NameCensus.

UK surname

Rance

A surname derived from the French word "rance" meaning rancid or old.

In the 1881 census there were 1,123 people recorded with the Rance surname, ranking it #3,553 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,763, ranked #3,560, down from #3,553 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Tring and Bray, Maidenhead, Cookham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Lindsey, Chiltern and Dacorum.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rance is 1,991 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.0%.

1881 census count

1,123

Ranked #3,553

Modern count

1,763

2016, ranked #3,560

Peak year

2000

1,991 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rance had 1,123 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,553 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,763 in 2016, ranked #3,560.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,832 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rance surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rance surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rance 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 699 #3,733
1861 historical 551 #4,778
1881 historical 1,123 #3,553
1891 historical 1,209 #3,549
1901 historical 1,565 #3,292
1911 historical 1,832 #2,691
1997 modern 1,910 #3,159
1998 modern 1,939 #3,234
1999 modern 1,983 #3,198
2000 modern 1,991 #3,172
2001 modern 1,941 #3,183
2002 modern 1,975 #3,204
2003 modern 1,887 #3,256
2004 modern 1,867 #3,285
2005 modern 1,818 #3,340
2006 modern 1,807 #3,363
2007 modern 1,804 #3,398
2008 modern 1,792 #3,449
2009 modern 1,818 #3,473
2010 modern 1,867 #3,469
2011 modern 1,847 #3,453
2012 modern 1,791 #3,496
2013 modern 1,814 #3,515
2014 modern 1,825 #3,513
2015 modern 1,783 #3,548
2016 modern 1,763 #3,560

Geography

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Where Rances are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Tring, Bray, Maidenhead, Cookham and Chesham (incl. Chartridge, Billington & Latimers with Waterside. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Lindsey, Chiltern, Dacorum and Windsor and Maidenhead. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Tring Hertfordshire
4 Bray, Maidenhead, Cookham Berkshire
5 Chesham (incl. Chartridge, Billington & Latimers with Waterside Buckinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Lindsey 003 East Lindsey
2 Chiltern 002 Chiltern
3 Dacorum 018 Dacorum
4 Dacorum 006 Dacorum
5 Windsor and Maidenhead 003 Windsor and Maidenhead

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rance

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rance

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Rance 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

Rance 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

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

Meaning and origin of Rance

The surname Rance has its origins in Normandy, France, dating back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old French word "rance," meaning a stream or a brook. The name is believed to have originated as a topographic name, given to someone who lived near a stream or a brook.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Rance can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various forms, such as "de Rancia" and "de Raunce," indicating that it was originally a locational surname.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Roger de Rance, a Norman knight who fought alongside William the Conqueror during the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. He was granted lands in Lincolnshire, and his descendants continued to use the surname Rance.

In the 13th century, the name Rance was associated with the village of Rance in Somersetshire, England. The village's name was derived from the Old English word "renc," meaning a border or a boundary, suggesting that the village was located near a territorial boundary.

Sir John Rance (1420-1491) was a prominent English politician and soldier who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1481. He played a significant role in the Wars of the Roses and was a staunch supporter of King Edward IV.

During the 16th century, the surname Rance spread to various parts of England, including Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Oxfordshire. One notable bearer of the name was William Rance (1545-1623), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Dean of Windsor from 1617 until his death.

In the 17th century, the Rance family established itself in Ireland, where they became landowners and influential members of society. Sir Jonah Rance (1620-1689) was an Irish judge and politician who served as Lord Chief Justice of Ireland from 1679 to 1689.

Another notable figure was Armand Rance (1772-1842), a French general who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. He was awarded the title of Baron of the Empire by Napoleon in recognition of his military service.

It is worth noting that while the surname Rance has historical roots in France and England, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and intermarriage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rance families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rance 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. Middlesex leads with 253 Rances recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.32x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 253 2.32x
Hertfordshire 242 32.25x
Surrey 145 2.73x
Berkshire 112 13.71x
Buckinghamshire 99 15.04x
Hampshire 55 2.46x
Kent 36 0.97x
Yorkshire 26 0.24x
Lancashire 19 0.15x
Bedfordshire 18 3.19x
Cheshire 17 0.71x
Suffolk 13 0.98x
Sussex 13 0.71x
Northamptonshire 11 1.07x
Northumberland 10 0.62x
Essex 8 0.37x
Norfolk 5 0.30x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.27x
Oxfordshire 4 0.60x
Somerset 4 0.23x
Cumberland 3 0.32x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.29x
Lanarkshire 2 0.06x
Shropshire 2 0.21x
Warwickshire 2 0.07x
Wiltshire 2 0.21x
Devon 1 0.04x
Dorset 1 0.14x
Gloucestershire 1 0.05x
Leicestershire 1 0.08x
Merionethshire 1 0.50x
Midlothian 1 0.07x
Royal Navy 1 0.77x
West Lothian 1 0.61x
Worcestershire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tring in Hertfordshire leads with 67 Rances recorded in 1881 and an index of 334.50x.

Place Total Index
Tring 67 334.50x
Berkhampstead 45 266.75x
Northchurch 36 449.44x
Chesham 33 136.03x
Islington London 28 2.65x
Wokingham 26 139.41x
Great Gaddesden 22 626.78x
Bray 21 87.46x
Crondall 21 175.29x
Lambeth 20 2.11x
Warfield 18 242.59x
St Marylebone London 17 2.92x
Reigate Foreign 15 26.11x
St Pancras London 15 1.71x
Bermondsey 14 4.32x
Sunninghill 14 123.46x
Wendover 14 197.18x
Frimley 13 86.04x
Southwark St George Martyr 13 5.93x
Harrow 12 72.12x
Newington 12 2.98x
Camberwell 11 1.58x
Hammersmith London 11 4.10x
Hemel Hempstead 11 32.53x
Kingsbury 11 388.69x
Rickmansworth 11 53.24x
Shepperton 11 229.17x
St Albans St Peter 11 43.44x
St Luke London 11 6.30x
Brighton 10 2.70x
Buckland 10 310.56x
Clerkenwell London 10 3.89x
Hawley 10 238.10x
Kensington London 10 1.65x
Plumstead 10 8.08x
Studham 10 322.58x
Clapham 9 6.61x
Portsea 9 2.06x
Reading St Mary 9 13.75x
St George Hanover 9 6.33x
Chalfont St Giles 8 169.85x
Hampstead London 8 4.72x
Hitchin 8 23.62x
Mile End Old Town 8 4.66x
Newminster Abbey 8 1230.77x
Shoreditch London 8 1.70x
Walton On Thames 8 32.84x
Windlesham 8 80.16x
Battersea 7 1.75x
Cuddington In Northwich 7 460.53x
Deptford St Paul 7 2.44x
Great Marlow 7 39.41x
Harpenden 7 61.19x
Ipswich St Clement 7 20.77x
Luton 7 7.17x
Normanby In 7 24.27x
Penshurst 7 112.00x
Thelwall 7 378.38x
Uxbridge 7 56.27x
Amersham 6 64.31x
Ipswich St Margaret 6 13.34x
Rotherhithe 6 4.46x
St George In East 6 8.10x
St Gilesin Fields 6 94.64x
Staines 6 34.80x
Stevenage 6 51.59x
Toxteth Park 6 1.37x
Westminster St John 6 4.53x
Winkfield 6 44.25x
Aston Clinton 5 89.61x
Blewbury 5 179.21x
Edmonton 5 5.70x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 5 9.95x
Northampton Priory St 5 8.14x
Romsey Extra 5 37.68x
Sandridge 5 158.73x
Scarborough 5 5.10x
Sculcoates 5 2.92x
St Clement Danes 5 28.38x
Watford 5 8.59x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 60
Sarah 44
Elizabeth 42
Annie 22
Eliza 21
Emma 21
Emily 19
Jane 18
Alice 17
Ellen 17
Caroline 14
Louisa 14
Ann 13
Kate 11
Charlotte 10
Catherine 9
Sophia 9
Fanny 8
Edith 7
Maria 7
Martha 7
Minnie 7
Ada 6
Clara 6
Hannah 6
Lucy 6
Rebecca 6
Rose 6
Agnes 5
Florence 5
Harriet 5
Jessie 5
Laura 5
Maud 5
Susan 5
Amelia 4
Amy 4
Anne 4
Julia 4
Beatrice 3
Betsy 3
Elizth. 3
Esther 3
Ethel 3
Frances 3
Harriett 3
Lily 3
Margaret 3
Nellie 3
Susannah 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 63
George 55
John 44
Henry 40
Charles 33
Thomas 33
James 31
Alfred 20
Frederick 19
Joseph 15
Walter 15
Arthur 12
Richard 12
Harry 10
Robert 10
Albert 9
David 9
Edward 6
Frank 4
Daniel 3
Elias 3
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Fred 3
Herbert 3
Jesse 3
Samuel 3
Augustus 2
Chas. 2
Edwin 2
Fredk. 2
Jonathan 2
Lewis 2
Mark 2
Tom 2
Willm. 2
Wm. 2
Allien 1
Arther 1
Ben 1
Bernard 1
Clarence 1
Cornelius 1
Dan 1
Earnest 1
Ed. 1
Edith 1
Hubert 1
Jabez 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Rance surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rance surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,123 people were recorded with the Rance surname. That placed it at #3,553 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rance surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,763 in 2016. That gives Rance a modern rank of #3,560.

What does the Rance surname mean?

A surname derived from the French word "rance" meaning rancid or old.

What does the Rance map show?

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