NameCensus.

UK surname

Prophet

A surname derived from the word "prophet" referring to an inspired teacher or proclaimer.

In the 1881 census there were 342 people recorded with the Prophet surname, ranking it #8,902 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 414, ranked #11,574, down from #8,902 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Manchester and St Austell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forfar West, Hilltown and Forfar Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Prophet is 434 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.1%.

1881 census count

342

Ranked #8,902

Modern count

414

2016, ranked #11,574

Peak year

2010

434 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Prophet had 342 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,902 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 414 in 2016, ranked #11,574.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 433 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Prophet surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Prophet surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Prophet 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 223 #9,562
1861 historical 263 #9,423
1881 historical 342 #8,902
1891 historical 354 #9,741
1901 historical 433 #8,954
1911 historical 332 #10,642
1997 modern 395 #11,106
1998 modern 425 #10,859
1999 modern 428 #10,898
2000 modern 413 #11,142
2001 modern 403 #11,163
2002 modern 400 #11,443
2003 modern 382 #11,642
2004 modern 377 #11,776
2005 modern 402 #11,137
2006 modern 386 #11,537
2007 modern 381 #11,798
2008 modern 399 #11,494
2009 modern 405 #11,616
2010 modern 434 #11,223
2011 modern 416 #11,492
2012 modern 410 #11,518
2013 modern 414 #11,624
2014 modern 417 #11,632
2015 modern 411 #11,666
2016 modern 414 #11,574

Geography

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Where Prophets are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Manchester, St Austell and Forfar. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Forfar West, Hilltown, Forfar Central, Charleston and Cornwall. 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 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 St Austell Cornwall
4 Forfar Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forfar West Angus
2 Hilltown Dundee City
3 Forfar Central Angus
4 Charleston Dundee City
5 Cornwall 015 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Prophet

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Prophet

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Prophet surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Prophet household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Prophet 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

Prophet 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

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

Meaning and origin of Prophet

The surname Prophet is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "profete" and ultimately from the Latin "propheta," meaning "prophet" or "foreteller." This name was likely initially given as a nickname to someone who was considered to have prophetic abilities or who may have been a preacher or religious figure.

The earliest recorded instances of the Prophet surname can be traced back to the late 12th century in England. One of the earliest known bearers of this name was William le Prophete, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1195. Another early record is of a John le Prophete, found in the Feet of Fines records for Essex in 1239.

In the 13th century, the Prophet surname appeared in various forms, such as Prophete, Profete, and Proffit, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation at the time. Some of these early bearers of the name were likely associated with religious institutions or monasteries, as the name was often used to denote a person's occupation or role.

One notable individual with the Prophet surname was John Prophet, a 16th-century English churchman and writer. He was born in Somerset around 1520 and served as the Dean of Windsor from 1560 until his death in 1589. Another significant figure was William Prophet, a 17th-century English mathematician and astronomer born in 1599 in Oxfordshire. He made contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and published several works on astronomy.

In the 18th century, the surname Prophet gained prominence in the United States, where it was borne by several notable individuals. One such person was Abner Prophet, a soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later settled in Kentucky. Another was Nathaniel Prophet, a Baptist minister and educator who founded the Prophet's Town Seminary in Indiana in the early 19th century.

During the 19th century, the Prophet surname was also found in various parts of the United Kingdom, particularly in areas such as Warwickshire, Worcestershire, and Gloucestershire. One notable bearer of the name was Edwin Prophet, an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in the mid-19th century.

Over the centuries, the Prophet surname has been associated with various occupations and professions, including religious figures, scholars, mathematicians, and sportsmen. While it may have originated as a nickname, the name has endured and continues to be used in various parts of the world today.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Prophet families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Prophet 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 117 Prophets recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.95x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 117 2.95x
Angus 85 27.42x
Cornwall 29 7.66x
Cheshire 24 3.25x
Warwickshire 16 1.90x
Kent 13 1.14x
Middlesex 9 0.27x
Perthshire 9 5.99x
Renfrewshire 9 3.47x
Aberdeenshire 8 2.58x
Shropshire 5 1.73x
Northumberland 4 0.80x
Stirlingshire 4 3.24x
Lincolnshire 2 0.37x
Staffordshire 2 0.18x
Sussex 2 0.35x
Dunbartonshire 1 1.11x
Kincardineshire 1 2.45x
Lanarkshire 1 0.09x
Royal Navy 1 2.51x
Surrey 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Forfar in Angus leads with 48 Prophets recorded in 1881 and an index of 286.05x.

Place Total Index
Forfar 48 286.05x
Dundee 25 21.60x
St Austell 21 162.16x
Manchester 17 9.52x
Deptford St Paul 13 14.76x
Garston 10 85.32x
Hulme 10 12.06x
Beswick 9 88.67x
Bradford 9 48.44x
Alyth 8 198.02x
Everton 8 6.32x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 7 12.07x
Lanhydrock 7 3181.82x
Paisley High Church 7 33.91x
Stretford 7 32.05x
Toxteth Park 7 5.21x
Moss Side 6 28.72x
Newton 6 19.61x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 6 70.67x
Salford 6 5.14x
Bethnal Green London 5 3.44x
Coventry St Michael 5 18.45x
Drayton In Hales 5 83.89x
Whitnash 5 1020.41x
Ardwick 4 11.17x
Berwick Upon Tweed 4 37.91x
Bishops Tachbrook 4 588.24x
Broughton In Salford 4 11.02x
Bury 4 8.82x
Denny 4 60.98x
Edmonton 4 14.84x
Elton 4 29.15x
Gorton 4 10.72x
Barry 3 80.65x
Cheadle 3 21.26x
Monifieth 3 27.40x
Sutton In Macclesfield 3 39.16x
Aberlemno 2 173.91x
Barnton 2 113.64x
Hale 2 78.43x
Leominster 2 109.89x
Over 2 26.63x
Sandbach 2 31.75x
St Swithin Lincoln 2 23.78x
Wilnecote 2 82.64x
Wolverhampton 2 2.30x
Wybunbury 2 294.12x
Aberdeen Old Machar 1 1.55x
Bervie 1 41.49x
Birkenhead 1 1.70x
Bodmin 1 15.95x
Carmyllie 1 75.76x
Crewe In Nantwich 1 208.33x
East Greenock 1 4.08x
Govan 1 0.37x
Kirkdale 1 1.50x
Lambeth 1 0.34x
Layton With Warbreck 1 6.86x
Liff Benvie 1 2.13x
Old Kilpatrick 1 9.42x
Perth West Church 1 14.03x
St Vigeans 1 5.98x
Tannadice 1 69.44x
West Greenock 1 2.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Elizabeth 13
Sarah 9
Emma 6
Jane 5
Ann 4
Eliza 4
Isabella 4
Louisa 3
Martha 3
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Anne 2
Annie 2
Bertha 2
Catherine 2
Esther 2
Harriet 2
Lavina 2
Lydia 2
Maggie 2
Margaret 2
Betsy 1
Clarinda 1
Daisy 1
Dora 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Emily 1
Florence 1
Florrie 1
Frances 1
Georgina 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Helen 1
Hepbzibah 1
Laura 1
Lily 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Mable 1
Maria 1
Marth 1
Millicent 1
Nancy 1
Olive 1
Selena 1
Selina 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 21
William 14
James 12
George 6
Thomas 6
Arthur 4
Joseph 4
Thos. 4
Robert 3
Stephen 3
Anthony 2
Harry 2
Richard 2
Albert 1
Alfd. 1
Alfred 1
Allan 1
Allen 1
Benjamin 1
David 1
Ernest 1
Freddy 1
Frederick 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
J. 1
Jas. 1
Nicholls 1
Samuel 1
W.W. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Prophet surname: questions and answers

How common was the Prophet surname in 1881?

In 1881, 342 people were recorded with the Prophet surname. That placed it at #8,902 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Prophet surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 414 in 2016. That gives Prophet a modern rank of #11,574.

What does the Prophet surname mean?

A surname derived from the word "prophet" referring to an inspired teacher or proclaimer.

What does the Prophet map show?

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