NameCensus.

UK surname

Tame

A surname derived from the Middle English word "tame," suggesting a calm or domesticated person.

In the 1881 census there were 606 people recorded with the Tame surname, ranking it #5,789 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 828, ranked #6,712, down from #5,789 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Abingdon St Helen, Abingdon St Nicholas, London parishes and Harwell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bridgend, Gwynedd and Fenland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tame is 877 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.6%.

1881 census count

606

Ranked #5,789

Modern count

828

2016, ranked #6,712

Peak year

1999

877 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tame had 606 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,789 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 828 in 2016, ranked #6,712.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 844 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tame surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tame surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tame 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 327 #7,119
1861 historical 224 #10,882
1881 historical 606 #5,789
1891 historical 464 #7,887
1901 historical 722 #6,124
1911 historical 844 #5,255
1997 modern 832 #6,342
1998 modern 842 #6,485
1999 modern 877 #6,333
2000 modern 856 #6,419
2001 modern 856 #6,301
2002 modern 873 #6,330
2003 modern 846 #6,369
2004 modern 857 #6,310
2005 modern 809 #6,555
2006 modern 812 #6,534
2007 modern 820 #6,558
2008 modern 821 #6,596
2009 modern 830 #6,688
2010 modern 861 #6,625
2011 modern 842 #6,664
2012 modern 819 #6,706
2013 modern 848 #6,650
2014 modern 859 #6,613
2015 modern 849 #6,608
2016 modern 828 #6,712

Geography

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Where Tames are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Abingdon St Helen, Abingdon St Nicholas, London parishes, Harwell and Marcham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bridgend, Gwynedd, Fenland and Vale of White Horse. 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 Abingdon St Helen, Abingdon St Nicholas Berkshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Harwell Berkshire
5 Marcham Berkshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bridgend 004 Bridgend
2 Gwynedd 007 Gwynedd
3 Bridgend 008 Bridgend
4 Fenland 008 Fenland
5 Vale of White Horse 010 Vale of White Horse

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tame

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tame

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Tame 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

Tame 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

Tame falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Tame

The surname Tame originates from England, with its earliest known records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "tam," meaning "tame" or "gentle." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a nickname or a descriptive term for someone with a mild or docile temperament.

The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Oxfordshire and Somerset, where many early records of the Tame family can be found. One of the earliest documented instances of the surname appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a John le Tame residing in Oxfordshire.

In the 14th century, the Tame surname can be found in various historical records, such as the Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which mentions a John Tame from Somerset. The name also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of 1381, indicating its widespread use during that period.

One notable individual with the surname Tame was Sir William Tame, a English politician and Member of Parliament for Lyme Regis in the early 15th century (born c. 1380, died c. 1450). He played a significant role in local governance and served as a justice of the peace for Dorset.

Another notable figure was Richard Tame, an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of St. Asaph in Wales from 1606 to 1629 (born c. 1560, died 1629). He was known for his contributions to the religious affairs of the time and his involvement in the translation of the King James Bible.

In the 16th century, the surname Tame was also associated with a prominent family from Fairfield, Somerset. This family owned several estates in the area, and their lineage can be traced back to the early 1500s. One notable member was John Tame (born c. 1530, died 1591), who held the position of High Sheriff of Somerset in 1583.

The Tame surname has also been linked to various place names, such as Tame in Staffordshire and Tame in Oxfordshire. These locations may have influenced the surname's development or been named after individuals bearing the Tame name.

Throughout the centuries, the Tame surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Tayme, Taime, and Teyme, reflecting the evolution of language and regional dialects.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tame families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tame 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 178 Tames recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.08x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 178 3.08x
Berkshire 159 36.68x
Somerset 32 3.44x
Oxfordshire 29 8.13x
Surrey 29 1.03x
Warwickshire 29 1.99x
Hampshire 17 1.44x
Bedfordshire 15 5.02x
Buckinghamshire 15 4.30x
Gloucestershire 14 1.24x
Kent 12 0.61x
Essex 11 0.97x
Glamorgan 10 0.99x
Yorkshire 9 0.16x
Huntingdonshire 6 5.23x
Monmouthshire 6 1.44x
Hertfordshire 5 1.26x
Devon 3 0.25x
Lincolnshire 3 0.32x
Sussex 3 0.31x
Wiltshire 3 0.59x
Derbyshire 1 0.11x
Durham 1 0.06x
Northumberland 1 0.12x
Suffolk 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kensington London in Middlesex leads with 23 Tames recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.16x.

Place Total Index
Kensington London 23 7.16x
Shoreditch London 20 7.99x
Long Wittenham 19 1711.71x
Grove 18 1636.36x
Southam 16 451.98x
St Pancras London 15 3.23x
Hammersmith London 14 9.84x
Islington London 14 2.50x
Wantage 14 202.60x
Bethnal Green London 13 5.18x
Bradfield 12 524.02x
Clerkenwell London 12 8.80x
Newport Pagnell 12 164.38x
Stanford Dingley 12 4444.44x
Mile End Old Town 11 12.07x
Porlock 11 728.48x
Willesden 11 20.21x
Abingdon St Helen 10 78.93x
Appleford 10 1470.59x
Southampton All Sts 9 44.31x
Camberwell 8 2.17x
Gt Milton 8 666.67x
Harwell 8 500.00x
Sparsholt 8 919.54x
Cardiff St Mary 7 12.64x
Chelsea London 7 4.02x
Draycot Moor 7 1555.56x
Fringford 7 864.20x
St Luke London 7 7.56x
Abingdon St Nicholas 6 495.87x
Cheltenham 6 6.87x
Clewer 6 33.78x
Ealing 6 11.63x
Ham 6 476.19x
Hornchurch 6 107.33x
Huntingdon St Benedict 6 416.67x
Luton 6 11.59x
Poplar London 6 5.51x
Ruishton 6 645.16x
Southowram 6 34.34x
Bedford St Mary 5 64.94x
Caerwent 5 632.91x
Gaydon 5 961.54x
Hook Norton 5 204.92x
Kingston On Thames 5 7.40x
Lambeth 5 0.99x
Northchurch 5 117.65x
St Marylebone London 5 1.62x
Horton Kirby 4 131.15x
Ladbrooke 4 816.33x
Minstead 4 235.29x
New Windsor 4 27.45x
Old Cleeve 4 120.48x
West Hendred 4 571.43x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 3 2.81x
Cowley 3 26.95x
Eastbourne 3 6.70x
Exeter St Sidwell 3 10.90x
Gainsborough 3 13.78x
Hendon 3 14.44x
Keighley 3 4.92x
Long Sutton 3 173.41x
Marcham 3 192.31x
Roath 3 6.57x
Shinfield 3 117.65x
Sutton Courtney 3 167.60x
Twickenham 3 12.12x
Winsford 3 312.50x
Bermondsey 2 1.16x
Bray 2 15.70x
Bristol St Paul In 2 6.63x
Dorchester 2 100.00x
Dunstable 2 21.76x
Heath Reach 2 94.34x
Knockholt 2 127.39x
Lavendon 2 127.39x
Luccombe 2 273.97x
Stratton St Margaret 2 25.54x
Sulhamstead Abbots 2 333.33x
West Ham 2 0.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 38
Elizabeth 30
Mary 20
Emily 16
Eliza 15
Fanny 11
Ann 9
Annie 8
Emma 8
Alice 7
Caroline 6
Jane 6
Charlotte 5
Ellen 5
Hannah 5
Kate 5
Louisa 5
Lucy 5
Martha 5
Agnes 3
Anne 3
Esther 3
Maria 3
Clara 2
Edith 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Honor 2
Jemima 2
Laura 2
Louise 2
Margaret 2
Matilda 2
Minnie 2
Rose 2
Rosetta 2
Selina 2
A.E. 1
Augusta 1
Beatrice 1
Bessy 1
E.S. 1
Early 1
Edeth 1
Elizth. 1
Henry 1
Hilda 1
Ida 1
Isabella 1
W.T. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 34
Thomas 28
George 25
John 25
Charles 22
Henry 17
James 17
Arthur 9
Albert 8
Edward 8
Joseph 8
Frederick 7
Harry 7
Alfred 5
Edwin 5
Walter 4
Edmund 3
Ernest 3
Herbert 3
Robert 3
Wm. 3
David 2
Francis 2
Frederic 2
Richard 2
Robt. 2
Sydney 2
Thos. 2
Willm. 2
Benjamin 1
Dyas 1
E. 1
Frank 1
Geo. 1
Geo.Jas. 1
H.J.M. 1
H.W. 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
Ishmael 1
Jeremiah 1
Jesse 1
Josiah 1
Lewis 1
Nathanel 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Sidney 1
Tom 1
Victor 1

FAQ

Tame surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tame surname in 1881?

In 1881, 606 people were recorded with the Tame surname. That placed it at #5,789 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tame surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 828 in 2016. That gives Tame a modern rank of #6,712.

What does the Tame surname mean?

A surname derived from the Middle English word "tame," suggesting a calm or domesticated person.

What does the Tame map show?

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