NameCensus.

UK surname

Rayment

A surname derived from the Old French word "raiement" meaning redemption or ransom.

In the 1881 census there were 1,331 people recorded with the Rayment surname, ranking it #3,083 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,614, ranked #3,859, down from #3,083 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and St Matthew Bethnal Green. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Huntingdonshire, South Cambridgeshire and Northampton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rayment is 1,836 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.3%.

1881 census count

1,331

Ranked #3,083

Modern count

1,614

2016, ranked #3,859

Peak year

2002

1,836 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rayment had 1,331 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,083 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,614 in 2016, ranked #3,859.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,818 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rayment surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rayment surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rayment 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 756 #3,519
1861 historical 615 #4,330
1881 historical 1,331 #3,083
1891 historical 1,333 #3,268
1901 historical 1,600 #3,228
1911 historical 1,818 #2,708
1997 modern 1,733 #3,440
1998 modern 1,805 #3,440
1999 modern 1,832 #3,424
2000 modern 1,805 #3,451
2001 modern 1,772 #3,430
2002 modern 1,836 #3,400
2003 modern 1,773 #3,440
2004 modern 1,786 #3,421
2005 modern 1,689 #3,559
2006 modern 1,666 #3,605
2007 modern 1,650 #3,670
2008 modern 1,619 #3,752
2009 modern 1,643 #3,797
2010 modern 1,694 #3,775
2011 modern 1,669 #3,773
2012 modern 1,624 #3,791
2013 modern 1,658 #3,789
2014 modern 1,648 #3,837
2015 modern 1,637 #3,820
2016 modern 1,614 #3,859

Geography

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Where Rayments are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, St Matthew Bethnal Green and Luton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Huntingdonshire, South Cambridgeshire, Northampton and East Cambridgeshire. 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 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)
5 Luton Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Huntingdonshire 003 Huntingdonshire
2 South Cambridgeshire 012 South Cambridgeshire
3 South Cambridgeshire 002 South Cambridgeshire
4 Northampton 013 Northampton
5 East Cambridgeshire 009 East Cambridgeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rayment

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rayment

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Rayment is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rayment is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rayment falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rayment is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Rayment

The surname RAYMENT is of English origin, deriving from the Old French word 'raiement' or 'rayment', which means a beam of light or a ray. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a prominent ray of light, perhaps near a distinctive sunbeam or shaft of light.

The earliest known record of the RAYMENT surname dates back to the 13th century, appearing in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273 as 'Reymond'. This early spelling variation highlights the name's French roots.

In the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, the name appears as 'Raymund', further reinforcing its connection to the Old French 'raiement'. These early records suggest that the RAYMENT surname may have originated in the southern counties of England, particularly in Oxfordshire and Sussex.

One of the earliest known individuals with the RAYMENT surname was John Rayment, born around 1450 in Woodchurch, Kent. He was a prominent landowner and is mentioned in various records from the late 15th century.

Another notable figure was William Rayment, born in 1563 in Hadlow, Kent. He was a respected clergyman and served as the vicar of Sutton Valence in Kent from 1597 until his death in 1626.

In the 17th century, the RAYMENT surname can be found in the parish records of Goudhurst, Kent, where several families with this name resided. One such individual was Thomas Rayment, born in 1620, who was a prosperous yeoman farmer in the area.

The RAYMENT surname also has connections to the town of Tenterden in Kent, where a family by the name of Rayment owned a prominent estate called Heronden in the 16th and 17th centuries. One notable member of this family was Sir John Rayment, born in 1585, who served as the High Sheriff of Kent in 1621.

Moving into the 18th century, the RAYMENT surname can be found in various records across southern England, particularly in Kent, Sussex, and Surrey. One notable individual from this period was James Rayment, born in 1734 in Cranbrook, Kent, who was a successful businessman and landowner.

Throughout its history, the RAYMENT surname has maintained a strong presence in the southern counties of England, particularly in Kent and its surrounding areas. While not a particularly common name, it has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, clergymen, and successful businessmen.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rayment families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rayment 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 415 Rayments recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.19x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 415 3.19x
Essex 255 9.94x
Hertfordshire 168 18.76x
Surrey 131 2.07x
Cambridgeshire 127 15.43x
Kent 47 1.06x
Bedfordshire 39 5.80x
Huntingdonshire 20 7.75x
Hampshire 17 0.64x
Lancashire 16 0.10x
Suffolk 16 1.01x
Somerset 13 0.62x
Durham 11 0.28x
Gloucestershire 10 0.39x
Dorset 9 1.06x
Cornwall 8 0.54x
Yorkshire 8 0.06x
Warwickshire 5 0.15x
Sussex 4 0.18x
Berkshire 3 0.31x
Norfolk 3 0.15x
Northamptonshire 3 0.25x
Cheshire 1 0.03x
Devon 1 0.04x
Glamorgan 1 0.04x
Royal Navy 1 0.65x

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 50 Rayments recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.86x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 50 8.86x
West Ham 47 8.30x
St Pancras London 43 4.11x
Islington London 40 3.18x
Camberwell 39 4.70x
Luton 38 32.63x
Bottisham 32 456.49x
Hackney London 28 3.84x
Ware 27 105.18x
Cottenham 24 219.38x
Mile End Old Town 24 11.70x
Lambeth 23 2.03x
Madingley 23 2190.48x
Kensington London 22 3.05x
St Andrewthe Less 20 21.27x
St George Hanover 19 11.20x
Bengeo 18 173.24x
Newington 18 3.75x
Little Munden 17 817.31x
Romford 16 39.46x
Bow London 15 9.07x
Hornchurch 15 119.33x
Royston 15 196.59x
St Andrew Holborn 15 34.05x
St Marylebone London 15 2.16x
Grays Thurrock 14 58.72x
Battersea 13 2.72x
Clerkenwell London 13 4.24x
Gestingthorpe 13 454.55x
Egham 12 30.87x
Stibbington 12 495.87x
Edmonton 11 10.51x
Clifton 10 7.76x
Little Berkhampstead 10 529.10x
Westmill 10 621.12x
Wimbledon 10 14.07x
Burnham 9 95.04x
Enfield 9 10.56x
Purleigh 9 234.99x
St Clement Danes 9 42.80x
Droylsden 8 15.90x
Fulham London 8 4.25x
Mayland 8 727.27x
North Weald Bassett 8 179.37x
Therfield 8 152.96x
Tottenham 8 3.87x
Woodford 8 27.56x
Chislehurst 7 29.45x
Eltham 7 26.94x
Layston 7 146.75x
Lewisham 7 2.96x
Orsett 7 104.63x
Portsea 7 1.34x
Ratcliffe London 7 9.76x
Shoreditch London 7 1.24x
Springfield 7 62.28x
St Luke London 7 3.36x
Stoke Newington London 7 6.92x
Bromley London 6 2.10x
Chatteris 6 28.57x
Chelsea London 6 1.53x
Crewkerne 6 27.01x
Deptford St Paul 6 1.75x
Feering 6 177.51x
Great Stanmore 6 102.74x
Hertford All Saints 6 119.76x
Little Tey 6 2000.00x
Minster In Sheppey 6 8.17x
Snape 6 287.08x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 2.29x
Stowmarket 6 32.80x
Sutton Waldron 6 705.88x
Wimpole 6 379.75x
Wuerdle Wardle 6 12.82x
East Ham 5 10.50x
Hertingfordbury 5 136.61x
Leamington 5 23.03x
Sandon 5 147.49x
South Stoneham 5 8.66x
Woodwalton 5 396.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 80
George 69
John 50
James 32
Thomas 32
Charles 30
Henry 28
Joseph 25
Arthur 22
Frederick 20
Alfred 19
Edward 15
Robert 13
Herbert 12
Samuel 12
Harry 11
Albert 9
Ernest 9
Richard 9
Walter 7
Benjamin 6
Frank 6
Isaac 6
Geo. 5
Percy 4
Wm. 4
Chas. 3
David 3
Louis 3
Robt. 3
Anthony 2
Daniel 2
Earnest 2
Edwin 2
Frances 2
Fred 2
Harold 2
Hy. 2
Leonard 2
Nathaniel 2
Oliver 2
Radford 2
Thos. 2
Willm. 2
Eli 1
Elija 1
Elijah 1
Ellis 1
Ephraim 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Rayment surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rayment surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,331 people were recorded with the Rayment surname. That placed it at #3,083 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rayment surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,614 in 2016. That gives Rayment a modern rank of #3,859.

What does the Rayment surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old French word "raiement" meaning redemption or ransom.

What does the Rayment map show?

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