NameCensus.

UK surname

Strauss

A German and Jewish surname referring to someone who lived near or worked with ostrich (strauss) feathers.

In the 1881 census there were 124 people recorded with the Strauss surname, ranking it #17,429 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 370, ranked #12,591, up from #17,429 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Christ Church Spitalfields, London parishes and Paddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Basingstoke and Deane, Westminster and South Kesteven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Strauss is 395 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 198.4%.

1881 census count

124

Ranked #17,429

Modern count

370

2016, ranked #12,591

Peak year

2014

395 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Strauss had 124 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,429 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 370 in 2016, ranked #12,591.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 180 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Strauss surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Strauss surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Strauss 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 16 #30,441
1861 historical 21 #31,242
1881 historical 124 #17,429
1891 historical 104 #23,388
1901 historical 169 #16,824
1911 historical 180 #15,961
1997 modern 307 #13,328
1998 modern 315 #13,452
1999 modern 320 #13,398
2000 modern 310 #13,618
2001 modern 301 #13,700
2002 modern 304 #13,887
2003 modern 311 #13,501
2004 modern 319 #13,342
2005 modern 332 #12,881
2006 modern 333 #12,941
2007 modern 356 #12,437
2008 modern 358 #12,485
2009 modern 354 #12,858
2010 modern 375 #12,568
2011 modern 369 #12,600
2012 modern 378 #12,216
2013 modern 389 #12,177
2014 modern 395 #12,125
2015 modern 376 #12,446
2016 modern 370 #12,591

Geography

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Where Strauss' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Christ Church Spitalfields, London parishes, Paddington, Manchester and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Basingstoke and Deane, Westminster, South Kesteven, Cambridge and Herefordshire. 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 Christ Church Spitalfields London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 Paddington London (West Districts)
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Basingstoke and Deane 020 Basingstoke and Deane
2 Westminster 012 Westminster
3 South Kesteven 016 South Kesteven
4 Cambridge 007 Cambridge
5 Herefordshire 019 Herefordshire, County of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Strauss

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Strauss

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Strauss surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Strauss 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Strauss is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

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

Strauss is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Strauss falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Strauss is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Strauss

The surname Strauss has its origins in Germany, where it first emerged during the medieval period. The name is derived from the German word 'Strauße', meaning 'ostrich feather' or 'bouquet of feathers', and likely referred to a distinctive feature or occupation associated with the family's earliest known bearers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Strauss surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from Saxony, which mentions a 'Conradus Struz' in the year 1292. This early spelling variation, 'Struz', further suggests the name's connection to the German word for feather.

As the Strauss family spread throughout various regions of Germany, the name underwent slight spelling variations, such as 'Strauß' and 'Straus'. In the 15th century, records from the city of Nuremberg mention a 'Hans Strauß', who was a prominent merchant and member of the local guild.

The Strauss surname has also been associated with several notable figures throughout history. Johann Strauss Sr. (1804-1849), an Austrian composer and violinist, is considered the founder of the Strauss musical dynasty. His sons, Johann Strauss Jr. (1825-1899) and Josef Strauss (1827-1870), carried on the family's musical legacy and became renowned composers of waltzes and operettas.

Another notable bearer of the Strauss surname was David Friedrich Strauss (1808-1874), a German philosopher and writer who authored the influential work 'The Life of Jesus Critically Examined'. In the field of science, Johann Strauss (1675-1726) was a German botanist and physician who made significant contributions to the study of plant physiology.

The Strauss name has also been prominent in the realm of business and industry. Levi Strauss (1829-1902), a German-American businessman, founded the iconic Levi Strauss & Co. and popularized the use of denim in the production of work pants, now known as blue jeans.

While the Strauss surname has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with descendants bearing the name in countries such as the United States, Austria, and others. The name's enduring legacy serves as a testament to its rich history and the significant contributions made by its bearers across various fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Strauss families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Strauss 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 68 Strauss' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.62x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 68 5.62x
Lancashire 19 1.32x
Lanarkshire 12 3.07x
Midlothian 7 4.32x
Surrey 7 1.19x
Northumberland 3 1.67x
Banffshire 2 7.97x
Cheshire 1 0.37x
Cumberland 1 0.96x
Dunbartonshire 1 3.08x
Gloucestershire 1 0.42x
Warwickshire 1 0.33x
Yorkshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Spitalfields London in Middlesex leads with 17 Strauss' recorded in 1881 and an index of 186.81x.

Place Total Index
Spitalfields London 17 186.81x
Prestwich 9 251.40x
Hampstead London 8 42.46x
Islington London 8 6.82x
Old Artillery Ground 8 769.23x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 10.74x
Whitechapel London 7 58.72x
Glasgow 6 8.64x
Govan 6 6.20x
Lambeth 5 4.74x
Paddington London 5 11.24x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 4 233.92x
Stretford 4 50.63x
Toxteth Park 4 8.23x
St George Bloomsbury 3 43.23x
Westgate 3 26.93x
Bethnal Green London 2 3.81x
Clapham 2 13.23x
Gamrie 2 71.43x
St George Hanover 2 12.67x
St George In East 2 24.30x
Arrochar 1 476.19x
Aston 1 1.19x
Brampton 1 69.93x
Bristol St Augustine 1 26.11x
Liverpool 1 1.15x
Manningham 1 6.78x
North Meols 1 7.12x
St Luke London 1 5.15x
St Marylebone London 1 1.55x
Wallasey 1 109.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Rachel 3
Jane 2
Leah 2
Sarah 2
Amy 1
Anne 1
Annette 1
Annie 1
Augshor 1
Augusta 1
Bine 1
Blanche 1
Caroline 1
Cecile 1
Christian 1
Dinak 1
Edith 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emmy 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Helene 1
Henrietta 1
Josephine 1
Julia 1
Katharine 1
Lilian 1
Lily 1
Lucy 1
Mary 1
Mena 1
Millie 1
Milly 1
Polly 1
Rachael 1
Rashon 1
Risa 1
Rosa 1
Stephanie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Abraham 4
Joseph 3
Benjamin 2
Charles 2
Edward 2
Henry 2
John 2
Jonas 2
Julius 2
Otto 2
William 2
Adolezie 1
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Alphonse 1
Andreas 1
Armin 1
Arthur 1
Bernhard 1
Bertram 1
Carl 1
David 1
Edwin 1
Ferdinand 1
Fynaz 1
Gustave 1
Herbert 1
Hermen 1
Herr 1
Jacob 1
Jonus 1
Karl 1
Leigfrier 1
Louis 1
Marcus 1
Marks 1
Max 1
Max. 1
Percy 1
Robert 1
Sidney 1

FAQ

Strauss surname: questions and answers

How common was the Strauss surname in 1881?

In 1881, 124 people were recorded with the Strauss surname. That placed it at #17,429 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Strauss surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 370 in 2016. That gives Strauss a modern rank of #12,591.

What does the Strauss surname mean?

A German and Jewish surname referring to someone who lived near or worked with ostrich (strauss) feathers.

What does the Strauss map show?

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