NameCensus.

UK surname

Talent

A surname derived from the French word 'talent', meaning ability or talent.

In the 1881 census there were 44 people recorded with the Talent surname, ranking it #27,447 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 114, ranked #28,515, down from #27,447 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Westburn and Newton, Whitlawburn and Greenlees and Burnside and Springhall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Talent is 125 in 2008. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 159.1%.

1881 census count

44

Ranked #27,447

Modern count

114

2016, ranked #28,515

Peak year

2008

125 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Talent had 44 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,447 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016, ranked #28,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 44 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Talent surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Talent surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Talent 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 30 #27,891
1861 historical 33 #29,814
1881 historical 44 #27,447
1891 historical 34 #31,604
1901 historical 42 #29,487
1911 historical 38 #29,147
1997 modern 86 #28,876
1998 modern 87 #29,240
1999 modern 89 #29,168
2000 modern 86 #29,484
2001 modern 85 #29,396
2002 modern 96 #28,534
2003 modern 88 #29,506
2004 modern 96 #28,605
2005 modern 102 #27,689
2006 modern 105 #27,479
2007 modern 118 #25,913
2008 modern 125 #25,249
2009 modern 122 #26,220
2010 modern 118 #27,404
2011 modern 115 #27,634
2012 modern 114 #27,868
2013 modern 115 #28,176
2014 modern 115 #28,439
2015 modern 112 #28,809
2016 modern 114 #28,515

Geography

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Where Talents 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 Westburn and Newton, Whitlawburn and Greenlees, Burnside and Springhall and Liverpool. 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 Westburn and Newton South Lanarkshire
2 Whitlawburn and Greenlees South Lanarkshire
3 Burnside and Springhall South Lanarkshire
4 Liverpool 014 Liverpool
5 Liverpool 061 Liverpool

Forenames

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First names often paired with Talent

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Talent

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Talent surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Talent household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Challenged Inner London Communities

Within London, Talent is most associated with areas classed as Challenged Inner London Communities, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Resident in some of Inner London’s most over-crowded communities, many families have children and marriage/civil partnership rates are above the Supergroup average. Other adults such as students live in communal establishments. Few residents have Level 4 educational qualifications, levels of unemployment are above the Supergroup average, and employment is concentrated in service occupations such as distribution, hotels and restaurants. Relative to the Supergroup average, fewer residents identify as being of mixed/multiple ethnicities, Black or Other Asian.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Talent is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Talent 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 Talent is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Talent

The surname Talent originates from France, where it first appeared in the early 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "talant," which means "desire" or "will." The name likely referred to a person with a strong will or determination.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Talent can be found in the Domesday Book, a medieval census commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Talant" and is associated with landowners in Normandy and other parts of northern France.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Talent was particularly prevalent in the regions of Brittany and Normandy. Several notable individuals bore this name, including Guillaume Talent, a French knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453), and Jean Talent, a 14th-century scholar and theologian from Rouen.

In the 16th century, the Talent family established themselves as prominent landowners in the village of Talant, near Dijon in the Burgundy region of eastern France. The village's name is believed to have been derived from the surname itself.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Talent was Jacques Talent (1558-1633), a French lawyer and diplomat who served as the ambassador to England during the reign of King James I. He played a crucial role in negotiating the Treaty of Southampton in 1625, which helped to establish a period of peace between France and England.

Other notable individuals with the surname Talent include:

1. Nicolas Talent (1638-1706), a French painter and engraver known for his religious and mythological works. 2. Jean-Baptiste Talent (1709-1782), a French architect who designed several notable buildings in Paris and Versailles. 3. Pierre Talent (1768-1844), a French general who served in the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded the Legion of Honor. 4. Émile Talent (1818-1892), a French politician and writer who served as a deputy in the National Assembly and wrote several novels and plays. 5. Marie Talent (1865-1947), a French writer and feminist activist who advocated for women's rights and founded the Union Fraternelle des Femmes.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Talent families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Talent 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 20 Talents recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.93x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 20 3.93x
Yorkshire 15 3.53x
Cheshire 3 3.17x
Renfrewshire 2 6.01x
Surrey 2 0.96x
Lincolnshire 1 1.46x
Northumberland 1 1.57x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ashton Under Lyne in Lancashire leads with 15 Talents recorded in 1881 and an index of 134.77x.

Place Total Index
Ashton Under Lyne 15 134.77x
Horton In Bradford 5 75.30x
Brightside Bierlow 4 47.96x
Crowle 4 952.38x
Bootle Cum Linacre 3 74.26x
Dukinfield 3 68.49x
Barrow In Furness 2 28.86x
Drighlington 2 322.58x
Paisley High Church 2 75.47x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 23.15x
Bedlington 1 46.95x
St Michael Lincoln 1 526.32x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
William 4
Henry 2
Charles 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
George 1
Harry 1
Michael 1
Simeon 1
Walter 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 Talent households.

FAQ

Talent surname: questions and answers

How common was the Talent surname in 1881?

In 1881, 44 people were recorded with the Talent surname. That placed it at #27,447 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Talent surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016. That gives Talent a modern rank of #28,515.

What does the Talent surname mean?

A surname derived from the French word 'talent', meaning ability or talent.

What does the Talent map show?

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