Isle of Man 2 0.34x
Wiltshire 2 0.07x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.03x
Channel Islands 1 0.11x
Glamorgan 1 0.02x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.14x
Ross-shire 1 0.12x
Wigtownshire 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 66 Judges recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.27x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 66 3.27x
Liverpool 65 2.85x
Rolvenden 60 429.80x
Leeds 52 2.94x
Manchester 48 2.85x
Lambeth 39 1.42x
Birmingham 38 1.43x
Watford 33 19.54x
Newington 30 2.57x
Islington London 29 0.95x
Nether Hallam 28 6.61x
Barony 27 1.04x
Govan 27 1.07x
Sheffield 27 2.71x
Shoreditch London 27 1.97x
Aston 26 1.19x
Bermondsey 26 2.76x
Paddington London 26 2.24x
Maryhill 25 12.50x
St George Hanover Square 25 4.49x
Smarden 24 194.81x
St Pancras London 24 0.94x
Brington 23 257.27x
Edinburgh Canongate 23 21.35x
Auckinleck 22 30.05x
Glasgow 22 1.21x
Stockport 22 6.13x
Stokenchurch 22 126.00x
Mile End Old Town London 21 3.12x
Brightside Bierlow 20 3.26x
Bromley London 20 2.88x
Bury 20 4.67x
Benfieldside 19 30.73x
Kensington London 19 1.08x
Ospringe 19 143.18x
West Bromwich 18 2.95x
Battersea 17 1.46x
Bow London 17 4.23x
Shadwell London 17 19.23x
Dartford 16 14.52x
Edinburgh Old Church 16 47.09x
Holy Trinity 16 2.12x
Castleton 15 4.01x
Chesham 15 21.31x
Toxteth Park 15 1.18x
Wigan 15 2.86x
Bradford 14 1.85x
Heage 14 53.50x
Hulme 14 1.79x
Newport Pagnell 14 35.05x
Preston 14 1.40x
Stoke Upon Trent 14 1.24x
Wakefield 14 5.82x
Farlam 13 75.93x
Great Marlow 13 25.21x
Habergham Eaves 13 3.79x
Marsh Gibbon 13 161.69x
Portsea 13 1.02x
Wardleworth 13 6.07x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 12 0.70x
Hastings St Clement 12 23.94x
Ibstone Stokenchurch 12 342.86x
Northampton St Giles 12 10.60x
Oldham 12 0.99x
Oxford St Thomas 12 13.18x
Reading St Giles 12 5.16x
Waterperry 12 662.98x
West Derby 12 1.09x
Brackley St Peter 11 53.95x
Elton 11 8.49x
Kings Norton 11 2.97x
Morton In Keighley 11 44.73x
Potton 11 50.64x
Whitworth 11 15.98x
Wisbech St Mary 11 47.89x
Wolverhampton 11 1.34x
Bingley 10 5.02x
Cranbrook 10 21.90x
Hastings St Mary In The 10 8.80x
Wycombe 10 7.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 242
Elizabeth 96
Sarah 78
Ann 55
Annie 51
Catherine 51
Ellen 48
Jane 43
Margaret 43
Emily 42
Eliza 37
Alice 33
Bridget 30
Emma 29
Hannah 29
Florence 21
Maria 20
Harriet 17
Ada 16
Fanny 16
Martha 16
Anne 13
Charlotte 13
Edith 13
Kate 13
Susan 13
Harriett 12
Louisa 12
Caroline 11
Agnes 10
Lucy 9
Elizth. 8
Laura 8
Rose 8
Clara 7
Esther 7
Julia 7
Amy 6
Eleanor 6
Frances 6
Minnie 6
Susannah 6
Winifred 6
Beatrice 5
Betsy 5
Henrietta 5
Lizzie 5
Nellie 5
Ruth 5
Selina 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 181
William 146
Thomas 112
James 96
George 91
Charles 79
Henry 48
Patrick 37
Joseph 34
Michael 33
Alfred 30
Frederick 27
Edward 25
Peter 24
Arthur 21
Walter 20
Albert 19
Robert 19
Richard 18
Frank 16
Harry 15
Wm. 15
Francis 13
Martin 12
Ernest 11
Andrew 10
Edwin 9
Daniel 8
Mark 8
Samuel 8
Owen 7
Thos. 7
Anthony 6
Stephen 6
Bernard 5
Fred 5
Herbert 5
Isaac 5
Jesse 5
Joshua 5
Matthew 5
Benjamin 4
Chas. 4
David 4
Edmund 4
Percy 4
Tom 4
Jas. 3
Lorenzo 3
Richd. 3

FAQ

Judge surname: questions and answers

How common was the Judge surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,235 people were recorded with the Judge surname. That placed it at #1,397 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Judge surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,685 in 2016. That gives Judge a modern rank of #1,452.

What does the Judge surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to an official who presided over court proceedings or delivered judgments.

What does the Judge map show?

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