NameCensus.

UK surname

Roscoe

From the Old Norse personal name "Hrothgeirr," meaning "famous spear" or "bright spear."

In the 1881 census there were 1,865 people recorded with the Roscoe surname, ranking it #2,337 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,335, ranked #2,792, down from #2,337 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wigan, Manchester and Chorley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chorley, Bolton and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Roscoe is 2,803 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.2%.

1881 census count

1,865

Ranked #2,337

Modern count

2,335

2016, ranked #2,792

Peak year

1911

2,803 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Roscoe had 1,865 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,337 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,335 in 2016, ranked #2,792.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,803 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Roscoe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Roscoe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Roscoe 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 843 #3,226
1861 historical 873 #3,182
1881 historical 1,865 #2,337
1891 historical 2,068 #2,235
1901 historical 2,640 #2,091
1911 historical 2,803 #1,853
1997 modern 2,453 #2,563
1998 modern 2,506 #2,612
1999 modern 2,541 #2,593
2000 modern 2,507 #2,611
2001 modern 2,484 #2,577
2002 modern 2,480 #2,637
2003 modern 2,400 #2,661
2004 modern 2,364 #2,697
2005 modern 2,355 #2,667
2006 modern 2,350 #2,678
2007 modern 2,339 #2,711
2008 modern 2,333 #2,733
2009 modern 2,389 #2,744
2010 modern 2,435 #2,754
2011 modern 2,371 #2,788
2012 modern 2,330 #2,780
2013 modern 2,359 #2,789
2014 modern 2,365 #2,795
2015 modern 2,346 #2,792
2016 modern 2,335 #2,792

Geography

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Where Roscoes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wigan, Manchester, Chorley, Dean and Preston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chorley, Bolton, Wigan, Flintshire and Salford. 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 Wigan Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Chorley Lancashire
4 Dean Lancashire
5 Preston Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chorley 010 Chorley
2 Bolton 024 Bolton
3 Wigan 010 Wigan
4 Flintshire 007 Flintshire
5 Salford 012 Salford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Roscoe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Roscoe

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Roscoe 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

Roscoe is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Roscoe

The surname Roscoe is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "ros" meaning a rose and "cothu" meaning a cottage or dwelling, suggesting that the name may have originally referred to a person who lived in a cottage surrounded by rose bushes or a rose garden.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Roscho" in reference to a landowner in Lancashire. This spelling variation reflects the evolution of the name over time, as it adapted to regional dialects and linguistic changes.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name began to appear more frequently in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it is listed as "Roscowe" in Berkshire. The surname's association with specific locations is evident in place names like Roscoe in Cheshire, which likely contributed to the name's dissemination across different regions.

Notable historical figures bearing the Roscoe surname include William Roscoe (1753-1831), an esteemed English historian, banker, and botanist, best known for his influential works on the Italian Renaissance. Another prominent individual was Edward Roscoe (1817-1891), a British railway engineer and inventor who played a significant role in the development of early railway technology.

Henry Enfield Roscoe (1833-1915) was a renowned English chemist and a professor at the University of Manchester, known for his contributions to the field of inorganic chemistry. William Calcraft Roscoe (1823-1859), a British painter and illustrator, gained recognition for his landscape paintings depicting scenes from Italy and Switzerland.

In the literary realm, William Stanley Roscoe (1782-1843), the son of William Roscoe, was a notable poet and author, best known for his works on Italian literature and his translations of Italian poetry into English.

The Roscoe surname has endured through the centuries, with its origins rooted in the English countryside, and its historical significance ranging from academic pursuits to artistic endeavors, reflecting the diverse paths taken by those who bear this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Roscoe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Roscoe 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 1,387 Roscoes recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.45x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,387 6.45x
Cheshire 184 4.60x
Yorkshire 75 0.42x
Middlesex 70 0.39x
Kent 19 0.31x
Durham 15 0.28x
Surrey 12 0.14x
Montgomeryshire 11 2.65x
Cumberland 10 0.64x
Derbyshire 8 0.28x
Northamptonshire 8 0.47x
Warwickshire 8 0.17x
Staffordshire 7 0.11x
Caernarfonshire 6 0.82x
Lanarkshire 6 0.10x
Denbighshire 5 0.73x
Gloucestershire 5 0.14x
Angus 4 0.24x
Herefordshire 4 0.54x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.18x
Anglesey 2 0.62x
Devon 2 0.05x
Northumberland 2 0.07x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.09x
Flintshire 1 0.21x
Hampshire 1 0.03x
Hertfordshire 1 0.08x
Midlothian 1 0.04x
Shropshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wigan in Lancashire leads with 98 Roscoes recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.59x.

Place Total Index
Wigan 98 32.59x
Salford 83 13.11x
Farnworth 75 58.17x
Preston 57 9.90x
Chorley 56 46.38x
Great Bolton 52 18.24x
Little Hulton 39 109.46x
Pendleton In Salford 34 13.26x
Halliwell 30 38.31x
Pemberton 27 31.47x
Whiston 27 160.91x
Ashton Under Lyne 26 5.53x
Oldham 26 3.74x
Eccleston In Prescot 25 23.14x
Little Bolton 25 9.04x
Sutton 25 34.64x
Tonge With Haulgh 25 59.68x
Birkenhead 24 7.52x
Kearsley 23 50.80x
Ince In Makerfield 22 21.97x
Manchester 22 2.27x
Toxteth Park 20 2.74x
Widnes 19 12.24x
Tranmere 18 12.23x
Euxton 17 238.10x
Kensington London 17 1.69x
Blackburn 16 2.79x
Little Neston 16 249.22x
Monks Coppenhall 16 10.59x
Newton 16 9.65x
Turton 16 45.42x
Bootle Cum Linacre 15 8.78x
Ness 15 643.78x
North Meols 15 7.12x
Wortley In Bramley 15 10.54x
Everton 14 2.04x
Prescot 14 35.98x
Denton 13 27.26x
Haydock 13 35.06x
St Pancras London 13 0.89x
Blatchinworth 12 24.49x
Moston 12 55.61x
Witton Gilbert 12 56.34x
Dalton In Huddersfield 11 27.33x
Droylsden 11 15.67x
Heaton Norris 11 8.98x
Kirkby 11 126.29x
Lostock 11 226.80x
Warrington 11 4.31x
West Derby 11 1.75x
Bradford 10 9.93x
Bury 10 4.07x
Churchstoke 10 127.55x
Hampstead London 10 3.54x
Hindley 10 10.90x
Liverpool 10 0.77x
Tottington Lower End 10 9.78x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 10 16.14x
Bradford 9 2.07x
Chorlton On Medlock 9 2.63x
Eastham 9 167.91x
Hulme 9 2.00x
Newton In Makerfield 9 13.66x
Ashton In Makerfield 8 13.06x
Cheadle 8 10.46x
Harwood 8 71.17x
Lewisham 8 2.42x
Rishton 8 31.70x
Tarleton 8 67.62x
Bramley In Bramley 7 10.18x
Burwardsley 7 252.71x
Cheetham 7 4.36x
Dukinfield 7 3.78x
Garston 7 11.02x
Paddington London 7 1.05x
Peterborough 7 5.67x
Stockport 7 3.40x
Farnley In Bramley 6 26.75x
Rumworth 6 19.51x
Tarbock 6 153.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 166
Elizabeth 91
Sarah 68
Margaret 56
Ellen 49
Ann 47
Jane 40
Alice 30
Martha 28
Annie 24
Eliza 19
Hannah 19
Emma 16
Maria 13
Edith 11
Agnes 10
Betsy 9
Catherine 9
Harriet 9
Clara 8
Emily 8
Lucy 8
Esther 7
Ada 6
Anne 6
Charlotte 6
Elizth. 6
Isabella 6
Rebecca 6
Betty 5
Florence 5
Amy 4
Janet 4
Margt. 4
Nancy 4
Rachel 4
Susannah 4
Ester 3
Frances 3
Kate 3
Lydia 3
Ruth 3
Beatrice 2
Eleanor 2
Francis 2
Honor 2
Jessie 2
Johanna 2
Marg. 2
Margeret 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 149
Thomas 109
William 104
James 95
George 48
Joseph 43
Robert 32
Henry 28
Edward 25
Richard 22
Peter 19
Charles 17
Samuel 17
Alfred 15
Walter 11
Roger 8
Arthur 7
Frederick 6
Jonathan 5
Wm. 5
Albert 4
Daniel 4
Edwd. 4
Edwin 4
Francis 4
Frank 4
Herbert 4
Matthew 4
Tom 4
Ernest 3
Harry 3
Jno. 3
Joshua 3
Richd. 3
Thos. 3
Willm. 3
Abraham 2
Edgar 2
Elisha 2
Fredrick 2
Harold 2
Hugh 2
Nicholas 2
Percy 2
Philip 2
Timothy 2
Benjamin 1
Ellis 1
Enos 1
Woollowmould 1

FAQ

Roscoe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Roscoe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,865 people were recorded with the Roscoe surname. That placed it at #2,337 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Roscoe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,335 in 2016. That gives Roscoe a modern rank of #2,792.

What does the Roscoe surname mean?

From the Old Norse personal name "Hrothgeirr," meaning "famous spear" or "bright spear."

What does the Roscoe map show?

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