NameCensus.

UK surname

Timm

An occupational surname of German origin, referring to a carpenter or woodworker.

In the 1881 census there were 169 people recorded with the Timm surname, ranking it #14,324 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 265, ranked #16,130, down from #14,324 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Manchester, Sheffield and Snaith. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Broadland, Sunderland and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Timm is 273 in 2012. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 56.8%.

1881 census count

169

Ranked #14,324

Modern count

265

2016, ranked #16,130

Peak year

2012

273 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Timm had 169 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,324 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 265 in 2016, ranked #16,130.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 249 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Timm surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Timm surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Timm 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 144 #13,277
1861 historical 103 #20,650
1881 historical 169 #14,324
1891 historical 185 #15,803
1901 historical 240 #13,461
1911 historical 249 #12,951
1997 modern 257 #14,989
1998 modern 269 #14,941
1999 modern 262 #15,308
2000 modern 267 #15,055
2001 modern 250 #15,527
2002 modern 251 #15,770
2003 modern 253 #15,493
2004 modern 251 #15,655
2005 modern 254 #15,480
2006 modern 245 #15,956
2007 modern 241 #16,341
2008 modern 247 #16,205
2009 modern 262 #15,888
2010 modern 261 #16,294
2011 modern 265 #15,980
2012 modern 273 #15,546
2013 modern 268 #16,005
2014 modern 267 #16,161
2015 modern 262 #16,278
2016 modern 265 #16,130

Geography

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Where Timms are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Manchester, Sheffield, Snaith, Bishop Wearmouth and Bakewell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Broadland, Sunderland and Sheffield. 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 Manchester Lancashire
2 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Snaith Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bishop Wearmouth Durham
5 Bakewell Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Broadland 002 Broadland
2 Sunderland 003 Sunderland
3 Sunderland 026 Sunderland
4 Sheffield 063 Sheffield
5 Sheffield 006 Sheffield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Timm

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Timm

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

Timm is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Timm falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Timm

The surname TIMM is believed to have originated in Germany during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German given name Timm, which is a shortened form of the name Dietmar or Theodmar. This name is composed of the Germanic elements "diet" meaning "people" and "mar" meaning "famous."

The earliest recorded instances of the name TIMM can be traced back to the 13th century in various German regions. It is found in historical records from areas such as Saxony, Westphalia, and Pomerania. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Timmo von Alvensleben, a nobleman who lived in the late 13th century in the region of Saxony-Anhalt.

By the 14th century, the name had spread to other parts of Europe, with variations in spelling such as Timme, Tymme, and Tymmen appearing in records from the Netherlands and Scandinavia. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and local pronunciations.

Notable historical figures with the surname TIMM include Johann Timm (1561-1624), a German theologian and writer who was a prominent figure during the Protestant Reformation. Another notable bearer was Heinrich Timm (1811-1892), a German painter known for his landscapes and genre scenes.

In the 19th century, the name gained prominence in the United States due to German immigration. One of the earliest recorded instances in America was Johann Timm, who arrived in New York from Germany in 1844. His descendants went on to establish themselves in various parts of the country, contributing to the spread of the name across the nation.

Other notable individuals with the surname TIMM include Heinz Timm (1894-1954), a German World War I flying ace, and Uwe Timm (born 1940), a German writer and novelist known for his works exploring themes of memory and identity.

Throughout its history, the surname TIMM has been associated with various professions and backgrounds, from nobility and clergy to artists and writers. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Germany, the name has become widespread across different regions and cultures over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Timm families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Timm 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 73 Timms recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.47x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 73 4.47x
Lincolnshire 33 12.52x
Lancashire 15 0.77x
Middlesex 12 0.73x
Durham 11 2.24x
Derbyshire 9 3.49x
Essex 3 0.92x
Northumberland 3 1.22x
Cambridgeshire 2 1.92x
Hampshire 2 0.59x
Cheshire 1 0.27x
Gloucestershire 1 0.31x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.45x
Renfrewshire 1 0.78x
Surrey 1 0.12x
Wigtownshire 1 4.57x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nether Hallam in Yorkshire leads with 36 Timms recorded in 1881 and an index of 162.90x.

Place Total Index
Nether Hallam 36 162.90x
Ecclesall Bierlow 13 39.12x
Sunderland 11 127.02x
Spalding 9 172.08x
Little Longstone 8 8888.89x
Openshaw 8 87.34x
Revesby 8 2500.00x
Beverley St Nicholas 7 522.39x
Clee With Weelsby 7 121.32x
St Marylebone London 7 7.95x
Hook 6 167.13x
Toxteth Park 6 9.06x
Hampstead London 4 15.58x
Holy Trinity St Mary 4 160.64x
Sheffield 4 7.69x
Coxlodge 3 160.43x
Gosberton 3 256.41x
Leyton 3 53.48x
Miningsby In Boston 2 1538.46x
St Andrewthe Less 2 16.76x
Aldershot 1 8.83x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.40x
Brinnington 1 29.41x
East Greenock 1 8.29x
Elloughton Cum Brough 1 200.00x
Frieston 1 161.29x
Gedney 1 92.59x
Huddersfield 1 4.20x
Inch 1 46.95x
Keyworth 1 196.08x
Liverpool 1 0.84x
Marsh Chapel 1 312.50x
Matlock 1 28.82x
Ryde 1 13.77x
Stow On The Wold 1 138.89x
Tanshelf 1 76.92x
Waddington 1 208.33x
Wimbledon 1 11.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 11
Charles 8
George 7
William 7
Edward 5
Walter 5
Alfred 4
Robert 4
Henry 3
Herbert 3
James 3
Joseph 3
Christian 2
Harry 2
Mordecai 2
Richard 2
Thomas 2
Ambrose 1
Carsten 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Edwin 1
Elias 1
Ernst. 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Gustave 1
Josheph 1
Neville 1
Newham 1
Stephen 1
Tendach 1
Wilfred 1

FAQ

Timm surname: questions and answers

How common was the Timm surname in 1881?

In 1881, 169 people were recorded with the Timm surname. That placed it at #14,324 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Timm surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 265 in 2016. That gives Timm a modern rank of #16,130.

What does the Timm surname mean?

An occupational surname of German origin, referring to a carpenter or woodworker.

What does the Timm map show?

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