NameCensus.

UK surname

Mole

A surname derived from the mole animal or its burrow.

In the 1881 census there were 2,326 people recorded with the Mole surname, ranking it #1,910 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,912, ranked #2,317, down from #1,910 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Rowley Regis and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Colchester, Northumberland and Sandwell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mole is 3,309 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.2%.

1881 census count

2,326

Ranked #1,910

Modern count

2,912

2016, ranked #2,317

Peak year

1911

3,309 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mole had 2,326 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,910 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,912 in 2016, ranked #2,317.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,309 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Mole surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mole surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Mole 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 1,619 #1,777
1861 historical 1,600 #1,779
1881 historical 2,326 #1,910
1891 historical 2,642 #1,804
1901 historical 2,957 #1,893
1911 historical 3,309 #1,579
1997 modern 3,129 #2,050
1998 modern 3,179 #2,111
1999 modern 3,247 #2,081
2000 modern 3,177 #2,116
2001 modern 3,122 #2,107
2002 modern 3,139 #2,143
2003 modern 3,021 #2,172
2004 modern 3,009 #2,176
2005 modern 2,938 #2,205
2006 modern 2,947 #2,198
2007 modern 2,966 #2,201
2008 modern 2,963 #2,220
2009 modern 2,985 #2,259
2010 modern 3,088 #2,231
2011 modern 3,049 #2,230
2012 modern 2,934 #2,284
2013 modern 2,943 #2,311
2014 modern 2,993 #2,294
2015 modern 2,943 #2,302
2016 modern 2,912 #2,317

Geography

Back to top

Where Moles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Rowley Regis, London parishes and Gateshead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Colchester, Northumberland and Sandwell. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Colchester 021 Colchester
2 Northumberland 006 Northumberland
3 Northumberland 020 Northumberland
4 Sandwell 035 Sandwell
5 Northumberland 003 Northumberland

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Mole

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Mole

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Mole 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

Mole 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

Mole falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mole

The surname Mole originated in England, where it first appeared in records during the late 12th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English word "mol," which means a small burrowing animal, or a mole. It may have been used as a nickname for someone with a dark complexion or a mole on their skin.

Early records of the name Mole can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners in England and parts of Wales commissioned by William the Conqueror. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is that of Robert le Mole, who is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1191.

The name Mole was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Devon in the southwest of England. Variations of the spelling included Molle, Moull, and Moul. Some early bearers of the name were associated with places like Mole's Green in Hertfordshire and Mole Valley in Surrey.

Notable individuals with the surname Mole include Sir Thomas Mole (1598-1672), an English politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1655. John Mole (1743-1805) was a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Surgeons' Hall.

Another prominent figure was Robert Mole (1590-1662), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the English Civil War. He was a supporter of the Parliamentarian cause and played a role in the trial and execution of King Charles I.

In the 19th century, Sir Frederic Mole (1859-1934) was a British diplomat and civil servant who served as the Governor of the territories of British Somaliland and British Honduras (now Belize). He was also involved in the negotiations leading to the formation of the League of Nations after World War I.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in the United States was that of John Mole, who arrived in Virginia in 1635. Over time, the surname Mole became more widely distributed across various regions of the country, with concentrations in areas like New England and the Midwest.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Mole families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mole 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. Northumberland leads with 356 Moles recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.55x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 356 10.55x
Middlesex 234 1.03x
Worcestershire 226 7.63x
Staffordshire 188 2.46x
Durham 167 2.48x
Warwickshire 144 2.52x
Hertfordshire 113 7.23x
Essex 105 2.35x
Devon 86 1.82x
Surrey 86 0.78x
Cambridgeshire 73 5.08x
Lancashire 68 0.25x
Kent 56 0.72x
Bedfordshire 51 4.34x
Yorkshire 49 0.22x
Oxfordshire 48 3.43x
Suffolk 43 1.56x
Buckinghamshire 41 2.99x
Norfolk 34 0.98x
Somerset 25 0.69x
Herefordshire 18 1.94x
Gloucestershire 17 0.38x
Hampshire 13 0.28x
Cumberland 11 0.56x
Shropshire 11 0.56x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.29x
Lincolnshire 8 0.22x
Northamptonshire 7 0.33x
Renfrewshire 5 0.28x
Sussex 5 0.13x
Wiltshire 5 0.25x
Cornwall 4 0.16x
Huntingdonshire 4 0.89x
Derbyshire 3 0.08x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.22x
Lanarkshire 2 0.03x
Royal Navy 2 0.74x
Cheshire 1 0.02x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.30x
Monmouthshire 1 0.06x
Radnorshire 1 0.55x
Roxburghshire 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. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 67 Moles recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.26x.

Place Total Index
Aston 67 4.26x
Rowley Regis 54 25.32x
Kings Norton 52 19.59x
Hackney London 47 3.70x
West Bromwich 44 10.04x
Birmingham 42 2.20x
Bromsgrove 38 38.14x
Westgate 28 13.40x
Bedlington 27 23.97x
Elswick 27 10.03x
West Mersea 23 268.07x
St Pancras London 21 1.15x
Kingswinford 20 7.20x
West Ham 20 2.02x
Coxlodge 19 74.07x
Newton Abbot St Nicholas 19 196.69x
Carlton 18 489.13x
Longbenton 18 12.60x
Ribbesford 18 73.05x
Chester Le Street 17 32.82x
Deptford St Paul 16 2.68x
Islington London 16 0.73x
Walsall Foreign 16 4.05x
Kyloe 15 192.80x
Stockton On Tees 15 4.61x
The Hill 15 78.91x
Gateshead 14 2.77x
Keighley 14 5.85x
Kingstone 14 406.98x
Ludgershall 14 428.13x
Mortlake 14 28.44x
Bethnal Green London 13 1.32x
North Sunderland 13 168.18x
St Luke London 13 3.58x
Brill 12 119.40x
Hulme 12 2.14x
Normanby In 12 19.98x
Rock 12 101.44x
St Andrewthe Less 12 7.31x
Standon 12 74.63x
Byker 11 6.60x
Croxton 11 460.25x
Kelshall 11 569.95x
Liverpool 11 0.67x
Mamble 11 614.53x
Monk Hesleden 11 58.51x
Oxford St Thomas 11 16.84x
Scole Cum Frenze 11 216.96x
Aspenden 10 207.04x
Brampton 10 37.37x
Broadway 10 284.09x
Exning 10 71.74x
Ford 10 81.10x
Kingsbridge 10 84.25x
Richmond 10 6.46x
Shifnal 10 18.81x
Tottenham 10 2.77x
Wolverhampton 10 1.70x
Acton 9 6.77x
Alnwick 9 15.52x
Ardeley 9 234.38x
Braughing 9 112.64x
Camberwell 9 0.62x
Croydon 9 1.47x
Edgbaston 9 5.08x
Hammersmith London 9 1.61x
Hucknall Torkard 9 11.61x
Layston 9 108.17x
Leatherhead 9 32.53x
Longframlington 9 277.78x
St Marylebone London 9 0.74x
Wallsend 9 8.41x
Wanstead 9 11.48x
Ardwick 8 3.30x
Kingston 8 360.36x
Minster In Sheppey 8 6.24x
North Molton 8 86.96x
South Lynn 8 20.34x
Sudbury St Peter 8 52.88x
Witton Le Wear 8 41.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 158
Elizabeth 92
Sarah 61
Jane 51
Ellen 44
Ann 43
Eliza 34
Emily 33
Emma 33
Hannah 29
Margaret 27
Annie 25
Harriet 20
Alice 19
Caroline 19
Isabella 18
Florence 15
Martha 15
Frances 14
Ada 12
Fanny 12
Clara 11
Edith 11
Kate 11
Eleanor 10
Louisa 10
Sophia 9
Charlotte 8
Selina 8
Anne 7
Catherine 7
Susan 7
Susannah 7
Agnes 6
Amelia 6
Amy 6
Gertrude 6
Lucy 6
Phoebe 6
Elizth. 5
Esther 5
Jessie 5
Maria 5
Rachel 5
Ethel 4
Lydia 4
Minnie 4
Nellie 4
Rose 4
Anna 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 150
William 134
George 84
James 81
Thomas 68
Henry 54
Joseph 49
Charles 46
Alfred 31
Arthur 29
Edward 27
Robert 27
Walter 24
Albert 19
Richard 17
Samuel 16
David 15
Frederick 15
Ernest 14
Harry 13
Alexander 10
Herbert 10
Edwin 9
Frank 9
Fred 6
Stephen 6
Thos. 6
Wm. 6
Anthony 5
Daniel 5
Francis 5
Fredrick 5
Harold 4
Isaac 4
Mark 4
Jesse 3
Joshua 3
Lewis 3
Matthew 3
Percy 3
Seth 3
Sidney 3
Chas. 2
Clement 2
Fredk. 2
Leonard 2
Louis 2
Miles 2
Morris 2
Nathaniel 2

FAQ

Mole surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mole surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,326 people were recorded with the Mole surname. That placed it at #1,910 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mole surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,912 in 2016. That gives Mole a modern rank of #2,317.

What does the Mole surname mean?

A surname derived from the mole animal or its burrow.

What does the Mole map show?

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