NameCensus.

UK surname

Rutland

A locational surname referring to someone from the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England.

In the 1881 census there were 910 people recorded with the Rutland surname, ranking it #4,210 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,264, ranked #4,730, down from #4,210 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Great and Little Kimble, Stoke Mandeville, Great and Little Hampden, Hartwell, Stone and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Aylesbury Vale, Central Bedfordshire and Allerdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rutland is 1,422 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.9%.

1881 census count

910

Ranked #4,210

Modern count

1,264

2016, ranked #4,730

Peak year

1998

1,422 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rutland had 910 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,210 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,264 in 2016, ranked #4,730.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,232 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rutland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rutland surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rutland 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 663 #3,915
1861 historical 597 #4,436
1881 historical 910 #4,210
1891 historical 1,009 #4,120
1901 historical 1,110 #4,355
1911 historical 1,232 #3,832
1997 modern 1,349 #4,267
1998 modern 1,422 #4,223
1999 modern 1,422 #4,246
2000 modern 1,399 #4,284
2001 modern 1,369 #4,280
2002 modern 1,403 #4,286
2003 modern 1,377 #4,274
2004 modern 1,375 #4,288
2005 modern 1,320 #4,388
2006 modern 1,303 #4,433
2007 modern 1,322 #4,420
2008 modern 1,326 #4,435
2009 modern 1,355 #4,443
2010 modern 1,348 #4,544
2011 modern 1,294 #4,664
2012 modern 1,277 #4,648
2013 modern 1,311 #4,622
2014 modern 1,291 #4,705
2015 modern 1,269 #4,738
2016 modern 1,264 #4,730

Geography

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Where Rutlands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Great and Little Kimble, Stoke Mandeville, Great and Little Hampden, Hartwell, Stone, London parishes and Titchwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Aylesbury Vale, Central Bedfordshire, Allerdale and Broadland. 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 Great and Little Kimble Buckinghamshire
2 Stoke Mandeville, Great and Little Hampden, Hartwell, Stone Buckinghamshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Titchwell Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Aylesbury Vale 017 Aylesbury Vale
2 Central Bedfordshire 021 Central Bedfordshire
3 Aylesbury Vale 024 Aylesbury Vale
4 Allerdale 012 Allerdale
5 Broadland 002 Broadland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rutland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rutland

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

Rutland 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

Rutland falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Rutland

The surname Rutland has its origins in England, emerging in the 12th century. It is derived from the historic county of Rutland, one of the smallest counties in England. The name Rutland itself is believed to come from the Old English words "hryth" meaning "red" and "land" referring to the reddish soil found in the area.

One of the earliest records of the surname Rutland can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a Robert de Rutland. The name also appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as "Rotelande." This suggests that the name may have been in use even before the Norman conquest of England in 1066.

The Rutland family played a significant role in English history. One notable member was Edward Manners, 3rd Earl of Rutland (1549-1587), who served as Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was John Manners, 9th Earl of Rutland (1638-1711), who was a supporter of the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and served as Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire.

In the literary world, Sir Thomas Overbury (1581-1613), a poet and essayist, was born with the surname Rutland. His work "A Wife, Now the Wife of Sir Thomas Overbury" is considered one of the earliest examples of character writing in English literature.

The Rutland name has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Rutland Water, a reservoir and popular tourist destination in the historic county of Rutland. Additionally, there are several villages and towns bearing the name Rutland, including Rutland in Leicestershire and Rutland in Lincolnshire.

Other notable individuals with the surname Rutland throughout history include:

1. John Rutland (1609-1666), an English clergyman and scholar. 2. William Rutland (1619-1676), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament. 3. Edith Rutland (1884-1959), an English novelist and playwright. 4. Roger Rutland (1907-1991), a British actor and stage director. 5. Katharine Rutland (1901-1985), an English actress and writer.

The surname Rutland has a rich history that spans centuries, with its roots firmly planted in the historic county of Rutland in England. While the name has evolved over time, it continues to hold significance and is associated with many notable figures throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rutland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rutland 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 187 Rutlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.10x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 187 2.10x
Norfolk 98 7.16x
Buckinghamshire 90 16.73x
Surrey 76 1.75x
Bedfordshire 61 13.24x
Kent 59 1.94x
Staffordshire 35 1.17x
Gloucestershire 34 1.95x
Derbyshire 27 1.94x
Hertfordshire 25 4.08x
Lincolnshire 23 1.62x
Yorkshire 20 0.23x
Warwickshire 18 0.80x
Berkshire 13 1.95x
Northamptonshire 13 1.55x
Durham 12 0.45x
Essex 11 0.63x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.83x
Worcestershire 10 0.86x
Leicestershire 9 0.91x
Sussex 9 0.60x
Cheshire 8 0.41x
Lanarkshire 8 0.28x
Hampshire 7 0.38x
Northumberland 7 0.53x
Somerset 7 0.49x
Oxfordshire 6 1.09x
Wiltshire 6 0.76x
Lancashire 5 0.05x
Herefordshire 3 0.82x
Inverness-shire 3 1.13x
Ayrshire 2 0.30x
Dorset 2 0.34x
Flintshire 2 0.84x
Suffolk 2 0.18x
Cumberland 1 0.13x
Devon 1 0.05x
Roxburghshire 1 0.62x
Royal Navy 1 0.94x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cheltenham in Gloucestershire leads with 27 Rutlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.06x.

Place Total Index
Cheltenham 27 20.06x
Titchwell 27 7500.00x
Upper Gravenhurst 25 2314.81x
Kensington London 24 4.85x
Shoreditch London 20 5.19x
Hampstead London 19 13.71x
Camberwell 18 3.17x
Lambeth 17 2.19x
Stoke Mandeville 17 1125.83x
Hackney London 14 2.81x
Croydon 13 5.40x
Princes Risborough 13 180.31x
St Marylebone London 13 2.74x
Eastchurch 12 401.34x
Guist 12 1008.40x
Great Kimble 11 873.02x
Hammersmith London 11 5.02x
Stoke Upon Trent 11 3.45x
Aston 10 1.62x
Limehouse London 10 10.24x
Marston St Lawrence 10 847.46x
Watford 10 21.03x
Little Ryburgh 9 1636.36x
Wycombe 9 22.45x
Brancaster 8 341.88x
Burton Upon Trent 8 11.39x
Dudley 8 5.66x
Elmley 8 1290.32x
Ripley 8 46.46x
Sittingbourne 8 33.38x
St George In East 8 13.22x
Tamworth 8 49.81x
Thringstone 8 212.20x
Grimston 7 202.31x
Marston Upon Dove 7 156.25x
Mile End Old Town 7 4.98x
Murston 7 261.19x
St Pancras London 7 0.98x
Stone 7 167.46x
Wood Norton 7 813.95x
Aston Clinton 6 131.58x
Battersea 6 1.83x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.55x
Checkendon 6 512.82x
Chelsea London 6 2.24x
East Bilney 6 1000.00x
Lower Gravenhurst 6 2500.00x
Newhaven 6 49.26x
Northwood 6 23.10x
Selston 6 44.81x
St Albans St Peter 6 29.00x
Wendover 6 103.45x
Barnsley 5 5.50x
Barony 5 0.69x
Bledlow 5 153.37x
Charlton Kings 5 41.43x
Chatham 5 5.99x
Clifton Campville 5 211.86x
Egham 5 18.79x
Eversholt 5 213.68x
Lee 5 11.35x
Litchurch 5 8.92x
Macclesfield 5 5.73x
Rochester St Nicholas 5 52.97x
Saffron Walden 5 26.94x
Skelton In Guisbrough 5 20.96x
Swaby 5 396.83x
Tottenham 5 3.53x
Walcot 5 6.56x
Woburn 5 125.00x
Bishopwearmouth 4 1.76x
Donhead St Andrew 4 165.29x
Enfield 4 6.85x
Goldington 4 227.27x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 4 3.49x
Leatherhead 4 36.83x
Louth 4 12.27x
St Andrew Holborn 4 13.26x
Wallsend 4 9.53x
Weston Longville 4 320.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 49
Elizabeth 32
Sarah 31
Emma 20
Ann 19
Alice 15
Jane 15
Ellen 13
Annie 12
Eliza 11
Emily 11
Martha 11
Florence 10
Ada 8
Charlotte 8
Hannah 8
Susan 8
Esther 7
Frances 7
Harriet 6
Louisa 6
Lucy 6
Clara 5
Fanny 5
Maria 5
Anne 4
Caroline 4
Harriett 4
Mabel 4
Margaret 4
Agnes 3
Amelia 3
Amy 3
Catherine 3
Edith 3
Ethel 3
Maud 3
Nellie 3
Rebecca 3
Eunice 2
Georgina 2
Ida 2
Isabella 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Lelitia 2
May 2
Myra 2
Phoebe 2
Rose 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 56
George 42
John 42
James 30
Charles 26
Thomas 25
Henry 17
Alfred 15
Arthur 15
Joseph 11
Edward 10
Robert 10
Frederick 9
Samuel 9
Harry 7
Richard 7
Walter 7
Albert 6
Herbert 5
Wm. 5
Ernest 4
Frank 4
Fredrick 4
Jesse 4
Jacob 3
Mark 3
Matthew 3
Thos. 3
Archibald 2
Benjamin 2
Christopher 2
David 2
Edwd. 2
Edwin 2
Fredk. 2
Joshua 2
Philip 2
Robt. 2
Artha 1
Bertie 1
Charlie 1
Chas.C. 1
Elam 1
Ephraim 1
Foord 1
Francis 1
Fredc. 1
Frederic 1
Infant 1
Wm.F. 1

FAQ

Rutland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rutland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 910 people were recorded with the Rutland surname. That placed it at #4,210 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rutland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,264 in 2016. That gives Rutland a modern rank of #4,730.

What does the Rutland surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England.

What does the Rutland map show?

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