NameCensus.

UK surname

Roseberry

A locational surname derived from a place in North Yorkshire, England, likely referring to a hill covered in wild roses.

In the 1881 census there were 93 people recorded with the Roseberry surname, ranking it #20,593 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 97, ranked #31,585, down from #20,593 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Holland, County Durham and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Roseberry is 108 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.3%.

1881 census count

93

Ranked #20,593

Modern count

97

2016, ranked #31,585

Peak year

2013

108 bearers

Map years

1

1998 to 1998

Key insights

  • Roseberry had 93 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,593 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 97 in 2016, ranked #31,585.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 93 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Roseberry surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Roseberry surname density by area, 1998 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Roseberry 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 55 #23,413
1861 historical 44 #28,433
1881 historical 93 #20,593
1891 historical 74 #27,538
1901 historical 79 #25,363
1911 historical 74 #25,423
1997 modern 96 #27,490
1998 modern 102 #27,314
1999 modern 102 #27,468
2000 modern 96 #28,299
2001 modern 98 #27,672
2002 modern 95 #28,666
2003 modern 92 #28,974
2004 modern 89 #29,623
2005 modern 92 #29,271
2006 modern 96 #28,946
2007 modern 97 #29,156
2008 modern 94 #29,950
2009 modern 96 #30,239
2010 modern 101 #30,078
2011 modern 103 #29,589
2012 modern 103 #29,733
2013 modern 108 #29,379
2014 modern 103 #30,539
2015 modern 96 #31,624
2016 modern 97 #31,585

Geography

Back to top

Where Roseberrys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Holland, County Durham, Sunderland and Stroud. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Holland 008 South Holland
2 County Durham 019 County Durham
3 Sunderland 032 Sunderland
4 Stroud 005 Stroud
5 Sunderland 004 Sunderland

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Roseberry

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Roseberry

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Roseberry surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Roseberry household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Roseberry 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

Roseberry is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Roseberry 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 Roseberry is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Roseberry

The surname Roseberry is of English origin and dates back to the late 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the place name "Rosebery" or "Rosebury" in Yorkshire, England. This place name is thought to have originated from the Old English words "ros" meaning rose and "burh" meaning a fortified place or manor.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Roseberry can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1202, where a person named Roger de Rosebury is listed. The surname also appears in various other medieval records and manuscripts, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it is spelled as "Rosebury."

The Roseberry family was well-established in Yorkshire during the medieval period, and some members of the family held positions of importance. For instance, Sir Richard Roseberry was a knight who fought in the Wars of the Roses in the 15th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname spread to other parts of England, and variations in spelling began to emerge, such as Rosebery, Roseberie, and Rosebury. One notable figure from this era was Sir Archibald Primrose, 1st Earl of Rosebery (1616-1679), a Scottish nobleman who adopted the spelling "Rosebery" for his title.

In the 18th century, the Roseberry family produced several prominent figures, including Archibald John Primrose, 4th Earl of Rosebery (1783-1868), who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1894 to 1895. Another notable individual was the English artist and engraver John Roseberry (1738-1823), whose works are held in various art collections.

The 19th century saw the continued prominence of the Roseberry family, with individuals such as Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery (1847-1929), who was also a Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1894 to 1895, and the writer and historian Viola Roseberry (1866-1942), who wrote extensively on English history and literature.

Throughout its history, the surname Roseberry has been associated with various place names in England, such as Roseberry Topping, a famous hill in North Yorkshire, and the town of Rosebery in Cumbria, which was named after the Earl of Rosebery in the late 19th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Roseberry families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Roseberry 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. Durham leads with 59 Roseberrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.86x.

County Total Index
Durham 59 21.86x
Cambridgeshire 7 12.18x
Lancashire 6 0.56x
Middlesex 6 0.66x
Norfolk 6 4.30x
Kent 2 0.65x
Stirlingshire 2 5.98x
Cheshire 1 0.50x
Northamptonshire 1 1.17x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.82x
Surrey 1 0.23x
Sussex 1 0.65x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishopwearmouth in Durham leads with 29 Roseberrys recorded in 1881 and an index of 125.22x.

Place Total Index
Bishopwearmouth 29 125.22x
Harraton 8 1509.43x
Southwick 8 312.50x
Wisbech St Peter 7 243.06x
Kimblesworth 6 1666.67x
Walsoken 6 714.29x
Monkwearmouth Shore 5 94.88x
Islington London 4 4.55x
Manchester 4 8.26x
Alva 2 125.00x
St George Hanover 2 16.89x
Sunderland 2 41.93x
Birkenhead 1 6.27x
Broughton In Salford 1 10.16x
Chailey 1 212.77x
Clapham 1 8.82x
Dover Castle 1 454.55x
Lenton 1 34.72x
Northampton St Giles 1 30.77x
Northfleet 1 36.63x
Salford 1 3.16x
Tunstall 1 74.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 5
Mary 5
Elizabeth 4
Lydia 3
Margaret 3
Sarah 3
Annie 2
Hannah 2
Martha 2
A. 1
Alice 1
Dorothy 1
Eliz. 1
Eliza 1
Elizabett 1
Elizebeth 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Isabella 1
Leah 1
Letty 1
Matilda 1
Rose 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Roseberry surname: questions and answers

How common was the Roseberry surname in 1881?

In 1881, 93 people were recorded with the Roseberry surname. That placed it at #20,593 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Roseberry surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 97 in 2016. That gives Roseberry a modern rank of #31,585.

What does the Roseberry surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place in North Yorkshire, England, likely referring to a hill covered in wild roses.

What does the Roseberry map show?

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