NameCensus.

UK surname

Rough

An English surname derived from the Old English "ruh," meaning a heavily overgrown area or terrain.

In the 1881 census there were 676 people recorded with the Rough surname, ranking it #5,331 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 811, ranked #6,830, down from #5,331 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Glamis, Forfar and Wandsworth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Huntly, Carntyne West and Haghill and Parkhead West and Barrowfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rough is 829 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 20.0%.

1881 census count

676

Ranked #5,331

Modern count

811

2016, ranked #6,830

Peak year

1998

829 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rough had 676 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,331 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 811 in 2016, ranked #6,830.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 822 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Rough surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rough surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rough 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 542 #4,654
1861 historical 611 #4,349
1881 historical 676 #5,331
1891 historical 727 #5,445
1901 historical 822 #5,496
1911 historical 440 #8,661
1997 modern 787 #6,630
1998 modern 829 #6,567
1999 modern 813 #6,709
2000 modern 798 #6,787
2001 modern 788 #6,726
2002 modern 790 #6,849
2003 modern 784 #6,764
2004 modern 778 #6,823
2005 modern 773 #6,792
2006 modern 776 #6,796
2007 modern 780 #6,830
2008 modern 797 #6,768
2009 modern 792 #6,950
2010 modern 810 #6,949
2011 modern 795 #6,992
2012 modern 775 #7,041
2013 modern 800 #6,954
2014 modern 816 #6,870
2015 modern 807 #6,881
2016 modern 811 #6,830

Geography

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Where Roughs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Glamis, Forfar, Wandsworth, London parishes and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Huntly, Carntyne West and Haghill, Parkhead West and Barrowfield, Burntisland West and Drumry East. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Glamis Forfar
2 Forfar Forfar
3 Wandsworth London (South Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Huntly Aberdeenshire
2 Carntyne West and Haghill Glasgow City
3 Parkhead West and Barrowfield Glasgow City
4 Burntisland West Fife
5 Drumry East Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rough

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rough

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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, Rough 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

Rough is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rough falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rough 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 Rough, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Rough

The surname ROUGH originates from England and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word 'rough', which meant 'coarse' or 'shaggy'. The name likely referred to someone who had a rough or unkempt appearance or perhaps lived in a rural area with rough terrain.

The earliest known record of the ROUGH surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, compiled by order of William the Conqueror. Here, the name is spelled 'Ruffe' and is listed as a landowner in the county of Lincolnshire.

By the 13th century, variations of the name such as 'Roughe', 'Roffe', and 'Rougge' can be found in various historical records and documents across England, particularly in counties like Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, and Yorkshire.

One of the earliest known bearers of the ROUGH surname was John Rough, a Scottish Protestant martyr who was born around 1510 and executed by burning in 1558 for his religious beliefs during the reign of Mary I of England.

Another notable figure was Thomas Rough, an English clergyman and academic who lived from 1551 to 1626. He served as the Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, and was a renowned scholar of his time.

In the 17th century, the name ROUGH gained prominence with the rise of Samuel Rough, a wealthy merchant and landowner from Yorkshire, who was born in 1634 and played a significant role in the local economy and politics of his time.

During the 18th century, the ROUGH surname was associated with several notable figures, including William Rough (1700-1768), a renowned English architect who designed numerous churches and public buildings in London.

Throughout the centuries, the ROUGH surname has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Rougham in Suffolk, Roughton in Norfolk, and Roughlee in Lancashire, potentially indicating the origins of some ROUGH families.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rough families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rough 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. Angus leads with 83 Roughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.59x.

County Total Index
Angus 83 13.59x
Surrey 76 2.37x
Lanarkshire 74 3.47x
Northumberland 66 6.73x
Middlesex 53 0.80x
Aberdeenshire 47 7.70x
Midlothian 44 4.98x
Renfrewshire 31 6.07x
Kent 24 1.07x
Cornwall 22 2.95x
Stirlingshire 20 8.22x
Perthshire 16 5.41x
Warwickshire 16 0.96x
Fife 15 3.84x
Lancashire 13 0.17x
Morayshire 13 12.69x
Yorkshire 10 0.15x
Worcestershire 7 0.81x
Durham 5 0.25x
Hampshire 4 0.30x
Shropshire 4 0.70x
West Lothian 4 4.03x
Channel Islands 3 1.54x
Derbyshire 3 0.29x
Devon 3 0.22x
Hertfordshire 3 0.66x
Somerset 3 0.28x
Gloucestershire 2 0.15x
Peeblesshire 2 6.45x
Suffolk 2 0.25x
Argyllshire 1 0.54x
Ayrshire 1 0.20x
Berkshire 1 0.20x
Cheshire 1 0.07x
Lincolnshire 1 0.09x
Northamptonshire 1 0.16x
Oxfordshire 1 0.25x
Westmorland 1 0.69x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 48 Roughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.89x.

Place Total Index
Barony 48 8.89x
Wandsworth 36 56.71x
Forfar 20 60.46x
Coupar Angus 19 328.72x
Camborne 16 52.02x
Birmingham 15 2.71x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 15 4.22x
Glasgow 15 3.96x
Abbotshall 14 95.96x
Dundee 14 6.14x
Kilbarchan 14 90.21x
Gravesend 13 68.24x
Daviot 12 1034.48x
Lambeth 12 2.09x
Battersea 11 4.53x
Lucker 11 2340.43x
Stirling 11 35.88x
Kensington London 10 2.73x
Kintore 10 188.32x
Westgate 10 16.46x
Deptford St Paul 9 5.19x
Govan 9 1.71x
Abbey 8 10.26x
Chatton 8 265.78x
Edinburgh Canongate 8 35.59x
Glamis 8 216.80x
Sharlston 8 186.48x
Dalkeith 7 40.16x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 7 33.49x
Liff Benvie 7 7.55x
St Andrew Holborn 7 31.31x
Urquhart 7 144.63x
Byker 6 12.37x
Eglingham 6 666.67x
Eglingham Crawley Hedgeley 6 1153.85x
Huntly 6 60.36x
St Columb Major 6 96.77x
St Ninians 6 24.89x
Aberdeen Old Machar 5 3.92x
Camberwell 5 1.19x
Hackney London 5 1.35x
Rescobie 5 322.58x
Stretford 5 11.61x
Abberton 4 1904.76x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 4 3.50x
Ardwick 4 5.67x
Bishopwearmouth 4 2.38x
Croydon 4 2.24x
Knockando 4 96.15x
Little Dunkeld 4 79.68x
Mile End Old Town 4 3.84x
Moulin 4 85.47x
Paisley High Church 4 9.83x
Paisley Middle Church 4 13.45x
Ratcliffe London 4 10.98x
Stoke Newington London 4 7.79x
Swarland 4 1250.00x
Uphall 4 36.63x
Blairgowrie 3 25.62x
Chelsea London 3 1.51x
Chillingham 3 967.74x
Chudleigh 3 68.81x
Dudley 3 2.87x
Falkirk 3 5.27x
Litchurch 3 7.22x
Northaw 3 227.27x
Shoreditch London 3 1.05x
St Helier 3 4.72x
St Marylebone London 3 0.85x
St Pancras London 3 0.57x
Barton Mills 2 188.68x
Cargill 2 64.94x
East Lilburn 2 1250.00x
Edinburgh Old Church 2 28.21x
Headbourne Worthy 2 363.64x
Inverurie 2 28.94x
Kingsbury Episcopi 2 58.14x
Lesbury 2 92.17x
Newhills 2 16.00x
Westbury 2 68.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Jane 14
Annie 9
Elizabeth 9
Margaret 8
Eliza 7
Sarah 7
Ann 6
Alice 5
Ellen 5
Emily 4
Ada 3
Charlotte 3
Jessie 3
Louisa 3
Agnes 2
Caroline 2
Cath. 2
Catherine 2
Emma 2
Harriet 2
Lydia 2
Margret 2
Maryann 2
Minnie 2
Bessie 1
Catharine 1
Celia 1
Clara 1
Eadith 1
Ethell 1
Florence 1
Fredericka 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Harriot 1
Helen 1
Isabel 1
Isabella 1
Janet 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Katie 1
Lizzie 1
Lizzy 1
Louise 1
Mabel 1
Maria 1
Mik 1
Therine 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 20
William 19
John 17
George 14
Robert 11
Henry 9
Alfred 6
Frederick 6
Thomas 6
Joseph 5
Arthur 4
David 4
Alexander 3
Adam 2
Charles 2
Edward 2
Geo. 2
Richard 2
Robt. 2
Thos. 2
Walter 2
Archibald 1
C. 1
Edwin 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Hannibal 1
Heather 1
Herbert 1
Howard 1
Jeremiah 1
Lewis 1
Martin 1
Michael 1
Peter 1
Rueben 1
Sidney 1
Stanley 1
Steve 1
Sydney 1
Will. 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Rough surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rough surname in 1881?

In 1881, 676 people were recorded with the Rough surname. That placed it at #5,331 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rough surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 811 in 2016. That gives Rough a modern rank of #6,830.

What does the Rough surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English "ruh," meaning a heavily overgrown area or terrain.

What does the Rough map show?

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