NameCensus.

UK surname

Plumb

An occupational surname referring to a person who worked with lead, such as a plumber or lead worker.

In the 1881 census there were 2,423 people recorded with the Plumb surname, ranking it #1,835 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,527, ranked #1,922, down from #1,835 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Balsham, London parishes and Pentlow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Cambridgeshire, County Durham and King's Lynn and West Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Plumb is 3,985 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 45.6%.

1881 census count

2,423

Ranked #1,835

Modern count

3,527

2016, ranked #1,922

Peak year

2000

3,985 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Plumb had 2,423 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,835 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,527 in 2016, ranked #1,922.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,574 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Plumb surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Plumb surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Plumb 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 1,497 #1,922
1861 historical 1,565 #1,821
1881 historical 2,423 #1,835
1891 historical 2,581 #1,843
1901 historical 3,200 #1,750
1911 historical 3,574 #1,461
1997 modern 3,874 #1,676
1998 modern 3,941 #1,716
1999 modern 3,967 #1,718
2000 modern 3,985 #1,700
2001 modern 3,885 #1,707
2002 modern 3,959 #1,709
2003 modern 3,794 #1,752
2004 modern 3,753 #1,765
2005 modern 3,742 #1,750
2006 modern 3,714 #1,767
2007 modern 3,718 #1,772
2008 modern 3,741 #1,773
2009 modern 3,789 #1,797
2010 modern 3,810 #1,829
2011 modern 3,794 #1,807
2012 modern 3,665 #1,838
2013 modern 3,676 #1,867
2014 modern 3,653 #1,890
2015 modern 3,582 #1,901
2016 modern 3,527 #1,922

Geography

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Where Plumbs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Balsham, London parishes, Pentlow and Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Cambridgeshire, County Durham, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and St Edmundsbury. 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 Balsham Cambridgeshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Pentlow Suffolk
5 Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Cambridgeshire 016 South Cambridgeshire
2 County Durham 045 County Durham
3 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 016 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
4 St Edmundsbury 014 St Edmundsbury
5 South Cambridgeshire 018 South Cambridgeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Plumb

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Plumb

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Plumb is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Plumb 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

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

Meaning and origin of Plumb

The surname PLUMB is of English origin, deriving from the Old French word "plombe" meaning lead. It first emerged in the 12th century as an occupational name for those who worked with lead, such as plumbers or makers of lead seals and weights.

The earliest recorded instances of the PLUMB surname date back to the late 12th century in counties such as Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire in East Anglia. One of the earliest known bearers was Radulphus Plumb, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms including Plumme, Plome, and Plomp, reflecting regional dialect variations. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 record a William Plum in Huntingdonshire, while the Poll Tax Returns of 1379 list a John Plomme in Yorkshire.

The PLUMB surname can be traced to several place names in England, such as Plumpton in Sussex, derived from the Old English "plum" meaning plum tree, and "tun" meaning farm or settlement. This suggests that some bearers of the name may have originally hailed from such locations.

Notable historical figures with the PLUMB surname include:

1. Walter Plumb (c. 1619-1704), an early settler in Milford, Connecticut, and a prominent figure in the colony's affairs. 2. Josiah Plumb (1730-1798), an American soldier who fought in the French and Indian War and the American Revolutionary War. 3. Ralph Plumb (1792-1871), an English architect and surveyor who designed numerous buildings in London, including the Church of St. John the Baptist in Holland Road. 4. Franklin Plumb (1825-1900), an American Civil War veteran and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Kansas. 5. Preston B. Plumb (1837-1891), an American politician and U.S. Senator from Kansas, known for his work on agricultural and labor issues.

While the PLUMB surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and settlement, maintaining its connection to the historical occupation of working with lead.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Plumb families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Plumb 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 325 Plumbs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.37x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 325 1.37x
Cambridgeshire 300 20.04x
Essex 163 3.49x
Lancashire 151 0.54x
Suffolk 138 4.79x
Surrey 127 1.10x
Nottinghamshire 116 3.64x
Cheshire 101 1.94x
Norfolk 99 2.72x
Warwickshire 96 1.61x
Kent 69 0.86x
Hertfordshire 65 3.99x
Yorkshire 65 0.28x
Oxfordshire 61 4.18x
Derbyshire 60 1.62x
Staffordshire 55 0.69x
Leicestershire 52 1.98x
Northamptonshire 50 2.25x
Durham 41 0.58x
Berkshire 39 2.20x
Worcestershire 39 1.26x
Lincolnshire 34 0.90x
Sussex 30 0.75x
Hampshire 27 0.56x
Gloucestershire 26 0.56x
Buckinghamshire 20 1.40x
Huntingdonshire 14 2.98x
Wiltshire 13 0.62x
Northumberland 9 0.26x
Somerset 9 0.24x
Herefordshire 7 0.72x
Devon 6 0.12x
Montgomeryshire 6 1.11x
Royal Navy 4 1.42x
Glamorgan 2 0.05x
Rutland 2 1.15x
Cumberland 1 0.05x
Westmorland 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Balsham in Cambridgeshire leads with 53 Plumbs recorded in 1881 and an index of 647.13x.

Place Total Index
Balsham 53 647.13x
Pentlow 50 2092.05x
St Andrewthe Less 46 26.89x
West Wratting 37 772.44x
Islington London 36 1.57x
Kensington London 32 2.44x
Leicester St Margaret 30 4.69x
Aspenden 29 575.40x
Shoreditch London 28 2.73x
West Ham 27 2.62x
Preston 25 3.33x
Camberwell 24 1.59x
Hackney London 24 1.81x
Lambley 24 369.23x
Aston 21 1.28x
Basford 21 14.30x
Hornsey 20 6.69x
Antrobus 19 530.73x
Bulwell 19 27.43x
Great Faringdon 19 74.54x
Hendon 19 22.34x
Meldreth 19 327.02x
St Pancras London 19 1.00x
Lambeth 18 0.87x
Brinkley 16 666.67x
Salford 16 1.94x
Toxteth Park 16 1.68x
Mile End Old Town 15 4.02x
Newbury 15 26.39x
Wisbech St Peter 15 19.98x
Alfreton 13 11.56x
Barrow In Furness 13 3.41x
Bermondsey 13 1.85x
Newington 13 1.49x
Nottingham St Mary 13 1.58x
St Marylebone London 13 1.03x
Brimington 12 42.70x
Chelsea London 12 1.68x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 12 3.94x
Walsoken 12 54.92x
Dudley 11 2.93x
Eastbourne 11 6.00x
Eatington 11 195.38x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 11 16.85x
Haverhill 11 43.02x
Leicester All Sts 11 21.38x
Little Leigh 11 294.91x
Soham 11 34.14x
Somerton 11 395.68x
Stondon Massey 11 521.33x
Birmingham 10 0.50x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 10 18.51x
Deptford St Paul 10 1.61x
Foxearth 10 309.60x
Hucknall Torkard 10 12.38x
Little Compton 10 246.31x
Middlesbrough 10 3.28x
Milton In Gravesend 10 8.27x
Monks Coppenhall 10 5.08x
Norton Canes 10 34.39x
Poplar London 10 2.24x
Radford 10 6.18x
Stoke Upon Trent 10 1.18x
Birkenhead 9 2.16x
Chedburgh 9 436.89x
Clerkenwell London 9 1.61x
Gomersal 9 8.23x
Halstead 9 16.54x
Harpenden 9 36.22x
Leigh 9 55.49x
Paddington London 9 1.04x
Tottenham 9 2.39x
Weedon Beck 9 56.50x
Westoe 9 2.26x
Bishopwearmouth 8 1.33x
Friern Barnet 8 15.37x
Fritwell 8 176.21x
Landbeach 8 193.70x
Uffington 8 214.48x
Upwell 8 47.28x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 139
John 123
Thomas 87
James 85
George 76
Charles 65
Henry 50
Robert 43
Samuel 37
Edward 33
Alfred 30
Arthur 29
Joseph 28
Walter 27
Frederick 25
Harry 22
Richard 17
Albert 12
Herbert 12
David 10
Frank 10
Francis 9
Isaac 9
Benjamin 8
Ernest 6
Daniel 5
Edmund 5
Fredrick 5
Peter 5
Stephen 5
Christopher 4
Edwin 4
Fredk. 4
Geo. 4
Thos. 4
Wm. 4
Everett 3
Fred 3
Frederic 3
Jabez 3
Jno. 3
Mark 3
Cornelius 2
Fredric 2
Issac 2
Jonathan 2
Leonard 2
Levi 2
Noah 2
Percy 2

FAQ

Plumb surname: questions and answers

How common was the Plumb surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,423 people were recorded with the Plumb surname. That placed it at #1,835 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Plumb surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,527 in 2016. That gives Plumb a modern rank of #1,922.

What does the Plumb surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a person who worked with lead, such as a plumber or lead worker.

What does the Plumb map show?

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