NameCensus.

UK surname

Surgeon

An occupational surname derived from the medical profession of performing surgical operations.

In the 1881 census there were 35 people recorded with the Surgeon surname, ranking it #28,715 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 179, ranked #21,086, up from #28,715 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blackburn, Kirkintilloch South and Blackburn with Darwen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Surgeon is 185 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 411.4%.

1881 census count

35

Ranked #28,715

Modern count

179

2016, ranked #21,086

Peak year

2010

185 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Surgeon had 35 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,715 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 179 in 2016, ranked #21,086.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 68 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Surgeon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Surgeon surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Surgeon 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 34 #27,194
1861 historical 68 #25,196
1881 historical 35 #28,715
1891 historical 63 #28,881
1901 historical 37 #30,009
1911 historical 32 #29,838
1997 modern 147 #21,393
1998 modern 158 #20,992
1999 modern 161 #20,868
2000 modern 161 #20,822
2001 modern 156 #20,974
2002 modern 171 #20,177
2003 modern 164 #20,483
2004 modern 164 #20,609
2005 modern 166 #20,379
2006 modern 174 #19,921
2007 modern 177 #19,965
2008 modern 181 #19,875
2009 modern 179 #20,418
2010 modern 185 #20,453
2011 modern 184 #20,363
2012 modern 173 #21,135
2013 modern 181 #20,879
2014 modern 182 #20,958
2015 modern 184 #20,719
2016 modern 179 #21,086

Geography

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Where Surgeons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blackburn, Kirkintilloch South, Blackburn with Darwen, Glenrothes Stenton and Finglassie and Rochdale. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blackburn West Lothian
2 Kirkintilloch South East Dunbartonshire
3 Blackburn with Darwen 006 Blackburn with Darwen
4 Glenrothes Stenton and Finglassie Fife
5 Rochdale 007 Rochdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Surgeon

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Surgeon

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Surgeon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Surgeon household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Surgeon is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Surgeon is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Surgeon falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Surgeon

The surname SURGEON is an occupational name derived from the Old French word "surgien" or "cirurgien", meaning a surgeon or someone who practiced the art of surgery. This name originated in France and can be traced back to the 12th century.

The earliest recorded instance of the SURGEON surname appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, England, in 1190, where a William le Surgien is mentioned. During this time, the practice of surgery was closely tied to the medical profession, and many surgeons were also barber-surgeons who performed various tasks such as bloodletting, tooth extraction, and minor surgical procedures.

In the 13th century, the SURGEON surname can be found in various records across France and England. One notable figure was John Surgeon, a surgeon from London who was appointed as the chief surgeon to King Edward I in 1275. He accompanied the king on several military campaigns and was responsible for treating the wounded soldiers.

The SURGEON name also appeared in the famous Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and tenants in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name had already established itself in England by the late 11th century.

Another prominent individual with the SURGEON surname was Robert Surgeon, who lived in the 14th century and was known for his work on the treatment of wounds and fractures. His treatise, "The Surgeon's Handbook," was widely circulated and influential in the field of medicine at the time.

In the 15th century, the SURGEON surname can be found in various parts of Europe, including France, England, and Scotland. One notable figure was William Surgeon, a Scottish physician and surgeon who served as the personal physician to King James IV of Scotland in the late 15th and early 16th centuries.

Over the centuries, the SURGEON surname has evolved and taken on various spellings, such as Surgin, Surgion, and Surgon, reflecting regional differences in pronunciation and spelling conventions. Despite these variations, the name has maintained its connection to the medical profession and the practice of surgery.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Surgeon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Surgeon 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. Lanarkshire leads with 19 Surgeons recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.72x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 19 17.72x
Essex 5 7.64x
Cumberland 4 14.01x
Sussex 3 5.37x
Northumberland 1 2.03x
Surrey 1 0.62x
Yorkshire 1 0.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cambusnethan in Lanarkshire leads with 9 Surgeons recorded in 1881 and an index of 378.15x.

Place Total Index
Cambusnethan 9 378.15x
Lesmahagow 9 796.46x
Colchester St Giles 4 615.38x
Wetheral 4 1052.63x
Hastings St Mary 3 215.83x
Glasgow 1 5.25x
Holy Trinity 1 12.66x
Prudhoe 1 294.12x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 14.99x
Woodham Ferris 1 1250.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Caroline 2
Elizabeth 2
Eliza 1
Harriet 1
Julia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Joseph 2
Nathan 2
Allen 1
Andrew 1
James 1
John 1

Top occupations

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 Surgeon households.

FAQ

Surgeon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Surgeon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 35 people were recorded with the Surgeon surname. That placed it at #28,715 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Surgeon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 179 in 2016. That gives Surgeon a modern rank of #21,086.

What does the Surgeon surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the medical profession of performing surgical operations.

What does the Surgeon map show?

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