NameCensus.

UK surname

Portess

In the 1881 census there were 12 people recorded with the Portess surname, ranking it #31,914 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 113, ranked #28,691, up from #31,914 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Portess is 167 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 841.7%.

1881 census count

12

Ranked #31,914

Modern count

113

2016, ranked #28,691

Peak year

2002

167 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Portess had 12 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,914 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 113 in 2016, ranked #28,691.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 59 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Portess surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Portess surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Portess 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 #32,456
1861 historical 7 #33,053
1881 historical 12 #31,914
1891 historical 20 #32,579
1901 historical 29 #30,848
1911 historical 59 #26,914
1997 modern 145 #21,571
1998 modern 153 #21,387
1999 modern 150 #21,826
2000 modern 165 #20,501
2001 modern 156 #20,974
2002 modern 167 #20,457
2003 modern 153 #21,406
2004 modern 153 #21,528
2005 modern 145 #22,253
2006 modern 145 #22,420
2007 modern 143 #22,924
2008 modern 138 #23,763
2009 modern 136 #24,485
2010 modern 136 #25,009
2011 modern 126 #26,060
2012 modern 130 #25,559
2013 modern 126 #26,585
2014 modern 125 #26,896
2015 modern 117 #27,982
2016 modern 113 #28,691

Geography

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Where Portess' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Lincolnshire 002 North Lincolnshire
2 North Lincolnshire 004 North Lincolnshire
3 North Lincolnshire 011 North Lincolnshire
4 North East Lincolnshire 001 North East Lincolnshire
5 North East Lincolnshire 021 North East Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Portess

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Portess

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Portess, 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 Portess surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Portess 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Portess is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Portess is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Portess 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 Portess is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Portess families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Portess 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. Lincolnshire leads with 7 Portess' recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.47x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 7 37.47x
Lanarkshire 4 10.58x
Lancashire 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. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 4 Portess' recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.84x.

Place Total Index
Barony 4 41.84x
East Halton 4 13333.33x
Boston 1 175.44x
Coningsby 1 2000.00x
Langriville 1 10000.00x
Rusholme 1 270.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Betsy 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Rachel 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2
Chas.Wm. 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 Portess households.

FAQ

Portess surname: questions and answers

How common was the Portess surname in 1881?

In 1881, 12 people were recorded with the Portess surname. That placed it at #31,914 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Portess surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 113 in 2016. That gives Portess a modern rank of #28,691.

What does the Portess map show?

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