NameCensus.

UK surname

Nunns

A surname derived from a medieval nickname for a nun or member of a religious order.

In the 1881 census there were 406 people recorded with the Nunns surname, ranking it #7,880 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 484, ranked #10,218, down from #7,880 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Leeds, Huddersfield and Guiseley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rotherham, Leeds and West Lindsey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nunns is 604 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.2%.

1881 census count

406

Ranked #7,880

Modern count

484

2016, ranked #10,218

Peak year

1911

604 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nunns had 406 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,880 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 484 in 2016, ranked #10,218.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 604 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Nunns surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nunns surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nunns 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 176 #11,489
1861 historical 200 #12,005
1881 historical 406 #7,880
1891 historical 419 #8,551
1901 historical 519 #7,831
1911 historical 604 #6,806
1997 modern 475 #9,676
1998 modern 509 #9,462
1999 modern 513 #9,478
2000 modern 520 #9,339
2001 modern 501 #9,448
2002 modern 496 #9,697
2003 modern 483 #9,735
2004 modern 477 #9,833
2005 modern 463 #9,989
2006 modern 471 #9,907
2007 modern 466 #10,070
2008 modern 472 #10,074
2009 modern 474 #10,251
2010 modern 480 #10,353
2011 modern 477 #10,319
2012 modern 490 #10,027
2013 modern 488 #10,211
2014 modern 500 #10,077
2015 modern 490 #10,149
2016 modern 484 #10,218

Geography

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Where Nunns' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Leeds, Huddersfield, Guiseley, Rothwell and Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rotherham, Leeds, West Lindsey and Kirklees. 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 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Huddersfield Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Guiseley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Rothwell Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rotherham 020 Rotherham
2 Leeds 067 Leeds
3 West Lindsey 011 West Lindsey
4 Kirklees 033 Kirklees
5 Leeds 098 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nunns

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nunns

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Nunns surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Nunns household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Nunns 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

Nunns 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

Nunns 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 Nunns 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 Nunns, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Nunns

The surname Nunns is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It likely derived from the Old English word "nunne," which referred to a nun or a woman who had taken religious vows. The name may have initially been used as a descriptive term for someone who lived near a convent or had some association with a nun.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from 1195, which mentions a person named Richard le Nunne. The use of the Norman French prefix "le" suggests that the name was already in use before the 12th century.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as "Nunne," "Nonne," and "Nunn," reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation during that time. For example, the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273 recorded a William Nonne.

The name Nunns is also connected to certain place names in England, such as Nunton in Wiltshire and Nunney in Somerset. These place names may have influenced the surname's spelling and distribution in those areas.

One notable individual with the surname Nunns was John Nunns (1605-1686), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Pyecombe in Sussex. He published several works, including "A Modest and Sober Advice to the Citizens of London" in 1674.

Another person of interest was Robert Nunns (1786-1859), 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, James Nunns (1820-1891) was a prominent English cricketer who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and was part of the team that first played at Lord's Cricket Ground in London.

Eliza Nunns (1845-1918) was a British artist and painter known for her landscapes and still-life works. She exhibited her paintings at the Royal Academy of Arts and other prestigious venues in London.

William Nunns (1892-1957) was a British trade unionist and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the Labour Party, representing the Maldon constituency in Essex from 1945 to 1950.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nunns families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nunns 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. Yorkshire leads with 256 Nunns' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.52x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 256 6.52x
Surrey 53 2.75x
Staffordshire 23 1.72x
Middlesex 18 0.45x
Cambridgeshire 10 3.99x
Durham 8 0.68x
Lancashire 7 0.15x
Berkshire 6 2.02x
Hampshire 4 0.49x
Warwickshire 4 0.40x
Kent 3 0.22x
Northamptonshire 3 0.81x
Essex 2 0.26x
Lanarkshire 2 0.16x
Bedfordshire 1 0.49x
Cheshire 1 0.11x
Flintshire 1 0.94x
Lincolnshire 1 0.16x
Oxfordshire 1 0.41x
Suffolk 1 0.21x
Sussex 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. Hunslet in Yorkshire leads with 44 Nunns' recorded in 1881 and an index of 71.91x.

Place Total Index
Hunslet 44 71.91x
Horsforth 39 453.49x
Lofthouse Cum Carlton 24 502.09x
Huddersfield 21 36.73x
Stoke Upon Trent 19 13.40x
Rothwell 18 226.99x
Dewsbury 16 39.75x
Lambeth 15 4.34x
Bingley 11 44.02x
Wimbledon 11 50.76x
Drighlington 10 174.83x
Littleport 9 187.89x
Welton Melton 9 782.61x
Camberwell 8 3.16x
Didsbury 7 112.18x
Lepton 7 170.73x
Bethnal Green London 6 3.49x
Bolton In Bradford 6 238.10x
Castleford 6 41.99x
Cookham 6 64.72x
Gomersal 6 32.75x
Sheffield 6 4.80x
Stockton On Tees 6 10.57x
Teddington London 6 66.89x
Clerkenwell London 5 5.35x
Garforth 5 166.67x
Stoke 5 54.88x
Bilston 4 15.44x
Brading 4 37.07x
Dorking 4 30.86x
Leatherhead 4 82.82x
Manningham 4 8.27x
Otley 4 41.97x
Send Ripley 4 159.36x
Bilton 3 130.43x
Leeds 3 1.35x
Wakefield 3 9.96x
Beckenham 2 11.33x
Brockhall 2 3333.33x
Cambusnethan 2 7.03x
Horton In Bradford 2 3.26x
Howden 2 74.91x
Ormesby 2 18.96x
Shipley 2 9.82x
Tickton Hull Bridge 2 392.16x
Usworth 2 31.95x
Walthamstow 2 7.11x
Adel Cum Eccup 1 61.73x
Aldeburgh 1 35.09x
Bridlington 1 11.14x
Brighton 1 0.74x
Edgbaston 1 3.23x
Elythe College 1 666.67x
Fulshaw 1 62.11x
Grantham 1 12.12x
Hawarden 1 11.96x
Hipperholme Cum 1 5.80x
Oxford St Giles 1 8.57x
Poplar London 1 1.34x
Potton 1 36.76x
Skircoat 1 6.46x
Tonbridge 1 2.05x
West Haddon 1 82.64x
Weybridge 1 24.15x
Woking 1 8.60x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 28
John 25
Joseph 14
James 11
Thomas 11
Charles 8
George 8
Alfred 7
Robert 7
Harry 6
Samuel 5
Arthur 4
Henry 4
Edwin 3
Fred 3
Frederick 3
Sam 3
Walter 3
Benjamin 2
Edward 2
Herbert 2
Joe 2
Matthew 2
Reuben 2
Richard 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Alexander 1
Augustine 1
Ben 1
Benjn. 1
Bernard 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
Frank 1
Gabriel 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Harvey 1
Horriste 1
Hugh 1
Lewis 1
Major 1
Nathaniel 1
Paul 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Ruben 1
Sarah 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Nunns surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nunns surname in 1881?

In 1881, 406 people were recorded with the Nunns surname. That placed it at #7,880 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nunns surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 484 in 2016. That gives Nunns a modern rank of #10,218.

What does the Nunns surname mean?

A surname derived from a medieval nickname for a nun or member of a religious order.

What does the Nunns map show?

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