NameCensus.

UK surname

Liverpool

Toponymic surname derived from the English city of Liverpool.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ipswich, Greenwich and Hammersmith and Fulham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Liverpool is 129 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

123

2016, ranked #27,115

Peak year

2011

129 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016, ranked #27,115.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Liverpool surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Liverpool surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Liverpool 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 4 #32,658
1861 historical 6 #33,230
1891 historical 9 #33,451
1901 historical 2 #34,263
1911 historical 7 #33,083
1997 modern 103 #26,498
1998 modern 105 #26,822
1999 modern 104 #27,164
2000 modern 107 #26,700
2001 modern 105 #26,620
2002 modern 113 #26,024
2003 modern 111 #26,091
2004 modern 123 #24,679
2005 modern 124 #24,529
2006 modern 114 #26,120
2007 modern 119 #25,747
2008 modern 117 #26,351
2009 modern 124 #25,957
2010 modern 128 #26,036
2011 modern 129 #25,673
2012 modern 120 #26,961
2013 modern 119 #27,541
2014 modern 119 #27,813
2015 modern 119 #27,684
2016 modern 123 #27,115

Geography

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Where Liverpools 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 Ipswich, Greenwich, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey and Waltham Forest. 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 Ipswich 006 Ipswich
2 Greenwich 035 Greenwich
3 Hammersmith and Fulham 017 Hammersmith and Fulham
4 Haringey 026 Haringey
5 Waltham Forest 027 Waltham Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Liverpool

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Liverpool

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Liverpool surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Liverpool 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Liverpool 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

Liverpool is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Liverpool falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Liverpool

The surname Liverpool is an English locational surname derived from the city of Liverpool in Merseyside, England. It is likely that the earliest bearers of this surname originated from or resided near the city of Liverpool itself.

The name Liverpool comes from the Old English words "lifer" meaning thick or muddy, and "pol" meaning a pool or creek. The city's name essentially means "muddy pool", referring to the nearby marshy pool that formed where the River Mersey meets the sea.

There are records of the name Liverpool appearing as early as the 12th century in various manuscripts and charters from the region. One notable example is a charter granted by King John in 1207, which refers to the town as "Litherpoole".

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Liverpool was Richard de Liverpool, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire in 1246. Another early bearer of the name was William de Liverpool, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1277.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname Liverpool began to appear more frequently in records from the North West of England, particularly in Lancashire and Cheshire. This suggests that the surname may have originated in or around the Liverpool area during this time period.

A notable historical figure with the surname Liverpool was Sir Thomas Liverpool (1555-1625), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1618. He was born in Liverpool and his family had been prominent in the city for generations.

Another individual of note was Edward Liverpool (1673-1728), a British naval officer and colonial administrator who served as Governor of the Colony of Connecticut from 1725 to 1728.

In the 18th century, the surname Liverpool continued to be associated with the city and its maritime traditions. John Liverpool (1720-1791) was a successful ship owner and merchant based in Liverpool, while William Liverpool (1756-1838) was a prominent naval officer who rose to the rank of Admiral in the Royal Navy.

Throughout history, the surname Liverpool has been closely tied to its place of origin, the city of Liverpool in England. While the name has spread around the world, its roots can be traced back to the area's early inhabitants and the unique geographic features that gave the city its name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Liverpool families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Liverpool 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. Royal Navy leads with 1 Liverpools recorded in 1881 and an index of 909.09x.

County Total Index
Royal Navy 1 909.09x

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 Liverpools recorded in 1881 and an index of 1000.00x.

Place Total Index
Royal Navy 1 1000.00x

Top male names

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

Name Count
Tom 1

FAQ

Liverpool surname: questions and answers

How common is the Liverpool surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016. That gives Liverpool a modern rank of #27,115.

What does the Liverpool surname mean?

Toponymic surname derived from the English city of Liverpool.

What does the Liverpool map show?

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