NameCensus.

UK surname

Provost

An occupational surname for an official in charge of a prison, college, or religious community.

In the 1881 census there were 105 people recorded with the Provost surname, ranking it #19,183 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 171, ranked #21,726, down from #19,183 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Leek, Huntingdon All Saints and Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Liverpool, Cornwall and Sefton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Provost is 188 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.9%.

1881 census count

105

Ranked #19,183

Modern count

171

2016, ranked #21,726

Peak year

1999

188 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Provost had 105 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,183 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 171 in 2016, ranked #21,726.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 135 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Provost surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Provost surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Provost 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 109 #16,212
1861 historical 63 #25,901
1881 historical 105 #19,183
1891 historical 124 #20,818
1901 historical 135 #19,203
1911 historical 117 #20,757
1997 modern 161 #20,176
1998 modern 180 #19,298
1999 modern 188 #18,931
2000 modern 178 #19,570
2001 modern 169 #19,912
2002 modern 184 #19,275
2003 modern 170 #20,023
2004 modern 160 #20,926
2005 modern 154 #21,396
2006 modern 161 #20,972
2007 modern 162 #21,115
2008 modern 165 #21,056
2009 modern 159 #22,072
2010 modern 167 #21,835
2011 modern 163 #21,983
2012 modern 164 #21,883
2013 modern 167 #21,984
2014 modern 167 #22,180
2015 modern 165 #22,241
2016 modern 171 #21,726

Geography

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Where Provosts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Leek, Huntingdon All Saints, Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon), Manchester and Whittlesey St Mary and St Andrew, Standground (Stilton & Peterborough, Northamptonshire). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Liverpool, Cornwall, Sefton and Wokingham. 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 Leek Staffordshire
2 Huntingdon All Saints Huntingdonshire
3 Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) Northumberland
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Whittlesey St Mary and St Andrew, Standground (Stilton & Peterborough, Northamptonshire) Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Liverpool 025 Liverpool
2 Cornwall 028 Cornwall
3 Liverpool 045 Liverpool
4 Sefton 008 Sefton
5 Wokingham 019 Wokingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Provost

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Provost

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Provost is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Provost 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

Provost 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 Provost is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Provost

The surname Provost is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "provost," which means "an appointed officer" or "a representative of authority." This word can be traced back to the Latin word "praepositus," meaning "one placed in charge" or "a prefect."

The earliest recorded use of the surname Provost dates back to the 12th century in France, where it was initially used to refer to various administrative or ecclesiastical officials. These officials were often responsible for managing the affairs of a particular region, town, or institution.

One of the earliest known references to the surname Provost can be found in the "Cartulaire de l'Église Notre-Dame de Paris," a collection of charters and documents related to the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries.

In England, the surname Provost appeared in historical records as early as the 13th century, likely introduced by Norman settlers after the Norman Conquest in 1066. One notable individual with this surname was Sir John Provost, who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1359.

In Scotland, the surname Provost has been recorded since the 15th century. One of the earliest known bearers of this name was William Provost, who was mentioned in the "Exchequer Rolls of Scotland" in 1455.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Provost, including:

1. Marie Provost (1898-1937), an American film actress during the silent film era. 2. Robert Provost (c. 1170-1225), a French poet and trouvère from Arras. 3. Eugène Provost (1839-1909), a French architect and urban planner, known for his works in Paris and Brussels. 4. Jean Provost (c. 1460-1529), a French poet and translator during the Renaissance period. 5. Antoine François Provost (1768-1826), a French mathematician and physicist, best known for his contributions to probability theory.

The surname Provost has also been associated with various place names, such as Provost, a small town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and Provost, a community in Alberta, Canada, named after a prominent local family.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Provost families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Provost 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. Middlesex leads with 20 Provosts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.90x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 20 1.90x
Lancashire 18 1.44x
Cambridgeshire 15 22.48x
Staffordshire 12 3.37x
Cheshire 8 3.44x
Huntingdonshire 8 38.24x
Sussex 7 3.94x
Durham 4 1.28x
Channel Islands 3 9.61x
Kent 3 0.83x
Surrey 3 0.58x
Aberdeenshire 2 2.05x
Bedfordshire 2 3.67x
Hertfordshire 1 1.38x
Norfolk 1 0.62x
Somerset 1 0.59x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Salford in Lancashire leads with 9 Provosts recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.48x.

Place Total Index
Salford 9 24.48x
Titteworth 8 1454.55x
Eastbourne 7 85.68x
Mile End Old Town 7 42.09x
Much Woolton 7 411.76x
Thorney 7 945.95x
Knutsford Nether 5 354.61x
Whittlesey St Mary St 5 214.59x
Hackney London 4 6.77x
Huntingdon All Sts 4 2666.67x
Leek Lowe 4 84.57x
Pelton 4 268.46x
Ramsey 4 239.52x
Shoreditch London 4 8.76x
Acton 3 48.54x
Seal 3 517.24x
Wisbech St Peter 3 89.55x
Bollin Fee 2 194.17x
Compton 2 1176.47x
St Giles In Fields 2 55.10x
Aberdeen Old Machar 1 4.91x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 1 5.48x
Bedford St Mary 1 71.43x
Bedford St Paul 1 26.74x
Chorley In Macclesfield 1 140.85x
Dorking 1 28.99x
Frome 1 24.63x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 20.58x
Liverpool 1 1.32x
Oldham 1 2.48x
Royston 1 161.29x
St Helier 1 9.84x
St Peter Port 1 17.33x
St Saviour 1 57.80x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Elizabeth 7
Ellen 4
Sarah 4
Emma 3
Hannah 3
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Annie 2
Bertha 2
Jane 2
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Florence 1
Ida 1
Kate 1
Leah 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Margt.Ann 1
Marion 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Nelly 1
Rosa 1
Sophia 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 4
John 4
Edward 3
George 3
Henry 3
James 3
William 3
Abraham 2
Arthur 2
Leonard 2
Samuel 2
Alexander 1
Ashton 1
Auguste 1
David 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Henri 1
Hugh 1
Jno. 1
Joseph 1
Lenord 1
Robt. 1
Thomas 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Provost surname: questions and answers

How common was the Provost surname in 1881?

In 1881, 105 people were recorded with the Provost surname. That placed it at #19,183 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Provost surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 171 in 2016. That gives Provost a modern rank of #21,726.

What does the Provost surname mean?

An occupational surname for an official in charge of a prison, college, or religious community.

What does the Provost map show?

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