NameCensus.

UK surname

Organ

An occupational surname for a person who played the organ or made musical instruments.

In the 1881 census there were 1,190 people recorded with the Organ surname, ranking it #3,390 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,359, ranked #4,437, down from #3,390 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cotswold, Caerphilly and Tewkesbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Organ is 1,602 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 14.2%.

1881 census count

1,190

Ranked #3,390

Modern count

1,359

2016, ranked #4,437

Peak year

1911

1,602 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Organ had 1,190 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,390 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,359 in 2016, ranked #4,437.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,602 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Organ surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Organ surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Organ 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 855 #3,181
1861 historical 789 #3,492
1881 historical 1,190 #3,390
1891 historical 1,347 #3,230
1901 historical 1,514 #3,393
1911 historical 1,602 #3,036
1997 modern 1,447 #4,032
1998 modern 1,486 #4,086
1999 modern 1,477 #4,139
2000 modern 1,478 #4,110
2001 modern 1,431 #4,143
2002 modern 1,459 #4,157
2003 modern 1,385 #4,257
2004 modern 1,379 #4,283
2005 modern 1,338 #4,334
2006 modern 1,350 #4,318
2007 modern 1,337 #4,389
2008 modern 1,342 #4,400
2009 modern 1,377 #4,389
2010 modern 1,393 #4,416
2011 modern 1,388 #4,389
2012 modern 1,375 #4,363
2013 modern 1,385 #4,416
2014 modern 1,377 #4,448
2015 modern 1,359 #4,455
2016 modern 1,359 #4,437

Geography

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Where Organs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, North Nibley, Wotton-under-Edge and Brockworth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cotswold, Caerphilly, Tewkesbury and Gloucester. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, Gloucestershire
4 North Nibley, Wotton-under-Edge Gloucestershire
5 Brockworth Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cotswold 001 Cotswold
2 Caerphilly 009 Caerphilly
3 Tewkesbury 005 Tewkesbury
4 Gloucester 012 Gloucester
5 Tewkesbury 007 Tewkesbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Organ

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Organ

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Organ is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Organ 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

Organ falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Organ

The surname Organ is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "organan," which means "organ player" or "musician." This suggests that the name was initially given as an occupational surname to someone who played the organ or was a musician by trade.

One of the earliest known records of the Organ surname dates back to the 13th century in the county of Oxfordshire. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 mentions a Walter le Organer, indicating that he was a member of the organ-playing profession.

During the 16th century, the Organ surname appeared in various parish records across England. For instance, the baptism of John Organ was recorded in the parish of St. Sepulchre, London, in 1567. Additionally, the marriage of Richard Organ and Alice Coxe was documented in the parish of Steeple Aston, Oxfordshire, in 1591.

Notably, the Organ surname can also be traced back to the village of Orgreave in South Yorkshire. This place name, which was originally spelled as "Orgrave" in the Domesday Book of 1086, likely contributed to the surname's development in that region.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the Organ surname was William Organ (c. 1635-1712), an English composer and organist who served as the Master of the Choristers at Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford.

Another prominent figure was John Organ (1585-1638), an English poet and clergyman who held the position of Archdeacon of Suffolk and Prebendary of Ely Cathedral.

In the 18th century, John Organ (1726-1788) was a renowned English clockmaker and watchmaker who worked in London and contributed significantly to the development of precision timekeeping devices.

Moving into the 19th century, Edward Organ (1801-1858) was a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the former Lambeth Bridge.

Additionally, James Organ (1835-1888) was a British artist and painter known for his landscapes and genre scenes depicting rural life in England.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the Organ surname throughout history, highlighting its English origins and potential occupational roots in the musical or ecclesiastical fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Organ families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Organ 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 580 Organs recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.35x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 580 25.35x
Middlesex 104 0.89x
Somerset 86 4.58x
Devon 58 2.39x
Glamorgan 57 2.81x
Monmouthshire 33 3.91x
Warwickshire 31 1.05x
Surrey 30 0.53x
Staffordshire 27 0.69x
Lancashire 26 0.19x
Cornwall 23 1.74x
Yorkshire 17 0.15x
Herefordshire 16 3.34x
Wiltshire 13 1.26x
Cheshire 11 0.43x
Kent 10 0.25x
Oxfordshire 10 1.39x
Essex 9 0.39x
Buckinghamshire 8 1.13x
Worcestershire 7 0.46x
Hampshire 6 0.25x
Derbyshire 4 0.22x
Lanarkshire 4 0.11x
Royal Navy 4 2.88x
Sussex 4 0.20x
Channel Islands 3 0.87x
Leicestershire 3 0.23x
Northumberland 3 0.17x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.41x
Durham 2 0.06x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.54x
Berkshire 1 0.11x
Dorset 1 0.13x
Shropshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Nibley in Gloucestershire leads with 58 Organs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1773.70x.

Place Total Index
North Nibley 58 1773.70x
Wotton Under Edge 41 303.93x
Cheltenham 36 20.39x
Stoke Damerel 31 18.24x
Brockworth 27 1516.85x
Great Shurdington 23 2674.42x
Badgeworth 21 523.69x
Berkeley 21 164.96x
Wotton St Mary 20 168.49x
Birmingham 19 1.94x
Bethnal Green London 17 3.35x
Williton 16 254.37x
Bristol St James St Paul 15 19.66x
St Pancras London 15 1.60x
Aberdare 14 10.04x
Kensington London 14 2.16x
St Decumans Watchet 14 294.74x
Upton St Leonards 14 240.96x
Westbury On Trym 14 18.06x
Aston 12 1.48x
Bedminster 12 6.80x
Cirencester 12 38.73x
Clifton 12 10.37x
Frome 12 26.71x
Bishops Cleeve 11 189.66x
Blagdon 11 278.48x
Bradford On Avon 11 33.30x
Bristol Christchurch 11 331.33x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 11 26.27x
Plymouth St Andrew 11 5.88x
Roath 11 11.92x
Stonehouse 10 76.92x
Swansea Town 10 6.00x
Westbury On Severn East 10 19.33x
Cowley 9 40.02x
Harborne 9 7.13x
Lea Bailey 9 810.81x
Plymouth Charles The 9 8.41x
Poplar London 9 4.09x
Burghill 8 147.33x
Down Hatherley 8 1038.96x
Gloucester Barton St 8 59.66x
Iron Acton 8 173.16x
Islington London 8 0.71x
Oakley 8 476.19x
Olveston 8 124.42x
South Hamlet 8 56.50x
St Austell 8 17.72x
Toxteth Park 8 1.71x
West Ham 8 1.57x
Westbury On Severn 8 88.20x
Bedwellty 7 4.70x
Coyty Lower 7 53.07x
Sutton 7 17.02x
Thornbury 7 44.76x
West Dean 7 18.83x
Wrington 7 111.11x
Aberystruth 6 8.07x
Bristol St Michael 6 30.58x
Bristol St Paul In 6 9.84x
Cardiff St Mary 6 5.36x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 2.73x
Croydon 6 1.90x
Dursley 6 63.76x
Fowey 6 99.01x
Gloucester St John Baptist 6 40.60x
Great Barrington 6 331.49x
Leonard Stanley 6 200.00x
Llandaff 6 8.88x
Mevagissey 6 68.34x
Newport 6 14.91x
Sedgley 6 4.10x
Winterbourne 6 47.47x
Churchdown 5 109.89x
Gloucester St Catherine 5 77.52x
Ledbury 5 30.43x
Moreton Valence 5 370.37x
St Luke London 5 2.67x
Upper Llanvrechva 5 38.17x
Wavertree 5 11.28x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 78
Elizabeth 39
Sarah 39
Eliza 28
Emily 25
Ann 24
Alice 22
Ellen 20
Annie 18
Jane 18
Emma 15
Fanny 12
Clara 11
Caroline 10
Edith 10
Hannah 10
Maria 10
Louisa 9
Catherine 8
Charlotte 8
Martha 8
Harriet 7
Susan 7
Anne 6
Margaret 6
Esther 5
Florence 5
Julia 5
Kate 5
Laura 5
Lucy 5
Lydia 5
Ada 4
Gertrude 4
Selina 4
Beatrice 3
Ethel 3
Jessie 3
Rebecca 3
Rosa 3
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Anna 2
Edna 2
Elizth. 2
Eva 2
Evelyn 2
Harriett 2
Mabel 2
Marian 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 72
John 38
Henry 37
George 34
Charles 29
James 28
Alfred 27
Edward 23
Albert 19
Thomas 19
Frederick 17
Samuel 17
Harry 12
David 11
Edwin 11
Daniel 10
Joseph 9
Richard 9
Arthur 7
Walter 7
Ernest 6
Frank 5
Robert 4
Sidney 4
Willm. 4
Benjamin 3
Elijah 3
Francis 3
Isaac 3
Mark 3
Tom 3
Alexander 2
Allen 2
Edgar 2
Edwd. 2
Enoch 2
Ephraim 2
Fred 2
Herbert 2
Patrick 2
Philip 2
Stephen 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Burford 1
Ellis 1
Endecott 1
Horatio 1
Hovan 1
Hubert 1

FAQ

Organ surname: questions and answers

How common was the Organ surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,190 people were recorded with the Organ surname. That placed it at #3,390 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Organ surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,359 in 2016. That gives Organ a modern rank of #4,437.

What does the Organ surname mean?

An occupational surname for a person who played the organ or made musical instruments.

What does the Organ map show?

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