NameCensus.

UK surname

Randall

A patronymic surname derived from the given name Randel, meaning "shield-wolf" in Old Norse.

In the 1881 census there were 9,338 people recorded with the Randall surname, ranking it #455 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 13,770, ranked #465, down from #455 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Trowbridge and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tonbridge and Malling, Purbeck and Fenland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Randall is 14,701 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.5%.

1881 census count

9,338

Ranked #455

Modern count

13,770

2016, ranked #465

Peak year

1999

14,701 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Randall had 9,338 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #455 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 13,770 in 2016, ranked #465.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 14,006 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Randall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Randall surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Randall 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 5,237 #525
1861 historical 5,221 #539
1881 historical 9,338 #455
1891 historical 10,228 #432
1901 historical 12,395 #424
1911 historical 14,006 #348
1997 modern 14,187 #427
1998 modern 14,681 #425
1999 modern 14,701 #433
2000 modern 14,553 #435
2001 modern 14,304 #430
2002 modern 14,380 #436
2003 modern 13,901 #443
2004 modern 14,015 #437
2005 modern 13,689 #441
2006 modern 13,650 #443
2007 modern 13,719 #448
2008 modern 13,793 #446
2009 modern 14,031 #450
2010 modern 14,240 #451
2011 modern 14,084 #450
2012 modern 13,569 #462
2013 modern 13,979 #457
2014 modern 14,030 #460
2015 modern 13,887 #461
2016 modern 13,770 #465

Geography

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Where Randalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Trowbridge, London parishes and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tonbridge and Malling, Purbeck, Fenland, West Dorset and Test Valley. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Trowbridge Wiltshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tonbridge and Malling 002 Tonbridge and Malling
2 Purbeck 003 Purbeck
3 Fenland 006 Fenland
4 West Dorset 012 West Dorset
5 Test Valley 004 Test Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Randall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Randall

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Randall, 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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Randall surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Randall household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

London Fringe

Within London, Randall is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Randall 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

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

Meaning and origin of Randall

The surname Randall has its origins in the Old French word "Randolf" which was a combination of the Germanic elements "rand" meaning "rim" and "wulf" meaning "wolf". It is believed to have originated in Normandy, France around the 11th century.

The name made its way to England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Randulf" and "Randulfus".

As the name spread across England, it evolved into various spellings such as Randolph, Randal, and Randall. Many of these surnames were derived from place names in England, such as Randall in Buckinghamshire and Randall's Green in Gloucestershire.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Randall was Sir Thomas Randall (c. 1305-1366), an English soldier and politician who served as a member of Parliament for Wiltshire.

Another notable Randall was Thomas Randolph (1605-1635), an English poet and playwright who was the adopted son of Ben Jonson. His works include the plays "The Muses' Looking-Glass" and "Amyntas".

In the 18th century, John Randall (1722-1784) was a prominent English clockmaker known for his longcase clocks and watches. His clocks were highly sought after and can still be found in museums and collections today.

One of the most famous bearers of the surname was Archibald Randall (1836-1907), an American Civil War soldier who earned the Medal of Honor for his bravery during the Battle of Fort Stedman in 1865.

Lastly, Sir Richard Randall (1914-1987) was a British diplomat and civil servant who served as the Ambassador to the United States from 1979 to 1983.

These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have carried the surname Randall, a name with a rich and enduring legacy spanning centuries and cultures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Randall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Randall 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 1,707 Randalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.87x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1,707 1.87x
Surrey 974 2.18x
Kent 622 1.99x
Hampshire 434 2.31x
Wiltshire 371 4.58x
Sussex 360 2.33x
Dorset 356 5.93x
Warwickshire 344 1.49x
Bedfordshire 295 6.23x
Essex 266 1.47x
Gloucestershire 263 1.47x
Norfolk 239 1.70x
Yorkshire 238 0.26x
Berkshire 220 3.20x
Northamptonshire 192 2.23x
Buckinghamshire 184 3.33x
Nottinghamshire 183 1.48x
Derbyshire 170 1.19x
Cambridgeshire 165 2.85x
Lancashire 159 0.15x
Somerset 142 0.96x
Hertfordshire 136 2.16x
Oxfordshire 131 2.32x
Suffolk 117 1.05x
Worcestershire 117 0.98x
Devon 115 0.60x
Glamorgan 114 0.72x
Leicestershire 110 1.08x
Lincolnshire 108 0.74x
Staffordshire 103 0.33x
Durham 55 0.20x
Cornwall 48 0.46x
Huntingdonshire 40 2.20x
Shropshire 36 0.46x
Monmouthshire 31 0.47x
Channel Islands 29 1.07x
Lanarkshire 27 0.09x
Northumberland 23 0.17x
Midlothian 22 0.18x
Carmarthenshire 19 0.49x
Cheshire 18 0.09x
Herefordshire 15 0.40x
Cumberland 14 0.18x
Caernarfonshire 11 0.30x
Royal Navy 11 1.01x
Morayshire 7 0.49x
Aberdeenshire 6 0.07x
Angus 6 0.07x
Stirlingshire 6 0.18x
Rutland 5 0.74x
Pembrokeshire 4 0.14x
Ayrshire 3 0.04x
Fife 3 0.06x
Brecknockshire 1 0.05x
Denbighshire 1 0.03x
Perthshire 1 0.02x
Wigtownshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 170 Randalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.92x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 170 1.92x
Trowbridge 159 44.45x
Lambeth 158 1.98x
Camberwell 141 2.41x
Battersea 113 3.36x
Hackney London 112 2.18x
St Pancras London 95 1.29x
West Ham 88 2.21x
Mile End Old Town 85 5.89x
Chelsea London 83 3.01x
Croydon 82 3.31x
St Marylebone London 79 1.62x
Birmingham 75 0.98x
Brighton 70 2.25x
Portsea 70 1.90x
Clerkenwell London 66 3.06x
Aston 65 1.02x
Kensington London 62 1.22x
Luton 62 7.56x
Chickerell 61 237.82x
Bethnal Green London 58 1.46x
St George Hanover 56 4.69x
Toddington 55 80.95x
Paddington London 54 1.61x
Shoreditch London 52 1.31x
Southwark St George Martyr 50 2.72x
Tottenham 50 3.43x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 47 2.78x
Wellingborough 47 10.86x
Bromley London 46 2.29x
Enfield 44 7.33x
North Bradley 44 74.49x
Newington 42 1.24x
Wing 42 81.92x
Bermondsey 41 1.51x
Westminster St John 41 3.68x
Mansfield 40 9.37x
Plumstead 40 3.84x
Tring 40 23.76x
Lewisham 39 2.34x
Willesden 39 4.52x
Brampton 37 18.48x
Deptford St Paul 36 1.50x
Crondall 35 34.75x
Tonbridge 35 3.11x
Barking 33 6.24x
Chatham 33 3.84x
Kingston On Thames 32 2.99x
Greenwich 31 2.13x
Leicester St Margaret 31 1.25x
St Luke London 31 2.11x
Ealing 30 3.67x
March 29 14.94x
Nottingham St Mary 29 0.91x
Reading St Giles 29 4.30x
Bedminster 28 2.02x
Maidstone 28 3.01x
Weymouth 28 24.61x
Wycombe 28 6.79x
Northampton St Sepulchre 27 6.17x
Walcot 27 3.44x
Dorking 26 8.68x
Hornsey 25 2.16x
Aldershot 24 3.82x
Clapham 24 2.10x
Wimborne Minster 24 24.71x
Egham 23 8.40x
Hammersmith London 23 1.02x
Horsham 23 7.67x
Sutton 23 7.13x
Whittlesey St Mary St 23 11.36x
Newbury 22 10.00x
St Andrew Holborn 22 7.09x
St Giles In Fields 22 6.97x
Westminster St 22 6.52x
Hillingdon 21 7.20x
Kings Norton 21 1.96x
Kingston Lisle 21 198.30x
Minster In Sheppey 21 4.06x
Todenham 21 208.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 551
Elizabeth 330
Sarah 326
Emma 185
Eliza 178
Jane 176
Ann 163
Ellen 159
Alice 151
Emily 144
Annie 134
Martha 99
Louisa 95
Charlotte 91
Maria 70
Fanny 66
Hannah 66
Edith 63
Florence 63
Caroline 60
Kate 59
Ada 52
Harriet 51
Lucy 45
Catherine 44
Harriett 44
Amelia 43
Clara 36
Rose 35
Susan 35
Anne 34
Margaret 34
Agnes 33
Frances 33
Julia 29
Sophia 25
Esther 24
Matilda 24
Rebecca 24
Amy 22
Maud 22
Minnie 22
Ethel 21
Lydia 20
Eleanor 17
Isabella 16
Jessie 16
Laura 16
Rosa 16
Ruth 16

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 621
John 472
George 352
James 286
Henry 261
Thomas 248
Charles 247
Joseph 131
Frederick 126
Edward 114
Alfred 110
Arthur 104
Robert 92
Richard 78
Albert 75
Walter 72
Samuel 65
Harry 58
Frank 49
Herbert 45
Ernest 35
Edwin 33
David 28
Fred 26
Francis 23
Wm. 23
Fredk. 19
Thos. 18
Sidney 16
Benjamin 15
Edmund 14
Jesse 14
Percy 14
Fredrick 11
Geo. 11
Tom 11
Chas. 10
Stephen 10
Daniel 9
Isaac 9
Frederic 8
Mark 8
Sydney 8
Allen 7
Jonathan 7
Percival 6
Peter 6
Ralph 6
Robt. 6
Sam 6

Top occupations

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 Randall households.

FAQ

Randall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Randall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 9,338 people were recorded with the Randall surname. That placed it at #455 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Randall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 13,770 in 2016. That gives Randall a modern rank of #465.

What does the Randall surname mean?

A patronymic surname derived from the given name Randel, meaning "shield-wolf" in Old Norse.

What does the Randall map show?

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