NameCensus.

UK surname

Paul

An English surname derived from the Latin "Paulus," meaning "small" or "humble."

In the 1881 census there were 7,445 people recorded with the Paul surname, ranking it #570 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 13,989, ranked #453, up from #570 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Westminster, Bedford and Wolverhampton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Paul is 13,989 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 87.9%.

1881 census count

7,445

Ranked #570

Modern count

13,989

2016, ranked #453

Peak year

2016

13,989 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Paul had 7,445 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #570 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 13,989 in 2016, ranked #453.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8,846 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Paul surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Paul surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Paul 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 5,629 #494
1861 historical 5,888 #462
1881 historical 7,445 #570
1891 historical 8,005 #550
1901 historical 8,846 #594
1911 historical 6,769 #769
1997 modern 11,270 #543
1998 modern 11,689 #541
1999 modern 11,882 #538
2000 modern 11,880 #535
2001 modern 11,593 #535
2002 modern 11,962 #535
2003 modern 11,785 #532
2004 modern 11,860 #531
2005 modern 11,775 #528
2006 modern 11,923 #522
2007 modern 12,210 #513
2008 modern 12,527 #495
2009 modern 12,946 #492
2010 modern 13,309 #489
2011 modern 13,199 #488
2012 modern 13,383 #468
2013 modern 13,749 #467
2014 modern 13,912 #465
2015 modern 13,913 #460
2016 modern 13,989 #453

Geography

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Where Pauls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Westminster, Bedford, Wolverhampton, Blaenau Gwent and Ealing. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 London parishes London 3
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Westminster 013 Westminster
2 Bedford 015 Bedford
3 Wolverhampton 020 Wolverhampton
4 Blaenau Gwent 008 Blaenau Gwent
5 Ealing 026 Ealing

Forenames

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First names often paired with Paul

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Paul

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Paul surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Paul household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Paul is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Paul is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Paul 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 Paul 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
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Paul

The surname PAUL has its origins in the Latin name Paulus, which was a Roman family name derived from the word "paulus," meaning "small" or "humble." The name likely originated in Ancient Rome during the early days of the Roman Republic or the later Roman Empire.

PAUL as a surname first appeared in various regions of Europe during the Middle Ages, particularly in areas with strong Roman influence, such as Italy, France, and parts of Germany. The name was introduced to these regions through the spread of Christianity and the adoption of Latin names by early converts.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname PAUL can be found in the Domesday Book, a medieval census commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The book lists several individuals with the surname PAUL or variations like Paulus or Paulinus, suggesting the name's presence in England by the late 11th century.

During the medieval period, the surname PAUL was often associated with clergymen or members of religious orders, as many adopted the name in honor of the apostle Paul from the Bible. One notable example is Saint Paul of the Cross (Giovanni Battista Pauletti), an Italian mystic and founder of the Passionist Congregation, born in 1694 and died in 1775.

In the Renaissance era, the surname PAUL gained prominence in various European countries. One famous bearer was the Dutch painter Paulus Potter (1625-1654), known for his masterful depictions of animals and landscapes.

In England, the surname PAUL has a long history, with notable figures such as Sir George Paul (1563-1612), a member of Parliament and landowner, and Samuel Paul (1672-1737), a prominent Quaker writer and preacher.

Other notable individuals with the surname PAUL include the French philosopher and writer Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980), the Austrian-American composer and conductor Rudolf Paul (1905-1981), and the American civil rights leader and reformer John Paul (1839-1923), who advocated for the rights of African Americans and Native Americans.

The surname PAUL has been carried by many notable individuals throughout history, reflecting its widespread presence and enduring legacy across various cultures and regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Paul families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Paul 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. Middlesex leads with 923 Pauls recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.26x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 923 1.26x
Lanarkshire 667 2.82x
Cornwall 397 4.80x
Somerset 348 2.96x
Lancashire 331 0.38x
Surrey 307 0.86x
Devon 273 1.79x
Dorset 256 5.33x
Hampshire 249 1.66x
Yorkshire 240 0.33x
Aberdeenshire 229 3.38x
Norfolk 213 1.89x
Midlothian 207 2.11x
Gloucestershire 202 1.41x
Renfrewshire 171 3.02x
Warwickshire 147 0.80x
Durham 129 0.59x
Dunbartonshire 127 6.46x
Kent 123 0.49x
Stirlingshire 115 4.26x
Lincolnshire 110 0.94x
Sussex 105 0.85x
Fife 102 2.36x
Banffshire 94 6.20x
Leicestershire 89 1.10x
Essex 88 0.61x
Angus 83 1.23x
Northumberland 81 0.74x
Morayshire 80 7.04x
Glamorgan 77 0.60x
Hertfordshire 75 1.49x
Ayrshire 66 1.21x
Channel Islands 61 2.82x
Staffordshire 55 0.22x
Suffolk 55 0.62x
Perthshire 45 1.37x
West Lothian 45 4.09x
Cheshire 37 0.23x
Berkshire 36 0.66x
Monmouthshire 36 0.68x
Dumfriesshire 34 2.10x
Kincardineshire 31 3.48x
Wiltshire 31 0.48x
Caernarfonshire 25 0.85x
Northamptonshire 25 0.36x
Nairnshire 24 10.75x
Argyllshire 19 0.93x
Cumberland 17 0.27x
Cambridgeshire 16 0.35x
Clackmannanshire 16 2.65x
Caithness 14 1.40x
Sutherland 13 2.31x
Royal Navy 12 1.38x
Wigtownshire 12 1.24x
Bedfordshire 11 0.29x
Ross-shire 11 0.55x
Roxburghshire 11 0.83x
Worcestershire 11 0.12x
Derbyshire 10 0.09x
Oxfordshire 10 0.22x
Cardiganshire 8 0.45x
East Lothian 8 0.83x
Huntingdonshire 8 0.55x
Montgomeryshire 7 0.42x
Orkney 7 0.87x
Westmorland 6 0.37x
Isle of Man 5 0.37x
Buteshire 3 0.68x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.03x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.05x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.06x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 0.19x
Merionethshire 2 0.15x
Anglesey 1 0.08x
Flintshire 1 0.05x
Herefordshire 1 0.03x
Inverness-shire 1 0.05x
Peeblesshire 1 0.29x
Shropshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 178 Pauls recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.97x.

Place Total Index
Barony 178 2.97x
Govan 160 2.74x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 126 3.20x
St Pancras London 104 1.77x
Madron Penzance 99 32.89x
Glasgow 82 1.95x
Aberdeen Old Machar 75 5.30x
Lambeth 68 1.07x
Hackney London 59 1.44x
Paul 58 38.56x
Leeds 52 1.27x
St Marylebone London 52 1.33x
West Greenock 49 4.82x
Beaminster 48 89.99x
Brighton 48 1.93x
Islington London 48 0.68x
Bonhill 46 14.58x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 45 3.55x
Calstock 45 27.72x
Battersea 43 1.60x
Camberwell 42 0.90x
Hammersmith London 42 2.33x
Nuneaton 41 19.19x
Shoreditch London 40 1.26x
Paddington London 38 1.41x
Aston 37 0.73x
Clifton 36 4.97x
Liverpool 36 0.68x
Portsea 36 1.23x
St Peter Port 36 8.98x
Kensington London 35 0.86x
Kilmarnock 35 5.37x
Bedminster 33 2.98x
Curry Mallet 33 270.71x
Dundee 33 1.30x
St George Hanover 33 3.46x
Poplar London 32 2.32x
Killearn 31 109.42x
Southampton St Mary 31 3.29x
Fulham London 30 2.83x
Bow London 29 3.12x
Cambusnethan 29 5.52x
Newington 29 1.07x
Hamilton 28 4.25x
Hinckley 28 14.56x
Ilminster 28 34.06x
Limehouse London 28 3.49x
Old Monkland 28 2.98x
Toxteth Park 28 0.95x
Abbey 27 3.12x
Kirkdale 27 1.85x
Stoke Damerel 27 2.53x
West Derby 27 1.06x
Northwood 26 12.18x
Bethnal Green London 25 0.79x
Enfield 24 5.00x
Harborne 24 3.03x
Stroud 24 8.60x
Taunton St James 24 13.98x
Bootle Cum Linacre 23 3.34x
Dalziel 23 9.04x
West Ham 23 0.72x
Melcombe Regis 22 11.06x
New Monkland 22 3.15x
Bathgate 21 8.78x
Cardross 21 8.90x
Falkirk 21 3.33x
Heigham 21 3.48x
Southwark Christchurch 21 6.13x
Coventry St Michael 20 3.38x
Croydon 20 1.01x
Manchester 20 0.51x
Old Kilpatrick 20 8.61x
Glastonbury 19 19.78x
Keith 19 11.75x
Mile End Old Town 19 1.65x
Plymouth Charles The 19 2.83x
Redruth 19 8.11x
Westminster St 19 7.05x
Cheshunt 18 10.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 338
Elizabeth 224
Sarah 155
Jane 98
Ann 85
Eliza 84
Emily 82
Ellen 81
Emma 78
Annie 70
Alice 69
Margaret 61
Louisa 46
Martha 44
Harriet 43
Florence 38
Hannah 38
Charlotte 35
Catherine 33
Maria 33
Caroline 32
Fanny 30
Susan 30
Kate 28
Anne 26
Ada 25
Edith 25
Clara 24
Agnes 22
Amelia 22
Jessie 19
Harriett 18
Frances 16
Lucy 16
Rose 15
Ethel 14
Isabella 14
Julia 13
Rosa 13
Amy 12
Mabel 12
Matilda 12
Minnie 12
Selina 12
Esther 11
Sophia 11
Anna 10
Gertrude 10
Lily 10
Maud 10

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 327
John 279
George 181
James 155
Thomas 135
Charles 127
Henry 106
Joseph 74
Edward 68
Alfred 64
Robert 61
Arthur 59
Frederick 53
Walter 41
Samuel 40
Richard 39
Albert 38
Harry 24
Edwin 21
Francis 19
Herbert 19
David 18
Frank 17
Alexander 16
Benjamin 15
Ernest 14
Andrew 13
Fredk. 12
Wm. 12
Fred 11
Stephen 11
Daniel 9
Thos. 9
Edmund 8
Peter 8
Tom 8
Matthew 7
Philip 7
Chas. 6
Nathaniel 6
Stanley 6
Hugh 5
Jacob 5
Jas. 5
Joshua 5
Lewis 5
Percy 5
Sidney 5
Silas 5
Abel 4

FAQ

Paul surname: questions and answers

How common was the Paul surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,445 people were recorded with the Paul surname. That placed it at #570 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Paul surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 13,989 in 2016. That gives Paul a modern rank of #453.

What does the Paul surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Latin "Paulus," meaning "small" or "humble."

What does the Paul map show?

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