NameCensus.

UK surname

Rarity

In the 1881 census there were 32 people recorded with the Rarity surname, ranking it #29,082 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 231, ranked #17,764, up from #29,082 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkliston, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Crookston South, Nitshill and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rarity is 231 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 621.9%.

1881 census count

32

Ranked #29,082

Modern count

231

2016, ranked #17,764

Peak year

2016

231 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rarity had 32 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,082 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 231 in 2016, ranked #17,764.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 127 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Rarity surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rarity surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rarity 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 18 #30,094
1861 historical 46 #28,170
1881 historical 32 #29,082
1891 historical 101 #23,870
1901 historical 127 #19,893
1911 historical 19 #31,416
1997 modern 182 #18,693
1998 modern 197 #18,283
1999 modern 202 #18,127
2000 modern 198 #18,330
2001 modern 190 #18,520
2002 modern 198 #18,410
2003 modern 197 #18,311
2004 modern 193 #18,622
2005 modern 199 #18,198
2006 modern 196 #18,512
2007 modern 202 #18,359
2008 modern 205 #18,359
2009 modern 217 #18,070
2010 modern 222 #18,148
2011 modern 206 #18,907
2012 modern 215 #18,304
2013 modern 228 #17,864
2014 modern 227 #18,029
2015 modern 225 #18,050
2016 modern 231 #17,764

Geography

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Where Raritys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkliston, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Glassford and Abercorn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Crookston South, Nitshill, Sunderland, Pumpherston and Uphall Station and Cheshire East. 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 Kirkliston Linlithgow
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Glassford Lanark
5 Abercorn Linlithgow

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Crookston South Glasgow City
2 Nitshill Glasgow City
3 Sunderland 016 Sunderland
4 Pumpherston and Uphall Station West Lothian
5 Cheshire East 044 Cheshire East

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rarity

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rarity

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Rarity surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Rarity household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Rarity is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rarity is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rarity falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rarity is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Rarity, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Rarity families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rarity 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. West Lothian leads with 13 Raritys recorded in 1881 and an index of 276.60x.

County Total Index
West Lothian 13 276.60x
Midlothian 7 16.75x
Lanarkshire 5 4.95x
Fife 4 21.66x
Ayrshire 2 8.57x
Middlesex 1 0.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kirkliston in West Lothian leads with 7 Raritys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2592.59x.

Place Total Index
Kirkliston 7 2592.59x
Avondale 5 847.46x
Mid Calder 5 2777.78x
Burntisland 4 769.23x
Linlithgow 3 500.00x
Uphall 3 576.92x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 11.89x
Ayr 1 90.91x
Irvine 1 153.85x
St George Hanover 1 24.57x

Top male names

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

Name Count
David 1

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 Rarity households.

Occupation Count
Coachman 1

FAQ

Rarity surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rarity surname in 1881?

In 1881, 32 people were recorded with the Rarity surname. That placed it at #29,082 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rarity surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 231 in 2016. That gives Rarity a modern rank of #17,764.

What does the Rarity map show?

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