NameCensus.

UK surname

Rylance

Surname derived from a place name referring to a person from an area of rye or ryeland.

In the 1881 census there were 447 people recorded with the Rylance surname, ranking it #7,350 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 714, ranked #7,599, down from #7,350 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gateshead, Wigan and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, St. Helens and South Tyneside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rylance is 739 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 59.7%.

1881 census count

447

Ranked #7,350

Modern count

714

2016, ranked #7,599

Peak year

2014

739 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rylance had 447 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,350 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 714 in 2016, ranked #7,599.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 711 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Rylance surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rylance surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rylance 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 220 #9,671
1861 historical 221 #11,031
1881 historical 447 #7,350
1891 historical 505 #7,367
1901 historical 627 #6,833
1911 historical 711 #5,998
1997 modern 701 #7,240
1998 modern 717 #7,337
1999 modern 719 #7,369
2000 modern 720 #7,349
2001 modern 705 #7,330
2002 modern 718 #7,363
2003 modern 709 #7,301
2004 modern 715 #7,263
2005 modern 704 #7,310
2006 modern 685 #7,500
2007 modern 690 #7,507
2008 modern 708 #7,416
2009 modern 721 #7,460
2010 modern 735 #7,487
2011 modern 728 #7,476
2012 modern 708 #7,543
2013 modern 726 #7,527
2014 modern 739 #7,469
2015 modern 721 #7,555
2016 modern 714 #7,599

Geography

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Where Rylances are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gateshead, Wigan, Manchester, Prescot and Walton-on-the-Hill. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, St. Helens, South Tyneside, North Somerset and South Staffordshire. 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 Gateshead Durham
2 Wigan Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Prescot Lancashire
5 Walton-on-the-Hill Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 037 Doncaster
2 St. Helens 019 St. Helens
3 South Tyneside 019 South Tyneside
4 North Somerset 013 North Somerset
5 South Staffordshire 001 South Staffordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rylance

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rylance

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Rylance 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

Rylance 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

Rylance falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Rylance

The surname Rylance is of English origin, derived from a place name in Lancashire, England. The name is thought to have originated from the Old English words "ryge" meaning "ridge" and "lanc" meaning "long, narrow piece of land."

The earliest known record of the surname Rylance dates back to the 13th century, with references found in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire from 1286. These rolls were legal records documenting court proceedings and land disputes, indicating that the name was already established in the region at that time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Rylance was John Rylance, who was mentioned in the Wills and Inventories of the Archdeaconry of Richmond in 1557. This suggests that the name was well-established in the north of England by the 16th century.

The Rylance surname is also found in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror. Although the spelling may have varied slightly, this further reinforces the ancient roots of the name in the Lancashire area.

Notable individuals throughout history who have borne the surname Rylance include:

1. Thomas Rylance (1567-1637), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Cleveland.

2. William Rylance (1821-1890), a British industrialist and inventor who pioneered the use of steel in shipbuilding and developed the process of metal shearing.

3. Reginald Rylance (1899-1966), a British actor and theatre director who co-founded the Liverpool Playhouse and was instrumental in the development of regional theatre in England.

4. Mark Rylance (born 1960), a renowned British actor and playwright who has won numerous awards, including an Academy Award, three BAFTA Awards, and two Olivier Awards.

5. David Rylance (born 1959), a British computer scientist and professor at the University of Cambridge, known for his contributions to the field of computer security and cryptography.

While the name Rylance has its roots in the northern counties of England, particularly Lancashire, it has since spread worldwide and can be found in various countries with historical ties to the British Empire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rylance families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rylance 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. Lancashire leads with 339 Rylances recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.57x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 339 6.57x
Cheshire 44 4.58x
Yorkshire 22 0.51x
Middlesex 10 0.23x
Perthshire 10 5.12x
Durham 9 0.70x
Warwickshire 5 0.46x
Gloucestershire 2 0.23x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.34x
Ayrshire 1 0.31x
Kent 1 0.07x
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. Pemberton in Lancashire leads with 44 Rylances recorded in 1881 and an index of 213.80x.

Place Total Index
Pemberton 44 213.80x
Orrell 26 404.98x
Wigan 25 34.65x
Whiston 23 570.72x
Barnsley 15 33.73x
Ince In Makerfield 15 62.45x
Cronton 12 1714.29x
Prescot 12 128.48x
Windle 12 41.31x
Newton In Makerfield 11 69.58x
Manchester 10 4.31x
Perth West Church 10 107.87x
Sutton 10 57.77x
Great Bolton 9 13.16x
Hulme 9 8.35x
Little Woolton 9 604.03x
Parr 9 48.73x
Rainhill 9 271.90x
Everton 8 4.86x
Ashton Under Lyne 7 6.20x
Aughton 7 136.99x
Blackburn 7 5.10x
Sale 7 59.42x
Wakefield 7 21.15x
Walton Le Dale 7 50.47x
Monks Coppenhall 6 16.56x
Salford 6 3.95x
St George In East 6 20.28x
Bradford 5 20.70x
Hyde 5 17.64x
Oldham 5 3.00x
Tranmere 5 14.17x
Werneth 5 166.11x
West Derby 5 3.31x
Westoe 5 6.81x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 5 58.48x
Ardwick 4 8.59x
Coventry St Michael 4 11.35x
Poplar London 4 4.87x
Altrincham 3 17.88x
Atherton 3 15.97x
Birkenhead 3 3.92x
Castleton 3 5.82x
Childer Thornton 3 326.09x
Gorton 3 6.18x
Leyland 3 33.41x
South Shields 3 26.02x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 3 20.19x
Barton Upon Irwell 2 5.15x
Blackrod 2 31.15x
Broughton In Salford 2 4.24x
Lenton 2 14.48x
Stockport 2 4.05x
Toxteth Park 2 1.14x
Walton On Hill 2 7.15x
Whittingham 2 88.11x
Barrow In Furness 1 1.42x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 1.24x
Bristol St Stephen 1 45.05x
Golborne 1 14.86x
Great Crosby 1 7.11x
Ince Blundell 1 126.58x
Leamington 1 13.76x
Lewisham 1 1.26x
North Meols 1 1.98x
Preston 1 0.72x
St Swithin Lincoln 1 9.14x
Stevenston 1 11.78x
Willington 1 13.37x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 28
Elizabeth 22
Alice 20
Ellen 18
Margaret 18
Sarah 16
Ann 13
Jane 12
Annie 9
Martha 6
Agnes 5
Esther 4
Hannah 4
Isabella 3
Lucy 3
Amelia 2
Elizth. 2
Emily 2
Julia 2
Margt. 2
Susannah 2
Bethsheba 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Dorethy 1
E.A. 1
Eleanor 1
Eli... 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Hariett 1
Jannette 1
Lena 1
Lily 1
Lizy 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Maggie 1
Margeret 1
Margret 1
Nancy 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Rosina 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 32
Thomas 25
William 25
James 24
Joseph 18
Richard 13
Henry 10
Charles 6
George 5
Edward 4
Samuel 4
Peter 3
Ralph 3
Walter 3
Arthur 2
Benjamin 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
Jas. 2
Michael 2
Willie 2
Andrew 1
Benjn. 1
Catherine 1
Daniel 1
Earnest 1
Fred 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Hezekiah 1
Isaac 1
Jeremiah 1
Jonathan 1
Mathew 1
Robert 1
Thos. 1
Thos.H. 1
Wilfred 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Rylance surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rylance surname in 1881?

In 1881, 447 people were recorded with the Rylance surname. That placed it at #7,350 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rylance surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 714 in 2016. That gives Rylance a modern rank of #7,599.

What does the Rylance surname mean?

Surname derived from a place name referring to a person from an area of rye or ryeland.

What does the Rylance map show?

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