UK surname
A habitational surname indicating one who lived near a nunnery or convent.
In the 1881 census there were 96 people recorded with the Nun surname, ranking it #20,248 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 27, ranked #36,189, down from #20,248 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Greenwich, Clopton and St James Westminster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nun is 161 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 71.9%.
1881 census count
96
Ranked #20,248
Modern count
27
2016, ranked #36,189
Peak year
1851
161 bearers
Map years
1
1851 to 1851
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Nun surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Nun surname density by area, 1851 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 161 | #12,288 |
| 1881 | historical | 96 | #20,248 |
| 1901 | historical | 46 | #29,047 |
| 1997 | modern | 6 | #37,704 |
| 1998 | modern | 7 | #37,533 |
| 1999 | modern | 3 | #38,318 |
| 2000 | modern | 3 | #38,248 |
| 2001 | modern | 4 | #37,862 |
| 2002 | modern | 5 | #37,723 |
| 2003 | modern | 4 | #37,951 |
| 2004 | modern | 3 | #38,241 |
| 2005 | modern | 3 | #38,312 |
| 2006 | modern | 5 | #37,956 |
| 2007 | modern | 4 | #38,169 |
| 2008 | modern | 6 | #37,883 |
| 2009 | modern | 9 | #37,573 |
| 2010 | modern | 13 | #37,215 |
| 2011 | modern | 12 | #37,287 |
| 2012 | modern | 18 | #36,723 |
| 2013 | modern | 20 | #36,614 |
| 2014 | modern | 22 | #36,496 |
| 2015 | modern | 23 | #36,424 |
| 2016 | modern | 27 | #36,189 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Greenwich, Clopton, St James Westminster, Lambeth and Kedington, Sturmer. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greenwich | London (South Districts) |
| 2 | Clopton | Suffolk |
| 3 | St James Westminster | London (West Districts) |
| 4 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| 5 | Kedington, Sturmer | Suffolk |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Nun surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Nun, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Nun surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Nun household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Nun is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Nun is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Nun, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Nun originated in England, and it is believed to have derived from the Old English word "nunn," which means "a nun" or a woman who has taken religious vows. The earliest records of this surname date back to the late 12th century and early 13th century.
One of the earliest known references to the surname Nun can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from 1199, where a person named William Nun is mentioned. The name also appears in the Curia Regis Rolls of Worcestershire from 1207, where a Richard Nun is listed.
In the 13th century, the surname Nun was particularly prevalent in the counties of Staffordshire, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire, suggesting that it may have originated in the West Midlands region of England. The name was also found in other parts of the country, such as Yorkshire and Norfolk.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Nun was Walter Nun, who was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, in the late 13th century. Another notable person was John Nun, a landowner from Staffordshire who lived in the early 14th century.
In the 15th century, the Nun surname appeared in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence from a wealthy Norfolk family. One of the letters, dated 1472, mentions a person named Thomas Nun.
One of the most famous individuals with the surname Nun was Sir Thomas Nun (c. 1520 – 1597), a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament from London during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was a prominent figure in the City of London and served as an Alderman and Sheriff.
Another notable person was William Nun (c. 1550 – 1626), a clergyman and academic who served as the Warden of Winchester College in Hampshire during the early 17th century.
The Nun surname has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Nunbrook in Worcestershire and Nunney in Somerset, both of which may have derived from the Old English word "nunn" or similar variations.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nun surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Suffolk leads with 16 Nuns recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.33x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Suffolk | 16 | 14.33x |
| Surrey | 14 | 3.13x |
| Yorkshire | 11 | 1.21x |
| Lancashire | 10 | 0.92x |
| Middlesex | 10 | 1.09x |
| Kent | 9 | 2.88x |
| Essex | 8 | 4.42x |
| Cambridgeshire | 4 | 6.89x |
| Durham | 4 | 1.47x |
| Northumberland | 3 | 2.20x |
| Devon | 1 | 0.52x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 0.56x |
| Lanarkshire | 1 | 0.34x |
| Norfolk | 1 | 0.71x |
| Sussex | 1 | 0.65x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cretingham in Suffolk leads with 8 Nuns recorded in 1881 and an index of 8000.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Cretingham | 8 | 8000.00x |
| Lambeth | 7 | 8.76x |
| Bethnal Green London | 5 | 12.56x |
| Greenwich | 5 | 34.27x |
| Nether Hallam | 5 | 40.68x |
| Thorington | 5 | 16666.67x |
| Wandsworth | 5 | 56.69x |
| Cheetham | 4 | 49.32x |
| Deptford St Paul | 4 | 16.58x |
| Duxford | 4 | 1666.67x |
| Heap | 4 | 69.32x |
| South Shoebury | 4 | 547.95x |
| Whitworth | 4 | 200.00x |
| Beverley St Mary | 3 | 225.56x |
| Bingley | 3 | 51.81x |
| Newcastle On Tyne All Sts | 3 | 36.81x |
| Bury St Edmunds St James | 2 | 67.11x |
| Hendon | 2 | 60.61x |
| Battersea | 1 | 2.96x |
| Brighton | 1 | 3.21x |
| Bristol St Philip Jacob | 1 | 5.91x |
| Carnwath | 1 | 54.64x |
| Hackney London | 1 | 1.95x |
| Harkstead | 1 | 833.33x |
| Inworth | 1 | 500.00x |
| Kirkdale | 1 | 5.46x |
| Liverpool | 1 | 1.51x |
| Plymouth Charles The | 1 | 11.89x |
| Poplar London | 1 | 5.78x |
| Prittlewell | 1 | 39.84x |
| St George Martyr | 1 | 64.52x |
| Streatham | 1 | 14.71x |
| Upminster | 1 | 263.16x |
| Upwell | 1 | 151.52x |
| West Ham | 1 | 2.50x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Nun surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Nun surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Nun households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 16 |
| Carpenter | 3 |
| Labourer | 3 |
| General Labourer | 2 |
| General Servant | 2 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Agriculture Laborer | 1 |
| Annuitant | 1 |
| Assistant Teacher | 1 |
| Bailiff (Farm) | 1 |
| Blacksmiths Apprentice | 1 |
| Bricklabourers (Layer) | 1 |
| Brickmaker | 1 |
| Butcher | 1 |
| Carter | 1 |
| Carters Wife | 1 |
| Coal Porter | 1 |
| Coke Man | 1 |
| Factory Worsted (Lab) | 1 |
| Farm Laborer | 1 |
| Farming Man(AG Lab) | 1 |
| Fish Porter | 1 |
| Gen Labourer | 1 |
| Housekeeper (Lodg) | 1 |
| Inmate | 1 |
| Laborer | 1 |
| Labourer Agric | 1 |
| Labourer Gardener | 1 |
| Machinist | 1 |
| Painter | 1 |
| Plasterer | 1 |
| Scientific Instrument Maker | 1 |
| Silk Weaveress | 1 |
| Waitress | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 96 people were recorded with the Nun surname. That placed it at #20,248 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 27 in 2016. That gives Nun a modern rank of #36,189.
A habitational surname indicating one who lived near a nunnery or convent.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Nun bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.