NameCensus.

UK surname

Rhone

A toponymic surname indicating someone who lived near the Rhône River in France or Switzerland.

In the 1881 census there were 94 people recorded with the Rhone surname, ranking it #20,467 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 223, ranked #18,222, up from #20,467 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Erbistock and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rushmoor, Sheffield and Lambeth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rhone is 237 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 137.2%.

1881 census count

94

Ranked #20,467

Modern count

223

2016, ranked #18,222

Peak year

2013

237 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rhone had 94 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,467 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 223 in 2016, ranked #18,222.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 104 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Rhone surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rhone surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rhone 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 44 #25,328
1861 historical 42 #28,691
1881 historical 94 #20,467
1891 historical 73 #27,677
1901 historical 86 #24,508
1911 historical 104 #22,209
1997 modern 169 #19,578
1998 modern 179 #19,372
1999 modern 168 #20,312
2000 modern 164 #20,584
2001 modern 171 #19,770
2002 modern 186 #19,150
2003 modern 185 #18,999
2004 modern 189 #18,855
2005 modern 199 #18,198
2006 modern 202 #18,160
2007 modern 206 #18,142
2008 modern 218 #17,638
2009 modern 227 #17,544
2010 modern 227 #17,895
2011 modern 230 #17,578
2012 modern 229 #17,537
2013 modern 237 #17,423
2014 modern 236 #17,577
2015 modern 224 #18,117
2016 modern 223 #18,222

Geography

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Where Rhones are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Erbistock, Lambeth, St Matthew Bethnal Green and Ellesmere (Ellesmere), Welshampton, Whittington, Halston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rushmoor, Sheffield, Lambeth and Westminster. 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 3
2 Erbistock Denbighshire
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)
5 Ellesmere (Ellesmere), Welshampton, Whittington, Halston Shropshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rushmoor 002 Rushmoor
2 Sheffield 074 Sheffield
3 Lambeth 003 Lambeth
4 Westminster 021 Westminster
5 Rushmoor 001 Rushmoor

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rhone

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rhone

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Rhone surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Rhone 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Rhone is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rhone 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

Rhone falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rhone 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
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Rhone

The surname Rhone is believed to have originated in France, specifically in the region surrounding the Rhone River. The name likely emerged in the Middle Ages, derived from the French word "Rhône," which refers to the major river that flows through southeastern France.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Rhone can be found in the 13th-century census records of Lyon, a city situated along the banks of the Rhone River. These records indicate that the name was closely associated with individuals who lived near or worked on the river, such as boatmen, fishermen, or merchants.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the Rhone name began to spread beyond the immediate vicinity of the river, appearing in various historical documents and records across the regions of Provence and Languedoc. It is believed that some bearers of the name may have been involved in the transportation of goods along the Rhone River, contributing to the dispersal of the name.

Notable individuals with the surname Rhone include Jean Rhone, a prominent merchant from Avignon who lived in the late 15th century. His successful trading ventures along the Rhone River brought him considerable wealth and influence. Another notable figure was Pierre Rhone, a 16th-century scholar and historian who authored a comprehensive work on the history and geography of the Rhone Valley.

In the 17th century, the Rhone surname appeared in the records of the French nobility, suggesting that some branches of the family had achieved a certain level of social status and prominence. One example is François Rhone, a nobleman and landowner who was granted a coat of arms by King Louis XIV in recognition of his family's contributions to the region.

The 18th century saw the emergence of several artists and intellectuals with the surname Rhone, including the painter Jacques Rhone, whose works depicting scenes along the Rhone River are highly regarded. Another notable figure was Marie-Anne Rhone, a celebrated playwright and poet who gained recognition for her literary works inspired by the rich cultural heritage of the Rhone Valley.

As the centuries passed, the Rhone surname continued to be associated with individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, artisans, scholars, and artists, all connected to the iconic Rhone River and its surrounding regions in France.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rhone families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rhone 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 28 Rhones recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.05x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 28 3.05x
Shropshire 24 30.30x
Staffordshire 8 2.59x
Midlothian 6 4.89x
Surrey 6 1.34x
Yorkshire 6 0.66x
Lancashire 5 0.46x
Warwickshire 5 2.16x
Gloucestershire 4 2.22x
Worcestershire 2 1.67x

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 17 Rhones recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.69x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 17 42.69x
Ellesmere Trench 13 13000.00x
Ellesmere Penley 6 6000.00x
Great Barr 6 1714.29x
Holy Trinity 6 27.46x
Inveresk 6 180.18x
Lambeth 6 7.51x
Birmingham 5 6.49x
Ellesmere 5 367.65x
Shoreditch London 5 12.58x
Stroud 3 85.71x
Lathom 2 152.67x
Shipston On Stour 2 370.37x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 11.57x
Bow London 1 8.57x
Fulham London 1 7.52x
Hackney London 1 1.95x
Harborne 1 10.08x
Kensington London 1 1.96x
Liverpool 1 1.51x
St Dunstan In East 1 1428.57x
St Martin In Fields 1 18.21x
Stretford 1 16.72x
Todenham 1 1000.00x
Wednesfield 1 21.98x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Jane 3
Amelia 2
Ann 2
Eliza 2
Elizabeth 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Harriett 2
Margaret 2
Patience 2
Alice 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Bertha 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Clarender 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Hariet 1
Martha 1
May 1
Rhoda 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 6
Thomas 6
William 6
Charles 3
George 3
Henry 3
Robert 3
Harry 2
John 2
Jonathan 2
Arthur 1
Charley 1
Edward 1
Fred 1
Jonathon 1
Mathew 1
Michel 1
Ralph 1
Standey 1
Wm.G. 1

FAQ

Rhone surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rhone surname in 1881?

In 1881, 94 people were recorded with the Rhone surname. That placed it at #20,467 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rhone surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 223 in 2016. That gives Rhone a modern rank of #18,222.

What does the Rhone surname mean?

A toponymic surname indicating someone who lived near the Rhône River in France or Switzerland.

What does the Rhone map show?

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