NameCensus.

UK surname

Speed

An English occupational surname referring to someone who traveled expeditiously or conveyed messages swiftly.

In the 1881 census there were 2,407 people recorded with the Speed surname, ranking it #1,848 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,572, ranked #1,897, down from #1,848 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, Chesterfield and Mendip.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Speed is 3,675 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 48.4%.

1881 census count

2,407

Ranked #1,848

Modern count

3,572

2016, ranked #1,897

Peak year

2010

3,675 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Speed had 2,407 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,848 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,572 in 2016, ranked #1,897.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,151 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Speed surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Speed surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Speed 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 1,473 #1,944
1861 historical 1,576 #1,813
1881 historical 2,407 #1,848
1891 historical 2,682 #1,774
1901 historical 3,151 #1,779
1911 historical 3,028 #1,723
1997 modern 3,508 #1,847
1998 modern 3,599 #1,882
1999 modern 3,667 #1,852
2000 modern 3,619 #1,875
2001 modern 3,534 #1,873
2002 modern 3,630 #1,867
2003 modern 3,560 #1,854
2004 modern 3,526 #1,876
2005 modern 3,471 #1,875
2006 modern 3,451 #1,890
2007 modern 3,468 #1,898
2008 modern 3,486 #1,904
2009 modern 3,618 #1,882
2010 modern 3,675 #1,894
2011 modern 3,595 #1,918
2012 modern 3,505 #1,926
2013 modern 3,563 #1,927
2014 modern 3,595 #1,917
2015 modern 3,573 #1,909
2016 modern 3,572 #1,897

Geography

Back to top

Where Speeds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, Chesterfield, Mendip, Flintshire and Newark and Sherwood. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 001 Shropshire
2 Chesterfield 004 Chesterfield
3 Mendip 006 Mendip
4 Flintshire 007 Flintshire
5 Newark and Sherwood 011 Newark and Sherwood

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Speed

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Speed

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

Speed is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Speed

The surname SPEED is of English origin, with records indicating its existence as far back as the late 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "sped," meaning "prosperity" or "success," suggesting that the name may have originally referred to someone who was prosperous or successful.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the SPEED surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where a person named Walter Sped is mentioned. This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.

The SPEED surname is also documented in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1327, where a person named Thomas Spede is listed. This record provides insight into the geographical distribution of the name during that period.

In the 14th century, the SPEED surname appears to have been particularly prevalent in the counties of Staffordshire, Oxfordshire, and Warwickshire, as evidenced by various historical records and manuscripts from that time.

One noteworthy individual bearing the SPEED surname was John Speed (1552-1629), an English cartographer and historian who is best known for creating the famous "Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine," a comprehensive atlas of England, Scotland, and Ireland published in 1611-1612.

Another prominent figure was Samuel Speed (c. 1631-1681), an English Baptist minister and author who played a significant role in the development of religious dissent in the 17th century.

In the 18th century, Joshua Speed (1703-1778) was a notable English surveyor and cartographer who worked on mapping various parts of England and Wales.

Moving into the 19th century, John Gilmer Speed (1813-1887) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 18th Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky from 1864 to 1867.

Lastly, James Speed (1812-1887), the brother of John Gilmer Speed, was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 27th United States Attorney General under President Abraham Lincoln from 1864 to 1866.

While the SPEED surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to various other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, reflecting the migration patterns of English settlers over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Speed families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Speed 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 248 Speeds recorded in 1881 and an index of 0.89x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 248 0.89x
Lincolnshire 226 6.02x
Fife 201 14.47x
Cheshire 193 3.73x
Yorkshire 179 0.77x
Middlesex 154 0.66x
Somerset 126 3.34x
Nottinghamshire 108 3.41x
Shropshire 87 4.29x
Essex 81 1.75x
Surrey 71 0.62x
Cambridgeshire 66 4.44x
Staffordshire 61 0.77x
Derbyshire 58 1.58x
Angus 54 2.48x
Durham 52 0.74x
Hampshire 32 0.67x
Buckinghamshire 30 2.11x
Lanarkshire 29 0.38x
Kent 28 0.35x
Perthshire 25 2.37x
Gloucestershire 23 0.50x
Midlothian 23 0.73x
Rutland 22 12.77x
Flintshire 21 3.33x
Devon 19 0.39x
Sussex 19 0.48x
Denbighshire 17 1.92x
Glamorgan 17 0.42x
Warwickshire 14 0.24x
Dorset 13 0.84x
Hertfordshire 13 0.80x
Caernarfonshire 12 1.26x
Northumberland 11 0.32x
Worcestershire 10 0.33x
Dunbartonshire 8 1.27x
Leicestershire 8 0.31x
Northamptonshire 7 0.32x
Stirlingshire 7 0.81x
Renfrewshire 6 0.33x
Suffolk 6 0.21x
Ayrshire 3 0.17x
Kinross-shire 3 5.06x
Westmorland 3 0.58x
Berkshire 2 0.11x
Peeblesshire 2 1.81x
Royal Navy 2 0.72x
Bedfordshire 1 0.08x
Cumberland 1 0.05x
Norfolk 1 0.03x
Oxfordshire 1 0.07x
Roxburghshire 1 0.24x
West Lothian 1 0.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Moreton in Essex leads with 36 Speeds recorded in 1881 and an index of 989.01x.

Place Total Index
Moreton 36 989.01x
Everton 34 3.83x
Liff Benvie 29 8.79x
Salford 28 3.42x
Newburgh 25 141.64x
Litchurch 24 16.23x
Liverpool 23 1.36x
Nottingham St Mary 23 2.81x
Chewton Mendip 22 352.00x
Cults 22 388.69x
North Petherton 22 72.20x
Preston On Hill 22 487.80x
Wellington 21 18.43x
Hulme 20 3.44x
Chesterton 19 41.46x
Ercall Magna 19 130.85x
Whippingham 19 52.15x
Caythorpe 18 249.65x
Dundee 18 2.22x
Govan 18 0.96x
Paddington London 18 2.09x
Whitchurch 18 45.74x
Chester St Oswald 17 18.12x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 17 1.34x
West Derby 17 2.09x
Dunholme 16 489.30x
Heighington 16 266.67x
Manchester 16 1.28x
Waddesdon Westcott 16 361.17x
Hetton Le Hole 15 16.95x
Leslie 15 42.64x
Oldham 15 1.67x
Ceres 14 83.83x
Chelsea London 14 1.98x
Chester Holy Trinity 14 57.64x
Islington London 14 0.62x
Kirkcaldy 14 20.32x
Priddy 14 769.23x
Toxteth Park 14 1.48x
Abbotshall 13 25.04x
Gresford Gwersyllt 13 47.27x
Nettleham 13 168.83x
Rotherhithe 13 4.48x
St Marylebone London 13 1.04x
Wandsworth 13 5.75x
Abdie 12 151.71x
Aston 12 0.74x
Llandegai 12 41.31x
Wigan 12 3.08x
Balsham 11 135.30x
Lambeth 11 0.54x
Marlston Cum Lache 11 1089.11x
Newark Upon Trent 11 9.67x
Newcastle On Tyne St 11 6.08x
Shoreditch London 11 1.08x
Stoke Upon Trent 11 1.31x
Wilsden 11 46.04x
Bermondsey 10 1.43x
Birkenhead 10 2.42x
Bishopwearmouth 10 1.67x
Bradford 10 1.78x
Brandesburton 10 163.93x
Clerkenwell London 10 1.81x
Dawley 10 13.55x
Dudley 10 2.68x
Markinch 10 21.20x
Pontefract 10 19.96x
Portslade 10 41.34x
Saffron Walden 10 20.43x
Shawbury 10 128.53x
Staveley 10 15.33x
Deptford St Paul 9 1.46x
Fiskerton 9 254.96x
Greetham 9 192.31x
Inchture 9 171.76x
Mumby 9 174.08x
Newington 9 14.05x
Nottingham St Peter 9 25.52x
Stamford St Michael 9 84.51x
Tilston 9 307.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 154
Sarah 105
Elizabeth 74
Ann 53
Emma 33
Jane 33
Alice 26
Ellen 26
Annie 24
Eliza 23
Hannah 23
Margaret 20
Martha 20
Emily 18
Fanny 17
Louisa 17
Harriet 16
Maria 15
Ada 12
Lucy 12
Caroline 11
Susan 11
Charlotte 10
Rebecca 9
Betsy 8
Florence 8
Esther 6
Kate 6
Minnie 6
Anne 5
Catherine 5
Frances 5
Isabella 5
Lydia 5
Phoebe 5
Susannah 5
Elizth. 4
Gertrude 4
Laura 4
Lizzie 4
Rose 4
Sophia 4
Susanna 4
Agnes 3
Amelia 3
Amy 3
Edith 3
Eva 3
Henrietta 3
Maud 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 130
John 109
Thomas 92
George 86
James 60
Charles 50
Henry 42
Joseph 42
Robert 37
Samuel 30
Edward 23
Arthur 21
Alfred 17
Frederick 17
Richard 17
Harry 16
Walter 16
Albert 13
Edwin 8
Hugh 8
Ernest 7
Frank 7
Herbert 7
Stephen 6
Benjamin 5
David 5
Francis 5
Fred 5
Luke 5
Rowland 5
Wm. 5
Mathew 4
Peter 4
Tom 4
Abraham 3
Isaac 3
Jonathan 3
Joshua 3
Andrew 2
Chas. 2
Ebenezer 2
Horace 2
Jabez 2
Mark 2
Matthew 2
Maximilian 2
Sam 2
Austin 1
Edwd.M. 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Speed surname: questions and answers

How common was the Speed surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,407 people were recorded with the Speed surname. That placed it at #1,848 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Speed surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,572 in 2016. That gives Speed a modern rank of #1,897.

What does the Speed surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to someone who traveled expeditiously or conveyed messages swiftly.

What does the Speed map show?

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