NameCensus.

UK surname

Romain

A French surname derived from the Latin name Romanus, meaning "Roman" or "of Rome."

In the 1881 census there were 156 people recorded with the Romain surname, ranking it #15,114 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 596, ranked #8,758, up from #15,114 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Christ Church Spitalfields, Chirton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, The Vale of Glamorgan and Swindon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Romain is 612 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 282.1%.

1881 census count

156

Ranked #15,114

Modern count

596

2016, ranked #8,758

Peak year

2014

612 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Romain had 156 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,114 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 596 in 2016, ranked #8,758.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 272 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Romain surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Romain surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Romain 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 107 #16,402
1861 historical 130 #17,164
1881 historical 156 #15,114
1891 historical 219 #13,974
1901 historical 233 #13,740
1911 historical 272 #12,205
1997 modern 506 #9,218
1998 modern 529 #9,195
1999 modern 557 #8,897
2000 modern 547 #8,990
2001 modern 526 #9,112
2002 modern 554 #8,933
2003 modern 540 #8,967
2004 modern 544 #8,933
2005 modern 559 #8,693
2006 modern 563 #8,677
2007 modern 573 #8,644
2008 modern 571 #8,720
2009 modern 567 #8,959
2010 modern 597 #8,814
2011 modern 576 #8,955
2012 modern 575 #8,877
2013 modern 605 #8,691
2014 modern 612 #8,667
2015 modern 605 #8,678
2016 modern 596 #8,758

Geography

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Where Romains are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Christ Church Spitalfields, Chirton, London parishes, St Dunstan Stepney and Urchfont. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, The Vale of Glamorgan, Swindon and Epping Forest. 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 Christ Church Spitalfields London (East Districts)
2 Chirton Wiltshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
5 Urchfont Wiltshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 026 Wiltshire
2 The Vale of Glamorgan 013 Vale of Glamorgan
3 Swindon 007 Swindon
4 Epping Forest 001 Epping Forest
5 The Vale of Glamorgan 007 Vale of Glamorgan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Romain

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Romain

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Romain is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Romain 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

Romain falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Romain is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Romain

The surname Romain is of French origin, derived from the Latin word "Romanus," which means "Roman." It is believed to have originated during the Roman era, when it was likely given as a descriptive name to someone who lived in an area populated by Romans or had some connection to Roman culture.

In its earliest form, the name was likely spelled "Romanus" or "Romaine," and it was borne by several prominent individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Willelmus Romanus in Kent, England.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Romain was particularly common in France, where it was often associated with nobility and landowners. In the 12th century, a knight named Gautier Romain was mentioned in the chronicles of the Crusades, and in the 13th century, a nobleman named Philippe Romain was recorded as the lord of the village of Romain-sur-Meuse in northeastern France.

As the name spread across Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, including Romaine, Romayne, and Romaynes. In England, the name appeared in records as early as the 13th century, and by the 16th century, it had become firmly established as a surname.

One notable bearer of the name Romain was Jules Romain (1585-1637), a French poet and playwright who was a member of the Académie Française. Another was Jean-Jacques Romain (1736-1796), a French painter and engraver best known for his portraits of royalty and aristocracy.

In the realm of literature, the name Romain is associated with the French writer and philosopher Jules Romain (1885-1972), who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1915 for his novels and plays. Another famous bearer of the name was the French sculptor Jules Romain (1838-1916), whose works can be found in museums and public spaces throughout France.

While the surname Romain is most commonly associated with France, it has also been found in other parts of Europe, including Belgium, Switzerland, and Italy, where it may have been introduced through migration or cultural exchange.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Romain families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Romain 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. Wiltshire leads with 69 Romains recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.95x.

County Total Index
Wiltshire 69 50.95x
Middlesex 51 3.33x
Surrey 13 1.74x
Lancashire 7 0.39x
Hampshire 5 1.59x
Worcestershire 4 2.00x
Northumberland 2 0.88x
Warwickshire 2 0.52x
Derbyshire 1 0.42x
Royal Navy 1 5.48x
Somerset 1 0.41x
Yorkshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Urchfont in Wiltshire leads with 17 Romains recorded in 1881 and an index of 3090.91x.

Place Total Index
Urchfont 17 3090.91x
Devizes St Mary 13 948.91x
Spitalfields London 11 95.49x
Chirton 7 3888.89x
Liverpool 7 6.34x
Devizes St James 6 333.33x
Hackney London 6 6.99x
Mile End Old Town 5 20.69x
Netheravon 5 1612.90x
Rowde 5 806.45x
Whitechapel London 5 33.13x
Box 4 347.83x
Hammersmith London 4 10.60x
Stoke Newington London 4 33.53x
Yardley 4 78.13x
Andover 3 101.01x
Chippenham 3 105.63x
Newington 3 5.30x
Poplar London 3 10.38x
Potterne Worton 3 1666.67x
Reigate Borough 3 174.42x
St George In East 3 28.79x
Battersea 2 3.55x
Bromley London 2 5.94x
Clapham 2 10.45x
Coulsdon 2 147.06x
Devizes St John 2 196.08x
Melksham 2 85.11x
North Shields 2 43.96x
Southampton All Sts 2 37.11x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 2 92.17x
St Michael Bassishaw 2 1818.18x
Aston 1 0.94x
Bath St James 1 38.91x
Birmingham 1 0.78x
Eckington 1 17.18x
Ilkley 1 40.32x
Islington London 1 0.67x
Kensington London 1 1.17x
Lambeth 1 0.75x
Limehouse London 1 5.95x
Potterne Marston 1 1111.11x
Royal Navy 1 6.41x
Tottenham 1 4.10x
Wilton 1 104.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 11
Elizabeth 4
Rose 4
Alice 3
Ann 3
Emily 3
Jane 3
Louisa 3
Maria 3
Mary 3
Betsy 2
Deborah 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Esther 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Isabella 2
Ada 1
Amelia 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Betty 1
Clara 1
Dinah 1
Dinnia 1
Edith 1
Eugenia 1
Funie 1
Harriet 1
Henda 1
Henrietta 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Lily 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Miriam 1
Naomi 1
Rachael 1
Rebecca 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Romain surname: questions and answers

How common was the Romain surname in 1881?

In 1881, 156 people were recorded with the Romain surname. That placed it at #15,114 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Romain surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 596 in 2016. That gives Romain a modern rank of #8,758.

What does the Romain surname mean?

A French surname derived from the Latin name Romanus, meaning "Roman" or "of Rome."

What does the Romain map show?

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