NameCensus.

UK surname

Routledge

A placename surname referring to someone from a locality with a heavily travelled road or path.

In the 1881 census there were 2,543 people recorded with the Routledge surname, ranking it #1,756 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,545, ranked #1,910, down from #1,756 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Brampton (including Midgeholme) and Lanercost and Carlisle St Cuthbert. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale and Carlisle.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Routledge is 3,677 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.4%.

1881 census count

2,543

Ranked #1,756

Modern count

3,545

2016, ranked #1,910

Peak year

2000

3,677 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Routledge had 2,543 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,756 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,545 in 2016, ranked #1,910.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,274 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Routledge surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Routledge surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Routledge 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 1,491 #1,929
1861 historical 1,310 #2,179
1881 historical 2,543 #1,756
1891 historical 2,698 #1,761
1901 historical 3,274 #1,702
1911 historical 3,020 #1,726
1997 modern 3,530 #1,834
1998 modern 3,646 #1,848
1999 modern 3,663 #1,857
2000 modern 3,677 #1,834
2001 modern 3,580 #1,843
2002 modern 3,666 #1,846
2003 modern 3,493 #1,894
2004 modern 3,531 #1,872
2005 modern 3,482 #1,872
2006 modern 3,452 #1,887
2007 modern 3,467 #1,900
2008 modern 3,498 #1,897
2009 modern 3,599 #1,894
2010 modern 3,677 #1,893
2011 modern 3,588 #1,922
2012 modern 3,528 #1,911
2013 modern 3,550 #1,938
2014 modern 3,586 #1,924
2015 modern 3,564 #1,915
2016 modern 3,545 #1,910

Geography

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Where Routledges are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Brampton (including Midgeholme) and Lanercost, Carlisle St Cuthbert, Bewcastle and Gateshead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale and Carlisle. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Brampton (including Midgeholme) and Lanercost Cumberland
3 Carlisle St Cuthbert Cumberland
4 Bewcastle Cumberland
5 Gateshead Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 004 Allerdale
2 Carlisle 009 Carlisle
3 Carlisle 006 Carlisle
4 Carlisle 013 Carlisle
5 Allerdale 003 Allerdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Routledge

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Routledge

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Routledge, 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 Routledge surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Routledge 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, Routledge 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

Routledge 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

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

Meaning and origin of Routledge

The surname Routledge originated in England, deriving from a place name referring to a geographical location. It is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 11th or 12th century. The name is likely derived from the Old English words "rout" meaning a way or path, and "ledge" referring to a ridge or shelf of land.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Routledge can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners and estates compiled by order of William the Conqueror. This suggests that individuals bearing this surname had already established themselves in certain regions of England by the late 11th century.

The name Routledge has been associated with various place names across England, such as Routledge in Lancashire, Routledge Hill in Northumberland, and Routledge Fell in the Lake District. These locations may have served as the original homesteads or settlements of families bearing this surname.

Among the notable individuals with the surname Routledge throughout history are Edmund Routledge (1785-1835), an English physician and author who wrote extensively on medical topics. Another prominent figure was Sir George Routledge (1812-1888), a successful publisher and founder of the Routledge publishing house, which continues to operate today.

Wilfred Routledge (1859-1920) was an English explorer and ethnologist who conducted extensive research on the indigenous peoples of Easter Island. He was among the first to study the famous Moai statues and their cultural significance.

Additionally, Katherine Routledge (1866-1935), an archaeologist and anthropologist, made significant contributions to the understanding of prehistoric sites and artifacts in the UK and abroad. She was particularly renowned for her work on the Neolithic sites of Orkney Islands.

Another notable figure was Richard Routledge (1878-1953), a British Army officer and explorer who participated in several expeditions to Central Asia and the Himalayas in the early 20th century. His accounts and observations provided valuable insights into the regions he visited.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Routledge families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Routledge 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. Cumberland leads with 759 Routledges recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.47x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 759 35.47x
Durham 361 4.88x
Lancashire 354 1.20x
Northumberland 300 8.11x
Yorkshire 170 0.69x
Middlesex 126 0.51x
Cheshire 51 0.93x
Essex 47 0.96x
Staffordshire 39 0.46x
Westmorland 38 6.96x
Sussex 35 0.84x
Surrey 34 0.28x
Wigtownshire 24 7.27x
Hampshire 23 0.45x
Devon 19 0.37x
Glamorgan 16 0.37x
Norfolk 16 0.42x
Roxburghshire 14 3.11x
Kent 13 0.15x
Argyllshire 9 1.30x
Lanarkshire 9 0.11x
Gloucestershire 8 0.16x
Warwickshire 8 0.13x
Ayrshire 7 0.38x
Dumfriesshire 7 1.27x
Herefordshire 7 0.69x
Lincolnshire 7 0.18x
Buckinghamshire 6 0.40x
Dorset 6 0.37x
Berkshire 4 0.21x
Bedfordshire 3 0.23x
Brecknockshire 3 0.60x
Derbyshire 3 0.08x
Hertfordshire 3 0.18x
Perthshire 3 0.27x
Royal Navy 3 1.01x
Somerset 3 0.08x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 0.56x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.04x
Anglesey 1 0.23x
Banffshire 1 0.19x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.06x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.13x
Ross-shire 1 0.15x
Wiltshire 1 0.05x
Worcestershire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Caldewgate in Cumberland leads with 72 Routledges recorded in 1881 and an index of 61.41x.

Place Total Index
Caldewgate 72 61.41x
St Cuthbert W O 61 58.48x
Liverpool 48 2.68x
Brampton 42 143.15x
Tranmere 35 17.36x
Elswick 34 11.52x
Monk Hesleden 33 160.12x
Hulme 31 5.03x
Everton 29 3.09x
Bewcastle 28 370.37x
Gateshead 28 5.06x
Brandon Byshottles 27 29.15x
Hayton 26 214.34x
Salford 26 3.00x
Conside Knitsley 24 41.74x
Farlam 24 178.17x
Mochrum 23 116.75x
Rickergate 23 50.80x
Medomsley 22 63.79x
Penrith 22 27.83x
Blenkinsopp 21 338.16x
Hexham 21 36.69x
Kirklinton Middle 21 608.70x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 21 9.51x
Cowpen 20 23.49x
Brighton 19 2.25x
Holy Trinity 19 3.21x
Stoke Damerel 19 5.25x
Whitehaven 19 16.66x
Manchester 18 1.36x
St George Bloomsbury 18 12.62x
West Derby 18 2.09x
West Ham 17 1.57x
Ryhope 16 31.16x
Allhallows 15 238.10x
Bridekirk 15 87.77x
Workington 15 12.24x
Byker 14 7.66x
Gorton 14 5.05x
Kensington London 14 1.01x
Kirkdale 14 2.82x
Newton Regny Catterlen 14 569.11x
Toxteth Park 14 1.40x
Westoe 14 3.34x
Bishopwearmouth 13 2.05x
Parton 13 102.93x
Prudhoe 13 50.52x
Wallsend 13 11.08x
Allendale 12 35.00x
Bedlington 12 9.72x
Beswick 12 15.91x
Cheetham 12 5.45x
Ebchester 12 104.80x
Great Yarmouth 12 3.79x
Irthington 12 236.22x
Thirlwall 12 239.04x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 11 3.43x
Leeds 11 0.79x
Levens 11 136.82x
Low Holme 11 91.14x
St Cuthbert Within 11 44.37x
Washington 11 35.48x
Wetheral 11 38.81x
Alston 10 25.36x
Arlecdon 10 17.57x
Belbank 10 1250.00x
Hawick 10 9.92x
Islington London 10 0.42x
Leyton Low 10 10.03x
Monw Wearmouth Shore 10 141.44x
Nichol Forest 10 185.53x
Seaton 10 40.06x
Southwick 10 14.28x
Stanwix 10 57.74x
Westgate 10 4.37x
Ardnamurchan 9 25.64x
Benfieldside 9 18.51x
Monkwearmouth Shore 9 6.24x
Stockton On Tees 9 2.53x
Wolsingham 9 13.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 238
Elizabeth 123
Jane 101
Margaret 87
Sarah 81
Ann 60
Isabella 36
Annie 32
Hannah 29
Alice 25
Catherine 21
Ellen 20
Martha 18
Emma 17
Emily 13
Eliza 12
Agnes 11
Florence 11
Anne 10
Eleanor 10
Fanny 10
Maria 10
Edith 9
Frances 9
Caroline 8
Ada 7
Louisa 7
Dorothy 6
Margt. 6
Rose 6
Amelia 5
Elizth. 5
Jessie 5
Susan 5
Amy 4
Barbara 4
Bridget 4
Charlotte 4
Clara 4
Esther 4
Kate 4
Lucy 4
Matilda 4
Maud 4
Betsy 3
Blanche 3
Christina 3
Mabel 3
Marion 3
Rachel 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 199
William 164
Thomas 113
James 88
Joseph 86
George 66
Robert 63
Henry 33
Richard 30
Charles 27
Edward 23
Alfred 15
Isaac 15
Thos. 13
Wm. 13
Arthur 11
Alexander 9
David 8
Francis 8
Adam 7
Albert 7
Samuel 7
Andrew 6
Archibald 6
Matthew 6
Tom 6
Walter 6
Anthony 5
Ernest 5
Frederick 5
Geo. 5
Daniel 4
Harry 4
Herbert 4
Hugh 4
Robt. 4
Augustus 3
Chas. 3
Jacob 3
Michael 3
Peter 3
Stephen 3
Theophilus 3
W. 3
Wallace 3
Willm. 3
Alexdr. 2
Christopher 2
Simpson 2
Wm.R. 2

FAQ

Routledge surname: questions and answers

How common was the Routledge surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,543 people were recorded with the Routledge surname. That placed it at #1,756 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Routledge surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,545 in 2016. That gives Routledge a modern rank of #1,910.

What does the Routledge surname mean?

A placename surname referring to someone from a locality with a heavily travelled road or path.

What does the Routledge map show?

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