NameCensus.

UK surname

Rome

An English locational surname indicating a person who resided in or originated from the city of Rome, Italy.

In the 1881 census there were 594 people recorded with the Rome surname, ranking it #5,887 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 636, ranked #8,321, down from #5,887 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Kirkpatrick-Fleming and Annan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gretna, Shawhead and Carlisle.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rome is 728 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 7.1%.

1881 census count

594

Ranked #5,887

Modern count

636

2016, ranked #8,321

Peak year

1901

728 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rome had 594 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,887 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 636 in 2016, ranked #8,321.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 728 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rome surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rome surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rome 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 390 #6,155
1861 historical 506 #5,174
1881 historical 594 #5,887
1891 historical 717 #5,499
1901 historical 728 #6,087
1911 historical 628 #6,604
1997 modern 641 #7,739
1998 modern 694 #7,523
1999 modern 702 #7,500
2000 modern 692 #7,552
2001 modern 671 #7,607
2002 modern 682 #7,667
2003 modern 642 #7,895
2004 modern 651 #7,828
2005 modern 626 #8,008
2006 modern 611 #8,170
2007 modern 627 #8,078
2008 modern 634 #8,060
2009 modern 655 #8,019
2010 modern 663 #8,114
2011 modern 654 #8,115
2012 modern 660 #7,975
2013 modern 661 #8,105
2014 modern 654 #8,216
2015 modern 645 #8,249
2016 modern 636 #8,321

Geography

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Where Romes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Kirkpatrick-Fleming, Annan, Glasgow and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gretna, Shawhead, Carlisle and Annandale East. 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 Kirkpatrick-Fleming Dumfries
3 Annan Dumfries
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gretna Dumfries and Galloway
2 Shawhead Dumfries and Galloway
3 Carlisle 006 Carlisle
4 Carlisle 011 Carlisle
5 Annandale East Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rome

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rome

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Rome surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Rome 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Rome is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Rome is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rome 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 Rome 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 Rome, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Rome

The surname ROME is an English habitational name that originated in the medieval era, derived from the famous city of Rome in Italy. Earliest recordings of the name appear in English records dating back to the 12th century, often spelled as "de Rome" or "atte Rome," indicating those who hailed from or lived near the city.

The name likely arose as a distinguishing moniker for English individuals who had visited or resided in Rome, perhaps on religious pilgrimages or as merchants trading with Italian cities. Some of the earliest bearers may have been Crusaders or soldiers who had journeyed to Rome during the medieval Crusades.

By the 13th century, the surname had evolved to its modern spelling of ROME, as seen in records such as the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, which mentions a William de Rome in 1273. The Placita de Quo Warranto, a legal record from 1292, also documents a Walter de Rome.

While the name is of English origin, its roots trace back to the ancient Latin name "Roma," the original appellation of the iconic city that served as the capital of the Roman Empire. This connection to one of the most influential civilizations in history lends the surname ROME a sense of prestige and antiquity.

Notable figures bearing the surname ROME throughout history include:

1. Philip de Rome (c. 1165 - c. 1225), an English cleric who served as Bishop of Ely from 1199 to 1225. 2. John Rome (c. 1390 - c. 1445), an English monk and historian who authored the "Vita Ricardi Secundi," a chronicle of the reign of King Richard II. 3. Robert Rome (c. 1510 - 1577), an English printer and publisher known for his work on religious texts during the Protestant Reformation. 4. Thomas Rome (1579 - 1642), an English Catholic priest and controversialist who authored several religious treatises defending Catholicism. 5. George Rome (1785 - 1861), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy and participated in the Napoleonic Wars.

The surname ROME has endured for centuries, carrying the legacy of its association with one of the world's most iconic cities and its rich history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rome families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rome 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. Lancashire leads with 96 Romes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.41x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 96 1.41x
Dumfriesshire 84 66.07x
Cumberland 66 13.32x
Middlesex 46 0.80x
Ayrshire 34 7.89x
Surrey 27 0.96x
Cheshire 25 1.97x
Lanarkshire 21 1.13x
Kirkcudbrightshire 20 24.00x
Norfolk 18 2.03x
Yorkshire 18 0.32x
Durham 17 0.99x
Devon 14 1.17x
Kent 11 0.56x
Renfrewshire 11 2.47x
Sussex 10 1.03x
Isle of Man 8 7.49x
Perthshire 7 2.71x
Derbyshire 6 0.67x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.64x
Angus 4 0.75x
Inverness-shire 4 2.33x
Midlothian 4 0.52x
Northumberland 4 0.47x
Worcestershire 4 0.53x
Denbighshire 3 1.38x
Essex 3 0.26x
Oxfordshire 3 0.84x
Staffordshire 3 0.15x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.38x
Banffshire 2 1.68x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.55x
Leicestershire 2 0.31x
Warwickshire 2 0.14x
Anglesey 1 0.98x
Gloucestershire 1 0.09x
Hampshire 1 0.08x
Wigtownshire 1 1.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kilmarnock in Ayrshire leads with 27 Romes recorded in 1881 and an index of 52.66x.

Place Total Index
Kilmarnock 27 52.66x
Toxteth Park 26 11.24x
Canonbie 21 388.89x
Chorlton On Medlock 17 15.67x
Dornock 16 993.79x
Islington London 16 2.87x
Camberwell 13 3.54x
Kirkdale 12 10.44x
Birkenhead 11 10.86x
Bootle Cum Linacre 11 20.28x
Bowness 11 572.92x
Northwold 11 464.14x
Aikton 10 641.03x
Bradford 10 7.24x
Annan 9 82.42x
Glasgow 9 2.72x
Accrington 8 12.88x
Maughold 8 96.97x
Newabbey 8 449.44x
St Cuthbert W O 8 33.13x
Whitehaven 8 30.29x
Cummertrees 7 324.07x
East Stonehouse 7 29.66x
Holywood 7 330.19x
Kirkgunzeon 7 542.64x
Lewisham 7 6.69x
Perth East Church 7 28.75x
West Greenock 7 8.74x
Cambuslang 6 31.97x
Framwellgate 6 59.17x
Lambeth 6 1.20x
Southwick 6 116.96x
St Clement Danes 6 64.38x
Tormoham 6 11.84x
Walsoken 6 112.78x
Dryfesdale 5 85.32x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 5 6.74x
Hesket In Forest 5 129.20x
Hoddam 5 163.40x
Kirkcudbright 5 72.46x
Newton 5 9.50x
Nottingham St Mary 5 2.49x
Tudhoe 5 33.38x
Caldewgate 4 14.73x
Cheadle 4 16.48x
Gretna 4 167.36x
Heath 4 571.43x
Horton In Bradford 4 4.49x
Inverness 4 9.25x
Kings Norton 4 5.93x
Lancaster 4 9.84x
Millom 4 26.33x
Paisley Middle Church 4 15.40x
Poplar London 4 3.68x
Rickergate 4 38.17x
St Martin In Fields 4 11.61x
St Mary Within 4 64.62x
St Mungo 4 305.34x
St Quivox 4 27.47x
Tranmere 4 8.57x
Acton 3 8.89x
Barony 3 0.64x
Chester St John Baptist 3 13.13x
Dundee 3 1.51x
Earsdon 3 43.04x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 0.97x
Henley On Thames 3 41.21x
Kirkpatrick Fleming 3 103.45x
Mile End Old Town 3 3.30x
Ruthin 3 134.53x
St Pancras London 3 0.65x
Trysull 3 265.49x
Tundergarth 3 322.58x
Arthuret 2 38.68x
Croydon 2 1.28x
East Broughton 2 103.09x
Govan 2 0.43x
Papcastle 2 144.93x
St Lawrence 2 14.81x
St Luke London 2 2.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 26
John 22
James 17
George 15
Thomas 11
Charles 10
Henry 10
Joseph 10
Robert 9
Walter 5
Arthur 4
Alfred 3
Francis 3
Robinson 3
David 2
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Geo. 2
Samuel 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Allen 1
Andrew 1
Bruce 1
Chas. 1
Cornelius 1
Ed. 1
Eliza 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Harold 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
Jno. 1
Kenneth 1
Mary 1
Michael 1
Owen 1
Percy 1
R. 1
Raphael 1
Richard 1
Robt 1
Robt. 1
Sidney 1
Wm.Paton 1

FAQ

Rome surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rome surname in 1881?

In 1881, 594 people were recorded with the Rome surname. That placed it at #5,887 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rome surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 636 in 2016. That gives Rome a modern rank of #8,321.

What does the Rome surname mean?

An English locational surname indicating a person who resided in or originated from the city of Rome, Italy.

What does the Rome map show?

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