NameCensus.

UK surname

Quest

A surname derived from the Old French word "queste," meaning a search, pursuit, or inquiry.

In the 1881 census there were 118 people recorded with the Quest surname, ranking it #17,935 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 247, ranked #16,955, up from #17,935 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Northfield, Willesden and Hull Holy Trinity. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Hams, Plymouth and Exeter.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Quest is 311 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 109.3%.

1881 census count

118

Ranked #17,935

Modern count

247

2016, ranked #16,955

Peak year

1891

311 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Quest had 118 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,935 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 247 in 2016, ranked #16,955.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 311 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Quest surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Quest surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Quest 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 91 #18,187
1861 historical 120 #18,255
1881 historical 118 #17,935
1891 historical 311 #10,781
1901 historical 176 #16,401
1911 historical 237 #13,406
1997 modern 263 #14,769
1998 modern 270 #14,913
1999 modern 275 #14,789
2000 modern 280 #14,601
2001 modern 258 #15,194
2002 modern 250 #15,819
2003 modern 235 #16,291
2004 modern 230 #16,643
2005 modern 224 #16,876
2006 modern 228 #16,789
2007 modern 236 #16,617
2008 modern 237 #16,688
2009 modern 241 #16,848
2010 modern 249 #16,837
2011 modern 244 #16,922
2012 modern 240 #16,979
2013 modern 246 #16,979
2014 modern 251 #16,865
2015 modern 249 #16,858
2016 modern 247 #16,955

Geography

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Where Quests are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Northfield, Willesden, Hull Holy Trinity, Elloughton and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Hams, Plymouth, Exeter, Kingston upon Hull and Huntingdonshire. 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 Northfield Worcestershire
2 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Elloughton Yorkshire, East Riding
5 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Hams 001 South Hams
2 Plymouth 015 Plymouth
3 Exeter 004 Exeter
4 Kingston upon Hull 013 Kingston upon Hull, City of
5 Huntingdonshire 016 Huntingdonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Quest

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Quest

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Quest surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Quest household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Quest 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

Quest 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

Quest falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Quest

The surname Quest is of English origin and dates back to the late 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "cyst" or "cest," meaning choice or outstanding merit. The name likely referred to someone who was highly regarded or esteemed in their community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Quest can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, a census-like record from 1273. The name appears as "Queste" in this document, which suggests that the spelling has evolved over time.

In the 14th century, the surname Quest was particularly prevalent in the counties of Oxfordshire and Warwickshire. Records from this period show variations in spelling, including "Queste," "Quest," and "Quist."

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not directly mention the surname Quest. However, it does reference several place names that may have influenced the development of the name, such as "Questen" in Wiltshire and "Quistede" in Essex.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Quest was John Quest, a prominent merchant from Bristol who lived in the late 14th century. Another notable figure was Sir William Quest, a knight who fought in the Wars of the Roses during the 15th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Quest continued to be found across various parts of England. Notable individuals from this period include:

1. Richard Quest (c. 1550-1634), a wealthy landowner and magistrate from Hertfordshire. 2. Elizabeth Quest (c. 1590-1669), a Puritan writer and religious activist from Berkshire. 3. Thomas Quest (1609-1676), a member of the English Parliament and supporter of Oliver Cromwell during the English Civil War.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Quest surname spread to other parts of the British Isles and beyond. Some notable bearers of the name include:

1. Benjamin Quest (1730-1809), an American Revolutionary War soldier from Virginia. 2. James Quest (1795-1879), a Scottish politician and advocate for social reform. 3. Emily Quest (1840-1918), an English novelist and playwright known for her works on the suffragette movement.

While the surname Quest has roots in medieval England, it has since become a surname found in many parts of the world, carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and nationalities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Quest families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Quest 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. Yorkshire leads with 46 Quests recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.00x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 46 4.00x
Devon 20 8.28x
Lancashire 15 1.09x
Middlesex 12 1.03x
Northamptonshire 11 10.08x
Durham 4 1.16x
Surrey 4 0.71x
Kent 3 0.76x
Derbyshire 1 0.55x
Gloucestershire 1 0.44x
Hampshire 1 0.42x
Royal Navy 1 7.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holy Trinity in Yorkshire leads with 20 Quests recorded in 1881 and an index of 72.31x.

Place Total Index
Holy Trinity 20 72.31x
Elloughton Cum Brough 16 4571.43x
Gorton 10 77.22x
Northampton St Sepulchre 10 180.18x
Chelsea London 9 25.73x
Shaugh Prior 9 3214.29x
Bishop Burton 6 3333.33x
Cornwood 5 1086.96x
Pendleton In Salford 4 24.38x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 17.12x
Westoe 4 20.44x
Kensington London 3 4.65x
Buckland Monachorum 2 384.62x
Gillingham 2 24.51x
Beverley St Martin 1 52.08x
Blackburn 1 2.73x
Cheltenham 1 5.69x
Cottingham 1 40.32x
Derby St Werburgh 1 9.53x
East Stonehouse 1 21.01x
Leeds 1 1.54x
Minster In Sheppey 1 15.24x
Northampton Priory St 1 15.27x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 5.37x
Plympton St Mary 1 71.43x
Portsea 1 2.14x
Royal Navy 1 8.46x
Stoke Damerel 1 5.91x
Tickton Hull Bridge 1 666.67x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 7
George 6
Charles 5
John 5
Thomas 5
James 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Danial 1
Daniel 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Grasly 1
Horatio 1
Reginald 1
Richd. 1
Robert 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Quest surname: questions and answers

How common was the Quest surname in 1881?

In 1881, 118 people were recorded with the Quest surname. That placed it at #17,935 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Quest surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 247 in 2016. That gives Quest a modern rank of #16,955.

What does the Quest surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old French word "queste," meaning a search, pursuit, or inquiry.

What does the Quest map show?

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