UK surname
One who came from the south or lived in the southern part of a village or town.
In the 1881 census there were 69 people recorded with the Souther surname, ranking it #23,816 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 23, ranked #36,457, down from #23,816 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Basford, Sutton and Stoneferry and Hull Holy Trinity. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Souther is 200 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 66.7%.
1881 census count
69
Ranked #23,816
Modern count
23
2016, ranked #36,457
Peak year
1861
200 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Souther surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Souther surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 83 | #19,181 |
| 1861 | historical | 200 | #12,005 |
| 1881 | historical | 69 | #23,816 |
| 1891 | historical | 105 | #23,241 |
| 1901 | historical | 72 | #26,162 |
| 1911 | historical | 68 | #26,050 |
| 1997 | modern | 76 | #29,997 |
| 1998 | modern | 66 | #31,387 |
| 1999 | modern | 64 | #31,692 |
| 2000 | modern | 57 | #32,417 |
| 2001 | modern | 32 | #34,537 |
| 2002 | modern | 28 | #35,139 |
| 2003 | modern | 26 | #35,371 |
| 2004 | modern | 25 | #35,610 |
| 2005 | modern | 25 | #35,752 |
| 2006 | modern | 27 | #35,746 |
| 2007 | modern | 24 | #36,072 |
| 2008 | modern | 24 | #36,148 |
| 2009 | modern | 22 | #36,394 |
| 2010 | modern | 26 | #36,220 |
| 2011 | modern | 24 | #36,306 |
| 2012 | modern | 20 | #36,570 |
| 2013 | modern | 21 | #36,561 |
| 2014 | modern | 21 | #36,577 |
| 2015 | modern | 22 | #36,493 |
| 2016 | modern | 23 | #36,457 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Basford, Sutton and Stoneferry, Hull Holy Trinity, London parishes and Gateshead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basford | Nottinghamshire |
| 2 | Sutton and Stoneferry | Yorkshire, East Riding |
| 3 | Hull Holy Trinity | Yorkshire, East Riding |
| 4 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 5 | Gateshead | Durham |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Souther surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Souther, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Souther surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Souther household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Souther is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Souther is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Souther, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Souther has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the Old English words "sūth" and "hēre," meaning "south" and "army" respectively. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a southern military encampment or settlement.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273, where it appears as "Southere." This document was a survey of landholdings and tenants, indicating that the Souther name was already established in England by that time.
The Souther name has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Suthereye in Essex, Sutherland in Yorkshire, and Sutherfield in Northamptonshire. These locations may have been the original places of origin for families bearing the Souther surname.
In the 14th century, the name appears in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, where it is recorded as "Sowther." This variation in spelling was common during that era, as standardized spellings were not yet widely established.
Notable individuals with the Souther surname include:
1. John Souther (c. 1540-1615), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Taunton in 1597. 2. William Souther (1598-1662), an English clergyman and scholar who was appointed as the Master of St. John's College, Cambridge in 1641. 3. Thomas Souther (1642-1699), an English merchant and landowner who was a prominent figure in the city of Bristol during the late 17th century. 4. Elizabeth Souther (1670-1745), an English writer and poet who published several collections of verse during her lifetime. 5. James Souther (1795-1876), a British explorer and adventurer who traveled extensively in Africa and Asia, and published accounts of his journeys.
While the Souther name has undergone various spellings throughout its history, it has maintained a presence in England for centuries, with its origins rooted in the country's rich linguistic and geographical heritage.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Souther surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Surrey leads with 20 Southers recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.10x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Surrey | 20 | 6.10x |
| Middlesex | 13 | 1.93x |
| Yorkshire | 10 | 1.50x |
| Lancashire | 6 | 0.75x |
| Sussex | 6 | 5.29x |
| Durham | 5 | 2.50x |
| Kent | 4 | 1.74x |
| Leicestershire | 3 | 4.02x |
| Lanarkshire | 1 | 0.46x |
| Northamptonshire | 1 | 1.58x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 14 Southers recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.57x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Camberwell | 14 | 32.57x |
| Mile End Old Town | 7 | 65.91x |
| Brighton | 6 | 26.20x |
| Great Ayton | 5 | 1219.51x |
| Holy Trinity | 5 | 31.17x |
| Bethnal Green London | 4 | 13.68x |
| Boughton Under Blean | 4 | 1052.63x |
| Newington | 4 | 16.09x |
| Leicester St Mary | 3 | 49.75x |
| Manchester | 3 | 8.35x |
| Stockton On Tees | 3 | 31.09x |
| Bermondsey | 2 | 9.98x |
| St Marylebone London | 2 | 5.56x |
| Cheetham | 1 | 16.78x |
| Durham Castle Precincts | 1 | 10000.00x |
| Everton | 1 | 3.93x |
| Hamilton | 1 | 16.47x |
| Hutton Henry | 1 | 238.10x |
| Standground | 1 | 333.33x |
| Thornton In Fylde | 1 | 57.14x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Souther surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Souther surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Souther households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 16 |
| Ag La | 2 |
| Barman | 1 |
| Dock Laborer | 1 |
| Draper | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| Engine Fitter | 1 |
| Engine Fitter Apprentice | 1 |
| Erecting Engineer (E & M Maker) | 1 |
| General Labourer | 1 |
| Grocer & Dealer (Master) | 1 |
| Hawker | 1 |
| Housewife | 1 |
| Iron Worker | 1 |
| Iron Worker Wife | 1 |
| Labourer | 1 |
| Leather Dresser | 1 |
| Nurseryman & Beer House Keeper | 1 |
| Packer Unemployed | 1 |
| Painters Laborer | 1 |
| Railway Shunter (Pointsman) | 1 |
| Shoe Hand | 1 |
| Shoemaker | 1 |
| Tailor | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 69 people were recorded with the Souther surname. That placed it at #23,816 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 23 in 2016. That gives Souther a modern rank of #36,457.
One who came from the south or lived in the southern part of a village or town.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Souther bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.