NameCensus.

UK surname

Scriven

An English occupational surname referring to a professional writer or notary, derived from the Old French "escrivain."

In the 1881 census there were 1,499 people recorded with the Scriven surname, ranking it #2,794 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,031, ranked #3,171, down from #2,794 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Portland. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Somerset, Waveney and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Scriven is 2,183 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.5%.

1881 census count

1,499

Ranked #2,794

Modern count

2,031

2016, ranked #3,171

Peak year

1998

2,183 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Scriven had 1,499 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,794 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,031 in 2016, ranked #3,171.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,876 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Scriven surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Scriven surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Scriven 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 781 #3,416
1861 historical 568 #4,631
1881 historical 1,499 #2,794
1891 historical 1,091 #3,873
1901 historical 1,876 #2,808
1911 historical 1,772 #2,768
1997 modern 2,125 #2,905
1998 modern 2,183 #2,937
1999 modern 2,174 #2,968
2000 modern 2,165 #2,962
2001 modern 2,107 #2,975
2002 modern 2,137 #3,003
2003 modern 2,088 #2,997
2004 modern 2,090 #2,999
2005 modern 2,017 #3,064
2006 modern 1,976 #3,123
2007 modern 1,994 #3,134
2008 modern 2,019 #3,125
2009 modern 2,047 #3,149
2010 modern 2,109 #3,138
2011 modern 2,057 #3,163
2012 modern 2,049 #3,125
2013 modern 2,072 #3,149
2014 modern 2,086 #3,145
2015 modern 2,054 #3,158
2016 modern 2,031 #3,171

Geography

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Where Scrivens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Portland, Crewkerne, Wayford and Alveley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Somerset, Waveney, Dudley, Mendip and Shropshire. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Portland Dorset
4 Crewkerne, Wayford Somerset
5 Alveley Shropshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Somerset 004 South Somerset
2 Waveney 014 Waveney
3 Dudley 006 Dudley
4 Mendip 014 Mendip
5 Shropshire 034 Shropshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Scriven

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Scriven

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Scriven is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Scriven 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

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

Meaning and origin of Scriven

The surname SCRIVEN originates from England and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "scrifen," meaning a path or a narrow strip of land. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a winding path or a secluded area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1204, where a person named William Scrivene is mentioned. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, which lists a Thomas de Scriuene.

SCRIVEN is believed to have originated in the county of Yorkshire, particularly in the area around Knaresborough. The nearby village of Scriven, located near the River Nidd, may have given rise to the surname for those who lived in or came from that area.

In the 13th century, a variation of the name, "Skryven," appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire. This spelling suggests that the name underwent different regional variations over time.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname SCRIVEN was John Scriven, who was born in Knaresborough, Yorkshire, around 1520. He was a prominent landowner and served as a magistrate in the region.

Another notable figure was Sir Erasmus Scriven (1584-1650), a member of the English gentry from Frampton Cotterell, Gloucestershire. He was knighted by King James I in 1619 and served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire.

In the late 17th century, Thomas Scriven (1651-1723) was a renowned theologian and author from Nottinghamshire. He wrote several religious works, including "A Course of Divinity" and "A Key to the Body of Practical Divinity."

During the 18th century, John Scriven (1708-1788) was a prominent merchant and landowner from Bristol. He amassed a considerable fortune through his trading activities and became a prominent figure in the city.

In the 19th century, James Scriven (1819-1886) was a well-known English poet and writer from Worcestershire. He published several collections of poetry, including "Poems" and "The Hermit of Eskdale," which received critical acclaim during his lifetime.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Scriven families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Scriven 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. Staffordshire leads with 198 Scrivens recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.99x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 198 3.99x
Somerset 190 8.03x
Middlesex 149 1.01x
Dorset 124 12.85x
Warwickshire 99 2.67x
Gloucestershire 89 3.09x
Shropshire 85 6.69x
Yorkshire 71 0.49x
Worcestershire 70 3.65x
Surrey 68 0.95x
Kent 35 0.70x
Sussex 32 1.29x
Wiltshire 30 2.31x
Lancashire 28 0.16x
Suffolk 28 1.56x
Northamptonshire 25 1.81x
Hampshire 22 0.73x
Monmouthshire 19 1.79x
Durham 16 0.37x
Devon 15 0.49x
Essex 15 0.52x
Glamorgan 15 0.59x
Berkshire 11 1.00x
Channel Islands 11 2.53x
Bedfordshire 9 1.18x
Cambridgeshire 9 0.97x
Lanarkshire 7 0.15x
Herefordshire 6 1.00x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.25x
Westmorland 5 1.55x
Derbyshire 4 0.17x
Oxfordshire 4 0.44x
Hertfordshire 2 0.20x
Leicestershire 2 0.12x
Lincolnshire 2 0.09x
Norfolk 2 0.09x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.11x
Cheshire 1 0.03x
Isle of Man 1 0.37x
Merionethshire 1 0.37x
Rutland 1 0.93x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kingswinford in Staffordshire leads with 114 Scrivens recorded in 1881 and an index of 63.27x.

Place Total Index
Kingswinford 114 63.27x
Birmingham 52 4.21x
Portland 49 94.45x
Studley 27 170.35x
Alveley 26 515.87x
Combe St Nicholas 26 454.55x
Wrentham 25 503.02x
Dudley 22 9.43x
Claverley 21 245.04x
Maiden Newton 21 519.80x
Mile End Old Town 20 8.62x
Brighton 19 3.80x
St Pancras London 19 1.61x
Crewkerne 18 71.63x
Tipton 18 11.85x
West Bromwich 18 6.34x
Croydon 17 4.28x
Martock 17 110.53x
Almondsbury 16 145.32x
Bedminster 15 6.75x
Huish Episcopi 15 445.10x
Long Sutton 15 340.14x
Somerton 15 155.28x
Preston 14 397.73x
West Derby 14 2.74x
High Ham 13 230.50x
Islington London 13 0.91x
Westbury On Trym 12 12.29x
Aston 11 1.08x
Chard 11 38.38x
Clerkenwell London 11 3.17x
Enville 11 282.78x
Melcombe Regis 11 27.51x
St Andrew Holborn 11 22.07x
St Marylebone London 11 1.40x
Merthyr Tydfil 10 4.06x
Pitney 10 617.28x
Potter Newton 10 38.91x
Bobbington 9 441.18x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 9 3.32x
Eltham 9 30.62x
Foxley 9 2432.43x
Leeds 9 1.09x
Newhaven 9 44.71x
Rowley Regis 9 6.51x
St Andrewthe Less 9 8.46x
St Saviour 9 37.38x
Whitechapel London 9 6.21x
Ashton Keynes 8 165.29x
Campsall 8 519.48x
Great Malvern 8 19.97x
Lambeth 8 0.62x
Normanton 8 18.28x
Poplar London 8 2.88x
Portsea 8 1.35x
Redditch 8 20.56x
Wandsworth 8 5.65x
Albrighton 7 114.19x
Bromley London 7 2.16x
Castle Ashby 7 654.21x
Frampton 7 330.19x
Milson 7 1147.54x
Thatcham 7 41.18x
Walton On Thames 7 21.28x
Widnes 7 5.56x
Alvechurch 6 73.44x
Barony 6 0.50x
Bedford St Mary 6 30.60x
Bridgnorth St Mary 6 48.43x
Chiddingstone 6 91.46x
Cirencester 6 15.37x
Collingtree 6 465.12x
Glastonbury 6 31.07x
Kensington London 6 0.73x
Lyncombe Widcombe 6 9.68x
Pirton 6 652.17x
Ryde 6 9.27x
Trevethin 6 5.98x
Westminster St James 6 3.97x
Winstone 6 517.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 102
Sarah 51
Elizabeth 49
Eliza 29
Ann 28
Jane 28
Emily 21
Emma 21
Hannah 19
Ellen 18
Harriet 18
Annie 15
Edith 14
Lucy 14
Alice 13
Caroline 13
Margaret 13
Anne 12
Florence 12
Martha 11
Agnes 9
Fanny 9
Louisa 9
Frances 8
Maria 8
Susan 8
Kate 7
Matilda 7
Clara 6
Ada 5
Beatrice 5
Catherine 5
Gertrude 5
Harriett 5
Rosa 5
Amy 4
Bessie 4
Charlotte 4
Constance 4
Henrietta 4
Maud 4
Elizebeth 3
Laura 3
Lizzie 3
Marian 3
Mercy 3
Minnie 3
Phoebe 3
Sophia 3
Cassandra 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 96
John 79
George 47
Thomas 40
James 36
Charles 32
Henry 31
Joseph 31
Alfred 23
Frederick 18
Arthur 17
Albert 16
Edward 15
Samuel 14
Robert 13
Richard 12
Walter 12
Benjamin 8
Frank 8
Edwin 7
Ernest 7
Herbert 7
Abraham 6
Francis 6
Harry 6
Geo. 5
Chas. 4
Edgar 4
Frederic 4
Andrew 3
David 3
Fred 3
Fredk. 3
Leonard 3
Percy 3
Sidney 3
Thos. 3
Timothy 3
Willm. 3
Ambrose 2
Annie 2
Anthony 2
Austin 2
Charlie 2
Cornelius 2
Daniel 2
Eli 2
Eustace 2
Joshua 2
Marwood 2

FAQ

Scriven surname: questions and answers

How common was the Scriven surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,499 people were recorded with the Scriven surname. That placed it at #2,794 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Scriven surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,031 in 2016. That gives Scriven a modern rank of #3,171.

What does the Scriven surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a professional writer or notary, derived from the Old French "escrivain."

What does the Scriven map show?

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