NameCensus.

UK surname

Lavender

An English occupational surname for a person who grew or sold lavender flowers, or lived near a lavender field.

In the 1881 census there were 1,883 people recorded with the Lavender surname, ranking it #2,314 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,183, ranked #2,134, up from #2,314 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dudley, London parishes and Warbleton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Flintshire, Huntingdonshire and Amber Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lavender is 3,401 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 69.0%.

1881 census count

1,883

Ranked #2,314

Modern count

3,183

2016, ranked #2,134

Peak year

1998

3,401 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lavender had 1,883 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,314 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,183 in 2016, ranked #2,134.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,834 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lavender surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lavender surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lavender 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 1,192 #2,385
1861 historical 1,195 #2,375
1881 historical 1,883 #2,314
1891 historical 2,117 #2,201
1901 historical 2,480 #2,202
1911 historical 2,834 #1,840
1997 modern 3,294 #1,956
1998 modern 3,401 #1,967
1999 modern 3,400 #1,991
2000 modern 3,289 #2,049
2001 modern 3,275 #2,011
2002 modern 3,291 #2,049
2003 modern 3,216 #2,042
2004 modern 3,254 #2,025
2005 modern 3,153 #2,052
2006 modern 3,099 #2,085
2007 modern 3,121 #2,094
2008 modern 3,138 #2,101
2009 modern 3,221 #2,103
2010 modern 3,280 #2,114
2011 modern 3,182 #2,143
2012 modern 3,173 #2,123
2013 modern 3,240 #2,116
2014 modern 3,254 #2,124
2015 modern 3,226 #2,122
2016 modern 3,183 #2,134

Geography

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Where Lavenders are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dudley, London parishes, Warbleton, Portsmouth, Portsea and Ruislip. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Flintshire, Huntingdonshire, Amber Valley, Cheshire West and Chester and Barnsley. 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 Dudley Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Warbleton Sussex
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Ruislip Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Flintshire 015 Flintshire
2 Huntingdonshire 003 Huntingdonshire
3 Amber Valley 008 Amber Valley
4 Cheshire West and Chester 044 Cheshire West and Chester
5 Barnsley 002 Barnsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lavender

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lavender

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Lavender is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lavender is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lavender falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lavender

The surname Lavender is a locational name derived from the Old French word "lavandier," which means "a lavender seller" or "a worker who cultivated lavender." The name is believed to have originated in France during the Middle Ages.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Lavender can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of France, particularly in the southern areas where lavender was widely cultivated for its fragrant oil and medicinal properties. It is likely that the name was initially given as a descriptive term to individuals who were involved in the lavender trade or cultivation.

In England, the name Lavender appears in historical records as early as the 16th century, indicating that French settlers or immigrants brought the surname to the country. One notable example is John Lavender, a merchant who lived in London in the late 16th century and is mentioned in several commercial documents of the time.

During the 17th century, the name Lavender became more widespread in England. One prominent figure was Sir Thomas Lavender (1617-1686), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for the county of Hampshire. He was also a staunch Royalist during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, the Lavender family established themselves as prominent landowners and gentry in various parts of England. William Lavender (1745-1823), a wealthy landowner from Worcestershire, is recorded as having donated substantial funds for the construction of a church in his local community.

Another notable individual with the surname Lavender was Robert Lavender (1798-1873), a British architect and engineer who designed several notable buildings in London, including the original premises of the Athenaeum Club on Pall Mall.

As the name Lavender spread across different regions and countries, it experienced various spelling variations, such as Lavendar, Lavandier, and Lavender. These variations often reflected local dialects or linguistic adaptations.

While the surname Lavender is relatively uncommon compared to some other English surnames, it has a rich historical background rooted in the trade and cultivation of the fragrant lavender plant, which was highly valued for its aromatic properties and uses in perfumes, medicines, and household products.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lavender families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lavender 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 336 Lavenders recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.83x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 336 1.83x
Staffordshire 193 3.11x
Sussex 163 5.26x
Worcestershire 153 6.37x
Surrey 135 1.51x
Kent 115 1.83x
Yorkshire 92 0.50x
Lancashire 79 0.36x
Cambridgeshire 66 5.67x
Norfolk 60 2.12x
Durham 51 0.93x
Huntingdonshire 51 13.97x
Monmouthshire 40 3.01x
Essex 38 1.05x
Derbyshire 30 1.04x
Warwickshire 29 0.63x
Hampshire 25 0.66x
Shropshire 25 1.57x
Somerset 23 0.78x
Bedfordshire 22 2.31x
Glamorgan 18 0.56x
Gloucestershire 18 0.50x
Cheshire 16 0.39x
Hertfordshire 14 1.10x
Devon 13 0.34x
Lincolnshire 12 0.41x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.40x
Northumberland 9 0.33x
Herefordshire 8 1.06x
Dorset 7 0.58x
Lanarkshire 7 0.12x
Northamptonshire 6 0.35x
Berkshire 4 0.29x
Denbighshire 3 0.43x
Royal Navy 3 1.37x
Leicestershire 2 0.10x
Merionethshire 2 0.59x
Renfrewshire 2 0.14x
Wiltshire 2 0.12x
Cumberland 1 0.06x
Midlothian 1 0.04x
Suffolk 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ruislip in Middlesex leads with 92 Lavenders recorded in 1881 and an index of 1005.46x.

Place Total Index
Ruislip 92 1005.46x
Dudley 45 15.42x
Warbleton 44 476.19x
Kingston On Thames 43 19.98x
Walsall Foreign 39 12.16x
Islington London 33 1.85x
Lye 29 72.57x
West Bromwich 28 7.88x
Chatteris 27 90.85x
Stourbridge 26 42.08x
Lambeth 24 1.50x
Bishopwearmouth 23 4.90x
Portsea 23 3.11x
Bethnal Green London 22 2.75x
Bilston 22 18.29x
Wadhurst 22 108.06x
Aston 21 1.64x
Sedgley 20 8.68x
Wollescote 20 103.41x
St Pancras London 18 1.22x
Welney 18 278.64x
Bermondsey 15 2.74x
Bromley London 15 3.71x
Chesterfield 15 13.90x
Dawley 15 25.95x
Gateshead 15 3.66x
Ramsey 15 51.32x
Salehurst 14 104.24x
Broughton In Salford 13 6.52x
Deptford St Paul 13 2.69x
Middlesbrough 13 5.48x
Tiverton 13 19.72x
Battersea 12 1.77x
Clapham 12 5.22x
Clerkenwell London 12 2.76x
Cranbrook 12 45.16x
Tonbridge 12 5.30x
West Ham 11 1.37x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 10 19.69x
Hastings St Leonards 10 21.94x
Hemingford Abbots 10 408.16x
Milton In Gravesend 10 10.63x
Wednesfield 10 10.95x
Wortley In Wortley 10 139.66x
Canterbury St Mary 9 21.38x
Hawkhurst 9 46.15x
Isleworth 9 11.01x
Kingswinford 9 3.99x
Liverpool 9 0.68x
Nottingham St Mary 9 1.40x
Ramsgate 9 8.79x
Rowley Regis 9 5.20x
Stoke Upon Trent 9 1.37x
Tanfield 9 13.84x
Chester St Mary On Hill 8 22.98x
Chiddingly 8 143.37x
Clitheroe 8 12.46x
Croydon 8 1.61x
Hastings St Michael 8 361.99x
Ickenham 8 318.73x
Linthorpe 8 7.36x
Lower Machen 8 122.32x
Sheffield 8 1.38x
St Marylebone London 8 0.81x
Wednesbury 8 5.16x
Wereham 8 206.72x
Wolverhampton 8 1.68x
Camberwell 7 0.60x
Gainsborough 7 10.10x
Great Bolton 7 2.42x
Mynyddyslwyn 7 13.35x
Shoreditch London 7 0.88x
St Andrewthe Less 7 5.26x
St Peter Cambridge 7 178.57x
Upperswinford 7 34.45x
West Dean 7 11.95x
Westbury On Severn East 7 8.59x
Blackburn 6 1.03x
Hagley 6 77.22x
St George In East London 6 3.47x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 127
John 98
James 79
Thomas 61
George 60
Charles 57
Henry 48
Joseph 41
Arthur 26
Edward 25
Alfred 23
Harry 18
Frederick 17
Walter 17
David 13
Robert 13
Albert 12
Herbert 12
Richard 10
Samuel 10
Edwin 6
Elijah 6
Thos. 5
Absalom 4
Enock 4
Geo. 4
Jason 4
Daniel 3
Emanuel 3
Frank 3
Fred 3
Jesse 3
Stephen 3
Adam 2
Alexander 2
Amos 2
Andrew 2
Earnest 2
Ebenezer 2
Elisha 2
Levi 2
Mark 2
Michael 2
Owen 2
Peter 2
Richd. 2
Robt. 2
Roger 2
Simeon 2
Tom 2

FAQ

Lavender surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lavender surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,883 people were recorded with the Lavender surname. That placed it at #2,314 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lavender surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,183 in 2016. That gives Lavender a modern rank of #2,134.

What does the Lavender surname mean?

An English occupational surname for a person who grew or sold lavender flowers, or lived near a lavender field.

What does the Lavender map show?

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