NameCensus.

UK surname

Rumsey

Derived from the Old English place name "Ramesege," meaning "wild garlic island."

In the 1881 census there were 992 people recorded with the Rumsey surname, ranking it #3,932 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,367, ranked #4,406, down from #3,932 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Stradbroke and Washbrook. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Powys, Forest Heath and South Oxfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rumsey is 1,541 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.8%.

1881 census count

992

Ranked #3,932

Modern count

1,367

2016, ranked #4,406

Peak year

1998

1,541 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rumsey had 992 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,932 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,367 in 2016, ranked #4,406.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,448 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rumsey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rumsey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rumsey 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 704 #3,710
1861 historical 585 #4,514
1881 historical 992 #3,932
1891 historical 1,047 #3,995
1901 historical 1,259 #3,936
1911 historical 1,448 #3,333
1997 modern 1,480 #3,952
1998 modern 1,541 #3,957
1999 modern 1,527 #4,016
2000 modern 1,516 #4,022
2001 modern 1,479 #4,032
2002 modern 1,497 #4,084
2003 modern 1,466 #4,073
2004 modern 1,448 #4,114
2005 modern 1,452 #4,069
2006 modern 1,426 #4,134
2007 modern 1,462 #4,090
2008 modern 1,453 #4,130
2009 modern 1,478 #4,162
2010 modern 1,490 #4,206
2011 modern 1,445 #4,259
2012 modern 1,380 #4,352
2013 modern 1,410 #4,343
2014 modern 1,406 #4,379
2015 modern 1,396 #4,359
2016 modern 1,367 #4,406

Geography

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Where Rumseys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Stradbroke, Washbrook and Hawkinge, Folkestone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Powys, Forest Heath, South Oxfordshire, East Staffordshire and Wealden. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Stradbroke Suffolk
3 London parishes London 3
4 Washbrook Suffolk
5 Hawkinge, Folkestone Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Powys 018 Powys
2 Forest Heath 001 Forest Heath
3 South Oxfordshire 018 South Oxfordshire
4 East Staffordshire 015 East Staffordshire
5 Wealden 010 Wealden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rumsey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rumsey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rumsey, 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 Rumsey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Rumsey 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Rumsey is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rumsey 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

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

Meaning and origin of Rumsey

The surname Rumsey is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the hamlet of Romesie in Hampshire, England. The name Romesie itself is believed to have its roots in the Old English words "rum" meaning roomy or spacious, and "ey" meaning island or dry land in a marsh.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William de Romesie, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Hampshire in 1194. The Pipe Rolls were a series of financial records maintained by the English Exchequer during the medieval period. This suggests that the Rumsey family had already established itself in Hampshire by the late 12th century.

The name Rumsey is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The village of Romesie is listed in the Domesday Book under the spelling "Romesie," further indicating the antiquity of the surname.

In the 13th century, Robert de Rumesy was a prominent figure who held lands in Hampshire and Somerset. He was also a signatory to the Barons' Letter of 1301, a document that demanded reforms from King Edward I.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Rumsey family played a significant role in the English Civil War. John Rumsey (1610-1692) was a Royalist officer who fought for King Charles I, and his son, Thomas Rumsey (1638-1704), was a Member of Parliament for Lymington in Hampshire.

Another notable bearer of the name was Walter Rumsey (1584-1660), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist who was a benefactor of the town of Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire. He funded the construction of the iconic Old Bridge over the River Thames and left a substantial portion of his estate for charitable purposes.

In the 18th century, Benjamin Rumsey (1734-1808) was a prominent English cricket player who played for Hampshire and was considered one of the leading batsmen of his era.

Throughout its history, the surname Rumsey has also been recorded with various spellings, such as Rumsie, Rumsy, Rumsy, and Romesey, reflecting the variations in local dialects and scribal practices of the time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rumsey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rumsey 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. Middlesex leads with 226 Rumseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.32x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 226 2.32x
Suffolk 136 11.45x
Essex 128 6.65x
Surrey 95 2.00x
Kent 65 1.95x
Brecknockshire 58 29.73x
Sussex 34 2.07x
Worcestershire 24 1.88x
Gloucestershire 21 1.10x
Somerset 19 1.21x
Wiltshire 18 2.09x
Cambridgeshire 17 2.75x
Cheshire 15 0.70x
Dorset 14 2.19x
Hampshire 14 0.70x
Monmouthshire 14 1.99x
Lancashire 13 0.11x
Norfolk 13 0.87x
Channel Islands 10 3.46x
Durham 9 0.31x
Hertfordshire 9 1.34x
Yorkshire 9 0.09x
Glamorgan 6 0.35x
Herefordshire 6 1.50x
Shropshire 6 0.71x
Pembrokeshire 5 1.61x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.51x
Cornwall 3 0.27x
Oxfordshire 3 0.50x
Berkshire 2 0.27x
Devon 2 0.10x
Lincolnshire 2 0.13x
Warwickshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 30 Rumseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.17x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 30 3.17x
Folkestone 29 44.92x
Bromley London 19 8.85x
Camberwell 19 3.05x
Limehouse London 18 16.81x
Shoreditch London 17 4.02x
Crickhowell 16 354.77x
Washbrook 16 1379.31x
Croydon 15 5.69x
Paddington London 15 4.18x
St Marylebone London 15 2.88x
Wethersfield 15 308.64x
Hammersmith London 14 5.83x
Lakenheath 13 207.34x
Walthamstow 13 18.76x
Llangattock 12 75.52x
West Ham 12 2.82x
Ellingham 11 964.91x
Llanbedr 11 1208.79x
Mile End Old Town 11 7.14x
Battersea 10 2.79x
Brighton 10 3.01x
Copdock 10 934.58x
Lambeth 10 1.18x
St Helier 10 10.63x
Wilby 10 636.94x
Woodbridge 10 65.83x
Woolwich 10 8.13x
Barnes 9 44.78x
Bramford 9 201.79x
Evesham All Sts 9 151.52x
Stoke Newington London 9 11.85x
Kensington London 8 1.48x
Llangenny 8 473.37x
Redditch 8 30.97x
Shepton Mallet 8 45.40x
Streatham 8 11.05x
Ashleworth 7 414.20x
Hackney London 7 1.28x
Huish Episcopi 7 313.90x
Leyton Low 7 17.88x
Poplar London 7 3.80x
Salford 7 2.06x
Stradbroke 7 174.56x
Westbury On Trym 7 10.80x
Abbots Langley 6 60.06x
Abergavenny 6 22.72x
Arundel 6 65.15x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.42x
Bow London 6 4.83x
Chattisham 6 810.81x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 6 22.27x
Gateshead 6 2.76x
Great Bardfield 6 189.27x
Liscard 6 15.46x
Little Ilford 6 180.18x
Ratcliffe London 6 11.14x
Shalford 6 245.90x
St Andrewthe Less 6 8.50x
Upton On Severn 6 71.94x
Wherstead 6 681.82x
Writtle 6 76.24x
Barking 5 8.87x
Bowling 5 5.22x
Brecknock St John 5 30.40x
Bromham 5 128.53x
Broseley 5 33.38x
Hastings St Mary 5 12.22x
Hereford St Nicholas 5 91.91x
Kinson 5 39.97x
Llanstadwell 5 49.36x
Macclesfield 5 5.22x
Plumstead 5 4.51x
Roath 5 6.48x
Rolvenden 5 116.01x
Southminster 5 118.48x
St Luke London 5 3.20x
St Pancras London 5 0.64x
Woodham Ferris 5 222.22x
North Ockendon 4 357.14x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 68
John 44
James 34
Charles 29
Henry 29
George 27
Robert 23
Thomas 16
Walter 10
Alfred 9
Arthur 9
David 9
Edward 9
Samuel 9
Frederick 8
Harry 8
Albert 6
Francis 5
Herbert 5
Andrew 4
Ernest 4
Joseph 4
Levi 4
Daniel 3
Frank 3
Geo. 3
Lewis 3
Richard 3
Rumsey 3
Amos 2
Charlie 2
Edwin 2
Eli 2
Fredrick 2
Harold 2
Horace 2
Infant 2
J. 2
Lucas 2
Mervyn 2
Reginald 2
Stephen 2
Tom 2
Authur 1
Benjamin 1
Chs. 1
Clement 1
Edwd. 1
H. 1
Wm.Sentance 1

FAQ

Rumsey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rumsey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 992 people were recorded with the Rumsey surname. That placed it at #3,932 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rumsey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,367 in 2016. That gives Rumsey a modern rank of #4,406.

What does the Rumsey surname mean?

Derived from the Old English place name "Ramesege," meaning "wild garlic island."

What does the Rumsey map show?

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