NameCensus.

UK surname

Nile

A surname referring to someone who lived near the river Nile.

In the 1881 census there were 143 people recorded with the Nile surname, ranking it #15,955 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 212, ranked #18,843, down from #15,955 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Illogan, St Agnes and St Michael Penkevil. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall and Knowsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nile is 232 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 48.3%.

1881 census count

143

Ranked #15,955

Modern count

212

2016, ranked #18,843

Peak year

2002

232 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nile had 143 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,955 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 212 in 2016, ranked #18,843.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 197 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Nile surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nile surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nile 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 82 #19,317
1861 historical 105 #20,298
1881 historical 143 #15,955
1891 historical 165 #17,143
1901 historical 178 #16,284
1911 historical 197 #15,101
1997 modern 220 #16,607
1998 modern 224 #16,888
1999 modern 222 #17,080
2000 modern 219 #17,195
2001 modern 215 #17,159
2002 modern 232 #16,637
2003 modern 203 #17,967
2004 modern 205 #17,935
2005 modern 192 #18,640
2006 modern 195 #18,564
2007 modern 201 #18,428
2008 modern 207 #18,243
2009 modern 210 #18,426
2010 modern 212 #18,726
2011 modern 209 #18,730
2012 modern 195 #19,540
2013 modern 202 #19,389
2014 modern 205 #19,375
2015 modern 203 #19,381
2016 modern 212 #18,843

Geography

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Where Niles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Illogan, St Agnes, St Michael Penkevil, St Austell and Camborne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall and Knowsley. 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 Illogan Cornwall
2 St Agnes Cornwall
3 St Michael Penkevil Cornwall
4 St Austell Cornwall
5 Camborne Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 036 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 039 Cornwall
3 Knowsley 015 Knowsley
4 Cornwall 038 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 035 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nile

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nile

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Nile 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

Nile is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Nile 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 Nile is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Nile, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Nile

The surname Nile originated in England, deriving from the River Nile in Egypt. It first emerged in the 12th century as a locational name given to people who lived near a river or stream known as the Nile. The name may have also been assigned as a surname to someone who had traveled to or resided near the River Nile in Egypt.

One of the earliest known records of the surname Nile is found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it appears as Richard de Nile. This suggests that the name was in use by the late 13th century in England. Other early spellings of the name include Nyle, Nylle, and Nyll.

In the 14th century, the surname is documented in various records, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a Johannes del Nyll is mentioned in 1317. The Nile surname is also found in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379, indicating its continued use in the region.

One notable historical figure with the surname Nile was Sir Nicholas Nile (c.1562-1615), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Bridport in Dorset. He served as Sheriff of Somerset and was knighted in 1603 by King James I.

Another prominent individual was Edward Nile (1630-1687), an English soldier and colonial administrator who served as Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony from 1684 to 1686. He played a significant role in the consolidation of English control over the colony.

In the 18th century, John Nile (1734-1801) was a British clergyman and author who served as the rector of Brington, Northamptonshire. He published several works, including "A Topographical and Historical Description of the Parish of Tettenhall" in 1791.

Richard Nile (1788-1861) was a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. He participated in several notable battles, including the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

In the 19th century, Walter Nile (1840-1917) was a Canadian businessman and politician who served as the 10th Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick from 1904 to 1909. He played a significant role in the development of the lumber industry in the province.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nile families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nile 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. Cornwall leads with 56 Niles recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.98x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 56 34.98x
Devon 40 13.59x
Middlesex 21 1.48x
Lancashire 14 0.83x
Yorkshire 3 0.21x
Glamorgan 2 0.81x
Gloucestershire 2 0.72x
Hertfordshire 1 1.03x
Kent 1 0.21x
Northumberland 1 0.48x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.52x
Royal Navy 1 5.93x
Somerset 1 0.44x
Surrey 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Plymouth Charles The in Devon leads with 20 Niles recorded in 1881 and an index of 154.20x.

Place Total Index
Plymouth Charles The 20 154.20x
Illogan 17 400.94x
Plymouth St Andrew 11 48.50x
St Agnes 10 446.43x
Camborne 9 136.36x
St Austell 7 127.97x
St Michael Penkievel 7 10000.00x
Oswaldtwistle 6 101.18x
Shoreditch London 6 9.79x
Bethnal Green London 5 8.14x
Church 5 210.97x
Honeychurch 5 16666.67x
Paddington London 5 9.62x
Truro St Mary 3 222.22x
Wyke In Bradford 3 119.52x
Bristol St James St Paul 2 21.62x
Cardiff St Mary 2 14.75x
Milton Abbott 2 465.12x
Toxteth Park 2 3.52x
Alnwick 1 27.62x
Bathwick 1 39.68x
Davidstow 1 500.00x
Folkestone 1 10.68x
Gwennap 1 33.11x
Hemel Hempstead 1 22.78x
Islington London 1 0.73x
Liverpool 1 0.98x
Nottingham St Mary 1 2.03x
Poplar London 1 3.75x
Putney 1 15.50x
Redruth 1 22.08x
Royal Navy 1 6.94x
South Mimms 1 51.55x
St Marylebone London 1 1.32x
St Pancras London 1 0.88x
Tavistock 1 29.85x
Winkleigh 1 169.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Maria 5
Alice 4
Ellen 4
Ann 3
Emma 3
Sarah 3
Ada 2
Bessie 2
Elizabeth 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Harriet 2
Rebecca 2
A. 1
A.E. 1
Amy 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Beth 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Edna 1
Eliza 1
Ella 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Harrett 1
Harriett 1
Heneritta 1
Jemima 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Mable 1
Margaret 1
Margret 1
Marina 1
Mildred 1
R. 1
Rachel 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
John 9
Richard 6
Henry 5
Charles 4
Frederick 4
James 4
Samuel 3
Andrew 2
Joseph 2
Stephen 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Douglas 1
Earnest 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Fredrick 1
George 1
Herbert 1
Nicholas 1
Philip 1
R.W.W. 1
Richd.P. 1
Robert 1
Thom 1
W. 1

FAQ

Nile surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nile surname in 1881?

In 1881, 143 people were recorded with the Nile surname. That placed it at #15,955 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nile surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 212 in 2016. That gives Nile a modern rank of #18,843.

What does the Nile surname mean?

A surname referring to someone who lived near the river Nile.

What does the Nile map show?

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