NameCensus.

UK surname

Rockliff

In the 1881 census there were 113 people recorded with the Rockliff surname, ranking it #18,412 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 148, ranked #23,958, down from #18,412 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Binbrook St Mary and St Gabriel, Orford, Campsall and Leeds. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Selby and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rockliff is 169 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.0%.

1881 census count

113

Ranked #18,412

Modern count

148

2016, ranked #23,958

Peak year

1911

169 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rockliff had 113 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,412 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 148 in 2016, ranked #23,958.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 169 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Rockliff surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rockliff surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rockliff 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 82 #19,317
1861 historical 100 #21,103
1881 historical 113 #18,412
1891 historical 125 #20,713
1901 historical 116 #20,933
1911 historical 169 #16,564
1997 modern 141 #21,941
1998 modern 143 #22,317
1999 modern 147 #22,110
2000 modern 145 #22,259
2001 modern 144 #22,040
2002 modern 145 #22,392
2003 modern 146 #22,069
2004 modern 146 #22,202
2005 modern 144 #22,367
2006 modern 146 #22,320
2007 modern 142 #23,025
2008 modern 152 #22,225
2009 modern 151 #22,816
2010 modern 149 #23,598
2011 modern 155 #22,790
2012 modern 152 #23,069
2013 modern 159 #22,706
2014 modern 166 #22,277
2015 modern 149 #23,817
2016 modern 148 #23,958

Geography

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Where Rockliffs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Binbrook St Mary and St Gabriel, Orford, Campsall, Leeds, North Meols and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Selby and Doncaster. 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 Binbrook St Mary and St Gabriel, Orford Lincolnshire
2 Campsall Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding
4 North Meols Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Selby 008 Selby
2 Doncaster 023 Doncaster
3 Doncaster 002 Doncaster
4 Doncaster 010 Doncaster
5 Doncaster 008 Doncaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rockliff

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rockliff

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Rockliff surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Rockliff household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Rockliff 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

Rockliff is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rockliff falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Rockliff families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rockliff 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 42 Rockliffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.85x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 42 3.85x
Lancashire 19 1.45x
Essex 12 5.52x
Lincolnshire 9 5.11x
Staffordshire 6 1.61x
Sussex 6 3.23x
Ayrshire 5 6.06x
Durham 4 1.22x
Cheshire 3 1.23x
Kent 3 0.80x
Middlesex 2 0.18x
Surrey 2 0.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sculcoates in Yorkshire leads with 13 Rockliffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 75.06x.

Place Total Index
Sculcoates 13 75.06x
Clifford Cum Boston 12 1224.49x
Everton 8 19.19x
East Ham 7 173.27x
Binbrooke 6 1363.64x
Hastings St Clement 6 342.86x
Newton Upon Ouse 6 2727.27x
Wednesbury 6 64.52x
Auckinleck 5 196.08x
North Meols 5 39.06x
Norton In Doncaster 5 2272.73x
Bishopwearmouth 4 14.21x
Tadcaster East 3 3333.33x
West Derby 3 7.84x
Birkdale 2 60.42x
Hornchurch 2 186.92x
Middlesbrough 2 14.06x
Mile End Old Town 2 11.49x
Sittingbourne 2 67.34x
Tranmere 2 22.37x
Warlingham 2 454.55x
West Ham 2 4.16x
Birkenhead 1 5.15x
Gillingham 1 12.90x
Grays Thurrock 1 49.51x
Holy Trinity 1 3.81x
Leake 1 123.46x
Liverpool 1 1.26x
Louth 1 24.75x
Thorganby 1 2000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 11
Charles 6
Thomas 5
Francis 4
George 4
John 4
Alfred 3
James 3
Joseph 3
Geo. 2
Robert 2
Walter 2
Arther 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Fred.A. 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Percy 1
Richard 1
U. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Rockliff surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rockliff surname in 1881?

In 1881, 113 people were recorded with the Rockliff surname. That placed it at #18,412 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rockliff surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 148 in 2016. That gives Rockliff a modern rank of #23,958.

What does the Rockliff map show?

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