NameCensus.

UK surname

Ragg

A surname likely derived from the Old Norse word "ragga" meaning "to shake or tremble."

In the 1881 census there were 334 people recorded with the Ragg surname, ranking it #9,025 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 216, ranked #18,613, down from #9,025 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sunderland, London parishes and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leeds, Derby and Breckland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ragg is 348 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 35.3%.

1881 census count

334

Ranked #9,025

Modern count

216

2016, ranked #18,613

Peak year

1891

348 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ragg had 334 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,025 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 216 in 2016, ranked #18,613.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 348 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ragg surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ragg surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ragg 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 344 #6,842
1861 historical 306 #8,296
1881 historical 334 #9,025
1891 historical 348 #9,873
1901 historical 323 #11,065
1911 historical 297 #11,524
1997 modern 245 #15,483
1998 modern 233 #16,459
1999 modern 236 #16,404
2000 modern 241 #16,146
2001 modern 236 #16,094
2002 modern 239 #16,332
2003 modern 225 #16,808
2004 modern 220 #17,129
2005 modern 218 #17,170
2006 modern 210 #17,718
2007 modern 206 #18,142
2008 modern 208 #18,171
2009 modern 216 #18,120
2010 modern 227 #17,895
2011 modern 217 #18,271
2012 modern 214 #18,358
2013 modern 222 #18,198
2014 modern 224 #18,202
2015 modern 221 #18,289
2016 modern 216 #18,613

Geography

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Where Raggs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sunderland, London parishes, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Sheffield and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leeds, Derby, Breckland and Cupar West and Springfield. 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 Sunderland Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leeds 001 Leeds
2 Derby 004 Derby
3 Breckland 014 Breckland
4 Cupar West and Springfield Fife
5 Derby 006 Derby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ragg

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ragg

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Ragg is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ragg is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ragg falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Ragg

The surname Ragg is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval era. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word 'hracca', meaning a rake or a rick (a stack of hay or grain). This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname, referring to someone who worked as a raker or a farmer.

During the Middle Ages, the name Ragg appeared in various historical records across England. One of the earliest known references can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1166, where a person named Willelmus Ragg was mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also recorded a certain Radulfus Ragge in Oxfordshire.

The name Ragg has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. In the 14th century, Sir Thomas Ragg served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1348. Another prominent figure was John Ragg, born in 1592, who was a renowned English clergyman and author known for his work, "The Footsteps of Antiquity".

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Ragg underwent various spelling variations, including Ragge, Ragges, and Raggs. These variations were often found in parish records and census documents across different regions of England.

One of the earliest instances of the name Ragg being associated with a place name can be traced back to the village of Raggholders, located in Lincolnshire. This place name likely derived from the Old English words 'hracca' and 'haldan', meaning "rake holder" or "haymaker".

Other notable individuals bearing the surname Ragg include:

1. William Ragg (1630-1689), an English Baptist minister and author. 2. Thomas Ragg (1737-1818), a British military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. 3. Louisa Ragg (1819-1902), an English writer and philanthropist. 4. Alfred Ragg (1859-1931), a British educator and clergyman who served as the Headmaster of Charterhouse School. 5. Samuel Ragg (1873-1946), an English cricketer who played for Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club.

While the surname Ragg may not be as common today as it once was, its historical roots and associations with various occupations, places, and notable individuals make it an intriguing part of English onomastic heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ragg families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ragg 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 73 Raggs recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.53x.

County Total Index
Durham 73 7.53x
Leicestershire 73 20.21x
Yorkshire 36 1.12x
Warwickshire 35 4.26x
Surrey 20 1.26x
Middlesex 19 0.58x
Cheshire 14 1.95x
Lancashire 14 0.36x
Kent 10 0.90x
Northumberland 8 1.65x
Hampshire 7 1.05x
Shropshire 6 2.13x
Nottinghamshire 5 1.14x
Buckinghamshire 3 1.52x
Derbyshire 3 0.59x
Norfolk 2 0.40x
Staffordshire 2 0.18x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.33x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.48x
Suffolk 1 0.25x
Worcestershire 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 29 Raggs recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.92x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 29 32.92x
Aston 24 10.61x
Bishopwearmouth 13 15.63x
Lambeth 11 3.87x
Ashby De La Zouch 10 119.47x
Nether Hallam 10 22.89x
Chester Le Street 9 120.97x
Monkwearmouth Shore 9 47.57x
Hinckley 8 93.35x
Leicester St Mary 8 27.42x
West Herrington 8 235.29x
Newcastle On Tyne St 7 27.86x
Ecclesall Bierlow 6 9.14x
Edgbaston 6 23.56x
Great Crosby 6 56.93x
Lower Bebington 6 140.52x
Market Bosworth 6 461.54x
Monkwearmouth 6 64.66x
Ormesby 6 69.12x
Oxton 6 147.42x
Portsea 6 4.58x
St Pancras London 6 2.29x
Sunderland 6 35.05x
Wellington 6 37.93x
Edmonton 5 19.05x
Gateshead 5 6.89x
Gillingham 5 21.82x
Monw Wearmouth Shore 5 537.63x
Snarestone 5 1428.57x
Birmingham 4 1.46x
Heeley 4 40.77x
Islington London 4 1.27x
Penge 4 19.22x
South Collingham 4 459.77x
Leicester Black Friars 3 127.66x
Leicester St Leonard 3 87.72x
Litchurch 3 14.61x
Marsworth 3 588.24x
Rawmarsh 3 26.29x
Sadberge 3 731.71x
Bossall Claxton 2 625.00x
Epsom 2 25.84x
Greenwich 2 3.86x
Habergham Eaves 2 5.66x
Lewisham 2 3.37x
Penshaw 2 68.73x
Stranton 2 6.13x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 1.18x
Austrey 1 243.90x
Bradford 1 1.28x
Castleton 1 2.59x
Cheadle 1 7.28x
Croydon 1 1.13x
East Molesey 1 27.17x
Great Little Marsden 1 5.65x
Halesworth 1 35.59x
Hampton Bickley 1 119.05x
Harborne 1 2.84x
Higham On The Hill 1 200.00x
Huddersfield 1 2.13x
Leatherhead 1 25.13x
Mile End Old Town 1 1.94x
Monk Hesleden 1 37.04x
Norwich St George Colegate 1 54.95x
Preston In Tynemouth 1 52.36x
Ryhope 1 14.86x
Salford 1 0.88x
Settrington 1 161.29x
Sheffield 1 0.97x
Snenton 1 5.80x
St Andrewthe Great 1 37.45x
St Giles 1 16.53x
Stockton On Tees 1 2.14x
Toft Monks 1 227.27x
Ventnor 1 15.75x
Warley Salop 1 163.93x
West Ardsley 1 25.71x
West Bromwich 1 1.59x
Westminster St James 1 2.99x
Whitechapel London 1 3.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Sarah 20
Alice 8
Ann 8
Elizabeth 8
Jane 8
Ellen 6
Eliza 5
Emma 5
Isabella 5
Annie 4
Margaret 4
Edith 3
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Jessie 3
Anne 2
Emily 2
Ethel 2
Kate 2
Lucy 2
Margret 2
Martha 2
Ruth 2
Winifred 2
Amelia 1
Anna 1
Auther 1
Beatrice 1
Betsy 1
Catharine 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Elizth. 1
Elsie 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Harriett 1
Hilda 1
Jennie 1
Katherina 1
Maggie 1
Margareta 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Maud 1
May 1
Minnie 1
Wm. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 23
John 16
Thomas 14
George 13
James 9
Joseph 9
Charles 4
Dennis 4
Edward 4
Frederick 4
Richard 4
Robert 4
Albert 3
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Christopher 3
Henry 3
Alban 2
Samuel 2
Walter 2
Wilson 2
Alfd.R. 1
Allan 1
Bower 1
Chas. 1
Clement 1
Denis 1
Edmond 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
G. 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
J.G. 1
Josh. 1
Leonard 1
Lonsdale 1
Matthew 1
Maurice 1
Michael 1
Philip 1
Robt. 1
Russell 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Ragg surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ragg surname in 1881?

In 1881, 334 people were recorded with the Ragg surname. That placed it at #9,025 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ragg surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 216 in 2016. That gives Ragg a modern rank of #18,613.

What does the Ragg surname mean?

A surname likely derived from the Old Norse word "ragga" meaning "to shake or tremble."

What does the Ragg map show?

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