NameCensus.

UK surname

Poor

An English status surname referring to an impoverished person or someone of humble origins.

In the 1881 census there were 236 people recorded with the Poor surname, ranking it #11,540 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 123, ranked #27,115, down from #11,540 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kingston-on-Thames, London parishes and Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sevenoaks, Swansea and Bridgend.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Poor is 311 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 47.9%.

1881 census count

236

Ranked #11,540

Modern count

123

2016, ranked #27,115

Peak year

1851

311 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Poor had 236 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,540 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016, ranked #27,115.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 311 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Poor surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Poor surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Poor 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 311 #7,413
1861 historical 251 #9,830
1881 historical 236 #11,540
1891 historical 181 #16,065
1901 historical 171 #16,689
1911 historical 153 #17,633
1997 modern 130 #23,021
1998 modern 133 #23,308
1999 modern 132 #23,602
2000 modern 126 #24,220
2001 modern 125 #24,011
2002 modern 119 #25,231
2003 modern 124 #24,378
2004 modern 127 #24,224
2005 modern 120 #25,066
2006 modern 120 #25,269
2007 modern 113 #26,641
2008 modern 118 #26,212
2009 modern 124 #25,957
2010 modern 124 #26,582
2011 modern 128 #25,793
2012 modern 123 #26,561
2013 modern 127 #26,452
2014 modern 126 #26,781
2015 modern 128 #26,356
2016 modern 123 #27,115

Geography

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Where Poors are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kingston-on-Thames, London parishes, Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner, Dean, West and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sevenoaks, Swansea, Bridgend, Bristol and Purbeck. 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 Kingston-on-Thames Surrey
2 London parishes London 3
3 Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner Hampshire
4 Dean, West Sussex
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sevenoaks 014 Sevenoaks
2 Swansea 002 Swansea
3 Bridgend 018 Bridgend
4 Bristol 047 Bristol, City of
5 Purbeck 006 Purbeck

Forenames

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First names often paired with Poor

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Poor

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Poor 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

Poor is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Poor falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Poor

The surname Poor originated in England in the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "pore," meaning poor or impoverished. The earliest recorded use of the name was in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1199, where a man named Richard le Pore was mentioned.

In medieval England, surnames often denoted a person's occupation, physical appearance, or social status. The name Poor likely referred to someone who was of humble means or lived in poverty. It may have been a descriptive nickname given to a person who was considered poor or destitute.

The surname Poor can be found in various historical records from the 13th century onwards. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, there is a reference to a Ralph le Poure in Oxfordshire. The Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296 mention a John le Pore.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Poor was John le Poor, who was listed in the Patent Rolls of 1330 as a merchant from Bristol. Another notable early bearer of the name was William Pore, a Member of Parliament for Salisbury in 1376.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Poor became more widespread across England. Variations in spelling emerged, such as Poore, Poare, and Poar. Notable individuals from this period include Sir Henry Poore (1541-1628), an English lawyer and landowner, and John Poore (1615-1683), a Puritan minister and co-founder of the town of Newbury, Massachusetts.

In the 18th century, Benjamin Poor (1728-1809) was a notable American soldier who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He was born in Andover, Massachusetts, and fought in several major battles, including the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Another prominent individual with the surname Poor was John Alfred Poor (1808-1900), an American engineer and writer who published several books on railway construction and management. He was also the founder of the Poor's Manual of Railroads, a widely-used reference publication for the railroad industry.

Throughout history, the surname Poor has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, landowners, soldiers, ministers, and writers. While the name may have originated from humble beginnings, it has been borne by many accomplished individuals over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Poor families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Poor 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. Hampshire leads with 59 Poors recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.50x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 59 12.50x
Surrey 35 3.12x
Devon 32 6.68x
Sussex 32 8.24x
Dorset 22 14.56x
Middlesex 14 0.61x
Glamorgan 9 2.25x
Kent 7 0.89x
Lancashire 6 0.22x
Monmouthshire 5 3.00x
Berkshire 4 2.31x
Yorkshire 4 0.18x
Warwickshire 2 0.34x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.69x
Essex 1 0.22x
Lincolnshire 1 0.27x
Oxfordshire 1 0.70x
Wiltshire 1 0.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 25 Poors recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.03x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 25 27.03x
Stoke Damerel 12 35.78x
Southwark St George Martyr 10 21.59x
Lambeth 8 3.99x
Broadwater 7 78.65x
Southampton St Mary 7 23.59x
West Tarring 7 1206.90x
Bedhampton 6 1071.43x
Camberwell 6 4.08x
Chorley 6 39.14x
West Dean 6 1034.48x
Wimborne 6 327.87x
Bermondsey 5 7.30x
Broad Clist 5 303.03x
Chalbury 5 2941.18x
Exeter St David 5 122.25x
Llanvihangel Llantarnam 5 157.73x
Penarth 5 127.55x
St Pancras London 5 2.70x
Sunbury 5 180.51x
Bromley 4 33.42x
Heene 4 597.01x
Hinton Martel 4 1333.33x
South Elmshall 4 952.38x
Alverstoke 3 17.56x
Clase 3 20.13x
Earley 3 104.17x
Farlington 3 312.50x
Lewes All Sts 3 193.55x
North Baddesley 3 1071.43x
St Mary Bourne 3 348.84x
Walmer 3 87.98x
Aston 2 1.25x
Corfe Mullen 2 363.64x
Denton 2 526.32x
Exeter St Edmund 2 194.17x
Fulham London 2 5.99x
Horton 2 555.56x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 5.42x
Portsmouth 2 18.42x
Reigate Foreign 2 16.46x
Southwark Christchurch 2 18.54x
Southwick 2 384.62x
Tormoham 2 9.86x
Affpuddle 1 263.16x
Broadwinsor 1 101.01x
Carisbrooke 1 15.27x
Caterham 1 20.16x
Chelsea London 1 1.44x
Cheriton Fitzpaine 1 163.93x
Compton Gifford 1 66.67x
Downton 1 37.59x
Harrow 1 28.41x
Holy Trinity 1 99.01x
Hurstbourne Tarrant 1 151.52x
Ipsden 1 178.57x
Lewes St John 1 232.56x
Lewes St John Southover 1 38.31x
Long Bennington 1 138.89x
Newport 1 39.06x
Ryde 1 9.86x
Shaftesbury St James 1 126.58x
Shere 1 73.53x
Southwick 1 48.78x
St Andrewthe Less 1 6.00x
St Faith Winchester 1 45.45x
Stoke 1 51.55x
West Ham 1 1.00x
Winkfield 1 34.84x
Ystradyfodwg 1 2.84x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 21
John 12
James 11
Charles 10
George 8
Thomas 7
Alfred 6
Robert 4
Edward 3
Aaron 2
Benjamin 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Joseph 2
Major 2
Thos. 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Arth. 1
Arthur 1
Chas 1
Dennis 1
Edwin 1
F. 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Lloyd 1
Richard 1
Robt.R. 1
Rose 1
Samuel 1
Sydney 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Poor surname: questions and answers

How common was the Poor surname in 1881?

In 1881, 236 people were recorded with the Poor surname. That placed it at #11,540 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Poor surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016. That gives Poor a modern rank of #27,115.

What does the Poor surname mean?

An English status surname referring to an impoverished person or someone of humble origins.

What does the Poor map show?

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