NameCensus.

UK surname

Rawles

An English surname derived from a place name, potentially referring to someone from Rawles or Rawlish.

In the 1881 census there were 328 people recorded with the Rawles surname, ranking it #9,126 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 464, ranked #10,570, down from #9,126 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Glastonbury St Benedict and St John, Street, London parishes and Child Okeford, Oakford Fitzpaine, Bellchalwell, Fifehead Neville. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sedgemoor, Thurrock and West Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rawles is 540 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.5%.

1881 census count

328

Ranked #9,126

Modern count

464

2016, ranked #10,570

Peak year

2000

540 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rawles had 328 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,126 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 464 in 2016, ranked #10,570.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 444 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rawles surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rawles surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rawles 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 217 #9,784
1861 historical 279 #8,979
1881 historical 328 #9,126
1891 historical 358 #9,655
1901 historical 394 #9,579
1911 historical 444 #8,598
1997 modern 505 #9,232
1998 modern 522 #9,288
1999 modern 530 #9,231
2000 modern 540 #9,084
2001 modern 524 #9,141
2002 modern 539 #9,120
2003 modern 520 #9,233
2004 modern 510 #9,374
2005 modern 496 #9,499
2006 modern 503 #9,451
2007 modern 511 #9,422
2008 modern 494 #9,738
2009 modern 489 #10,034
2010 modern 501 #10,047
2011 modern 484 #10,194
2012 modern 481 #10,145
2013 modern 487 #10,227
2014 modern 475 #10,472
2015 modern 465 #10,572
2016 modern 464 #10,570

Geography

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Where Rawles' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Glastonbury St Benedict and St John, Street, London parishes, Child Okeford, Oakford Fitzpaine, Bellchalwell, Fifehead Neville, Netherbury and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sedgemoor, Thurrock, West Dorset and Redbridge. 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 Glastonbury St Benedict and St John, Street Somerset
2 London parishes London 3
3 Child Okeford, Oakford Fitzpaine, Bellchalwell, Fifehead Neville Dorset
4 Netherbury Dorset
5 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sedgemoor 009 Sedgemoor
2 Thurrock 013 Thurrock
3 West Dorset 006 West Dorset
4 Sedgemoor 008 Sedgemoor
5 Redbridge 004 Redbridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rawles

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rawles

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Rawles is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Rawles 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

Rawles falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Rawles

The surname Rawles is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word 'raw', meaning 'row' or 'rough'. It likely emerged as a descriptive name for someone who lived near a row of houses or on a rough, uncultivated piece of land.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the late 12th century, with a Robert de la Rawe appearing in the Pipe Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1198. The prefix 'de la' indicates the name was originally a locational one, referring to someone from a specific place.

By the 13th century, the name had evolved into various spellings such as Rowe, Roo, and Roe, with a John le Rowe appearing in the Huntingdonshire Hundred Rolls of 1273. The addition of the Norman-French 'le' before the surname further reinforces its locational origins.

In 1327, a John Rawles is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex, marking one of the earliest recorded uses of the modern spelling. This spelling likely derived from the Old English 'raw' with the Norman-French plural suffix '-les' added.

Notable historical figures with the surname Rawles include Sir Thomas Rawles (1595-1667), an English politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1646. Another prominent figure was Reverend William Rawles (1701-1743), an English clergyman and author of several religious works.

In America, one of the earliest recorded Rawles was John Rawles, who arrived in Virginia in 1635. His descendants include Walter Rawles (1770-1840), a U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania, and John Milton Rawles (1892-1963), a Virginia judge and legal scholar.

Other notable individuals with the surname Rawles include William Rawles (1782-1836), an English painter known for his landscapes and portraits, and James Rawles (born 1960), an American novelist and survivalist blogger best known for his 'Patriots' novel series.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rawles families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rawles 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. Dorset leads with 116 Rawles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 55.24x.

County Total Index
Dorset 116 55.24x
Middlesex 72 2.25x
Somerset 36 6.99x
Surrey 28 1.80x
Hampshire 26 3.96x
Essex 14 2.22x
Glamorgan 9 1.62x
Monmouthshire 6 2.59x
Sussex 6 1.11x
Warwickshire 5 0.62x
Kent 3 0.27x
Devon 2 0.30x
Gloucestershire 2 0.32x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.49x
Worcestershire 1 0.24x
Yorkshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 32 Rawles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.02x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 32 23.02x
Netherbury 23 1321.84x
St Pancras London 21 8.15x
Battersea 19 16.14x
Bere Regis 18 1276.60x
Okeford Fitzpaine 15 2238.81x
Glastonbury 12 285.71x
West Ham 9 6.45x
Chalbury 8 3478.26x
Llantwit Major 8 733.95x
Henstridge 7 492.96x
Lytchett Minster 7 752.69x
Shalfleet 7 555.56x
Affpuddle 6 1132.08x
Bedwellty 6 14.69x
Morden 6 674.16x
Turnworth 6 4615.38x
West Knighton 6 1764.71x
Williton 6 348.84x
Birmingham 5 1.86x
Durweston 5 1219.51x
Hackney London 5 2.79x
Islington London 5 1.61x
Putney 5 34.29x
Ramsey 5 602.41x
Southampton St Mary 5 12.12x
Baltonsborough 4 519.48x
Bridport 4 92.59x
Church Knowle 4 645.16x
South Stoneham 4 28.11x
St Luke London 4 7.79x
St Mary Extra 4 75.76x
Deptford St Paul 3 3.56x
East Tisted 3 1428.57x
Eastbourne 3 12.09x
Lewes St John Southover 3 82.87x
Street 3 107.53x
Winfrith Newburgh 3 285.71x
Bermondsey 2 2.10x
Burnham 2 50.89x
Clerkenwell London 2 2.65x
Lambeth 2 0.72x
North Stoneham 2 134.23x
Wool 2 357.14x
Acton 1 5.33x
Bathwick 1 17.54x
Borrowby In Whitby 1 1000.00x
Cardiff St John 1 5.49x
Castle Cary 1 44.64x
Christchurch 1 7.03x
Horfield 1 15.85x
Lydney 1 30.86x
Paddington London 1 0.85x
Pershore Holy Cross 1 37.31x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 1.95x
Sidmouth 1 26.25x
St Andrewthe Great 1 38.17x
Studland 1 149.25x
Sturminster Marshall 1 113.64x
Tuners Puddle 1 769.23x
Twickenham 1 7.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 17
Henry 14
John 12
George 10
Thomas 9
Edward 8
James 7
Joseph 7
Richard 7
Albert 6
Charles 5
Frederick 5
Arthur 4
Walter 4
Alfred 3
Edmund 3
Robert 3
Edgar 2
Frank 2
Wm. 2
Amos 1
Benjamin 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Emmanuel 1
Esau 1
Fdck.T. 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Langley 1
Phillip 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Welheart 1

FAQ

Rawles surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rawles surname in 1881?

In 1881, 328 people were recorded with the Rawles surname. That placed it at #9,126 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rawles surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 464 in 2016. That gives Rawles a modern rank of #10,570.

What does the Rawles surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name, potentially referring to someone from Rawles or Rawlish.

What does the Rawles map show?

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