NameCensus.

UK surname

Prole

In the 1881 census there were 120 people recorded with the Prole surname, ranking it #17,756 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 196, ranked #19,848, down from #17,756 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sampford Brett, Bicknoller, Stogumber, London parishes and St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Somerset, Torfaen and Colchester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Prole is 237 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.3%.

1881 census count

120

Ranked #17,756

Modern count

196

2016, ranked #19,848

Peak year

1911

237 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Prole had 120 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,756 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 196 in 2016, ranked #19,848.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 237 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Prole surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Prole surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Prole 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 79 #19,712
1861 historical 115 #18,880
1881 historical 120 #17,756
1891 historical 163 #17,300
1901 historical 179 #16,227
1911 historical 237 #13,406
1997 modern 209 #17,157
1998 modern 207 #17,749
1999 modern 199 #18,293
2000 modern 214 #17,457
2001 modern 205 #17,683
2002 modern 212 #17,651
2003 modern 209 #17,620
2004 modern 215 #17,384
2005 modern 199 #18,198
2006 modern 189 #18,961
2007 modern 186 #19,337
2008 modern 180 #19,946
2009 modern 184 #20,079
2010 modern 193 #19,880
2011 modern 188 #20,067
2012 modern 192 #19,730
2013 modern 195 #19,857
2014 modern 202 #19,575
2015 modern 197 #19,774
2016 modern 196 #19,848

Geography

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Where Proles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sampford Brett, Bicknoller, Stogumber, London parishes, St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford, Bedwelty and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Somerset, Torfaen, Colchester and Tewkesbury. 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 Sampford Brett, Bicknoller, Stogumber Somerset
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford Somerset
4 Bedwelty Monmouthshire
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Somerset 003 West Somerset
2 Torfaen 001 Torfaen
3 Colchester 002 Colchester
4 West Somerset 005 West Somerset
5 Tewkesbury 001 Tewkesbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Prole

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Prole

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Prole is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Prole is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Prole falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Prole families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Prole 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. Somerset leads with 60 Proles recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.85x.

County Total Index
Somerset 60 31.85x
Bedfordshire 19 31.35x
Glamorgan 13 6.38x
Middlesex 9 0.77x
Monmouthshire 7 8.27x
Surrey 7 1.23x
Devon 4 1.64x
Gloucestershire 1 0.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Elstow in Bedfordshire leads with 18 Proles recorded in 1881 and an index of 8181.82x.

Place Total Index
Elstow 18 8181.82x
Williton 15 2380.95x
Monksilver 11 10000.00x
Llandaff 9 132.74x
Tolland 8 16000.00x
Bedwellty 7 46.85x
North Curry 7 1093.75x
Heston 6 154.24x
Bridgewater 4 78.28x
Cardiff St Mary 4 35.65x
Chilton Polden 4 2857.14x
Combe Florey 4 3076.92x
Clapham 3 20.51x
Georgeham 3 967.74x
Otterhampton 3 3000.00x
Bathealton 2 4000.00x
Guildford Holy Trinity 2 183.49x
Lambeth 2 1.96x
Bedford St Paul 1 24.04x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 4.63x
Paddington London 1 2.32x
St George Hanover 1 6.54x
Stoke Damerel 1 5.87x
Taunton St Mary 1 28.90x
Twickenham 1 19.92x
West Quantoxhead 1 909.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Elizabeth 9
Sarah 5
Eliza 4
Emily 4
Emma 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Harriet 2
Aiscat 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Brida 1
Caroline 1
Edith 1
Ellen 1
Florence 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1
Nelly 1
Rosa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
Henry 5
William 5
James 4
Joseph 4
Alfred 3
Arthur 2
Edward 2
Ernest 2
George 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Allen 1
Austin 1
Benjamin 1
Caleb 1
Douglas 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
Richard 1
Robt. 1
Ronald 1
Samuel 1
Tom 1
Walter 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Prole surname: questions and answers

How common was the Prole surname in 1881?

In 1881, 120 people were recorded with the Prole surname. That placed it at #17,756 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Prole surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 196 in 2016. That gives Prole a modern rank of #19,848.

What does the Prole map show?

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