UK surname
A surname suggesting the person rested or stopped in their travels.
In the 1881 census there were 89 people recorded with the Rest surname, ranking it #21,091 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 90, ranked #32,202, down from #21,091 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Wigston, Magna, Whetstone and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rest is 152 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.1%.
1881 census count
89
Ranked #21,091
Modern count
90
2016, ranked #32,202
Peak year
1891
152 bearers
Map years
4
1861 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Rest surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Rest surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 69 | #21,148 |
| 1861 | historical | 143 | #15,906 |
| 1881 | historical | 89 | #21,091 |
| 1891 | historical | 152 | #18,163 |
| 1901 | historical | 115 | #21,050 |
| 1911 | historical | 143 | #18,401 |
| 1997 | modern | 91 | #28,215 |
| 1998 | modern | 93 | #28,563 |
| 1999 | modern | 88 | #29,287 |
| 2000 | modern | 90 | #29,068 |
| 2001 | modern | 90 | #28,793 |
| 2002 | modern | 91 | #29,181 |
| 2003 | modern | 81 | #30,311 |
| 2004 | modern | 87 | #29,897 |
| 2005 | modern | 84 | #30,359 |
| 2006 | modern | 77 | #31,510 |
| 2007 | modern | 79 | #31,628 |
| 2008 | modern | 80 | #31,833 |
| 2009 | modern | 86 | #31,612 |
| 2010 | modern | 88 | #31,875 |
| 2011 | modern | 89 | #31,659 |
| 2012 | modern | 93 | #31,409 |
| 2013 | modern | 90 | #32,146 |
| 2014 | modern | 86 | #32,663 |
| 2015 | modern | 85 | #32,693 |
| 2016 | modern | 90 | #32,202 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Wigston, Magna, Whetstone, London parishes, Blaby and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wigston, Magna | Leicestershire |
| 2 | Whetstone | Leicestershire |
| 3 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 4 | Blaby | Leicestershire |
| 5 | Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars | Leicestershire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Rest surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rest, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Rest surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Rest household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Rest is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rest is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Rest, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname REST originates from Germany and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is derived from the German word "Rest," which means "remainder" or "leftover." This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who lived in a remote or isolated area, perhaps on the outskirts of a town or village.
In the early records of the Palatinate region of Germany, the name appears in various spellings, such as Reste, Resth, and Restte. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Kirchenbücher (church records) of the town of Kaiserslautern, dating back to 1592, where a certain Hans Reste is mentioned.
The name REST also appears in the Ortssippenbücher (village genealogy books) of several villages in the Palatinate region, indicating that the family had a strong presence in this area during the 17th and 18th centuries.
One notable historical figure with the surname REST was Johann Conrad Rest (1675-1732), a German Protestant theologian and philosopher who served as a professor at the University of Heidelberg. He was known for his works on natural theology and ethics.
Another individual of note was Friedrich Rest (1788-1856), a German painter and lithographer who specialized in portraiture and landscape paintings. His works can be found in various museums and galleries across Germany.
In the United Kingdom, the name REST is believed to have been introduced by German immigrants in the 18th and 19th centuries. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in Britain is that of William Rest (1795-1876), a successful merchant and philanthropist from London.
Another notable figure with the surname REST was Sir Samuel Rest (1838-1904), a British industrialist and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Derby from 1885 to 1904. He played a significant role in the development of the British railway industry.
In the United States, the name REST can be traced back to German immigrants who arrived in the 18th and 19th centuries. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is that of Johann Rest (1760-1838), a German immigrant who settled in Pennsylvania in the late 18th century.
A prominent figure with the surname REST in American history was George Rest (1820-1892), a Union Army officer during the American Civil War. He served with distinction and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery during the Battle of Chancellorsville in 1863.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rest surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Leicestershire leads with 45 Rests recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.76x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Leicestershire | 45 | 46.76x |
| Middlesex | 17 | 1.96x |
| Lincolnshire | 8 | 5.76x |
| Yorkshire | 4 | 0.47x |
| Oxfordshire | 3 | 5.60x |
| Durham | 2 | 0.77x |
| Kent | 2 | 0.68x |
| Ayrshire | 1 | 1.54x |
| Essex | 1 | 0.58x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 0.59x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 0.56x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.10x |
| Somerset | 1 | 0.72x |
| Surrey | 1 | 0.24x |
| Sussex | 1 | 0.68x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blaby in Leicestershire leads with 31 Rests recorded in 1881 and an index of 7948.72x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Blaby | 31 | 7948.72x |
| Leicester St Mary | 9 | 115.83x |
| Tottenham | 9 | 65.12x |
| St Botolph Lincoln | 5 | 500.00x |
| St George Hanover | 5 | 44.13x |
| Whetstone | 5 | 1428.57x |
| Bicester Market End | 3 | 306.12x |
| St Bartholomew Great | 3 | 379.75x |
| Crook Billy Row | 2 | 60.42x |
| Speldhurst | 2 | 132.45x |
| St Peterin Eastgate | 2 | 465.12x |
| Armley | 1 | 26.39x |
| Bingley | 1 | 18.25x |
| Hastings St Mary In The | 1 | 32.05x |
| Holdenhurst | 1 | 21.41x |
| Horton In Bradford | 1 | 7.45x |
| Ilminster | 1 | 102.04x |
| Marske In Guisbrough | 1 | 65.36x |
| Newington | 1 | 3.12x |
| Newton On Ayr | 1 | 51.28x |
| Shenfield | 1 | 227.27x |
| Stainfield | 1 | 1666.67x |
| Westbury On Trym | 1 | 17.33x |
| Wuerdle Wardle | 1 | 31.95x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Rest surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Rest surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Rest households.
FAQ
In 1881, 89 people were recorded with the Rest surname. That placed it at #21,091 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 90 in 2016. That gives Rest a modern rank of #32,202.
A surname suggesting the person rested or stopped in their travels.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Rest bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.