NameCensus.

UK surname

Overland

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived on high ground or a ridge.

In the 1881 census there were 89 people recorded with the Overland surname, ranking it #21,091 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 178, ranked #21,160, down from #21,091 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rudham, East, Terrington St Clement, Terrington St John and Wisbech St Peter. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Fenland and Cheshire West and Chester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Overland is 187 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 100.0%.

1881 census count

89

Ranked #21,091

Modern count

178

2016, ranked #21,160

Peak year

2014

187 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Overland had 89 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,091 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 178 in 2016, ranked #21,160.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 154 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Overland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Overland surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Overland 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 45 #25,168
1861 historical 48 #27,896
1881 historical 89 #21,091
1891 historical 112 #22,291
1901 historical 124 #20,163
1911 historical 154 #17,553
1997 modern 147 #21,393
1998 modern 145 #22,139
1999 modern 146 #22,202
2000 modern 153 #21,520
2001 modern 154 #21,122
2002 modern 151 #21,809
2003 modern 152 #21,486
2004 modern 155 #21,352
2005 modern 149 #21,866
2006 modern 139 #23,044
2007 modern 153 #21,912
2008 modern 155 #21,956
2009 modern 154 #22,536
2010 modern 159 #22,577
2011 modern 164 #21,900
2012 modern 167 #21,598
2013 modern 176 #21,237
2014 modern 187 #20,570
2015 modern 185 #20,641
2016 modern 178 #21,160

Geography

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Where Overlands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rudham, East, Terrington St Clement, Terrington St John, Wisbech St Peter, Sheffield and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Fenland, Cheshire West and Chester and Monmouthshire. 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 Rudham, East Norfolk
2 Terrington St Clement, Terrington St John Cambridgeshire
3 Wisbech St Peter Cambridgeshire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 016 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
2 Fenland 004 Fenland
3 Fenland 005 Fenland
4 Cheshire West and Chester 024 Cheshire West and Chester
5 Monmouthshire 006 Monmouthshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Overland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Overland

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Overland surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Overland household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Overland is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Overland 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

Overland falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Overland is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Overland

The surname Overland is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is a locational name, derived from the Old English words "ofer" meaning "over" and "land" referring to a high or elevated ground. This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who resided near or on a raised area of land, perhaps a hill or a ridge.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from 1197, where it appears as "Richard de Overland." This document provides valuable insight into the name's antiquity and early spelling variations.

In the 13th century, the Overland surname appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, a collection of records detailing landowners and their holdings. This reference suggests that the family may have originated or held property in the county of Oxfordshire during this period.

The Overland name also appears in several historical records from the 14th century, including the Court Rolls of the Borough of Colchester in Essex, where it is spelled "Overland." This indicates the name's presence in various regions of England during the Middle Ages.

Notable individuals bearing the Overland surname throughout history include:

1. John Overland (c. 1520 - 1584), an English Protestant reformer and clergyman who served as the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

2. William Overland (1624 - 1698), a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Bristol, known for his contributions to the local economy and civic affairs.

3. Sarah Overland (1758 - 1832), a noted English writer and poet who published several collections of poetry and prose works during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

4. Thomas Overland (1815 - 1879), a British explorer and surveyor who led several expeditions in Africa and played a significant role in mapping the interior regions of the continent.

5. Margaret Overland (1891 - 1968), a British suffragette and activist who campaigned tirelessly for women's rights and participated in numerous protests and demonstrations in the early 20th century.

While the Overland surname may have originated from a specific location or geographical feature, it has since spread across various regions of England and beyond, carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, each contributing to the rich tapestry of history associated with this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Overland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Overland 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. Norfolk leads with 55 Overlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.21x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 55 41.21x
Cambridgeshire 21 38.20x
Middlesex 10 1.15x
Gloucestershire 2 1.17x
Lincolnshire 1 0.72x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. East Rudham in Norfolk leads with 16 Overlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 6666.67x.

Place Total Index
East Rudham 16 6666.67x
Outwell 11 11000.00x
Outwell 11 4230.77x
Weasenham All Sts 8 7272.73x
Clenchwarton 7 3500.00x
St George Martyr 7 479.45x
Wisbech St Peter 7 253.62x
Terrington St Clement 6 1000.00x
Upwell 4 645.16x
Bethnal Green London 3 7.96x
Upwell 3 750.00x
Bristol St James In 1 40.00x
Bristol St Michael 1 68.49x
Hilgay 1 200.00x
Stow Bardolph 1 250.00x
Sutton St Mary 1 76.34x
Tilney All Sts 1 588.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 6
William 5
Charles 4
Thomas 4
Isaac 3
James 3
Robert 3
Edward 2
George 2
Harry 2
Henry 2
Arthur 1
Frd.W. 1
Fredick 1
Fredk. 1
Rueben 1
Samuel 1
Valentine 1
Will. 1

Top occupations

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 Overland households.

FAQ

Overland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Overland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 89 people were recorded with the Overland surname. That placed it at #21,091 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Overland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 178 in 2016. That gives Overland a modern rank of #21,160.

What does the Overland surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived on high ground or a ridge.

What does the Overland map show?

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