NameCensus.

UK surname

Nelmes

A locational surname from a place named Nelmes in England.

In the 1881 census there were 672 people recorded with the Nelmes surname, ranking it #5,371 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,091, ranked #5,366, up from #5,371 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean and East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forest of Dean, Stroud and South Gloucestershire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nelmes is 1,171 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.4%.

1881 census count

672

Ranked #5,371

Modern count

1,091

2016, ranked #5,366

Peak year

1999

1,171 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nelmes had 672 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,371 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,091 in 2016, ranked #5,366.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 924 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Nelmes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nelmes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nelmes 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 339 #6,922
1861 historical 284 #8,845
1881 historical 672 #5,371
1891 historical 671 #5,809
1901 historical 877 #5,235
1911 historical 924 #4,849
1997 modern 1,140 #4,921
1998 modern 1,169 #4,988
1999 modern 1,171 #5,031
2000 modern 1,160 #5,048
2001 modern 1,134 #5,049
2002 modern 1,122 #5,208
2003 modern 1,089 #5,222
2004 modern 1,098 #5,192
2005 modern 1,055 #5,312
2006 modern 1,045 #5,377
2007 modern 1,084 #5,240
2008 modern 1,080 #5,295
2009 modern 1,081 #5,397
2010 modern 1,085 #5,502
2011 modern 1,093 #5,407
2012 modern 1,051 #5,489
2013 modern 1,086 #5,432
2014 modern 1,100 #5,397
2015 modern 1,087 #5,396
2016 modern 1,091 #5,366

Geography

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Where Nelmes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean, East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H, Berkeley and Bedwelty. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Forest of Dean, Stroud and South Gloucestershire. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean Monmouthshire
3 East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H Gloucestershire
4 Berkeley Gloucestershire
5 Bedwelty Monmouthshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forest of Dean 009 Forest of Dean
2 Forest of Dean 008 Forest of Dean
3 Forest of Dean 004 Forest of Dean
4 Stroud 015 Stroud
5 South Gloucestershire 001 South Gloucestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nelmes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nelmes

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Nelmes is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Nelmes is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Nelmes falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Nelmes

The surname Nelmes is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name referring to a settlement near a lake or pool of water. The earliest recorded spelling of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1279, where it appears as "Richard de Nelmenissh".

The name is likely derived from the Old English words "nelle" or "nele", meaning "pool" or "stream", and the suffix "-ness", indicating a headland or promontory. This suggests that the surname may have originated from a place name like "Nelm's Pool" or "Nelm's Stream", referring to a body of water associated with an individual named Nelm or a similar name.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are several entries that may relate to the origins of the Nelmes surname, such as "Nelmenistre" in Hertfordshire and "Nelmestune" in Worcestershire. These place names could have been the original locations from which the surname emerged.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Nelmes was John Nelmes, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327. Another early bearer of the name was William Nelmes, who was listed in the Feet of Fines for Warwickshire in 1430.

Notable individuals with the surname Nelmes throughout history include:

1. Richard Nelmes (c. 1530-1601), an English composer and organist who served at the Chapel Royal during the reign of Elizabeth I. 2. Thomas Nelmes (1675-1743), an English lawyer and landowner who served as a member of parliament for Berkshire in the early 18th century. 3. Mary Nelmes (1762-1835), a British author and poet known for her works on botany and natural history. 4. John Nelmes (1801-1878), a British engineer and inventor who patented several improvements to steam engines and agricultural machinery. 5. Henrietta Nelmes (1845-1923), a British philanthropist and social reformer who founded several charities and organizations dedicated to improving the lives of working-class women and children.

While the Nelmes surname is relatively uncommon, it has a long and interesting history, with roots stretching back to medieval England and a possible connection to place names referencing bodies of water.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nelmes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nelmes 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. Gloucestershire leads with 455 Nelmes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.55x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 455 35.55x
Monmouthshire 48 10.17x
Glamorgan 28 2.46x
Middlesex 28 0.43x
Herefordshire 23 8.60x
Somerset 14 1.33x
Yorkshire 14 0.22x
Hertfordshire 13 2.89x
Staffordshire 9 0.41x
Buckinghamshire 7 1.77x
Renfrewshire 7 1.38x
Shropshire 5 0.89x
Lancashire 4 0.05x
Surrey 4 0.13x
Essex 3 0.23x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.23x
Oxfordshire 2 0.50x
Denbighshire 1 0.41x
Sussex 1 0.09x
Warwickshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Westbury On Severn East in Gloucestershire leads with 48 Nelmes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 165.92x.

Place Total Index
Westbury On Severn East 48 165.92x
Thornbury 46 525.71x
West Dean 45 216.45x
Berkeley 29 407.30x
Berkeley Hamfallow 28 1206.90x
Newland 28 260.22x
Clifton 17 26.28x
Maisemore 15 1363.64x
Bristol St Paul In 13 38.12x
Longhope 12 553.00x
Lydney 12 181.54x
Ruardean 12 415.22x
Hill 11 2391.30x
Little Dean 11 597.83x
Panteg 11 148.05x
Cam 10 254.45x
Cheltenham 10 10.13x
Cheshunt 10 63.61x
Flaxley 10 348.43x
Hereford All Sts 10 81.57x
Arlingham 9 642.86x
Marske In Guisbrough 9 78.40x
Whitchurch 9 146.34x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 8 6.64x
Edmonton 8 15.21x
Llanover 8 49.66x
Cathcart 7 25.58x
Coaley 7 424.24x
Kington 7 105.58x
Llangeinor 7 104.63x
Awre 6 227.27x
Bristol St James St Paul 6 14.06x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 6 25.62x
Horfield 6 46.58x
Newnham 6 182.37x
Cardiff St John 5 13.47x
Finchley 5 19.98x
Llanwenarth Citra 5 833.33x
Monmouth 5 39.97x
Shrewsbury St Julian 5 35.84x
Bathford 4 185.19x
Clerkenwell London 4 2.60x
Fazeley 4 99.75x
Gloucester St Catherine 4 110.80x
Mangotsfield 4 31.35x
Peterstow 4 487.80x
Stoke Under Hambdon 4 115.94x
West Wycombe 4 74.77x
Bedminster 3 3.04x
Bristol St George 3 5.07x
Coedfrank 3 38.12x
Dursley 3 57.03x
Essendon 3 220.59x
Gloucester St Mary Crypt 3 153.06x
Gomersal 3 9.94x
Llanwonno 3 7.35x
Penrose 3 441.18x
St Pancras London 3 0.57x
Stoke Upon Trent 3 1.28x
Trevethin 3 6.73x
Upton Cum Chalvey 3 19.08x
West Ham 3 1.05x
Westbury On Severn 3 59.17x
Aberystruth 2 4.81x
Chipping Norton 2 21.46x
Limehouse London 2 2.79x
Linton In Newent 2 96.62x
Mynyddyslwyn 2 10.75x
Radford 2 4.48x
Raglan 2 124.22x
Shire Newton 2 117.65x
South Hamlet 2 25.25x
St George Hanover 2 2.35x
St Woollos 2 3.80x
Whittington 2 400.00x
Wimbledon 2 5.60x
Caldicot 1 31.95x
Henbury 1 16.00x
Rockfield 1 196.08x
Wolverhampton 1 0.59x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 54
Elizabeth 25
Sarah 24
Eliza 20
Ann 13
Annie 13
Emma 10
Emily 8
Charlotte 7
Edith 7
Ellen 7
Fanny 7
Hannah 7
Jane 7
Alice 6
Caroline 6
Margaret 5
Maria 5
Martha 5
Ada 4
Anne 4
Harriet 4
Kate 4
Rosa 4
Bertha 3
Catherine 3
Florence 3
Harriett 3
Louisa 3
Rose 3
Agnes 2
Beatrice 2
Clara 2
Dinah 2
Esther 2
Ethel 2
Gertrude 2
Helen 2
Lucy 2
Minnie 2
Miriam 2
Perthenia 2
Susan 2
Adelaid 1
Amelia 1
Annis 1
Augusta 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Hellen 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 43
Thomas 35
George 33
John 23
James 17
Charles 15
Henry 15
Edwin 10
Alfred 9
Albert 6
Frederick 6
Joseph 6
Richard 6
Arthur 5
Benjamin 5
Reuben 5
Robert 4
Walter 4
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Samuel 3
Wm. 3
Daniel 2
Edmund 2
Edward 2
Fredrick 2
Harry 2
Hubert 2
Isaac 2
Jacob 2
Philip 2
Timothy 2
Bertie 1
David 1
Eward 1
Frances 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Geo.H. 1
Graham 1
Guy 1
Job 1
Joe 1
Josiah 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Oliver 1
Peter 1
Rich'd 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Nelmes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nelmes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 672 people were recorded with the Nelmes surname. That placed it at #5,371 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nelmes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,091 in 2016. That gives Nelmes a modern rank of #5,366.

What does the Nelmes surname mean?

A locational surname from a place named Nelmes in England.

What does the Nelmes map show?

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