NameCensus.

UK surname

Rushman

A surname possibly denoting someone who wove rushes or reeds.

In the 1881 census there were 71 people recorded with the Rushman surname, ranking it #23,517 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 85, ranked #32,637, down from #23,517 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Duston, Warbleton and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Southend-on-Sea, Brighton and Hove and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rushman is 104 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.7%.

1881 census count

71

Ranked #23,517

Modern count

85

2016, ranked #32,637

Peak year

1999

104 bearers

Map years

2

1911 to 1998

Key insights

  • Rushman had 71 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,517 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 85 in 2016, ranked #32,637.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 103 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rushman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rushman surname density by area, 1998 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rushman 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 20 #29,743
1861 historical 69 #25,057
1881 historical 71 #23,517
1891 historical 88 #25,677
1901 historical 98 #23,119
1911 historical 103 #22,328
1997 modern 102 #26,638
1998 modern 102 #27,314
1999 modern 104 #27,164
2000 modern 97 #28,142
2001 modern 95 #28,101
2002 modern 96 #28,534
2003 modern 101 #27,561
2004 modern 98 #28,297
2005 modern 93 #29,133
2006 modern 91 #29,725
2007 modern 94 #29,650
2008 modern 87 #30,999
2009 modern 90 #31,094
2010 modern 97 #30,697
2011 modern 96 #30,721
2012 modern 89 #31,934
2013 modern 85 #32,658
2014 modern 87 #32,585
2015 modern 86 #32,604
2016 modern 85 #32,637

Geography

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Where Rushmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Duston, Warbleton, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory, Hurstmonceux, Wartling and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Southend-on-Sea, Brighton and Hove, Leeds, Crawley and Wiltshire. 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 Duston Northamptonshire
2 Warbleton Sussex
3 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
4 Hurstmonceux, Wartling Sussex
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Southend-on-Sea 013 Southend-on-Sea
2 Brighton and Hove 002 Brighton and Hove
3 Leeds 060 Leeds
4 Crawley 004 Crawley
5 Wiltshire 024 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rushman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rushman

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Rushman is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rushman is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rushman falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rushman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Rushman, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Rushman

The surname RUSHMAN has its origins in England, dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "rysc" and "man," which together translate to "man of the rushes" or "dweller among the rushes." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name were likely individuals who resided in areas abundant with rushes, such as marshlands or riverbanks.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, several entries were recorded with similar spellings, such as "Risceman" and "Ryssheman," indicating the presence of the name in various regions of England at the time. The earliest known record of the RUSHMAN surname itself dates back to 1197, when a William Russheman was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire.

Throughout the medieval and early modern periods, the name appeared in various historical documents and records, sometimes with alternate spellings like "Rusheman," "Russeman," or "Russhman." One notable example is John Russhman, a landowner from Oxfordshire who was recorded in the Hundred Rolls of 1273.

As the name spread across different regions, it evolved to reflect local dialects and pronunciations. In some areas, it became associated with place names, such as Rushmore or Rushmere, which may have influenced the surname's spelling and pronunciation.

Several prominent individuals have borne the RUSHMAN surname throughout history. One of the earliest was Sir Henry Rushman (c. 1485-1548), a courtier and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1528. Another notable figure was Robert Rushman (1607-1667), an English clergyman and author who published several religious works.

In the 18th century, John Rushman (1723-1801) was a prominent architect and surveyor responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Foundling Hospital and St. Luke's Hospital for Lunatics. Later, in the 19th century, James Rushman (1825-1897) was a successful industrialist and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of the city of Liverpool.

One of the most celebrated individuals with the RUSHMAN surname was Sir Charles Rushman (1872-1949), a British civil engineer and inventor who played a crucial role in the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia. His innovative design and engineering solutions overcame numerous challenges during the project's execution, earning him widespread recognition and accolades.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rushman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rushman 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. Sussex leads with 26 Rushmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.27x.

County Total Index
Sussex 26 22.27x
Middlesex 19 2.74x
Surrey 14 4.15x
Norfolk 11 10.33x
Cheshire 1 0.65x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hackney London in Middlesex leads with 10 Rushmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.76x.

Place Total Index
Hackney London 10 25.76x
Preston 9 441.18x
Camberwell 8 18.09x
Heigham 7 122.59x
Warbleton 7 2000.00x
Brighton 5 21.23x
Norwich St Peter 4 571.43x
Chertsey 3 137.61x
Spitalfields London 3 57.58x
Hove 2 39.06x
Richmond 2 42.28x
St Botolph Aldersgate 2 253.16x
St Luke London 2 18.00x
Congleton 1 37.88x
Feltham 1 144.93x
Hastings St Mary 1 34.36x
Lambeth 1 1.66x
Ore 1 114.94x
Rotherfield 1 97.09x
St Clement Danes 1 89.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alice 4
Eliza 3
Mary 3
Elizabeth 2
Emma 2
Harriet 2
Maria 2
Sylvia 2
Charlotte 1
Emily 1
Eugeane 1
Harriett 1
Isabella 1
J. 1
Jane 1
Kesser 1
M. 1
Martha 1
Myra 1
Naome 1
R. 1
Rose 1
Rosemari 1
Sarah 1
Therise 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 5
William 5
Benjamin 2
Charles 2
Frederick 2
J. 2
James 2
Albert 1
Charley 1
Daniel 1
Ernest 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
J.A. 1
Neri 1
Teresa 1
Tommy 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Rushman households.

FAQ

Rushman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rushman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 71 people were recorded with the Rushman surname. That placed it at #23,517 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rushman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 85 in 2016. That gives Rushman a modern rank of #32,637.

What does the Rushman surname mean?

A surname possibly denoting someone who wove rushes or reeds.

What does the Rushman map show?

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