NameCensus.

UK surname

Proctor

An occupational surname referring to an official who acts as a manager, supervisor, or superintendent.

In the 1881 census there were 7,340 people recorded with the Proctor surname, ranking it #582 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 9,913, ranked #650, down from #582 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Preston and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Lincolnshire, Stoke-on-Trent and Nuneaton and Bedworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Proctor is 10,407 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.1%.

1881 census count

7,340

Ranked #582

Modern count

9,913

2016, ranked #650

Peak year

1999

10,407 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Proctor had 7,340 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #582 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 9,913 in 2016, ranked #650.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9,411 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Proctor surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Proctor surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Proctor 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 4,127 #694
1861 historical 3,772 #748
1881 historical 7,340 #582
1891 historical 7,646 #589
1901 historical 9,411 #556
1911 historical 8,229 #605
1997 modern 9,775 #637
1998 modern 10,333 #622
1999 modern 10,407 #623
2000 modern 10,303 #628
2001 modern 10,131 #619
2002 modern 10,353 #624
2003 modern 10,096 #624
2004 modern 10,097 #624
2005 modern 9,874 #629
2006 modern 9,846 #637
2007 modern 9,876 #639
2008 modern 9,988 #631
2009 modern 10,237 #634
2010 modern 10,385 #637
2011 modern 10,174 #642
2012 modern 10,017 #640
2013 modern 10,150 #643
2014 modern 10,194 #642
2015 modern 10,008 #646
2016 modern 9,913 #650

Geography

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Where Proctors are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Preston, Sheffield and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Lincolnshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Nuneaton and Bedworth, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire Moorlands. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Preston Lancashire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Lincolnshire 006 North Lincolnshire
2 Stoke-on-Trent 012 Stoke-on-Trent
3 Nuneaton and Bedworth 002 Nuneaton and Bedworth
4 Newcastle-under-Lyme 005 Newcastle-under-Lyme
5 Staffordshire Moorlands 008 Staffordshire Moorlands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Proctor

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Proctor

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Proctor 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

Proctor is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Proctor

The surname Proctor is of English origin, and it can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old French word "procuratour," which in turn comes from the Latin "procurator," meaning a manager or administrator. The name was initially given as an occupational surname to people who oversaw and managed the affairs of an estate, church, or other institution.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Proctor can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a person named Walter le Procuratour is mentioned. The name also appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379, referring to a Robert Proctor.

In the 14th century, the name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, where many Proctors held important positions in monasteries and religious houses. One notable example is John Proctor, who served as the Prior of the Augustinian Priory in Bolton, Lancashire, in the late 14th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Proctor began to appear more frequently in various records, such as parish registers and wills. In 1584, a Robert Proctor was listed as a landowner in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire. Additionally, in the 1640s, a John Proctor became infamous as one of the victims of the Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts.

Throughout history, several individuals with the surname Proctor have achieved recognition in various fields. One notable figure was Richard Proctor (1837-1888), an English astronomer and writer who contributed significantly to the popularization of astronomy. Another prominent Proctor was Redfield Proctor (1831-1908), a lawyer and politician who served as the 37th Governor of Vermont and later as the United States Secretary of War.

Other notable individuals with the surname Proctor include:

1. Thomas Proctor (1753-1846), an English industrialist and pioneer of the textile industry in Yorkshire. 2. Lori Proctor (born 1978), an American professional wrestler and former TNA Knockout Champion. 3. Robert E. Proctor (1868-1903), an American naval officer and one of the first aviators in the United States Navy. 4. Patrick Proctor Alexander (1926-1997), a British novelist and playwright known for his works set in the Caribbean.

The surname Proctor continues to be prevalent in various parts of the world, particularly in English-speaking countries, reflecting its long-standing history and the significant contributions of those who bore this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Proctor families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Proctor 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 1,563 Proctors recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.83x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,563 1.83x
Yorkshire 1,251 1.76x
Lincolnshire 463 4.03x
Staffordshire 437 1.80x
Middlesex 407 0.57x
Durham 269 1.26x
Warwickshire 243 1.34x
Northumberland 211 1.98x
Cheshire 196 1.24x
Angus 184 2.77x
Surrey 158 0.45x
Aberdeenshire 152 2.29x
Derbyshire 138 1.23x
Suffolk 128 1.46x
Nottinghamshire 123 1.27x
Morayshire 102 9.14x
Gloucestershire 94 0.67x
Norfolk 86 0.78x
Kent 75 0.31x
Midlothian 70 0.73x
Lanarkshire 69 0.30x
Bedfordshire 68 1.83x
Buckinghamshire 63 1.45x
Hampshire 59 0.40x
Essex 58 0.41x
Hertfordshire 58 1.17x
Devon 52 0.35x
Sussex 49 0.40x
Worcestershire 49 0.52x
Cumberland 47 0.76x
Westmorland 42 2.66x
Banffshire 38 2.55x
Montgomeryshire 36 2.19x
Fife 34 0.80x
Northamptonshire 27 0.40x
Cambridgeshire 25 0.55x
Glamorgan 25 0.20x
Isle of Man 21 1.57x
Renfrewshire 20 0.36x
Perthshire 19 0.59x
Shropshire 17 0.27x
Somerset 16 0.14x
Monmouthshire 15 0.29x
Ayrshire 13 0.24x
Denbighshire 10 0.37x
Leicestershire 10 0.13x
Stirlingshire 8 0.30x
Wiltshire 8 0.13x
Argyllshire 6 0.30x
Dorset 6 0.13x
Royal Navy 6 0.70x
Caernarfonshire 5 0.17x
Inverness-shire 5 0.23x
Herefordshire 4 0.14x
Oxfordshire 4 0.09x
Pembrokeshire 4 0.18x
Kincardineshire 3 0.34x
Berkshire 2 0.04x
Cornwall 2 0.02x
Dunbartonshire 2 0.10x
East Lothian 2 0.21x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 0.19x
Berwickshire 1 0.12x
Brecknockshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 128 Proctors recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.65x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 128 5.65x
Preston 126 5.53x
Leeds 107 2.66x
Burnley 101 14.08x
Dundee 86 3.46x
Audley 84 35.03x
Stoke Upon Trent 71 2.76x
Aston 68 1.36x
Birmingham 61 1.01x
Sheffield 57 2.52x
Manchester 56 1.46x
Bishopwearmouth 50 2.73x
Burslem 50 7.20x
Liverpool 50 0.97x
Salford 43 1.72x
Brightside Bierlow 41 2.94x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 41 1.06x
Holy Trinity 41 2.40x
Islington London 41 0.59x
Aberdeen Old Machar 37 2.66x
Govan 36 0.63x
Nether Hallam 36 3.74x
Nottingham St Mary 36 1.44x
Horton 35 117.96x
Crowle 34 48.65x
Forfar 34 9.44x
Brighton 31 1.27x
Pudsey 30 7.89x
Wolstanton 30 4.08x
Castleford 29 11.19x
Elgin 29 13.36x
Toxteth Park 29 1.01x
Battersea 28 1.06x
Ecclesfield 28 5.37x
Kensington London 28 0.70x
St Marylebone London 28 0.73x
Tring 28 21.19x
Eaton Bray 27 71.94x
Macclesfield 27 3.83x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 26 3.92x
Byker 26 4.92x
Hulme 26 1.46x
Poulton Barre 26 26.82x
Westoe 26 2.15x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 25 2.01x
Great Bolton 25 2.22x
Habergham Eaves 25 3.21x
Thornton In Craven 25 43.78x
Ecclesall Bierlow 24 1.66x
Horton In Bradford 24 2.16x
Elswick 23 2.70x
St Pancras London 23 0.40x
Aylesbury 22 11.44x
Chelsea London 22 1.02x
Great Little Marsden 22 5.64x
Kirkdale 22 1.53x
Lambeth 22 0.35x
Louth 22 8.36x
Morpeth 22 17.51x
Shoreditch London 22 0.71x
St George Hanover 22 2.35x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 22 13.62x
Congleton 21 7.67x
Onchan 21 5.47x
Wortley In Bramley 21 3.73x
Cliviger 20 41.68x
Mile End Old Town 20 1.76x
Accrington 19 2.45x
Barrow In Furness 19 1.64x
Great Grimsby 19 2.61x
Keighley 19 2.51x
Newark Upon Trent 19 5.46x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 19 2.98x
West Bromwich 19 1.37x
Montgomery 18 61.33x
Morley 18 4.87x
Nettleham 18 76.43x
Rawdon 18 21.48x
Sutton In Ashfield 18 8.57x
Wymondham 18 15.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 454
Elizabeth 265
Sarah 229
Jane 158
Alice 133
Ann 126
Margaret 111
Annie 104
Ellen 103
Emma 92
Hannah 92
Eliza 90
Martha 70
Ada 45
Emily 44
Charlotte 37
Louisa 35
Florence 34
Isabella 34
Clara 32
Maria 32
Harriet 30
Agnes 29
Edith 27
Anne 25
Betsy 24
Caroline 24
Catherine 24
Fanny 24
Kate 24
Lucy 21
Sophia 19
Frances 18
Esther 17
Harriett 16
Rose 16
Susan 15
Elizth. 14
Rebecca 14
Eleanor 13
Matilda 13
Nancy 13
Amelia 12
Amy 12
Jessie 12
Margret 12
Julia 11
Ruth 11
Susannah 11
Lydia 10

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 421
William 421
Thomas 255
James 212
George 188
Joseph 158
Henry 140
Charles 110
Robert 102
Arthur 73
Alfred 62
Frederick 57
Richard 54
Samuel 54
Edward 52
Walter 45
Harry 39
David 36
Frank 29
Francis 28
Albert 26
Benjamin 21
Fred 21
Wm. 21
Edwin 20
Herbert 20
Thos. 19
Ernest 14
Daniel 13
Tom 11
Geo. 10
Mark 10
Abraham 9
Chas. 8
Isaac 8
Robt. 8
Willm. 8
Alexander 7
Enoch 7
Fredk. 7
Anthony 6
Jno. 6
Leonard 6
Moses 6
Ralph 6
Sidney 6
Christopher 5
Harold 5
Matthew 5
Percy 5

FAQ

Proctor surname: questions and answers

How common was the Proctor surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,340 people were recorded with the Proctor surname. That placed it at #582 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Proctor surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 9,913 in 2016. That gives Proctor a modern rank of #650.

What does the Proctor surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to an official who acts as a manager, supervisor, or superintendent.

What does the Proctor map show?

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