NameCensus.

UK surname

Protheroe

A Welsh surname derived from the personal name Prothere, a compound of the Welsh elements pro meaning "notable" and tere meaning "territory".

In the 1881 census there were 761 people recorded with the Protheroe surname, ranking it #4,855 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,253, ranked #4,772, up from #4,855 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Merthyr Tydfil and Trevethin with Pontypool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Merthyr Tydfil and Neath Port Talbot.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Protheroe is 1,381 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 64.7%.

1881 census count

761

Ranked #4,855

Modern count

1,253

2016, ranked #4,772

Peak year

2000

1,381 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Protheroe had 761 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,855 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,253 in 2016, ranked #4,772.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,210 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Protheroe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Protheroe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Protheroe 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 516 #4,849
1861 historical 475 #5,480
1881 historical 761 #4,855
1891 historical 892 #4,617
1901 historical 1,099 #4,395
1911 historical 1,210 #3,898
1997 modern 1,284 #4,440
1998 modern 1,317 #4,508
1999 modern 1,353 #4,432
2000 modern 1,381 #4,339
2001 modern 1,329 #4,404
2002 modern 1,343 #4,458
2003 modern 1,296 #4,500
2004 modern 1,296 #4,497
2005 modern 1,288 #4,465
2006 modern 1,270 #4,539
2007 modern 1,259 #4,622
2008 modern 1,273 #4,592
2009 modern 1,313 #4,563
2010 modern 1,322 #4,631
2011 modern 1,308 #4,617
2012 modern 1,252 #4,740
2013 modern 1,273 #4,743
2014 modern 1,288 #4,720
2015 modern 1,276 #4,713
2016 modern 1,253 #4,772

Geography

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Where Protheroes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Merthyr Tydfil, Trevethin with Pontypool, 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 Merthyr Tydfil and Neath Port Talbot. 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 Merthyr Tydfil Glamorganshire
3 Trevethin with Pontypool Monmouthshire
4 Bedwelty Monmouthshire
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Merthyr Tydfil 003 Merthyr Tydfil
2 Merthyr Tydfil 004 Merthyr Tydfil
3 Neath Port Talbot 011 Neath Port Talbot
4 Merthyr Tydfil 002 Merthyr Tydfil
5 Merthyr Tydfil 005 Merthyr Tydfil

Forenames

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First names often paired with Protheroe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Protheroe

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Protheroe, 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 Protheroe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Protheroe 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Protheroe 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

Protheroe is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Protheroe falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Protheroe is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Protheroe

The surname Protheroe originated in Wales, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Welsh personal name "Protherch" or "Prothric," which means "prosperous" or "eminent one." This name was likely given to someone who had achieved a certain level of success or prominence within their community.

The name Protheroe can be traced back to the counties of Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire in South Wales, where it was most concentrated in the medieval period. Early variations of the spelling included Prothero, Protherow, Protherghe, and Prothergh.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the "Ministers' Accounts of the Earldom of Pembroke" from 1292-1293, where a "Rees Protherghe" is mentioned as holding land in the manor of Haverfordwest. This suggests that the Protheroe family had established roots in Pembrokeshire by the late 13th century.

Another notable early reference is found in the "Calendars of Chancery Rolls" from the reign of Edward III (1327-1377), which mentions a "John Protheroe" from Pembrokeshire. This indicates that the name was still prominent in the area during the 14th century.

In the 15th century, the Protheroe family is recorded as holding lands in the parish of Llanddowror in Carmarthenshire. A "Thomas Protheroe" is listed as a landowner in the "Ministers' Accounts of the Duchy of Lancaster" from 1442-1443.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Protheroe was David Protheroe (c. 1520-1589), a Welsh clergyman and poet from Carmarthenshire. He is remembered for his religious works written in the Welsh language.

Another notable figure was Sir Edmund Protheroe (1590-1671), a Welsh lawyer and politician from Pembrokeshire who served as a Member of Parliament for Haverfordwest during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, John Protheroe (1723-1801) was a prominent Welsh landowner and industrialist from Carmarthenshire. He played a significant role in the development of the coal and iron industries in South Wales.

The 19th century saw the rise of William Protheroe (1818-1897), a Welsh businessman and philanthropist from Merthyr Tydfil. He made his fortune in the iron and coal industries and was a notable benefactor to various educational and charitable causes in Wales.

While the surname Protheroe has its roots in Wales, it has since spread to other parts of the United Kingdom and beyond, carried by Welsh emigrants and their descendants.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Protheroe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Protheroe 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. Glamorgan leads with 220 Protheroes recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.00x.

County Total Index
Glamorgan 220 17.00x
Carmarthenshire 145 46.28x
Monmouthshire 108 20.10x
Brecknockshire 54 36.33x
Pembrokeshire 53 22.44x
Middlesex 35 0.47x
Gloucestershire 28 1.92x
Herefordshire 18 5.91x
Leicestershire 16 1.94x
Surrey 16 0.44x
Durham 8 0.36x
Kent 7 0.28x
Staffordshire 7 0.28x
Essex 6 0.41x
Suffolk 6 0.66x
Worcestershire 6 0.62x
Cardiganshire 5 2.76x
Somerset 4 0.33x
Devon 3 0.19x
Norfolk 3 0.26x
Shropshire 3 0.47x
Sussex 3 0.24x
Channel Islands 1 0.45x
Cornwall 1 0.12x
Flintshire 1 0.50x
Lancashire 1 0.01x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.59x
Royal Navy 1 1.13x
Wiltshire 1 0.15x
Yorkshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Merthyr Tydfil in Glamorgan leads with 63 Protheroes recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.64x.

Place Total Index
Merthyr Tydfil 63 50.64x
Llanelly 62 87.87x
Aberystruth 30 63.33x
Trevethin 25 49.26x
Ystradyfodwg 21 18.50x
Llanwonno 19 40.86x
Aberdare 18 20.26x
Kidwelly 18 281.25x
Swansea Town 18 16.96x
Llangunider 17 183.59x
Swansea St Thomas 17 130.77x
Leicester St Margaret 16 7.96x
Pembrey 16 111.03x
Llangennech 15 298.80x
Bedwellty 14 14.76x
Loughor 14 203.78x
Llanover 13 70.84x
Llangunnock 12 754.72x
Clydey 10 352.11x
Gelligaer 10 33.83x
Kingsland 10 370.37x
Llanafan Fawr 10 609.76x
West Dean 10 42.23x
Llanfihangel 8 963.86x
Risca 8 78.97x
Tenby St Mary In 8 66.56x
Brawdy 7 546.88x
Bristol St James St Paul 7 14.40x
Llangeler 7 167.87x
Newcastle Lower 7 259.26x
Stockton On Tees 7 6.57x
Walsall Borough 7 35.93x
Bury St Edmunds St James 6 24.81x
Llanelly 6 33.73x
Paddington London 6 2.20x
Pembroke St Mary 6 19.72x
Willesden 6 8.56x
Yerbeston 6 2142.86x
Llanddewir Cum 5 495.05x
Llandewy Velfrey 5 326.80x
Priscerwyn 5 337.84x
St George In East 5 9.89x
Abergavenny 4 19.88x
Carmarthen St Peter 4 14.94x
Cogan 4 208.33x
Lambeth 4 0.62x
Lewisham 4 2.96x
Llanglydwen 4 526.32x
Lower Llanvrechva 4 75.90x
Neath Upper 4 118.34x
Roath 4 6.80x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 2.67x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 3 2.19x
Camberwell 3 0.63x
Kensington London 3 0.73x
Lawrenny 3 410.96x
Llandyssil 3 39.58x
Llanstephan 3 96.77x
Llantwit Vairdre 3 20.62x
Llanvihangel Llantarnam 3 29.27x
Llanwnda 3 117.65x
Lydney 3 39.84x
Pencombe 3 454.55x
Shoreditch London 3 0.93x
St Woollos 3 5.00x
Walcot 3 4.71x
Walthamstow 3 5.68x
Bethnal Green London 2 0.62x
Brighton 2 0.79x
Builth 2 54.05x
Haverfordwest St Martin 2 45.66x
Hornsey 2 2.13x
Kelvedon 2 51.15x
Kington 2 26.49x
Llangammarch 2 74.35x
Rogerstone 2 60.42x
Shipdham 2 51.55x
St George Hanover 2 2.06x
Swansea Higher 2 14.84x
Worcester St Martin 2 15.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 69
Elizabeth 27
Margaret 26
Ann 21
Sarah 21
Jane 15
Catherine 11
Emma 8
Rachel 8
Anne 7
Caroline 7
Eliza 7
Hannah 7
Martha 7
Annie 6
Ellen 4
Emily 4
Frances 4
Harriet 4
Louisa 4
Edith 3
Lettice 3
Ruth 3
Alice 2
Amelia 2
Anna 2
Cecilia 2
Charlotte 2
Eleanor 2
Elizth 2
Elizth. 2
Esther 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Kate 2
Lucy 2
Margret 2
Maria 2
Polly 2
Priscilla 2
Rosa 2
Sibyl 2
Susan 2
Beatrice 1
Bertha 1
Eliz. 1
Janet 1
Jemima 1
Jennet 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 58
Thomas 52
William 40
David 28
James 22
George 15
Joseph 15
Rees 9
Henry 8
Alfred 6
Evan 6
Daniel 5
Edward 5
Albert 4
Benjamin 4
Edwin 4
Ernest 4
Peter 4
Samuel 4
Thos. 4
Elias 3
Francis 3
Gad 3
Isaac 3
Morgan 3
Protheroe 3
Alexander 2
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Edgar 2
Esau 2
Levi 2
Lewis 2
Robert 2
Roderick 2
Roger 2
Walter 2
Willm. 2
Caleb 1
Dd.Rowland 1
Dd.Thomas 1
F.F.L.S. 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
J.B. 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Jonathan 1
Wm.Samuel 1

FAQ

Protheroe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Protheroe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 761 people were recorded with the Protheroe surname. That placed it at #4,855 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Protheroe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,253 in 2016. That gives Protheroe a modern rank of #4,772.

What does the Protheroe surname mean?

A Welsh surname derived from the personal name Prothere, a compound of the Welsh elements pro meaning "notable" and tere meaning "territory".

What does the Protheroe map show?

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