NameCensus.

UK surname

Power

An English occupational surname denoting a person of high social status or authority, such as a lord or ruler.

In the 1881 census there were 4,015 people recorded with the Power surname, ranking it #1,125 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 12,087, ranked #541, up from #1,125 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Merthyr Tydfil, Manchester and Bromley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Power is 12,225 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 201.0%.

1881 census count

4,015

Ranked #1,125

Modern count

12,087

2016, ranked #541

Peak year

2014

12,225 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Power had 4,015 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,125 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 12,087 in 2016, ranked #541.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,104 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Power surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Power surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Power 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 1,903 #1,521
1861 historical 2,421 #1,205
1881 historical 4,015 #1,125
1891 historical 4,211 #1,138
1901 historical 4,881 #1,158
1911 historical 5,104 #1,029
1997 modern 11,023 #559
1998 modern 11,477 #554
1999 modern 11,572 #554
2000 modern 11,499 #556
2001 modern 11,203 #557
2002 modern 11,505 #554
2003 modern 11,241 #555
2004 modern 11,264 #551
2005 modern 11,121 #553
2006 modern 11,244 #548
2007 modern 11,342 #549
2008 modern 11,401 #551
2009 modern 11,803 #544
2010 modern 12,171 #543
2011 modern 11,891 #549
2012 modern 11,755 #547
2013 modern 12,129 #541
2014 modern 12,225 #542
2015 modern 12,165 #539
2016 modern 12,087 #541

Geography

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Where Powers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes, Manchester and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Merthyr Tydfil, Manchester, Bromley, Pembrokeshire and Copeland. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Merthyr Tydfil 008 Merthyr Tydfil
2 Manchester 013 Manchester
3 Bromley 001 Bromley
4 Pembrokeshire 010 Pembrokeshire
5 Copeland 004 Copeland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Power

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Power

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Power surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Power household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Power is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Power 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

Power falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Power is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Power

The surname Power has its origins in England and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "povre," which means "poor" or "humble." The name was likely given as a descriptive nickname to someone who was perceived as poor or of low social status.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists a person named Richard le Povre in Cambridgeshire. The name also appears in various medieval records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which mention a John Power in Oxfordshire.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name was primarily concentrated in the southern and central regions of England, particularly in counties like Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Oxfordshire. It was sometimes spelled as "Pover" or "Pover" in these early records.

One notable bearer of the name was Sir Thomas Power (1569-1659), an English politician and landowner from Gloucestershire. He served as a Member of Parliament and was knighted by King James I in 1609.

Another prominent figure with this surname was Tyrone Power (1914-1958), an American actor and film star. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and starred in numerous Hollywood movies, including "The Mark of Zorro" and "The Razor's Edge."

William Power (1809-1892) was an Irish-born American businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the mining industry. He was known for his extensive charitable contributions and founded the Power Institute of Art in Rochester, New York.

The name Power has also been associated with several place names, such as Power's Cross in Gloucestershire and Power's Court in Wiltshire, both of which likely derived from individuals with this surname.

Other notable individuals with the surname Power include Tyrone Power Sr. (1869-1931), an English-born actor and father of Tyrone Power; Hiram Powers (1805-1873), an American neoclassical sculptor; and Samantha Power (born 1970), an Irish-American author and former United States Ambassador to the United Nations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Power families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Power 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. Lancashire leads with 1,128 Powers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.43x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,128 2.43x
Middlesex 593 1.52x
Glamorgan 259 3.80x
Yorkshire 239 0.62x
Surrey 188 0.99x
Kent 157 1.18x
Cheshire 134 1.55x
Staffordshire 130 0.98x
Warwickshire 117 1.19x
Gloucestershire 107 1.39x
Hampshire 100 1.25x
Devon 91 1.12x
Durham 83 0.71x
Monmouthshire 80 2.83x
Sussex 51 0.77x
Worcestershire 44 0.86x
Lanarkshire 42 0.33x
Northumberland 36 0.62x
Essex 29 0.38x
Leicestershire 27 0.62x
Ayrshire 23 0.79x
Cumberland 22 0.65x
Somerset 21 0.33x
Derbyshire 20 0.33x
Renfrewshire 17 0.56x
Dorset 16 0.62x
Royal Navy 15 3.22x
Berkshire 14 0.48x
Nottinghamshire 14 0.27x
Pembrokeshire 14 1.13x
Cornwall 11 0.25x
Lincolnshire 11 0.18x
Northamptonshire 11 0.30x
Oxfordshire 11 0.46x
Shropshire 11 0.33x
Isle of Man 10 1.38x
Aberdeenshire 9 0.25x
Cambridgeshire 9 0.36x
Flintshire 9 0.86x
Midlothian 9 0.17x
Norfolk 9 0.15x
Herefordshire 8 0.50x
Suffolk 8 0.17x
Buckinghamshire 7 0.30x
Huntingdonshire 7 0.90x
Angus 6 0.17x
Channel Islands 6 0.52x
Dumfriesshire 6 0.69x
Peeblesshire 6 3.26x
West Lothian 6 1.02x
Wiltshire 6 0.17x
Fife 5 0.22x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 0.53x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.13x
Denbighshire 2 0.14x
Hertfordshire 2 0.07x
Anglesey 1 0.14x
Bedfordshire 1 0.05x
Brecknockshire 1 0.13x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.06x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.10x
Inverness-shire 1 0.09x
Roxburghshire 1 0.14x
Stirlingshire 1 0.07x
Westmorland 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 223 Powers recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.91x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 223 7.91x
Manchester 102 4.89x
West Derby 65 4.79x
St Pancras London 59 1.87x
Everton 58 3.92x
Toxteth Park 55 3.50x
Birmingham 53 1.61x
Merthyr Tydfil 48 7.33x
Oldham 47 3.14x
Walsall Foreign 46 6.74x
St Marylebone London 45 2.15x
Bethnal Green London 43 2.53x
Hulme 41 4.23x
Droylsden 40 26.41x
Lambeth 40 1.17x
Salford 38 2.78x
Swansea Town 38 6.80x
Islington London 37 0.98x
Hammersmith London 32 3.32x
Roath 32 10.34x
Barton Upon Irwell 31 8.87x
Dukinfield 31 7.77x
Woolwich 31 6.29x
Alverstoke 27 9.30x
Kings Norton 27 5.89x
Kirkdale 27 3.46x
Aston 26 0.96x
St Woollos 26 8.24x
Stroud 26 17.41x
Cardiff St Mary 25 6.66x
Wigan 25 3.85x
Gorton 24 5.50x
Leeds 24 1.10x
Bradford 23 2.45x
Hackney London 23 1.05x
St George Martyr 23 34.89x
Wolverhampton 23 2.27x
Camberwell 22 0.88x
Kensington London 22 1.01x
Shoreditch London 22 1.30x
Stockton On Tees 22 3.92x
Newington 21 1.45x
Newton Nottage 21 112.36x
Fulham London 18 3.17x
Birkenhead 17 2.47x
Chorlton On Medlock 17 2.31x
Newcastle Higher 17 36.76x
Portsea 17 1.08x
Widnes 17 5.08x
Brighton 16 1.20x
Chelsea London 16 1.36x
West Ham 16 0.94x
Bermondsey 15 1.29x
Middlesbrough 15 2.97x
Paddington London 15 1.04x
St Andrew Holborn 15 11.31x
Aberystruth 14 5.62x
Ashton Under Lyne 14 1.38x
Bristol St Paul In 14 6.85x
Edmonton 14 4.44x
Hornsey 14 2.83x
Royal Navy 14 3.51x
Bristol St Augustine 13 10.50x
Clase 13 5.13x
Garston 13 9.49x
Glasgow 13 0.58x
Huddersfield 13 2.30x
Hyde 13 5.10x
Minster In Sheppey 13 5.88x
St Anne Soho London 13 5.82x
Walton On Thames 13 14.85x
Westminster St James 13 3.23x
Windle 13 4.98x
Ardwick 12 2.87x
Clerkenwell London 12 1.30x
St George Hanover 12 2.35x
Stockport 12 2.70x
Warrington 12 2.18x
West Bromwich 12 1.59x
Bootle Cum Linacre 11 2.98x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 364
Ellen 122
Elizabeth 116
Margaret 97
Catherine 92
Sarah 80
Ann 62
Annie 53
Bridget 47
Jane 46
Alice 42
Eliza 35
Emma 33
Hannah 26
Julia 26
Agnes 25
Kate 24
Martha 22
Emily 21
Fanny 21
Florence 21
Maria 21
Louisa 17
Ada 15
Harriet 15
Edith 14
Johanna 14
Charlotte 13
Amelia 12
Anne 12
Caroline 12
Rose 12
Susan 12
Frances 10
Clara 9
Margt. 9
Francis 8
Anna 7
Eleanor 7
Georgina 7
Harriett 7
Katherine 7
Margret 7
Amy 6
Lucy 6
Catharine 5
Henrietta 5
Honora 5
Maggie 5
Matilda 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 287
William 208
Thomas 161
James 159
Patrick 92
Michael 81
Edward 79
George 69
Richard 56
Joseph 55
Charles 52
Henry 34
Robert 34
Frederick 25
Arthur 24
David 23
Walter 23
Alfred 19
Francis 19
Daniel 15
Thos. 15
Samuel 13
Stephen 13
Nicholas 12
Martin 11
Albert 10
Herbert 10
Maurice 9
Matthew 8
Peter 8
Frank 7
Philip 6
Edmund 5
Edwin 5
Ernest 5
Richd. 5
Wm. 5
Ed. 4
Hugh 4
Jno. 4
Laurence 4
Lawrence 4
Mathew 4
Michel 4
Moses 4
C. 3
Fredk. 3
Harold 3
Lewis 3
Reginald 3

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 Power households.

FAQ

Power surname: questions and answers

How common was the Power surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,015 people were recorded with the Power surname. That placed it at #1,125 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Power surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 12,087 in 2016. That gives Power a modern rank of #541.

What does the Power surname mean?

An English occupational surname denoting a person of high social status or authority, such as a lord or ruler.

What does the Power map show?

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