UK surname
A surname derived from the Old French word meaning "raid" or "military expedition."
In the 1881 census there were 9 people recorded with the Raid surname, ranking it #32,416 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 11, ranked #37,501, down from #32,416 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Alloa, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Raid is 153 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22.2%.
1881 census count
9
Ranked #32,416
Modern count
11
2016, ranked #37,501
Peak year
1861
153 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Raid surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Raid surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 14 | #30,790 |
| 1861 | historical | 153 | #15,032 |
| 1881 | historical | 9 | #32,416 |
| 1891 | historical | 43 | #30,933 |
| 1901 | historical | 34 | #30,281 |
| 1911 | historical | 41 | #28,802 |
| 1997 | modern | 10 | #37,060 |
| 1998 | modern | 9 | #37,189 |
| 1999 | modern | 5 | #37,872 |
| 2000 | modern | 6 | #37,624 |
| 2001 | modern | 6 | #37,456 |
| 2002 | modern | 6 | #37,532 |
| 2003 | modern | 10 | #36,964 |
| 2004 | modern | 12 | #36,835 |
| 2005 | modern | 10 | #37,180 |
| 2006 | modern | 10 | #37,224 |
| 2007 | modern | 9 | #37,435 |
| 2008 | modern | 8 | #37,597 |
| 2009 | modern | 8 | #37,689 |
| 2010 | modern | 10 | #37,517 |
| 2011 | modern | 9 | #37,598 |
| 2012 | modern | 9 | #37,614 |
| 2013 | modern | 10 | #37,539 |
| 2014 | modern | 9 | #37,679 |
| 2015 | modern | 9 | #37,684 |
| 2016 | modern | 11 | #37,501 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Alloa, London parishes, St Pancras, Kings Norton and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alloa | Clackmannan |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 4 | Kings Norton | Worcestershire |
| 5 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Raid surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Raid, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Raid surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Raid household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Raid is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Raid is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Raid, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname RAID is of French origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period in the 12th century. The name is derived from the Old French word "reide," which means "rigid" or "stiff," and was likely initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a rigid or inflexible personality.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the RAID surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. While the spelling varied slightly, entries such as "Radulfus Reide" and "Willelmus Reide" suggest the presence of the RAID name in England during the Norman Conquest.
During the 13th century, the RAID surname began to appear in various medieval records and manuscripts across Europe. In 1273, a certain Johanne Raid was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire, England. Additionally, the name Radulfus Raid was recorded in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1279.
Notable historical figures bearing the RAID surname include Sir John Raid, a Scottish knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century. Another prominent individual was William Raid, a 15th-century English merchant and landowner from Yorkshire, whose name appears in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield from 1428.
In the 16th century, the RAID surname gained further prominence with the birth of Thomas Raid (1505-1568), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Regius Professor of Hebrew at the University of Cambridge. During the same period, a certain Robert Raid (1530-1592) was a renowned Scottish theologian and author of several religious works.
The 17th century saw the arrival of John Raid (1620-1692), a Scottish Presbyterian minister and one of the leading figures in the Covenanter movement, which sought to preserve Presbyterian values and resist the imposition of Episcopal government in the Church of Scotland.
While the RAID surname has its roots in France and England, it eventually spread to other parts of Europe and beyond. Over the centuries, the name has undergone various spelling variations, including Rade, Reade, Reide, and Reyd, reflecting the linguistic and cultural influences of different regions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Raid surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Cumberland leads with 5 Raids recorded in 1881 and an index of 66.23x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Cumberland | 5 | 66.23x |
| Durham | 3 | 11.51x |
| Sussex | 1 | 6.77x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Harrington in Cumberland leads with 5 Raids recorded in 1881 and an index of 5555.56x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Harrington | 5 | 5555.56x |
| Bishopwearmouth | 2 | 89.29x |
| Escomb | 1 | 833.33x |
| Hove | 1 | 153.85x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Raid surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Raid surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Raid households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 2 |
| Cook (Dom) | 1 |
| Labour | 1 |
| Labourer | 1 |
| Puddler | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 9 people were recorded with the Raid surname. That placed it at #32,416 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 11 in 2016. That gives Raid a modern rank of #37,501.
A surname derived from the Old French word meaning "raid" or "military expedition."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Raid bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.