NameCensus.

UK surname

Temple

An occupational surname referring to someone who worked at or lived near a temple or church.

In the 1881 census there were 3,924 people recorded with the Temple surname, ranking it #1,156 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,112, ranked #1,323, down from #1,156 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Copeland, Hartlepool and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Temple is 5,311 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.3%.

1881 census count

3,924

Ranked #1,156

Modern count

5,112

2016, ranked #1,323

Peak year

2010

5,311 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Temple had 3,924 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,156 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,112 in 2016, ranked #1,323.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,769 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Temple surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Temple surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Temple 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 2,431 #1,225
1861 historical 2,562 #1,143
1881 historical 3,924 #1,156
1891 historical 4,180 #1,150
1901 historical 4,670 #1,210
1911 historical 4,769 #1,086
1997 modern 5,061 #1,291
1998 modern 5,206 #1,304
1999 modern 5,263 #1,298
2000 modern 5,225 #1,303
2001 modern 5,107 #1,299
2002 modern 5,249 #1,298
2003 modern 5,071 #1,304
2004 modern 5,162 #1,284
2005 modern 5,047 #1,297
2006 modern 5,045 #1,296
2007 modern 5,056 #1,306
2008 modern 5,063 #1,317
2009 modern 5,207 #1,308
2010 modern 5,311 #1,308
2011 modern 5,225 #1,315
2012 modern 5,090 #1,319
2013 modern 5,182 #1,322
2014 modern 5,220 #1,315
2015 modern 5,156 #1,318
2016 modern 5,112 #1,323

Geography

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Where Temples are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Gateshead and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Copeland, Hartlepool, County Durham and Scarborough. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Copeland 007 Copeland
2 Hartlepool 002 Hartlepool
3 County Durham 017 County Durham
4 County Durham 018 County Durham
5 Scarborough 005 Scarborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Temple

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Temple

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Temple is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Temple is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Temple

The surname Temple has its origins in England and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "temple," which itself comes from the Latin "templum," meaning a consecrated space or building. The name likely referred to someone who lived near or was associated with a temple or church.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Temple can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1190, which mention a Richard de Templo. The Pipe Rolls were a record of financial accounts kept by the English Exchequer during the reign of King Richard I.

The surname Temple is also found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were a survey of landowners in England commissioned by King Edward I. The Hundred Rolls mention a John del Temple and a Robert de Temple, both living in Oxfordshire at the time.

Over the centuries, the surname Temple has been recorded with various spellings, including Tempill, Tempyll, and Tempell. These variations were common before standardized spelling became more widespread.

One notable figure bearing the surname Temple was Sir William Temple (1628-1699), a renowned English diplomat and essayist. He played a significant role in the negotiation of the Triple Alliance between England, Sweden, and the Dutch Republic in 1668.

Another prominent individual was Sir Richard Temple (1638-1697), an English landowner and politician who served as Speaker of the House of Commons from 1679 to 1681. He was also a member of the Privy Council under King Charles II.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded bearers of the surname was Robert Temple (1611-1663), who was among the first settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630s. He served as a representative in the General Court of Massachusetts and was involved in the establishment of the town of Concord.

Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston (1784-1865), was a British statesman who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century. He played a significant role in shaping British foreign policy during his tenure.

It is also worth noting that the surname Temple has been associated with various place names, such as Temple Guiting in Gloucestershire and Temple Balsall in Warwickshire, both of which likely derived their names from the presence of a church or religious establishment in the area.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Temple families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Temple 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. Yorkshire leads with 697 Temples recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.83x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 697 1.83x
Durham 523 4.58x
Middlesex 522 1.36x
Northumberland 326 5.71x
Norfolk 179 3.04x
Surrey 166 0.89x
Lancashire 136 0.30x
Kent 129 0.99x
Lincolnshire 123 2.01x
Cumberland 106 3.21x
Midlothian 104 2.02x
Oxfordshire 67 2.83x
Hampshire 65 0.83x
Lanarkshire 64 0.52x
Sussex 55 0.85x
Warwickshire 46 0.48x
Cheshire 45 0.53x
Hertfordshire 44 1.66x
Devon 38 0.48x
Essex 37 0.49x
Roxburghshire 37 5.33x
Berkshire 36 1.25x
Gloucestershire 36 0.48x
Selkirkshire 28 8.07x
Staffordshire 26 0.20x
Suffolk 22 0.47x
Dumfriesshire 20 2.36x
Renfrewshire 18 0.61x
Buckinghamshire 16 0.69x
Cornwall 14 0.32x
Wiltshire 14 0.41x
Worcestershire 13 0.26x
Aberdeenshire 12 0.34x
Bedfordshire 12 0.60x
Channel Islands 12 1.06x
Ross-shire 11 1.04x
Somerset 11 0.18x
Stirlingshire 9 0.64x
Berwickshire 8 1.72x
Derbyshire 8 0.13x
Dorset 8 0.32x
East Lothian 8 1.58x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.15x
Ayrshire 7 0.24x
Clackmannanshire 7 2.21x
Glamorgan 7 0.10x
Caernarfonshire 6 0.39x
Dunbartonshire 6 0.58x
Northamptonshire 6 0.17x
Herefordshire 5 0.32x
Leicestershire 5 0.12x
Peeblesshire 5 2.77x
Fife 3 0.13x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.08x
Montgomeryshire 2 0.23x
Royal Navy 2 0.44x
Cardiganshire 1 0.11x
Denbighshire 1 0.07x
Inverness-shire 1 0.09x
Isle of Man 1 0.14x
Morayshire 1 0.17x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.08x
Rutland 1 0.36x
Shropshire 1 0.03x
West Lothian 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 85 Temples recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.96x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 85 3.96x
Gateshead 65 7.61x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 62 3.00x
Darlington 60 13.62x
Westoe 51 7.89x
Kensington London 49 2.30x
Islington London 46 1.24x
Byker 44 15.60x
Lambeth 42 1.26x
Scarborough 38 11.01x
Camberwell 37 1.51x
Deptford St Paul 34 3.37x
Newbiggin 34 420.27x
Paddington London 34 2.41x
Elswick 32 7.03x
Middlesbrough 32 6.47x
Holy Trinity 30 3.28x
Great Yarmouth 29 5.94x
Bethnal Green London 24 1.44x
Galashiels 24 18.71x
Glasgow 24 1.09x
Westgate 24 6.79x
Sculcoates 23 3.82x
St Marylebone London 23 1.12x
Hornsey 22 4.54x
South Shields 22 21.65x
St Pancras London 22 0.71x
Barony 21 0.67x
Chelsea London 21 1.82x
Hackney London 21 0.98x
Keswick 21 49.76x
Kirk Hammerton 21 570.65x
Trimdon 21 52.08x
West Ham 21 1.26x
Great Driffield 20 25.65x
Bedlington 19 9.97x
Collierley 19 37.39x
Portsea 19 1.23x
St George Hanover 19 3.80x
Bishopwearmouth 18 1.84x
Chester Le Street 18 20.55x
Croydon 18 1.74x
Hartlepool 18 11.10x
Ottery St Mary 18 34.38x
Boston 17 9.14x
Cowpen 17 12.94x
Hammersmith London 17 1.80x
South Stoneham 17 9.97x
York St Maurice 17 23.76x
Bromley London 16 1.90x
Ancrum 15 83.29x
Cramond 15 38.53x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 15 3.04x
Toxteth Park 15 0.97x
Tynemouth 15 4.91x
Wolverhampton 15 1.51x
Bow London 14 2.87x
Coningsby 14 79.55x
Shilton 14 371.35x
Brighton 13 1.00x
Crosscanonby 13 11.91x
Hampstead London 13 2.18x
Poplar London 13 1.80x
West Newton Allonby 13 113.04x
Abbots Langley 12 30.57x
Ancroft 12 59.82x
Clanfield 12 183.21x
Lewisham 12 1.72x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 12 16.00x
Pegswood 12 93.68x
Stockton On Tees 12 2.18x
Watford 12 5.86x
Whitehaven 12 6.82x
Headingley Cum Burley 11 4.50x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 11 3.23x
Rotherham 11 5.13x
Tonbridge 11 2.33x
Tottenham 11 1.80x
Westminster St 11 7.78x
Wykeham 11 146.28x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 259
Elizabeth 136
Sarah 124
Jane 98
Ann 84
Annie 63
Margaret 59
Ellen 49
Eliza 48
Alice 46
Hannah 41
Emily 39
Emma 39
Isabella 32
Edith 26
Martha 24
Ada 21
Louisa 18
Caroline 17
Catherine 17
Florence 17
Harriet 17
Charlotte 16
Frances 15
Fanny 14
Maria 14
Kate 13
Lucy 13
Anne 12
Gertrude 11
Jessie 11
Rebecca 11
Agnes 10
Eleanor 10
Esther 10
Anna 9
Rose 9
Susan 9
Dorothy 8
Helen 8
Matilda 8
Barbara 7
Clara 7
Elizth. 7
Isabel 7
Lilly 7
Maud 7
Minnie 7
Betsy 6
Janet 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 232
William 216
George 155
Thomas 140
James 117
Henry 78
Robert 77
Joseph 60
Charles 57
Alfred 33
Edward 31
Arthur 29
Richard 29
Frederick 28
Harry 20
Wm. 18
Frank 17
Albert 16
Samuel 16
Herbert 15
Walter 14
Ernest 12
Edwin 10
Francis 10
Peter 10
David 9
Alexander 8
Isaac 8
Josiah 6
Leonard 6
Michael 6
Stephen 6
Geo. 5
Horace 5
Jonathan 5
Matthew 5
Ralph 5
Thos. 5
Andrew 4
Anthony 4
Benjamin 4
Daniel 4
Edmund 4
Fred 4
Fredk. 4
Fredrick 4
Percy 4
Sidney 4
Chas. 3
Reginald 3

FAQ

Temple surname: questions and answers

How common was the Temple surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,924 people were recorded with the Temple surname. That placed it at #1,156 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Temple surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,112 in 2016. That gives Temple a modern rank of #1,323.

What does the Temple surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who worked at or lived near a temple or church.

What does the Temple map show?

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