NameCensus.

UK surname

Race

An English occupational surname referring to someone who worked as a messenger or courier.

In the 1881 census there were 1,628 people recorded with the Race surname, ranking it #2,628 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,232, ranked #2,908, down from #2,628 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Stonham Aspel. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham and Mendip.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Race is 2,404 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.1%.

1881 census count

1,628

Ranked #2,628

Modern count

2,232

2016, ranked #2,908

Peak year

1999

2,404 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Race had 1,628 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,628 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,232 in 2016, ranked #2,908.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,360 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Race surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Race surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Race 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 1,023 #2,733
1861 historical 1,298 #2,199
1881 historical 1,628 #2,628
1891 historical 1,764 #2,586
1901 historical 2,052 #2,612
1911 historical 2,360 #2,167
1997 modern 2,360 #2,646
1998 modern 2,385 #2,717
1999 modern 2,404 #2,721
2000 modern 2,328 #2,779
2001 modern 2,271 #2,781
2002 modern 2,296 #2,814
2003 modern 2,228 #2,828
2004 modern 2,197 #2,869
2005 modern 2,166 #2,872
2006 modern 2,171 #2,869
2007 modern 2,168 #2,895
2008 modern 2,176 #2,909
2009 modern 2,233 #2,914
2010 modern 2,267 #2,931
2011 modern 2,264 #2,903
2012 modern 2,259 #2,852
2013 modern 2,282 #2,875
2014 modern 2,299 #2,870
2015 modern 2,253 #2,892
2016 modern 2,232 #2,908

Geography

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Where Races are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Stonham Aspel, Auckland St Andrew and Brancepeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham and Mendip. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Stonham Aspel Suffolk
4 Auckland St Andrew Durham
5 Brancepeth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 064 County Durham
2 County Durham 059 County Durham
3 County Durham 057 County Durham
4 Mendip 009 Mendip
5 County Durham 055 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Race

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Race

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Race, 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 Race surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Race 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Race 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

Race 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

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

Meaning and origin of Race

The surname Race is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "rasse" or "race," meaning "family" or "lineage." It is believed to have emerged in the late 12th or early 13th century, during the Norman Conquest of England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Race can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1221, where a Robertus Race is mentioned. The name is also found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which were records of landholders and their holdings in various counties of England.

The surname Race is thought to have evolved from a nickname given to someone who belonged to a particular family or lineage. It may have been used to distinguish between individuals of the same given name but from different families or lineages.

In the 14th century, the surname Race appeared in various historical records, such as the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, where a Willelmus Race is listed. The name is also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1334, which recorded individuals who were subject to taxation.

Some notable individuals bearing the surname Race throughout history include John Race (c. 1510 - c. 1580), an English Protestant reformer and author; Thomas Race (1608 - 1694), an English clergyman and author; Robert Race (1722 - 1779), an English architect and surveyor; William Race (1763 - 1819), an English engraver; and George Race (1819 - 1891), an English cricketer.

The surname Race has also been associated with various place names, such as Race Farm in Cheshire, Race Hill in Shropshire, and Race Wood in Wiltshire. These place names may have influenced the evolution of the surname or vice versa.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Race families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Race 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. Durham leads with 583 Races recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.31x.

County Total Index
Durham 583 12.31x
Yorkshire 417 2.64x
Suffolk 153 7.89x
Lancashire 120 0.64x
Middlesex 80 0.50x
Surrey 36 0.46x
Essex 30 0.95x
Kent 30 0.55x
Norfolk 26 1.06x
Northumberland 25 1.06x
Hertfordshire 21 1.91x
Warwickshire 21 0.52x
Lincolnshire 12 0.47x
Northamptonshire 11 0.73x
Cheshire 9 0.26x
Isle of Man 8 2.71x
Berkshire 7 0.59x
Derbyshire 7 0.28x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.28x
Sussex 5 0.19x
Hampshire 3 0.09x
Huntingdonshire 3 0.95x
Leicestershire 3 0.17x
Westmorland 3 0.86x
Bedfordshire 2 0.24x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.21x
Midlothian 2 0.09x
Staffordshire 2 0.04x
Cumberland 1 0.07x
Glamorgan 1 0.04x
Gloucestershire 1 0.03x
Shropshire 1 0.07x
Worcestershire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stonham Aspall in Suffolk leads with 76 Races recorded in 1881 and an index of 1919.19x.

Place Total Index
Stonham Aspall 76 1919.19x
Bishop Auckland 63 99.15x
Crook Billy Row 55 90.68x
Lynesack Softley 48 375.00x
Hetton Le Hole 31 51.65x
Bradfield 30 49.33x
Auckland St Andrew 29 231.81x
Stanhope 28 57.26x
Hulme 27 6.85x
Oldham 25 4.10x
Barton Upon Irwell 21 14.77x
Brightside Bierlow 20 6.46x
Staindrop 20 278.16x
Sandal Magna 17 72.87x
Scarborough 17 11.86x
Hackney London 16 1.79x
Stockton On Tees 16 7.01x
Barnsley 15 9.22x
Camberwell 15 1.48x
Leeds 15 1.68x
Forest Frith 14 338.16x
Horbury 14 50.72x
Salford 14 2.52x
West Auckland 14 80.83x
Sawbridgeworth 13 78.22x
Coundon 12 62.50x
Hedleyhope 12 146.34x
Helmington Row 12 54.40x
Horton In Bradford 12 4.87x
Roystone 12 194.49x
Soothill 12 21.06x
Wingate 12 36.96x
Witton Le Wear 12 89.35x
Evenwood Barony 11 68.32x
Thornley 11 64.18x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 10 17.46x
Byers Green 10 74.85x
Darlington 10 5.47x
Eldon 10 133.33x
Haworth 10 26.67x
Heckmondwike 10 19.71x
Hunwick Helmington 10 87.95x
Liversedge 10 14.24x
Paddington London 10 1.71x
Armley 9 12.93x
Brandon Byshottles 9 15.17x
Coxlodge 9 49.97x
Lambeth 9 0.65x
Sculcoates 9 3.60x
Teddington London 9 24.95x
Ebberston 8 247.68x
Ganton 8 432.43x
Horringer 8 221.61x
Hunslet 8 3.25x
Islington London 8 0.52x
Long Melford 8 44.40x
Onchan 8 9.39x
Rillington 8 167.36x
Woolley 8 244.65x
Aston 7 0.63x
Birmingham 7 0.52x
Bradbury 7 660.38x
Carlton Miniott 7 338.16x
Derby St Werburgh 7 4.86x
Ferryhill 7 42.27x
Hamsterley 7 260.22x
Horton 7 59.78x
Houghton Le Spring 7 21.38x
Ipswich St Clement 7 14.20x
Lackford 7 736.84x
Lewisham 7 2.42x
Middlesbrough 7 3.41x
Newbottle 7 27.07x
Old Malton 7 70.56x
Reading St Giles 7 5.97x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 7 9.55x
Sunderland Bridge 7 93.21x
Wath On Dearne 7 22.24x
Cudworth 6 105.45x
Escomb 6 27.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 111
William 105
George 80
Thomas 62
James 41
Robert 38
Joseph 35
Henry 26
Charles 18
Richard 17
Alfred 14
Frederick 14
Arthur 13
Walter 13
Albert 11
Benjamin 8
David 8
Edward 8
Samuel 8
Ralph 7
Anthony 6
Edwin 6
Harry 6
Herbert 6
Frank 5
Hugh 5
Andrew 4
Edgar 4
Edmund 4
Ernest 4
Fred 4
Wm. 4
Aaron 3
Elijah 3
Isaac 3
Joshua 3
Nathan 3
Roger 3
Sydney 3
Amos 2
Daniel 2
Ebenezer 2
Edd. 2
Fredrick 2
Harold 2
Joe 2
Lancelot 2
Martin 2
Saml. 2
Thos. 2

FAQ

Race surname: questions and answers

How common was the Race surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,628 people were recorded with the Race surname. That placed it at #2,628 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Race surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,232 in 2016. That gives Race a modern rank of #2,908.

What does the Race surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to someone who worked as a messenger or courier.

What does the Race map show?

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