NameCensus.

UK surname

South

Referring to someone who lived south of a town or village, or in the south of a country.

In the 1881 census there were 2,829 people recorded with the South surname, ranking it #1,577 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,601, ranked #1,885, down from #1,577 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lambeth and Great and Little Totham, Goldhanger, Heybridge, Tolleshunt Major, Tolleshunt Knights, Tolleshunt Dar. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Kesteven, Tewkesbury and East Cambridgeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for South is 3,804 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.3%.

1881 census count

2,829

Ranked #1,577

Modern count

3,601

2016, ranked #1,885

Peak year

1999

3,804 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • South had 2,829 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,577 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,601 in 2016, ranked #1,885.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,750 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

South surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

South surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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South 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 1,904 #1,520
1861 historical 2,489 #1,173
1881 historical 2,829 #1,577
1891 historical 3,079 #1,529
1901 historical 3,423 #1,625
1911 historical 3,750 #1,384
1997 modern 3,666 #1,767
1998 modern 3,736 #1,804
1999 modern 3,804 #1,783
2000 modern 3,781 #1,786
2001 modern 3,697 #1,785
2002 modern 3,719 #1,821
2003 modern 3,584 #1,839
2004 modern 3,588 #1,842
2005 modern 3,522 #1,856
2006 modern 3,529 #1,853
2007 modern 3,486 #1,889
2008 modern 3,493 #1,901
2009 modern 3,594 #1,898
2010 modern 3,658 #1,908
2011 modern 3,619 #1,899
2012 modern 3,541 #1,897
2013 modern 3,652 #1,881
2014 modern 3,655 #1,888
2015 modern 3,622 #1,882
2016 modern 3,601 #1,885

Geography

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Where Souths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lambeth, Great and Little Totham, Goldhanger, Heybridge, Tolleshunt Major, Tolleshunt Knights, Tolleshunt Dar and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Kesteven, Tewkesbury, East Cambridgeshire, Dacorum and Rotherham. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Great and Little Totham, Goldhanger, Heybridge, Tolleshunt Major, Tolleshunt Knights, Tolleshunt Dar Essex
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Kesteven 007 North Kesteven
2 Tewkesbury 002 Tewkesbury
3 East Cambridgeshire 001 East Cambridgeshire
4 Dacorum 019 Dacorum
5 Rotherham 008 Rotherham

Forenames

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First names often paired with South

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for South

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

South 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

South falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of South

The surname "South" is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English word "suth" meaning "south". It was originally used as a geographical name to identify someone who lived in the southern part of a town or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Suthc" and "Suthm". These early spellings suggest that the name may have originated in the southern counties of England, particularly in the areas around Sussex and Surrey.

During the Middle Ages, the name was often spelled in various ways, such as "Southe", "Suyth", and "Suthey". These variations reflect the regional dialects and local pronunciation of the name.

In the 13th century, a notable bearer of the name was Sir John de Southe (c. 1230-1295), a prominent landowner and knight from Wiltshire. His descendants continued to use the name and held estates in the southern counties of England.

Another early example is Richard South (c. 1495-1550), a clergyman and theologian from Essex. He served as the Archdeacon of Middlesex and was known for his writings on religious doctrine.

In the 17th century, Robert South (1634-1716) was a renowned English preacher and theologian. He served as the Canon of Christ Church, Oxford, and was known for his eloquent and influential sermons.

During the 18th century, James South (1785-1867) was a renowned English astronomer and mathematician. He made significant contributions to the field of astronomy and helped establish the Royal Astronomical Society.

In the 19th century, Sir James Fitzjames South (1797-1881) was a British naval officer and explorer. He led several expeditions to the Arctic regions and made significant contributions to the field of polar exploration.

Throughout history, the surname "South" has been borne by numerous individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, clergymen, explorers, and landowners. While its origins can be traced back to the geographical regions of southern England, the name has since spread and been adopted by families across the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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South families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the South 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 509 Souths recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.85x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 509 1.85x
Yorkshire 389 1.43x
Essex 260 4.78x
Surrey 252 1.88x
Lancashire 140 0.43x
Kent 138 1.47x
Cambridgeshire 111 6.36x
Lincolnshire 103 2.34x
Hertfordshire 100 5.27x
Sussex 91 1.96x
Norfolk 70 1.65x
Warwickshire 64 0.92x
Hampshire 62 1.10x
Herefordshire 60 5.31x
Gloucestershire 59 1.09x
Staffordshire 48 0.52x
Worcestershire 36 1.00x
Suffolk 35 1.04x
Derbyshire 24 0.56x
Durham 23 0.28x
Cheshire 22 0.36x
Northamptonshire 22 0.85x
Oxfordshire 22 1.29x
Nottinghamshire 21 0.57x
Buckinghamshire 20 1.20x
Shropshire 20 0.84x
Lanarkshire 17 0.19x
Monmouthshire 14 0.70x
Berkshire 13 0.63x
Glamorgan 13 0.27x
Devon 11 0.19x
Bedfordshire 7 0.49x
Huntingdonshire 6 1.10x
Wiltshire 6 0.25x
Brecknockshire 5 0.91x
Aberdeenshire 4 0.16x
Renfrewshire 4 0.19x
Channel Islands 3 0.37x
Dorset 3 0.17x
Royal Navy 3 0.91x
Leicestershire 2 0.07x
Northumberland 2 0.05x
Angus 1 0.04x
Ayrshire 1 0.05x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.09x
Cornwall 1 0.03x
Cumberland 1 0.04x
Isle of Man 1 0.20x
Roxburghshire 1 0.20x
Rutland 1 0.49x
Somerset 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sheffield in Yorkshire leads with 71 Souths recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.17x.

Place Total Index
Sheffield 71 8.17x
Lambeth 68 2.83x
Islington London 64 2.40x
Ecclesall Bierlow 53 9.55x
Brighton 48 5.12x
Camberwell 44 2.50x
Hackney London 40 2.59x
Newington 40 3.93x
Bethnal Green London 39 3.26x
St Marylebone London 31 2.11x
West Ham 30 2.50x
Tolleshunt D Arcy 27 348.84x
Kensington London 26 1.70x
St Pancras London 24 1.08x
Birmingham 23 0.99x
Leeds 22 1.43x
Littleport 22 66.03x
Aston 21 1.10x
Great Wilbraham 21 406.98x
Shoreditch London 21 1.76x
Heeley 20 24.12x
Minster In Sheppey 20 12.85x
Nether Hallam 20 5.42x
Sandon 20 278.16x
Doncaster 19 9.53x
Paddington London 19 1.88x
Kimberworth 18 11.89x
Bromley London 17 2.81x
Holy Trinity 17 2.59x
Brightside Bierlow 16 2.99x
Clerkenwell London 16 2.46x
Edmonton 16 7.21x
Salford 16 1.66x
Brampton Bierlow 15 42.93x
Burnley 15 5.45x
Cheltenham 15 3.60x
Hammersmith London 15 2.21x
Heigham 15 6.60x
Neithrop 15 26.25x
Poplar London 15 2.89x
Bermondsey 14 1.71x
Southwark St George Martyr 14 2.53x
Chatham 13 5.03x
Layer Breton 13 471.01x
Moss Side 13 7.56x
Stoke Newington London 13 6.06x
Tottenham 13 2.96x
Wisbech St Peter 13 14.86x
Battersea 12 1.18x
Forthampton 12 308.48x
Poringland 12 269.66x
Downham 11 59.36x
Lower Halstow 11 161.29x
Southampton St Mary 11 3.10x
Torksey 11 728.48x
Boothby Graffoe 10 636.94x
Caunton 10 261.10x
Chaceley 10 418.41x
Cheshunt 10 15.07x
Glasgow 10 0.63x
Inworth 10 166.11x
Maldon St Peter 10 36.11x
Tolleshunt Knights 10 230.95x
West Bromwich 10 1.88x
Accrington 9 3.03x
Ashton Under Lyne 9 1.26x
Bromley 9 6.28x
Chelsea London 9 1.08x
Coleby 9 220.59x
Croydon 9 1.21x
Enfield 9 4.98x
Faversham 9 10.04x
Hampstead London 9 2.10x
Hereford St Owen 9 24.14x
Kimpton 9 101.12x
Kirby Bedon 9 354.33x
Manchester 9 0.61x
Snitterfield 9 117.19x
St Bartholomew Hyde 9 66.67x
Terling 9 110.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 161
Elizabeth 127
Sarah 96
Eliza 59
Emma 58
Jane 55
Alice 51
Emily 49
Ann 44
Annie 38
Hannah 35
Ellen 30
Louisa 27
Ada 23
Florence 22
Charlotte 21
Maria 20
Fanny 19
Harriet 19
Edith 17
Clara 16
Martha 16
Frances 15
Anne 14
Margaret 14
Caroline 13
Harriett 13
Kate 13
Agnes 12
Amelia 12
Lucy 10
Susan 10
Catherine 9
Rose 9
Isabella 8
Jessie 8
Lizzie 8
Amy 7
Esther 7
Ruth 7
Susannah 7
Minnie 6
Adelaide 5
Anna 5
Bertha 5
Laura 5
Lydia 5
Matilda 5
Sophia 5
Julia 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 188
John 118
George 103
James 83
Thomas 80
Henry 78
Charles 72
Edward 42
Joseph 40
Alfred 38
Arthur 34
Frederick 28
Richard 27
Walter 20
Robert 18
Samuel 18
Harry 16
Albert 15
Ernest 12
Herbert 12
Edwin 11
Stephen 10
Wm. 10
Benjamin 9
Frank 9
Jesse 7
Daniel 6
David 6
Tom 6
Fredk. 5
Geo. 5
Isaac 5
Thos. 5
Alexander 4
Elijah 4
Francis 4
Fred 4
Fredrick 4
Reuben 4
Sidney 4
Sydney 4
Abraham 3
Allen 3
Jas. 3
Nathan 3
Percy 3
Saml. 3
Willie 3
Christopher 2
Peter 2

FAQ

South surname: questions and answers

How common was the South surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,829 people were recorded with the South surname. That placed it at #1,577 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the South surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,601 in 2016. That gives South a modern rank of #1,885.

What does the South surname mean?

Referring to someone who lived south of a town or village, or in the south of a country.

What does the South map show?

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