NameCensus.

UK surname

Thirtle

In the 1881 census there were 239 people recorded with the Thirtle surname, ranking it #11,446 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 348, ranked #13,233, down from #11,446 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Runton, Wickmere and Walsham, North. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, North Norfolk and Doon Valley South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Thirtle is 414 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 45.6%.

1881 census count

239

Ranked #11,446

Modern count

348

2016, ranked #13,233

Peak year

1911

414 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Thirtle had 239 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,446 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 348 in 2016, ranked #13,233.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 414 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Thirtle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Thirtle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Thirtle 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 143 #13,343
1861 historical 154 #14,963
1881 historical 239 #11,446
1891 historical 379 #9,254
1901 historical 373 #9,948
1911 historical 414 #9,062
1997 modern 391 #11,196
1998 modern 395 #11,452
1999 modern 393 #11,602
2000 modern 394 #11,520
2001 modern 371 #11,881
2002 modern 376 #11,989
2003 modern 352 #12,365
2004 modern 338 #12,781
2005 modern 329 #12,966
2006 modern 331 #12,990
2007 modern 322 #13,382
2008 modern 315 #13,686
2009 modern 330 #13,513
2010 modern 338 #13,550
2011 modern 335 #13,528
2012 modern 339 #13,271
2013 modern 353 #13,104
2014 modern 356 #13,098
2015 modern 353 #13,086
2016 modern 348 #13,233

Geography

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Where Thirtles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Runton, Wickmere, Walsham, North, Aylsham and St Paul, St Saviour, St Edmund, St Simon and Jude, St Peter Hungate, St Michael at Plea, St Martin a. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, North Norfolk and Doon Valley South. 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 Runton Norfolk
2 Wickmere Norfolk
3 Walsham, North Norfolk
4 Aylsham Norfolk
5 St Paul, St Saviour, St Edmund, St Simon and Jude, St Peter Hungate, St Michael at Plea, St Martin a Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 013 Northumberland
2 North Norfolk 010 North Norfolk
3 Northumberland 035 Northumberland
4 Doon Valley South East Ayrshire
5 Northumberland 012 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Thirtle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Thirtle

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Thirtle, 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 Thirtle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Thirtle 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Thirtle 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

Thirtle 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

Thirtle 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 Thirtle 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.

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Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Thirtle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Thirtle 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. Norfolk leads with 137 Thirtles recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.06x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 137 38.06x
Suffolk 27 9.47x
Durham 26 3.73x
Middlesex 15 0.64x
Yorkshire 10 0.43x
Surrey 7 0.61x
Northumberland 5 1.44x
Warwickshire 4 0.68x
Staffordshire 3 0.38x
Essex 2 0.43x
Kent 2 0.25x
Berkshire 1 0.57x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aylsham in Norfolk leads with 17 Thirtles recorded in 1881 and an index of 794.39x.

Place Total Index
Aylsham 17 794.39x
Lowestoft 17 126.21x
Runton 14 3414.63x
Newbottle 12 315.79x
Heigham 10 51.76x
Norwich St James 9 319.15x
Beccles 7 152.51x
Paston 7 3500.00x
Pelton 7 211.48x
Rotherhithe 6 20.75x
Stalham 6 869.57x
Great Yarmouth 5 16.77x
Honing 5 1923.08x
Kensington London 5 3.84x
Norwich St Martin At Oak 5 228.31x
Norwich St Paul 5 232.56x
Prudhoe Castle 5 735.29x
Sandal Magna 5 145.77x
Walcott 5 5000.00x
West Herrington 5 204.92x
Buxton 4 888.89x
Felmingham 4 1250.00x
Islington London 4 1.76x
North Walsham 4 153.85x
Norwich St Stephen 4 121.21x
Offchurch 4 1538.46x
Trunch 4 1111.11x
Upleatham 4 1025.64x
Bungay St Mary 3 212.77x
Happisburgh 3 666.67x
Norwich St Clement 3 71.94x
Norwich St Swithin 3 483.87x
Stoke Upon Trent 3 3.58x
Eltham 2 42.74x
Norwich St Etheldred 2 392.16x
Norwich St Giles 2 173.91x
Norwich St John Timberhill 2 206.19x
Norwich St Simon St Jude 2 714.29x
Paddington London 2 2.32x
Bodham 1 416.67x
Chelmsford 1 12.61x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.81x
Colchester St Giles 1 21.88x
Crook Billy Row 1 11.21x
East Dereham 1 21.98x
Edmonton 1 5.30x
Felthorpe 1 270.27x
Halifax 1 2.94x
Horsford 1 178.57x
Ketteringham 1 666.67x
Knapton 1 400.00x
Marsham 1 227.27x
Mile End Old Town 1 2.71x
Norwich St Mary At Coslany 1 97.09x
Norwich St Michael At 1 47.85x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.23x
Reading St Giles 1 5.80x
Sprowston 1 62.89x
Starston 1 243.90x
Stoke Newington London 1 5.49x
Streatham 1 5.76x
Thurning 1 714.29x
Washington 1 34.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 17
George 15
Robert 14
William 14
James 10
Thomas 5
Albert 3
Charles 3
Frederick 3
Henry 3
Arthur 2
Chas. 2
Ernest 2
Alfred 1
Archbald 1
Archibald 1
Benjamin 1
Chal. 1
David 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Jacob 1
Joseph 1
Richard 1
Robt. 1
W. 1
Wm.F. 1

FAQ

Thirtle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Thirtle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 239 people were recorded with the Thirtle surname. That placed it at #11,446 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Thirtle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 348 in 2016. That gives Thirtle a modern rank of #13,233.

What does the Thirtle map show?

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