NameCensus.

UK surname

Rumney

An English locational surname for someone from Rumney, both a place in Wales and Norfolk, England.

In the 1881 census there were 473 people recorded with the Rumney surname, ranking it #7,057 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 891, ranked #6,345, up from #7,057 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, Sunderland and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rumney is 924 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 88.4%.

1881 census count

473

Ranked #7,057

Modern count

891

2016, ranked #6,345

Peak year

2002

924 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rumney had 473 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,057 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 891 in 2016, ranked #6,345.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 651 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Rumney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rumney surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rumney 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 270 #8,275
1861 historical 258 #9,603
1881 historical 473 #7,057
1891 historical 539 #6,986
1901 historical 612 #6,963
1911 historical 651 #6,434
1997 modern 883 #6,051
1998 modern 913 #6,092
1999 modern 916 #6,119
2000 modern 921 #6,074
2001 modern 887 #6,137
2002 modern 924 #6,073
2003 modern 889 #6,146
2004 modern 884 #6,185
2005 modern 865 #6,220
2006 modern 866 #6,221
2007 modern 873 #6,241
2008 modern 865 #6,330
2009 modern 883 #6,363
2010 modern 904 #6,361
2011 modern 870 #6,501
2012 modern 872 #6,399
2013 modern 887 #6,400
2014 modern 897 #6,389
2015 modern 890 #6,372
2016 modern 891 #6,345

Geography

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Where Rumneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon), Alston and Cleator. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale, Sunderland and County Durham. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) Northumberland
4 Alston Cumberland
5 Cleator Cumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 003 Allerdale
2 Allerdale 001 Allerdale
3 Sunderland 030 Sunderland
4 Allerdale 009 Allerdale
5 County Durham 006 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rumney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rumney

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Rumney is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Rumney is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Rumney

The surname Rumney originated in England and can be traced back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English word 'rumen', meaning broad or spacious, and likely referred to someone who lived near a broad meadow or open area. The earliest known spelling of the name was 'de Romeney', which appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners and tenants in England compiled by order of William the Conqueror.

The name Rumney is closely associated with the town of Romney Marsh in Kent, England, which was once a thriving port and center of trade. In the 13th century, records mention a Sir John de Rumney, a knight who fought in the Crusades and owned land in the Romney Marsh area. Another notable figure was William Rumney, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in Kent in the 15th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Rumney name spread to other parts of England, including London and the surrounding counties. One prominent individual was Sir Walter Rumney (1546-1623), a lawyer and politician who served as a member of Parliament and held various legal positions under Queen Elizabeth I and King James I.

In the 18th century, the Rumney name appeared in colonial America, with several individuals bearing the name settling in New England and the Mid-Atlantic colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances was John Rumney (1715-1789), a merchant and landowner in Massachusetts.

Another notable figure was Sir Benjamin Rumney (1780-1857), a British naval officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars and later served as the Governor of Bermuda. In the 19th century, Charles Rumney (1821-1898) was a successful businessman and philanthropist in London, contributing to various charitable causes.

Throughout history, the Rumney name has been associated with a range of occupations, including landowners, merchants, lawyers, politicians, and military personnel, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who carried this surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rumney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rumney 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 105 Rumneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.66x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 105 26.66x
Durham 69 5.07x
Lancashire 45 0.83x
Middlesex 35 0.77x
Westmorland 31 30.83x
Northumberland 26 3.82x
Somerset 20 2.72x
Worcestershire 19 3.18x
Hertfordshire 18 5.71x
Cheshire 16 1.58x
Yorkshire 16 0.35x
Gloucestershire 9 1.00x
Surrey 9 0.40x
Kent 8 0.51x
Essex 7 0.78x
Hampshire 7 0.75x
Staffordshire 7 0.45x
Sussex 6 0.78x
Derbyshire 5 0.70x
Devon 5 0.53x
Warwickshire 3 0.26x
Berkshire 1 0.29x
Leicestershire 1 0.20x
Lincolnshire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aspatria in Cumberland leads with 19 Rumneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 501.32x.

Place Total Index
Aspatria 19 501.32x
Cleator 17 103.72x
Monks Coppenhall 12 31.49x
Dalston Buckabank 11 1375.00x
Appleby St Lawrence 10 436.68x
Chilton 9 211.76x
Collierley 9 148.51x
Easton In Gordano 9 304.05x
Oldham 9 5.14x
Shap 9 405.41x
St Cuthbert W O 9 46.88x
Bedminster 8 11.56x
Chirton 8 51.95x
Hartlebury 8 224.72x
Kyo 8 124.81x
Soulby 8 1860.47x
Alston 7 96.42x
Dean 7 542.64x
Eggleston 7 598.29x
Newcastle On Tyne St 7 19.84x
Stanhope 7 49.82x
Withington 7 40.02x
Bethnal Green London 6 3.02x
Blennerhasset Kirkland 6 779.22x
Brighton 6 3.86x
Chadderton 6 22.61x
Cockfield 6 315.79x
Islington London 6 1.35x
Milton 6 257.51x
Stoke Newington London 6 16.84x
Abbots Langley 5 106.84x
Amblecote 5 113.64x
Doncaster 5 15.10x
Erith 5 32.51x
Hatfield 5 78.25x
Henbury 5 114.16x
Iveston 5 79.74x
Kingston On Thames 5 9.34x
Oulton 5 862.07x
Scotforth 5 141.64x
St Albans St Stephen 5 181.16x
Astley 4 320.00x
Bromfield 4 677.97x
Exeter St Leonard 4 153.26x
Forest Frith 4 336.13x
Lancaster 4 12.38x
Newby 4 1052.63x
Newton Cap 4 189.57x
Shoreditch London 4 2.02x
Waltham Holy Cross 4 47.39x
Warden 4 287.77x
West Halton 4 1818.18x
Beard Ollerset Whitle 3 63.69x
Bishop Auckland 3 16.43x
Bushey 3 39.95x
Chatham 3 6.99x
Earsdon 3 54.15x
Hexham 3 28.49x
Ince In Makerfield 3 11.88x
Newbiggin 3 312.50x
Papcastle 3 272.73x
Swinden 3 4285.71x
Watermillock 3 410.96x
West Derby 3 1.89x
Worcester St Clement 3 78.95x
Barrow In Furness 2 2.71x
Blindcrake Isel Redmain 2 392.16x
Carnforth 2 67.11x
Dearham 2 38.46x
Enfield 2 6.66x
Hampstead London 2 2.81x
Kensington London 2 0.79x
Ollersett 2 142.86x
Plumbland 2 196.08x
Reedley Hallows 2 190.48x
Streatham 2 5.89x
Tintwistle 2 37.04x
Tottenham 2 2.75x
Tottington Higher End 2 32.36x
West Ham 2 1.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 46
Elizabeth 23
Jane 17
Margaret 15
Hannah 14
Sarah 12
Ann 7
Alice 6
Ellen 6
Emily 5
Isabella 5
Ada 4
Eleanor 4
Eliza 4
Emma 4
Martha 4
Annie 3
Charlotte 3
Ethel 3
Frances 3
Louisa 3
Minnie 3
Amelia 2
Elizth. 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Lydia 2
Margery 2
Susan 2
Anne 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Clarissa 1
Dorothy 1
E. 1
Elisabeth 1
Emley 1
Esther 1
Evaline 1
Julia 1
Levina 1
M. 1
M.Annie 1
Mabel 1
Marion 1
Mildred 1
Nelley 1
Nettie 1
Olive 1
Tamer 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 39
John 36
George 25
Joseph 20
Thomas 20
James 14
Robert 7
Charles 6
Henry 6
Edward 5
Arthur 4
Walter 3
Abraham 2
Alfred 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Lancelot 2
Nathan 2
Peter 2
Ralph 2
Samuel 2
Willm. 2
Albert 1
Amos 1
Eddey 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Hall 1
Hannah 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Howard 1
J. 1
Leonard 1
Mark 1
Matthew 1
Nicholas 1
Russell 1
Sidney 1
Squire 1
Thompson 1
Thos. 1
Thos.E. 1
Uriah 1
Wallace 1
Wilkinson 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Rumney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rumney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 473 people were recorded with the Rumney surname. That placed it at #7,057 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rumney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 891 in 2016. That gives Rumney a modern rank of #6,345.

What does the Rumney surname mean?

An English locational surname for someone from Rumney, both a place in Wales and Norfolk, England.

What does the Rumney map show?

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