NameCensus.

UK surname

Rainbow

English surname referring to someone who lived near a prominent rainbow-shaped landmark.

In the 1881 census there were 1,237 people recorded with the Rainbow surname, ranking it #3,278 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,694, ranked #3,688, down from #3,278 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Arlsey, London parishes and Shipton-under-Wychwood. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Wakefield and Central Bedfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rainbow is 1,866 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.9%.

1881 census count

1,237

Ranked #3,278

Modern count

1,694

2016, ranked #3,688

Peak year

1911

1,866 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rainbow had 1,237 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,278 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,694 in 2016, ranked #3,688.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,866 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rainbow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rainbow surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rainbow 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 805 #3,328
1861 historical 819 #3,363
1881 historical 1,237 #3,278
1891 historical 1,368 #3,171
1901 historical 1,579 #3,267
1911 historical 1,866 #2,650
1997 modern 1,713 #3,478
1998 modern 1,784 #3,478
1999 modern 1,792 #3,492
2000 modern 1,774 #3,504
2001 modern 1,732 #3,512
2002 modern 1,793 #3,469
2003 modern 1,707 #3,567
2004 modern 1,713 #3,558
2005 modern 1,684 #3,568
2006 modern 1,696 #3,553
2007 modern 1,682 #3,608
2008 modern 1,681 #3,632
2009 modern 1,723 #3,624
2010 modern 1,764 #3,621
2011 modern 1,723 #3,654
2012 modern 1,719 #3,612
2013 modern 1,729 #3,648
2014 modern 1,743 #3,637
2015 modern 1,723 #3,640
2016 modern 1,694 #3,688

Geography

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Where Rainbows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Arlsey, London parishes, Shipton-under-Wychwood, Hanslope and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Wakefield, Central Bedfordshire and Newark and Sherwood. 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 Arlsey Bedfordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Shipton-under-Wychwood Oxfordshire
4 Hanslope Buckinghamshire
5 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 009 County Durham
2 County Durham 008 County Durham
3 Wakefield 007 Wakefield
4 Central Bedfordshire 011 Central Bedfordshire
5 Newark and Sherwood 008 Newark and Sherwood

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rainbow

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rainbow

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Rainbow is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rainbow 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

Rainbow falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Rainbow

The surname RAINBOW is of English origin, emerging in the late 16th century. It is derived from the Old English phrase "rayn-boge," which literally translates to "rain bow," referring to the natural phenomenon of the colored arc appearing in the sky after a rainstorm.

The RAINBOW surname is believed to have originated in the county of Dorset in southwest England, where it was likely first adopted as a descriptive name for someone who lived near a location known for its frequent rainbows. One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is found in the parish records of Corfe Mullen, Dorset, where a William Rainbow was listed in 1598.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the RAINBOW surname spread across England, particularly in the southern counties. Notable bearers of the name include Thomas Rainbow (1618-1677), an English clergyman and author who served as the Bishop of Carlisle, and Edward Rainbow (1608-1684), an English churchman and author who served as the Bishop of Carlisle from 1664 to 1684.

As the British Empire expanded, the RAINBOW surname was carried to various parts of the world by English settlers and migrants. In the 19th century, the name appeared in census records and historical documents in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. One notable Australian bearer of the surname was John Rainbow (1846-1915), a politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia.

In the United States, the RAINBOW surname first appeared in the early colonial period, with records showing families of that name settling in Virginia and New England. Notable American bearers of the surname include Gilbert W. Rainbow (1878-1953), a businessman and philanthropist from Ohio, and James Rainbow (1842-1920), a Union soldier during the American Civil War who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery.

Throughout its history, the RAINBOW surname has maintained its connection to the natural phenomenon from which it derives its name, serving as a reminder of the awe-inspiring beauty of the colorful arc spanning the sky after a storm.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rainbow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rainbow 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. Warwickshire leads with 265 Rainbows recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.68x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 265 8.68x
Bedfordshire 164 26.16x
Middlesex 143 1.18x
Northamptonshire 129 11.33x
Surrey 84 1.42x
Buckinghamshire 77 10.52x
Nottinghamshire 68 4.17x
Oxfordshire 61 8.16x
Leicestershire 33 2.46x
Essex 32 1.34x
Staffordshire 28 0.69x
Durham 25 0.69x
Worcestershire 24 1.52x
Hertfordshire 22 2.64x
Lancashire 17 0.12x
Yorkshire 10 0.08x
Gloucestershire 7 0.29x
Kent 7 0.17x
Suffolk 7 0.47x
Hampshire 6 0.24x
Berkshire 5 0.55x
Cheshire 5 0.19x
Derbyshire 5 0.26x
Norfolk 5 0.27x
Lanarkshire 3 0.08x
Devon 2 0.08x
Midlothian 2 0.12x
Sussex 2 0.10x
Wiltshire 2 0.19x
Royal Navy 1 0.69x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 60 Rainbows recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.90x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 60 5.90x
Arlesey 35 442.48x
Hanslope 35 531.91x
Meppershall 32 993.79x
Coventry Holy Trinity 31 34.01x
Shipton Under Wychwood 30 623.70x
Hackney London 29 4.27x
Nottingham St Mary 27 6.40x
Denton 25 1101.32x
Coventry St Michael 23 23.45x
Lambeth 22 2.08x
Leicester St Margaret 20 6.11x
Aston 19 2.26x
Bethnal Green London 19 3.61x
Leamington Priors 19 25.29x
Shillington 19 205.85x
Toddington 19 211.35x
Camberwell 17 2.20x
Cogenhoe 16 1103.45x
Shipston On Stour 16 222.53x
Bedford St Cuthbert 13 233.39x
Foleshill 13 40.47x
Nottingham St Peter 13 71.47x
Flitton 12 422.54x
Yardley Hastings 12 245.40x
Basford 11 14.63x
Clapham 11 7.27x
Northampton Priory St 11 16.10x
Waldridge 11 182.42x
Rugby 10 24.21x
St Pancras London 10 1.03x
Wandsworth 10 8.58x
Wolverton 10 66.01x
Bodicote 9 315.79x
Hammersmith London 9 3.02x
Islington London 9 0.77x
Newington 9 2.01x
Newport Pagnell 9 58.82x
Wanstead 9 21.51x
West Bromwich 9 3.85x
Barking 8 11.44x
Darlington 8 5.75x
Friern Barnet 8 30.00x
Honington 8 860.22x
Lavendon 8 243.16x
Luton 8 7.37x
Northampton St Sepulchre 8 13.81x
Towcester 8 68.14x
West Ham 8 1.52x
Barton On The Heath 7 897.44x
Bilton 7 99.43x
Hampstead London 7 3.71x
Holwell 7 786.52x
Liverpool 7 0.80x
Lutterworth 7 85.57x
Stowe Nine Churches 7 660.38x
Brafield On Green 6 269.06x
Croydon 6 1.83x
Eatington 6 208.33x
Hinxworth 6 487.80x
Kingswinford 6 4.04x
Northfield 6 20.01x
Standard Hill 6 154.24x
Stratford On Avon 6 35.44x
Tanfield 6 14.01x
Ashby St Ledgers 5 458.72x
Bedford St Peter 5 30.71x
Deptford St Paul 5 1.57x
Dersingham 5 119.05x
Frankton 5 549.45x
Gorleston 5 13.35x
Heanor 5 17.64x
Hornsey 5 3.27x
Hornton 5 240.38x
Kenilworth 5 29.05x
Leamington Hastings 5 261.78x
Mickleton 5 160.26x
Sherington 5 200.00x
Wigston Magna 5 28.09x
Wilton In Guisbrough 5 93.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 87
John 64
George 39
Thomas 38
James 36
Henry 28
Joseph 27
Charles 24
Frederick 18
Alfred 17
Robert 17
Edward 16
Richard 14
Arthur 11
Samuel 10
Albert 9
Frank 9
Walter 9
Herbert 8
Francis 7
Ernest 6
Harry 6
Benjamin 5
Edwin 5
Caleb 3
Leonard 3
Percy 3
Peter 3
Thos. 3
Willm. 3
David 2
Eli 2
Fred 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Horace 2
Jesse 2
Jonas 2
Joshua 2
Josiah 2
Lewis 2
Tom 2
Archibald 1
Benjamine 1
Edgar 1
Elisha 1
Enock 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Wm.Nicholas 1

FAQ

Rainbow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rainbow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,237 people were recorded with the Rainbow surname. That placed it at #3,278 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rainbow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,694 in 2016. That gives Rainbow a modern rank of #3,688.

What does the Rainbow surname mean?

English surname referring to someone who lived near a prominent rainbow-shaped landmark.

What does the Rainbow map show?

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