NameCensus.

UK surname

Raffe

In the 1881 census there were 69 people recorded with the Raffe surname, ranking it #23,816 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 87, ranked #32,476, down from #23,816 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Richmond, Stowmarket and Woolverton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Torridge, Waverley and Central Bedfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Raffe is 136 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.1%.

1881 census count

69

Ranked #23,816

Modern count

87

2016, ranked #32,476

Peak year

1911

136 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2006

Key insights

  • Raffe had 69 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,816 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 87 in 2016, ranked #32,476.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 136 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Raffe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Raffe surname density by area, 2006 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Raffe 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 64 #21,914
1861 historical 69 #25,057
1881 historical 69 #23,816
1891 historical 118 #21,540
1901 historical 134 #19,288
1911 historical 136 #18,962
1997 modern 98 #27,179
1998 modern 103 #27,141
1999 modern 107 #26,754
2000 modern 103 #27,280
2001 modern 103 #26,927
2002 modern 95 #28,666
2003 modern 92 #28,974
2004 modern 102 #27,637
2005 modern 103 #27,531
2006 modern 103 #27,785
2007 modern 98 #29,019
2008 modern 95 #29,822
2009 modern 94 #30,538
2010 modern 105 #29,453
2011 modern 100 #30,058
2012 modern 89 #31,934
2013 modern 84 #32,745
2014 modern 83 #32,910
2015 modern 86 #32,604
2016 modern 87 #32,476

Geography

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Where Raffes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Richmond, Stowmarket, Woolverton, Bradwell and St Anne Limehouse. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Torridge, Waverley, Central Bedfordshire and Waveney. 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 Richmond Surrey
2 Stowmarket Suffolk
3 Woolverton Northamptonshire
4 Bradwell Buckinghamshire
5 St Anne Limehouse London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Torridge 008 Torridge
2 Torridge 005 Torridge
3 Waverley 015 Waverley
4 Central Bedfordshire 007 Central Bedfordshire
5 Waveney 014 Waveney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Raffe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Raffe

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Raffe is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Raffe is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

1881 census detail

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Raffe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Raffe 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. Suffolk leads with 24 Raffes recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.28x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 24 29.28x
Middlesex 11 1.63x
Buckinghamshire 10 24.58x
Essex 9 6.77x
Lancashire 8 1.00x
Warwickshire 3 1.77x
Kent 1 0.44x
Leicestershire 1 1.34x
Surrey 1 0.30x
Sussex 1 0.88x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ipswich St Mathew in Suffolk leads with 10 Raffes recorded in 1881 and an index of 434.78x.

Place Total Index
Ipswich St Mathew 10 434.78x
Wolverton 10 1190.48x
Leyton 7 305.68x
Stowmarket 6 631.58x
West Derby 6 25.67x
Ipswich St Margaret 5 179.86x
Limehouse London 5 67.66x
Clerkenwell London 2 12.59x
Moreton Morrell 2 3333.33x
West Ham 2 6.82x
Broughton In Salford 1 13.70x
Claydon 1 833.33x
Combs 1 370.37x
Croydon 1 5.49x
Great Bowden 1 147.06x
Hackney London 1 2.65x
Ipswich St Peter 1 90.91x
Islington London 1 1.53x
Preston 1 50.51x
Rugby 1 43.48x
Sandwich St Peter 1 416.67x
St Pancras London 1 1.85x
Whitechapel London 1 15.08x
Widnes 1 17.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 3
Annie 3
Emma 3
Kate 3
Edith 2
Emily 2
Mary 2
Sarah 2
A.A. 1
Amelia 1
Barbara 1
Blanch 1
Elizabeth 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
I.K. 1
Laura 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
M.A. 1
M.S.E. 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Martha 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 3
Arthur 2
Edward 2
Fredk. 2
George 2
Henry 2
James 2
John 2
William 2
Albert 1
Charles 1
Domenica 1
F.W. 1
Frank 1
Harry 1
Henri 1
Herbert 1
J. 1
Joseph 1
Jubal 1
Octavius 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Raffe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Raffe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 69 people were recorded with the Raffe surname. That placed it at #23,816 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Raffe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 87 in 2016. That gives Raffe a modern rank of #32,476.

What does the Raffe map show?

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