NameCensus.

UK surname

Romney

A surname likely derived from a placename, possibly a town or region in England.

In the 1881 census there were 147 people recorded with the Romney surname, ranking it #15,674 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 166, ranked #22,140, down from #15,674 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kings Norton, Dover St James, Dover St Mary and Dalton-in-Furness. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Liverpool, Birmingham and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Romney is 185 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.9%.

1881 census count

147

Ranked #15,674

Modern count

166

2016, ranked #22,140

Peak year

2010

185 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Romney had 147 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,674 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 166 in 2016, ranked #22,140.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 184 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Romney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Romney surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Romney 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 123 #14,886
1861 historical 125 #17,678
1881 historical 147 #15,674
1891 historical 151 #18,242
1901 historical 168 #16,886
1911 historical 184 #15,742
1997 modern 172 #19,371
1998 modern 178 #19,452
1999 modern 176 #19,722
2000 modern 172 #19,974
2001 modern 171 #19,770
2002 modern 164 #20,687
2003 modern 164 #20,483
2004 modern 170 #20,146
2005 modern 166 #20,379
2006 modern 173 #19,995
2007 modern 177 #19,965
2008 modern 176 #20,224
2009 modern 177 #20,560
2010 modern 185 #20,453
2011 modern 167 #21,642
2012 modern 158 #22,460
2013 modern 160 #22,621
2014 modern 165 #22,356
2015 modern 165 #22,241
2016 modern 166 #22,140

Geography

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Where Romneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kings Norton, Dover St James, Dover St Mary, Dalton-in-Furness, Hatfield, Bishops and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Liverpool, Birmingham, Dudley, South Hams and Dover. 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 Kings Norton Worcestershire
2 Dover St James, Dover St Mary Kent
3 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire
4 Hatfield, Bishops Hertfordshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Liverpool 029 Liverpool
2 Birmingham 066 Birmingham
3 Dudley 012 Dudley
4 South Hams 008 South Hams
5 Dover 006 Dover

Forenames

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First names often paired with Romney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Romney

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

Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students

Nationally, the Romney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Romney household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples with dependent children are common in this Group, with many parents born in Africa or the EU. The representation of residents amongst different ethnic minority groups is high, particularly for individuals of Pakistani ethnic group. For many residents, English is not their main language, and affiliation to Christian religions is less common. Privately rented terrace properties predominate and levels of overcrowding are high. Part time work is common, with many employed in elementary occupations and sales and customer services. There are also many students living within these areas, and overall unemployment levels are high.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Romney 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

Romney 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

Romney falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Romney 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
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Romney

The surname Romney has its origins in the English county of Kent. It is derived from the Old English words 'rumen' meaning wide and 'ey' meaning island or meadow. The name likely referred to someone who lived on or near a wide meadow or island.

The earliest recorded mention of the surname dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Rumeney'. This suggests the name was already well-established in England by the late 11th century.

By the 13th century, variations like 'Romeney', 'Romeneye', and 'Romeney' begin appearing in various historical records and tax rolls from Kent and Sussex. These spellings reflect the surname's evolution over time.

The Romney family can trace their ancestry back to Geoffrey de Romene, born around 1210 in Kent. He was a landowner and one of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname.

Another notable early bearer was John de Romeney, born circa 1275 in Romney Marsh, Kent. He served as a Member of Parliament for Kent in the early 14th century.

During the 16th century, Romney became a more commonly used spelling. William Romney (1508-1584) was a successful merchant and Mayor of Sandwich, Kent in 1569.

In the 17th century, the surname spread beyond Kent as some Romney families migrated to other parts of England and eventually to the American colonies. Miles Romney (1600-1672) was among the earliest settlers in Massachusetts.

Other historically significant individuals include Thomas Romney Robinson (1792-1882), an English banker and politician, and George Romney (1734-1802), a renowned English portrait painter.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Romney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Romney 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. Kent leads with 46 Romneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.34x.

County Total Index
Kent 46 9.34x
Lancashire 19 1.11x
Middlesex 18 1.25x
Surrey 12 1.71x
Worcestershire 11 5.84x
Yorkshire 11 0.77x
Hertfordshire 10 10.05x
Warwickshire 7 1.92x
Gloucestershire 3 1.06x
Wigtownshire 3 15.65x
Dumfriesshire 2 6.27x
Midlothian 2 1.03x
Durham 1 0.23x
Royal Navy 1 5.81x
Somerset 1 0.43x
Sussex 1 0.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Deal in Kent leads with 18 Romneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 428.57x.

Place Total Index
Deal 18 428.57x
Hatfield 10 495.05x
Dover St Mary Virgin 9 188.68x
Birmingham 7 5.77x
Charlton 7 214.07x
Kings Norton 7 41.42x
St Marylebone London 6 7.79x
Buckland In Dover 5 306.75x
Dalton In Furness 5 75.64x
Newington 5 9.38x
Normanby In 5 130.89x
St Giles In Fields 5 100.40x
Dover St James 4 185.19x
Everton 4 7.33x
Toxteth Park 4 6.90x
York Mint Yard St 4 3076.92x
Alfrick 3 1363.64x
Cheltenham 3 13.74x
Croydon 3 7.68x
Inch 3 160.43x
St Pancras London 3 2.58x
Annan 2 72.99x
Bermondsey 2 4.65x
Manchester 2 2.60x
South Leith 2 9.19x
Barrow In Furness 1 4.29x
Battersea 1 1.88x
Brighton 1 2.04x
Brookland 1 476.19x
Colton 1 112.36x
Dawdon 1 18.94x
Gate Fulford 1 29.94x
Habergham Eaves 1 6.39x
Hartlebury 1 89.29x
Islington London 1 0.71x
Kensington London 1 1.25x
Lambeth 1 0.79x
Lee 1 13.99x
Portbury 1 256.41x
Royal Navy 1 6.80x
Shoreditch London 1 1.60x
St George Hanover 1 5.31x
Warrington 1 4.92x
Woolwich 1 5.49x
York St Giles In 1 74.07x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Sarah 6
Eliza 5
Eleanor 3
Emma 3
Julia 3
Louisa 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Anne 2
Annie 2
Charlotte 2
Jane 2
Ada 1
Blanche 1
Brigit 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Deila 1
Edith 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Georgie 1
Harriett 1
Helena 1
Isabella 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lavinia 1
Lillian 1
Lilly 1
Lizzie 1
Lucinda 1
M. 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Nancy 1
Rachel 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
John 8
Thomas 6
Joseph 5
Alfred 4
Frank 3
George 3
Samuel 3
Charles 2
Daniel 2
Edward 2
Ernest 2
Harry 2
Henry 2
James 2
Chas. 1
David 1
Edwd. 1
Frederick 1
Lawrence 1
Louis 1
Oswald 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
San 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Romney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Romney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 147 people were recorded with the Romney surname. That placed it at #15,674 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Romney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 166 in 2016. That gives Romney a modern rank of #22,140.

What does the Romney surname mean?

A surname likely derived from a placename, possibly a town or region in England.

What does the Romney map show?

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