NameCensus.

UK surname

Reuben

A Hebrew surname meaning "behold, a son".

In the 1881 census there were 63 people recorded with the Reuben surname, ranking it #24,711 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 438, ranked #11,028, up from #24,711 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, Manchester and Bourn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnet, Leeds and Hertsmere.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Reuben is 468 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 595.2%.

1881 census count

63

Ranked #24,711

Modern count

438

2016, ranked #11,028

Peak year

2013

468 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Reuben had 63 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,711 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 438 in 2016, ranked #11,028.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 373 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Reuben surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Reuben surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Reuben 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 33 #27,390
1861 historical 69 #25,057
1881 historical 63 #24,711
1891 historical 101 #23,870
1901 historical 240 #13,461
1911 historical 373 #9,787
1997 modern 423 #10,550
1998 modern 421 #10,954
1999 modern 433 #10,807
2000 modern 435 #10,720
2001 modern 420 #10,811
2002 modern 432 #10,801
2003 modern 422 #10,825
2004 modern 438 #10,532
2005 modern 435 #10,480
2006 modern 418 #10,861
2007 modern 422 #10,904
2008 modern 420 #11,033
2009 modern 433 #11,031
2010 modern 443 #11,046
2011 modern 431 #11,155
2012 modern 433 #10,996
2013 modern 468 #10,516
2014 modern 450 #10,902
2015 modern 444 #10,935
2016 modern 438 #11,028

Geography

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Where Reubens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, Manchester, Bourn, London parishes and Middlesborough. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnet, Leeds and Hertsmere. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Bourn Cambridgeshire
4 London parishes London 2
5 Middlesborough Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnet 007 Barnet
2 Leeds 015 Leeds
3 Leeds 023 Leeds
4 Hertsmere 005 Hertsmere
5 Barnet 025 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Reuben

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Reuben

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Reuben surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Reuben household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Reuben 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

Reuben is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Reuben 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 Reuben is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Reuben

Reuben is a Hebrew surname that originated from the biblical name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel, Reuben. The name itself is derived from the Hebrew phrase "ra'ah ben" which translates to "behold, a son." It is believed that the surname first emerged in the Middle Ages among Jewish communities across Europe.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Reuben can be traced back to the 13th century in Germany. In the town of Mainz, there are records of a family named Reuben residing within the Jewish quarter. Some of the earliest variations of the spelling include Reuven, Reuven, and Reubin.

During the medieval period, the surname Reuben was also found in various Jewish communities throughout France and England. In England, the surname appears in the Pipe Rolls of 1186, which were records of taxes paid to the Crown. One notable individual from this period was Rabbi Reuben ben Hayyim (1240-1310), a prominent Jewish scholar and philosopher from Barcelona.

As Jews were expelled from various regions of Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries, the surname Reuben began to spread across the continent. Records show Reuben families settling in Italy, Poland, and the Netherlands. One notable figure from this time was Rabbi Reuben Hoeshke (1505-1585), a Polish rabbi and Talmudic scholar.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the surname Reuben became more widespread as Jewish communities established themselves in new regions. One example is Reuben Elijah Muzhinger (1677-1749), a prominent German-Jewish scholar and writer from Worms.

As the surname Reuben continued to spread, it also became associated with various place names. For instance, in the 19th century, there were Reuben families residing in the towns of Reuben and Reubenville in Ohio, United States. Additionally, there was a notable English author and playwright named Reuben Bourne (1808-1870) during the Victorian era.

Throughout history, the surname Reuben has been carried by numerous individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, rabbis, writers, and artists. Despite its Hebrew origins, it has become a surname found across many different cultures and regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Reuben families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Reuben 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 18 Reubens recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.26x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 18 46.26x
Lancashire 14 1.92x
Middlesex 11 1.79x
Devon 4 3.13x
Dorset 3 7.44x
Kent 3 1.43x
Gloucestershire 2 1.66x
Norfolk 2 2.12x
Yorkshire 2 0.33x
Brecknockshire 1 8.14x
Herefordshire 1 3.97x
Midlothian 1 1.22x
Wiltshire 1 1.84x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bourn in Cambridgeshire leads with 12 Reubens recorded in 1881 and an index of 7058.82x.

Place Total Index
Bourn 12 7058.82x
Manchester 10 30.51x
Whitechapel London 6 99.01x
Wisbech St Peter 5 256.41x
Folkestone 3 73.71x
Plymouth Charles The 3 53.29x
Weymouth 3 394.74x
Denver 2 1111.11x
Gorton 2 29.20x
Hackney London 2 5.81x
Stroud 2 85.47x
Clerkenwell London 1 6.90x
Crickhowell 1 357.14x
Edinburgh Canongate 1 47.85x
Islington London 1 1.68x
Leeds 1 2.91x
Mile End New Town 1 119.05x
Preston 1 294.12x
Radcliffe 1 28.49x
Rusholme 1 51.55x
St Andrewthe Less 1 22.47x
Tormoham 1 18.48x
Tretire With 1 3333.33x
Upton Scudamore 1 1428.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Mary 3
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Harriett 2
Jane 2
Leah 2
Sarah 2
Annie 1
Betsy 1
Eliza 1
Eth.L. 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Lydia 1
Rachael 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1
Salmyre 1
Wilhelmine 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
William 2
Aaron 1
Aarron 1
Authur 1
Child 1
Cork 1
Edwin 1
Eleazer 1
Fredc. 1
Fredrick 1
Gabriel 1
George 1
Groves 1
Henery 1
Henry 1
Hugh 1
Hyman 1
Ishmael 1
Jacob 1
Jacques 1
Joseph 1
Julius 1
Lewis 1
Louis 1
Marshall 1
Myer 1
Robert 1
Wm.Hy. 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 Reuben households.

FAQ

Reuben surname: questions and answers

How common was the Reuben surname in 1881?

In 1881, 63 people were recorded with the Reuben surname. That placed it at #24,711 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Reuben surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 438 in 2016. That gives Reuben a modern rank of #11,028.

What does the Reuben surname mean?

A Hebrew surname meaning "behold, a son".

What does the Reuben map show?

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