NameCensus.

UK surname

Rule

An English occupational surname referring to a ruler or measurer, or one who ruled paper for bookbinding.

In the 1881 census there were 2,056 people recorded with the Rule surname, ranking it #2,144 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,962, ranked #3,278, down from #2,144 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Keverne, Balsham and Illogan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rule is 2,292 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.6%.

1881 census count

2,056

Ranked #2,144

Modern count

1,962

2016, ranked #3,278

Peak year

1901

2,292 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rule had 2,056 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,144 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,962 in 2016, ranked #3,278.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,292 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rule surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rule surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rule 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 1,813 #1,586
1861 historical 1,596 #1,783
1881 historical 2,056 #2,144
1891 historical 2,035 #2,270
1901 historical 2,292 #2,370
1911 historical 2,259 #2,243
1997 modern 1,984 #3,076
1998 modern 2,077 #3,068
1999 modern 2,114 #3,043
2000 modern 2,041 #3,114
2001 modern 2,004 #3,110
2002 modern 2,068 #3,085
2003 modern 1,961 #3,170
2004 modern 1,933 #3,199
2005 modern 1,881 #3,236
2006 modern 1,917 #3,209
2007 modern 1,932 #3,208
2008 modern 1,932 #3,224
2009 modern 1,962 #3,267
2010 modern 2,009 #3,261
2011 modern 1,979 #3,259
2012 modern 1,935 #3,273
2013 modern 1,984 #3,262
2014 modern 1,992 #3,274
2015 modern 1,971 #3,275
2016 modern 1,962 #3,278

Geography

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Where Rules are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Keverne, Balsham, Illogan, London parishes and Govan Combination. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall and Northumberland. 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 St Keverne Cornwall
2 Balsham Cambridgeshire
3 Illogan Cornwall
4 London parishes London 1
5 Govan Combination Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 053 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 046 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 054 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 052 Cornwall
5 Northumberland 005 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rule

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rule

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Rule is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rule is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rule falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Rule

The surname RULE is of English origin, with records indicating it first emerged in the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "riole" or the Anglo-Norman French word "reule," both of which refer to a ruler or a person who governs.

The earliest known record of the surname RULE can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273, where it is listed as "le Ruele." This spelling variation suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname, referring to someone who was a ruler or a person in a position of authority.

In the 14th century, the surname RULE appeared in various records across England, including the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, where it was spelled as "Rughyll." This variation hints at the name's potential connection to the Old English word "rih," meaning a ridge or a hill, possibly indicating that some bearers of the name lived near such geographic features.

The RULE surname was also present in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. While the exact spelling and occurrence are not specified, this suggests that the name had established roots in England by the 11th century.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname RULE. One example is John Rule (c. 1485-1544), an English prelate who served as the Bishop of Galloway in Scotland. Another is William Rule (1768-1849), a Scottish Baptist minister and author who wrote extensively on religious topics.

In the realm of literature, the surname RULE is associated with Gilbert Rule (1629-1701), an English playwright and writer known for his work "The Westminster-Scholars: A Comedy." Additionally, the name is linked to James Rule (1809-1890), a Scottish-born American businessman and politician who served as the 13th Mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee.

One particularly noteworthy figure was Margery Rule (c. 1565-1650), an English woman who was accused of witchcraft during the infamous Pendle Witch Trials in Lancashire. Her case garnered significant attention and highlighted the persecution of individuals accused of practicing witchcraft during that period.

While the surname RULE has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and beyond, carried by individuals and families who immigrated from their homeland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rule families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rule 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. Cornwall leads with 483 Rules recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.29x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 483 21.29x
Cambridgeshire 213 16.78x
Middlesex 210 1.05x
Essex 128 3.24x
Durham 120 2.01x
Surrey 114 1.17x
Kent 93 1.36x
Lancashire 74 0.31x
Northumberland 68 2.28x
Lanarkshire 53 0.82x
Devon 52 1.25x
Yorkshire 48 0.24x
Hertfordshire 47 3.40x
Cumberland 41 2.38x
Glamorgan 38 1.09x
Stirlingshire 31 4.19x
Hampshire 23 0.56x
Roxburghshire 21 5.79x
Dumfriesshire 20 4.52x
Suffolk 19 0.78x
Norfolk 16 0.52x
Midlothian 14 0.52x
Cheshire 13 0.29x
Dorset 11 0.84x
Staffordshire 11 0.16x
Huntingdonshire 10 2.51x
West Lothian 10 3.31x
Aberdeenshire 7 0.38x
Buckinghamshire 7 0.58x
Denbighshire 7 0.92x
Dunbartonshire 6 1.11x
Monmouthshire 6 0.41x
Ayrshire 5 0.33x
Berwickshire 5 2.06x
Derbyshire 5 0.16x
East Lothian 3 1.13x
Shropshire 3 0.17x
Berkshire 2 0.13x
Inverness-shire 2 0.33x
Sussex 2 0.06x
Warwickshire 2 0.04x
Wiltshire 2 0.11x
Argyllshire 1 0.18x
Cardiganshire 1 0.20x
Channel Islands 1 0.17x
Gloucestershire 1 0.03x
Kincardineshire 1 0.41x
Lincolnshire 1 0.03x
Perthshire 1 0.11x
Renfrewshire 1 0.06x
Rutland 1 0.68x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camborne in Cornwall leads with 204 Rules recorded in 1881 and an index of 218.25x.

Place Total Index
Camborne 204 218.25x
Balsham 47 677.23x
Illogan 40 66.60x
Sithney 33 143.98x
Govan 31 1.93x
Islington London 30 1.54x
Falkirk 29 16.76x
Fulbourn 28 230.64x
Toxteth Park 28 3.48x
Newington 26 3.51x
Gateshead 25 5.60x
Aberdare 24 10.02x
Lambeth 21 1.20x
Swavesey 21 258.30x
St Keverne 20 160.13x
Bishopwearmouth 19 3.71x
Wimpole 19 781.89x
Annan 18 47.34x
Hackney London 18 1.60x
Chatham 17 9.04x
Kensington London 16 1.44x
Mile End Old Town 16 5.06x
Phillack 16 54.64x
Portsea 16 1.99x
Redruth 16 24.93x
Lewisham 15 4.11x
Plymouth St Andrew 14 4.36x
Shoreditch London 14 1.61x
Birkenhead 13 3.69x
Calstock 13 29.23x
Camberwell 13 1.02x
Falmouth 13 16.19x
Hammersmith London 13 2.63x
Wooler 13 123.93x
Bengeo 11 68.62x
Bethnal Green London 11 1.26x
Guisbrough 11 25.35x
Kingston On Thames 11 4.69x
Rochester St Margaret 11 15.26x
Whitehaven 11 11.96x
Winlaton 11 19.23x
Aspenden 10 234.19x
Dedham 10 83.33x
Deptford St Paul 10 1.90x
Great Eversden 10 543.48x
Gwithian 10 237.53x
Hawick 10 12.31x
Hilton 10 413.22x
Kyloe 10 145.56x
Linlithgow 10 25.84x
Minster In Sheppey 10 8.83x
Norham 10 151.06x
Stoke Damerel 10 3.43x
Barrington 9 210.28x
Bassingbourn 9 48.26x
Breage 9 43.46x
Guilden Morden 9 133.33x
Gwinear 9 83.64x
Kingswinford 9 3.66x
St Cleer 9 45.76x
St Erth 9 65.50x
St George Hanover 9 3.44x
Wanstead 9 12.99x
Willesden 9 4.77x
Darlington 8 3.48x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 8 0.74x
Esh 8 18.44x
Hulme 8 1.61x
Madron Penzance 8 9.70x
St Luke London 8 2.49x
Tweedmouth 8 21.52x
Waltham Holy Cross 8 21.64x
Westgate 8 4.33x
Bourn 7 125.67x
Cleator 7 9.75x
Gresford Gwersyllt 7 29.81x
Manaccan 7 284.55x
Merthyr Tydfil 7 2.09x
Plymouth Charles The 7 3.81x
Uny Lelant 7 57.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 147
Elizabeth 84
Sarah 42
Emily 41
Annie 39
Eliza 37
Ann 34
Jane 30
Emma 28
Ellen 24
Susan 24
Alice 23
Catherine 18
Hannah 18
Margaret 17
Caroline 16
Martha 13
Louisa 11
Isabella 10
Maria 10
Agnes 9
Julia 9
Charlotte 8
Kate 8
Bessie 7
Elizth. 7
Florence 7
Harriet 7
Sophia 7
Grace 6
Rebecca 6
Anna 5
Eleanor 5
Fanny 5
Matilda 5
Susannah 5
Ada 4
Anne 4
Edith 4
Honor 4
Lydia 4
Minnie 4
Sabina 4
Selina 4
Beatrice 3
Clara 3
Jessie 3
Lillie 3
Nellie 3
Rosa 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 142
John 117
James 72
Thomas 67
George 59
Charles 45
Henry 39
Richard 35
Joseph 27
Arthur 20
Edward 17
Robert 16
Frederick 15
Samuel 13
Alfred 12
Harry 11
Albert 10
David 9
Walter 8
Edwin 6
Peter 6
Stephen 6
Alexander 5
Benjamin 5
Francis 5
Frank 4
Oliver 4
Philip 4
Daniel 3
Fredrick 3
Isaac 3
Jeremiah 3
Wm. 3
Chas. 2
Christopher 2
Claude 2
Davey 2
Frederic 2
Harold 2
Herbert 2
Johnson 2
Josiah 2
Nicholas 2
Richd. 2
Sidney 2
Simon 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Burkett 1
Wm.N. 1

FAQ

Rule surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rule surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,056 people were recorded with the Rule surname. That placed it at #2,144 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rule surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,962 in 2016. That gives Rule a modern rank of #3,278.

What does the Rule surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a ruler or measurer, or one who ruled paper for bookbinding.

What does the Rule map show?

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