NameCensus.

UK surname

Rands

A locational surname derived from a place name in England.

In the 1881 census there were 877 people recorded with the Rands surname, ranking it #4,326 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 861, ranked #6,510, down from #4,326 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Peterborough St John the Baptist and Shotley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North East Lincolnshire, East Riding of Yorkshire and Warrington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rands is 1,089 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.8%.

1881 census count

877

Ranked #4,326

Modern count

861

2016, ranked #6,510

Peak year

1911

1,089 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rands had 877 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,326 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 861 in 2016, ranked #6,510.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,089 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Rands surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rands surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rands 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 560 #4,524
1861 historical 501 #5,220
1881 historical 877 #4,326
1891 historical 933 #4,438
1901 historical 1,025 #4,657
1911 historical 1,089 #4,260
1997 modern 1,008 #5,468
1998 modern 1,037 #5,505
1999 modern 994 #5,738
2000 modern 988 #5,745
2001 modern 980 #5,666
2002 modern 982 #5,784
2003 modern 955 #5,813
2004 modern 953 #5,831
2005 modern 915 #5,950
2006 modern 895 #6,072
2007 modern 923 #5,971
2008 modern 911 #6,078
2009 modern 913 #6,188
2010 modern 940 #6,167
2011 modern 913 #6,258
2012 modern 891 #6,291
2013 modern 914 #6,274
2014 modern 904 #6,350
2015 modern 881 #6,415
2016 modern 861 #6,510

Geography

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Where Rands' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Peterborough St John the Baptist, Shotley and Ipswich St Mary Stoke. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North East Lincolnshire, East Riding of Yorkshire, Warrington and North Lincolnshire. 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 Peterborough St John the Baptist Northamptonshire
4 Shotley Suffolk
5 Ipswich St Mary Stoke Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North East Lincolnshire 001 North East Lincolnshire
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 026 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Warrington 022 Warrington
4 North East Lincolnshire 012 North East Lincolnshire
5 North Lincolnshire 018 North Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rands

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rands

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Rands 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

Rands is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rands falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Rands

The surname Rands is an English locational name that originated from various places in England called Rand. The first recorded spelling of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Randes. It is derived from the Old English word "rand" or "rand," meaning "border" or "boundary." This suggests that the name referred to someone who lived near a border or boundary line.

During the Middle Ages, the name was also found in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1273, where it appeared as Randis. The Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1301 mentioned one William Randes, while the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327 listed a John Randes.

In the 16th century, the name Rands was recorded in the Parish Registers of Devonshire, where one John Rands was born in 1586. The name was also found in the Parish Registers of Hertfordshire, which mentioned a William Rands who was born in 1612.

Notable individuals with the surname Rands throughout history include Sir Thomas Rands (1587-1647), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1633. Another prominent figure was William Brampton Gurdon Rands (1786-1865), an English lawyer and author who wrote several legal treatises.

In the 19th century, John Rands (1818-1892) was a British architect known for his work on several churches and public buildings in London. Another notable individual was Walter Rands (1861-1939), an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club.

The surname Rands is also associated with several place names in England, such as Rand in Buckinghamshire, Rand in Wiltshire, and Rands Farm in Sussex. These place names likely contributed to the origin and spread of the surname in different parts of the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rands families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rands 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. Lincolnshire leads with 181 Rands' recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.23x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 181 13.23x
Suffolk 121 11.61x
Middlesex 120 1.40x
Yorkshire 113 1.33x
Northamptonshire 94 11.68x
Surrey 56 1.34x
Norfolk 37 2.81x
Hertfordshire 29 4.92x
Cambridgeshire 18 3.32x
Essex 15 0.89x
Lancashire 12 0.12x
Bedfordshire 11 2.48x
Hampshire 11 0.63x
Nottinghamshire 11 0.95x
Kent 10 0.34x
Warwickshire 10 0.46x
Durham 8 0.31x
Buckinghamshire 6 1.16x
Huntingdonshire 4 2.35x
Dorset 2 0.36x
Sussex 2 0.14x
Berkshire 1 0.16x
Cardiganshire 1 0.48x
Derbyshire 1 0.07x
Devon 1 0.06x
Oxfordshire 1 0.19x
Wiltshire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shotley in Suffolk leads with 36 Rands' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1956.52x.

Place Total Index
Shotley 36 1956.52x
Peterborough 29 49.78x
St George Hanover 21 18.81x
Barrow On Humber 14 176.32x
East Barnet 14 119.66x
Northampton St Sepulchre 14 34.20x
Hackney London 13 2.71x
Ipswich St Margaret 13 36.76x
Kimberworth 13 27.63x
Ashby 12 280.37x
Glanford Brigg 12 245.90x
Poplar London 12 7.43x
Rotherham 12 25.11x
Sculcoates 12 8.93x
Wootton 12 705.88x
Camberwell 11 2.01x
Eye 11 163.45x
Holy Trinity 11 5.39x
Polebrook 11 833.33x
Bedford St Paul 10 32.92x
Gainsborough 10 31.01x
Paston 10 292.40x
Freston 9 1125.00x
Legsby 9 909.09x
Battersea 8 2.54x
Great Grimsby 8 9.21x
Ipswich St Clement 8 30.20x
Islington London 8 0.96x
Oundle 8 88.89x
Shoreditch London 8 2.16x
South Kelsey 8 444.44x
Spalding 8 29.47x
St George In East 8 13.75x
Toxteth Park 8 2.33x
Wisbech St Peter 8 29.44x
Balby Cum Hexthorpe 7 69.17x
Binbrooke 7 205.28x
Broughton 7 182.77x
Clee With Weelsby 7 23.37x
Clerkenwell London 7 3.47x
Garthorpe 7 424.24x
Gateshead 7 3.67x
Otley 7 34.01x
Rotherhithe 7 6.62x
Ryde 7 18.58x
St Albans St Peter 7 35.18x
St Pancras London 7 1.02x
Walkeringham 7 336.54x
West Ham 7 1.88x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.61x
Greasbrough 6 53.57x
Great Yarmouth 6 5.51x
Hampstead London 6 4.50x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 6 15.19x
Lynford 6 1875.00x
Mile End Old Town 6 4.44x
Newington 6 1.90x
Simpson 6 277.78x
Waddingham 6 287.08x
Waldringfield 6 759.49x
Brandon 5 70.72x
Chiswick 5 10.70x
Cudworth 5 163.40x
Goxhill 5 148.37x
Nettleham 5 177.94x
Somersham 5 416.67x
Streatham 5 7.88x
Welton 5 250.00x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 4 5.06x
Bilton 4 80.48x
Borough Green 4 338.98x
Croydon 4 1.73x
Ecton 4 220.99x
Essendon 4 224.72x
Gorleston 4 15.11x
Kirton In Lindsey 4 73.80x
Marham 4 181.82x
Middle Rasen 4 153.85x
Piddington 4 268.46x
Sixhills 4 784.31x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 63
John 39
George 38
Thomas 28
James 21
Joseph 21
Henry 16
Charles 15
Alfred 14
Arthur 11
Edward 10
Frederick 9
Harry 9
Robert 9
Herbert 8
Walter 8
David 6
Ernest 5
Fredrick 5
Albert 4
Davis 4
Samuel 4
Adam 3
Benjamin 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Fred 3
Arrand 2
Israel 2
Josiah 2
Matthew 2
Richard 2
Tom 2
Augustus 1
Christopher 1
Emmanuel 1
Ephraim 1
Harold 1
Haydn 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
Isral 1
Jaber 1
Jim 1
Jno. 1
Lester 1
Mark 1
Nathan 1
Paul 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Rands surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rands surname in 1881?

In 1881, 877 people were recorded with the Rands surname. That placed it at #4,326 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rands surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 861 in 2016. That gives Rands a modern rank of #6,510.

What does the Rands surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in England.

What does the Rands map show?

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