NameCensus.

UK surname

Richmond

Derived from a place name meaning "rich hill" or "powerful hill" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 6,552 people recorded with the Richmond surname, ranking it #648 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8,174, ranked #808, down from #648 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, London parishes and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Darlington, Erewash and Mauchline.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Richmond is 8,528 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.8%.

1881 census count

6,552

Ranked #648

Modern count

8,174

2016, ranked #808

Peak year

2002

8,528 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Richmond had 6,552 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #648 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 8,174 in 2016, ranked #808.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7,972 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Richmond surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Richmond surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Richmond 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 4,198 #680
1861 historical 4,596 #620
1881 historical 6,552 #648
1891 historical 7,156 #627
1901 historical 7,972 #670
1911 historical 6,712 #774
1997 modern 8,205 #776
1998 modern 8,512 #777
1999 modern 8,526 #780
2000 modern 8,416 #789
2001 modern 8,289 #784
2002 modern 8,528 #776
2003 modern 8,262 #790
2004 modern 8,259 #786
2005 modern 8,164 #781
2006 modern 8,150 #783
2007 modern 8,200 #787
2008 modern 8,183 #793
2009 modern 8,336 #798
2010 modern 8,472 #799
2011 modern 8,358 #800
2012 modern 8,192 #802
2013 modern 8,307 #802
2014 modern 8,317 #805
2015 modern 8,186 #811
2016 modern 8,174 #808

Geography

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Where Richmonds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Glasgow and Kilmarnock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Darlington, Erewash, Mauchline, Wyre and Darvel. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 London parishes London 3
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Kilmarnock Ayr

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Darlington 006 Darlington
2 Erewash 008 Erewash
3 Mauchline East Ayrshire
4 Wyre 006 Wyre
5 Darvel East Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Richmond

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Richmond

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Richmond surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Richmond household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Richmond is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Richmond is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Richmond falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Richmond

The surname Richmond originated in England, derived from the place name Richmond, which itself is derived from the Old English words "ric" meaning "wealthy" and "mund" meaning "hill" or "defended settlement". The name likely emerged in the 11th century or earlier.

Richmond was a common place name in England, with towns and villages carrying the name found in various counties, including Yorkshire, Surrey, and Shropshire. The most notable location associated with the name is the town of Richmond in North Yorkshire, which gave its name to the Earldom of Richmond.

The Domesday Book, the great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, records several individuals with the surname Richmond or similar spellings such as Richemont or Richmount. These individuals were likely landowners or tenants in or near places called Richmond.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Richmond is that of Alan Rufus, also known as Alan of Richmond, who was a Breton noble and one of the companions of William the Conqueror during the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. He was granted the Honour of Richmond in Yorkshire and became the first Earl of Richmond.

Another notable figure with the surname Richmond was Edmund of Richmond (c. 1430-1456), who was the son of Owen Tudor and Catherine of Valois, and thus a member of the Tudor dynasty. Edmund was designated as the heir apparent to the House of Lancaster during the Wars of the Roses, but he died before he could claim the throne.

In the 16th century, Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset (1519-1536), was an illegitimate son of King Henry VIII and his mistress Elizabeth Blount. He was granted the Dukedom of Richmond and was considered a potential heir to the English throne before his untimely death at the age of 17.

Another notable figure with the Richmond surname was Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond (1672-1723), who was a prominent aristocrat and military leader during the reign of Queen Anne and the early years of the House of Hanover.

Legh Richmond (1772-1827) was an English Anglican priest and writer, best known for his book "The Dairyman's Daughter", a popular religious tract that was widely circulated in the 19th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Richmond families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Richmond 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. Yorkshire leads with 1,180 Richmonds recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.86x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,180 1.86x
Lancashire 875 1.15x
Ayrshire 648 13.53x
Lanarkshire 490 2.37x
Middlesex 416 0.65x
Nottinghamshire 363 4.21x
Durham 284 1.49x
Surrey 188 0.60x
Renfrewshire 167 3.37x
Norfolk 149 1.51x
Essex 144 1.14x
Lincolnshire 143 1.40x
Warwickshire 138 0.86x
Wiltshire 104 1.84x
Cambridgeshire 73 1.80x
Kent 73 0.33x
Northumberland 71 0.75x
Staffordshire 69 0.32x
Worcestershire 59 0.71x
Gloucestershire 55 0.44x
Suffolk 55 0.71x
Angus 50 0.84x
Midlothian 48 0.56x
Stirlingshire 47 1.99x
Cheshire 44 0.31x
Leicestershire 42 0.59x
Somerset 40 0.39x
Derbyshire 38 0.38x
Hampshire 38 0.29x
Cumberland 36 0.65x
Oxfordshire 35 0.89x
Dunbartonshire 31 1.80x
Fife 27 0.71x
Glamorgan 26 0.23x
Sussex 26 0.24x
Devon 21 0.16x
Perthshire 21 0.73x
Monmouthshire 18 0.39x
Berkshire 17 0.35x
Buckinghamshire 17 0.44x
Northamptonshire 17 0.28x
Pembrokeshire 15 0.74x
Westmorland 15 1.07x
Hertfordshire 14 0.32x
Brecknockshire 12 0.94x
Inverness-shire 11 0.58x
West Lothian 11 1.14x
Argyllshire 10 0.56x
Channel Islands 9 0.47x
Isle of Man 9 0.76x
Shropshire 9 0.16x
Buteshire 8 2.06x
Carmarthenshire 8 0.30x
Ross-shire 8 0.46x
Bedfordshire 6 0.18x
Dorset 6 0.14x
Huntingdonshire 6 0.47x
Rutland 5 1.06x
Wigtownshire 3 0.35x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 0.22x
Royal Navy 2 0.26x
Selkirkshire 2 0.35x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.02x
Anglesey 1 0.09x
Denbighshire 1 0.04x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.07x
Kincardineshire 1 0.13x
Roxburghshire 1 0.09x
Shetland 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 141 Richmonds recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.75x.

Place Total Index
Govan 141 2.75x
Galston 107 81.69x
Barony 106 2.02x
Kilmarnock 105 18.42x
Leeds 98 2.74x
Darlington 97 13.19x
Loudoun 96 83.34x
Glasgow 91 2.48x
Preston 89 4.38x
Blackburn 86 4.26x
Lambeth 61 1.09x
Islington London 60 0.97x
Toxteth Park 48 1.87x
Old Cumnock 47 44.07x
Nottingham St Mary 46 2.06x
Trowbridge 43 17.19x
Fulbourn 42 108.30x
Riccarton Hurlford 42 49.99x
Aston 41 0.92x
Manchester 40 1.17x
New Monkland 39 6.37x
Birmingham 38 0.71x
Shoreditch London 37 1.33x
Everton 33 1.36x
Burnham 31 66.44x
Bromley London 30 2.13x
Paisley High Church 30 7.60x
Camberwell 29 0.71x
Kirkby Malzeard 29 208.78x
Weston Longville 29 322.22x
Brightside Bierlow 28 2.25x
Doncaster 28 6.04x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 28 0.81x
Liverpool 28 0.61x
Ratcliffe Upon Trent 28 129.33x
Bradford 27 1.76x
Idle 26 8.84x
Kilwinning 26 16.81x
Manningham 26 3.33x
Sheffield 26 1.29x
St Pancras London 26 0.50x
West Greenock 26 2.92x
Kimberworth 25 7.10x
Grewelthorpe 24 212.39x
Scotforth 24 48.62x
Cockerton 23 37.66x
Hackney London 23 0.64x
Kensington London 23 0.65x
Maybole 23 15.77x
Middlesbrough 23 2.78x
Snenton 23 6.79x
Balby Cum Hexthorpe 22 29.07x
Southwark St George Martyr 22 1.71x
Shepton Mallet 21 18.17x
Stranton 21 3.28x
Bishopwearmouth 20 1.22x
Burnley 20 3.13x
Hornsey 20 2.47x
Newark Upon Trent 20 6.45x
Ormesby St Margaret W 20 81.07x
Paddington London 20 0.85x
Stockton On Tees 20 2.18x
West Derby 20 0.90x
Witton 20 20.93x
Ardwick 19 2.77x
Harwich St Nicholas 19 19.47x
Irvine 19 14.28x
Redditch 19 11.21x
West Ham 19 0.68x
Dundee 18 0.81x
Liff Benvie 18 2.00x
Mauchline 18 32.69x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 18 7.95x
Riccarton 18 24.91x
Silverdale 18 168.07x
Ardsley 17 23.26x
Bothwell 17 3.03x
Habergham Eaves 17 2.45x
Lancaster 17 3.76x
Leicester St Mary 17 2.97x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 367
Sarah 184
Elizabeth 183
Ann 103
Jane 102
Emma 85
Alice 81
Margaret 80
Annie 73
Ellen 73
Eliza 70
Hannah 61
Martha 56
Emily 52
Ada 38
Fanny 31
Florence 29
Edith 28
Lucy 25
Charlotte 24
Maria 23
Clara 22
Louisa 22
Agnes 21
Isabella 21
Jessie 21
Harriet 20
Caroline 18
Catherine 18
Rose 18
Amelia 17
Esther 15
Kate 15
Frances 14
Harriett 14
Eleanor 13
Margret 13
Susannah 12
Anne 11
Betsy 11
Ethel 11
Grace 11
Elizth. 10
Gertrude 10
Julia 10
Matilda 10
Nancy 10
Ruth 10
Rebecca 9
Sophia 9

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 314
John 278
George 203
Thomas 164
James 145
Henry 114
Joseph 78
Charles 73
Robert 72
Edward 57
Arthur 50
Richard 49
Alfred 45
Frederick 45
Walter 41
Samuel 39
Albert 30
Frank 25
Harry 24
David 20
Herbert 20
Ernest 18
Francis 16
Thos. 16
Wm. 15
Fred 14
Tom 14
Andrew 13
Christopher 13
Stephen 10
Lawrence 9
Matthew 9
Daniel 8
Edwin 8
Fredrick 8
Geo. 8
Isaac 7
Luke 7
Robt. 7
Benjamin 6
Edmond 6
Percy 6
Abraham 5
Alexander 5
Edgar 5
Fredk. 5
Leonard 5
Martin 5
Reginald 5
Timothy 5

FAQ

Richmond surname: questions and answers

How common was the Richmond surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,552 people were recorded with the Richmond surname. That placed it at #648 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Richmond surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 8,174 in 2016. That gives Richmond a modern rank of #808.

What does the Richmond surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "rich hill" or "powerful hill" in Old English.

What does the Richmond map show?

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