NameCensus.

UK surname

Quince

A surname derived from the quince fruit.

In the 1881 census there were 249 people recorded with the Quince surname, ranking it #11,103 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 503, ranked #9,950, up from #11,103 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Emneth, Wood Ditton and Eaton Socon with Wyboston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fenland, Bedford and Central Bedfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Quince is 527 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 102.0%.

1881 census count

249

Ranked #11,103

Modern count

503

2016, ranked #9,950

Peak year

1999

527 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Quince had 249 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,103 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 503 in 2016, ranked #9,950.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 322 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Quince surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Quince surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Quince 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 199 #10,441
1861 historical 141 #16,072
1881 historical 249 #11,103
1891 historical 231 #13,472
1901 historical 296 #11,749
1911 historical 322 #10,873
1997 modern 478 #9,627
1998 modern 515 #9,378
1999 modern 527 #9,277
2000 modern 504 #9,575
2001 modern 500 #9,464
2002 modern 517 #9,418
2003 modern 510 #9,350
2004 modern 496 #9,566
2005 modern 488 #9,607
2006 modern 493 #9,578
2007 modern 483 #9,816
2008 modern 479 #9,964
2009 modern 500 #9,862
2010 modern 502 #10,029
2011 modern 497 #9,997
2012 modern 480 #10,168
2013 modern 497 #10,063
2014 modern 511 #9,927
2015 modern 506 #9,916
2016 modern 503 #9,950

Geography

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Where Quinces are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Emneth, Wood Ditton, Eaton Socon with Wyboston, Doddington and Wisbech St Peter. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fenland, Bedford and Central Bedfordshire. 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 Emneth Cambridgeshire
2 Wood Ditton Cambridgeshire
3 Eaton Socon with Wyboston Huntingdonshire
4 Doddington Cambridgeshire
5 Wisbech St Peter Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fenland 003 Fenland
2 Bedford 018 Bedford
3 Fenland 006 Fenland
4 Central Bedfordshire 004 Central Bedfordshire
5 Central Bedfordshire 005 Central Bedfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Quince

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Quince

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Quince is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Quince is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Quince falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Quince is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Quince

The surname Quince is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the late 16th century. The name is derived from the fruit quince, which suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname may have been associated with growing or selling quinces, or perhaps lived in an area where quince trees were abundant.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Quince surname can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Thaxted, Essex, where a Robert Quince was documented in 1588. The name also appeared in the records of the nearby village of Wethersfield, where a Thomas Quince was registered in 1602.

During the 17th century, the Quince surname began to spread throughout various counties in England, including Suffolk, Norfolk, and Cambridgeshire. In 1642, a John Quince was listed in the Records of the Honorable Society of Lincoln's Inn, which suggests that members of the Quince family had achieved a certain level of prominence and social status by that time.

One notable individual with the Quince surname was Sir Roger Quince (1668-1734), a prominent English merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire. He served as the High Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1704 and was knighted by Queen Anne in 1711 for his contributions to the local community.

Another historically significant bearer of the Quince name was Samuel Quince (1742-1817), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. He rose to the rank of Rear Admiral and was known for his bravery and leadership during several notable naval battles.

In the literary world, the Quince surname is perhaps best represented by Thomas Quince (1590-1661), an English poet and playwright who was a contemporary of William Shakespeare. Quince's most famous work was a poetic collection titled "Emblems Divine and Moral," published in 1635.

While the Quince surname originated in England, it eventually spread to other parts of the world through emigration and colonization. One example is William Quince (1784-1868), an early settler in Australia who arrived in Sydney in 1810 and went on to become a successful farmer and landowner in the colony of New South Wales.

Overall, the surname Quince has a rich history that spans several centuries and various regions, with notable bearers contributing to fields such as literature, military service, commerce, and agriculture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Quince families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Quince 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. Bedfordshire leads with 54 Quinces recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.94x.

County Total Index
Bedfordshire 54 42.94x
Cambridgeshire 50 32.50x
Norfolk 23 6.16x
Yorkshire 23 0.96x
Middlesex 20 0.82x
Essex 18 3.75x
Lincolnshire 15 3.86x
Huntingdonshire 10 20.73x
Northumberland 7 1.94x
Staffordshire 4 0.49x
Sussex 4 0.98x
Derbyshire 3 0.79x
Durham 3 0.42x
Lancashire 3 0.10x
Hertfordshire 2 1.19x
Lanarkshire 2 0.25x
Surrey 2 0.17x
Cheshire 1 0.19x
Devon 1 0.20x
Hampshire 1 0.20x
Kent 1 0.12x
Suffolk 1 0.34x
Warwickshire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sandy in Bedfordshire leads with 38 Quinces recorded in 1881 and an index of 1711.71x.

Place Total Index
Sandy 38 1711.71x
Wisbech St Peter 26 337.22x
Emneth 15 1807.23x
March 15 291.26x
Eaton Socon 14 710.66x
Ruswarp 11 410.45x
East Ham 8 89.89x
Wood Ditton 8 620.16x
Holdingham 7 5833.33x
Bethnal Green London 6 5.69x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 6 27.80x
Stoke Newington London 6 31.71x
Rotherham 5 36.85x
Leyton 4 48.43x
Little Ilford 4 481.93x
Northiam 4 400.00x
Quadring 4 533.33x
Walsall Borough 4 62.89x
West Walton 4 555.56x
Ebchester 3 267.86x
Hunslet 3 7.99x
Kensington London 3 2.22x
Manchester 3 2.31x
Normanton 3 93.46x
Tetworth 3 1764.71x
Abbotsley 2 526.32x
Bedford St Mary 2 61.73x
Glasgow 2 1.43x
Hessle In Sculcoates 2 93.90x
Hitchin 2 26.46x
Kingston On Thames 2 7.03x
Poplar London 2 4.36x
St Neots 2 76.34x
Thorganby 2 1666.67x
Walsoken 2 88.89x
West Ham 2 1.89x
Aldershot 1 6.00x
Aston 1 0.59x
Boston 1 8.49x
Bury St Edmunds St James 1 12.66x
Chippenham 1 185.19x
Dunham Massey 1 60.98x
East Stonehouse 1 10.04x
Folkestone 1 6.22x
Great Staughton 1 106.38x
Great Yarmouth 1 3.23x
Hackney London 1 0.73x
Heigham 1 4.99x
Huntingdon St John 1 71.43x
Kimberworth 1 7.49x
North Shields 1 13.87x
Sheffield 1 1.31x
St Andrew Holborn 1 12.15x
St Ives 1 40.00x
St Marylebone London 1 0.77x
Wyberton 1 185.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 20
John 14
Charles 12
Henry 8
James 7
George 6
Samuel 5
Thomas 5
Joseph 4
Arthur 3
Harry 3
Robert 3
Edward 2
Frederic 2
Herbert 2
Michael 2
Peter 2
A. 1
Ablett 1
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Daniel 1
Edwin 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Hugh 1
Kate 1
Mark 1
Patrick 1
Smithey 1

FAQ

Quince surname: questions and answers

How common was the Quince surname in 1881?

In 1881, 249 people were recorded with the Quince surname. That placed it at #11,103 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Quince surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 503 in 2016. That gives Quince a modern rank of #9,950.

What does the Quince surname mean?

A surname derived from the quince fruit.

What does the Quince map show?

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