NameCensus.

UK surname

Tims

Derived from the given name Timothy, ultimately from the Greek Timotheos, meaning "honoring God" or "honored by God."

In the 1881 census there were 659 people recorded with the Tims surname, ranking it #5,448 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 478, ranked #10,329, down from #5,448 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Barford, Great and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Northamptonshire, Broadland and Daventry.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tims is 718 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 27.5%.

1881 census count

659

Ranked #5,448

Modern count

478

2016, ranked #10,329

Peak year

1851

718 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tims had 659 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,448 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 478 in 2016, ranked #10,329.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 718 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Tims surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tims surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Tims 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 718 #3,643
1861 historical 656 #4,086
1881 historical 659 #5,448
1891 historical 607 #6,324
1901 historical 599 #7,081
1911 historical 651 #6,434
1997 modern 547 #8,694
1998 modern 578 #8,588
1999 modern 556 #8,912
2000 modern 540 #9,084
2001 modern 516 #9,234
2002 modern 535 #9,178
2003 modern 520 #9,233
2004 modern 515 #9,312
2005 modern 482 #9,685
2006 modern 506 #9,399
2007 modern 490 #9,704
2008 modern 481 #9,930
2009 modern 496 #9,929
2010 modern 487 #10,251
2011 modern 488 #10,135
2012 modern 474 #10,254
2013 modern 474 #10,421
2014 modern 474 #10,486
2015 modern 470 #10,480
2016 modern 478 #10,329

Geography

Back to top

Where Tims' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Barford, Great, Lambeth and Leamington Priors. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Northamptonshire, Broadland and Daventry. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Barford, Great Oxfordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Leamington Priors Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Northamptonshire 007 South Northamptonshire
2 South Northamptonshire 011 South Northamptonshire
3 South Northamptonshire 006 South Northamptonshire
4 Broadland 008 Broadland
5 Daventry 010 Daventry

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Tims

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Tims

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Tims surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Tims household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Tims is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Tims 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

Tims falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Tims

The surname Tims is believed to have originated in England, with roots dating back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the medieval English personal name "Tim," which was a shortened form of the name "Timothy." The name Timothy itself has Greek origins, originating from the words "timao" meaning "to honor" and "theos" meaning "God."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Tims can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1191, where a person named "Willelmus filius Timi" (William, son of Tim) is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use as a surname or a byname by the late 12th century.

The surname Tims is also believed to have been associated with certain place names in England, such as Timsbury in Somerset and Timsborough in Wiltshire. These place names may have influenced the spelling or pronunciation of the surname in different regions.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a landowner named "Timus" is recorded as holding lands in Wiltshire. While the spelling differs slightly, this could be an early reference to the surname's origins.

Notable historical figures with the surname Tims include:

1. William Tims (c. 1570-1624), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Ludgershall in 1604. 2. John Tims (1801-1875), a British architect known for designing several churches and public buildings in London. 3. Edward Tims (1838-1920), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Gloucestershire in the late 19th century. 4. Mary Tims (1873-1957), a British trade unionist and suffragette who campaigned for women's rights and better working conditions for women. 5. Arthur Tims (1889-1968), a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 16th Premier of New Brunswick from 1952 to 1960.

The surname Tims has undergone various spellings throughout history, including Tymes, Timmes, and Tymmes, reflecting regional variations and phonetic adaptations over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Tims families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tims 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. Oxfordshire leads with 116 Tims' recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.31x.

County Total Index
Oxfordshire 116 29.31x
Middlesex 104 1.62x
Warwickshire 74 4.58x
Surrey 66 2.11x
Lancashire 60 0.79x
Gloucestershire 35 2.78x
Northamptonshire 33 5.47x
Berkshire 24 4.99x
Hertfordshire 19 4.30x
Kent 17 0.78x
Derbyshire 16 1.59x
Sussex 16 1.48x
Yorkshire 14 0.22x
Worcestershire 11 1.31x
Leicestershire 9 1.27x
Buckinghamshire 5 1.29x
Glamorgan 5 0.45x
Shropshire 5 0.90x
Herefordshire 4 1.52x
Staffordshire 4 0.18x
Durham 3 0.16x
Norfolk 3 0.30x
Bedfordshire 2 0.60x
Channel Islands 2 1.05x
Monmouthshire 2 0.43x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.25x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.37x
Cheshire 1 0.07x
Cornwall 1 0.14x
Essex 1 0.08x
Flintshire 1 0.58x
Hampshire 1 0.08x
Royal Navy 1 1.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Naunton in Gloucestershire leads with 19 Tims' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1637.93x.

Place Total Index
Naunton 19 1637.93x
Lambeth 18 3.22x
Neithrop 17 127.82x
Birmingham 14 2.60x
Chipping Warden 14 1609.20x
Leamington Priors 14 35.20x
Barford St Michael 13 2000.00x
Egham 13 67.81x
Kensington London 13 3.65x
Barrow In Furness 11 10.64x
Bishops Itchington 11 705.13x
St George Hanover 11 13.15x
Bloxham 10 257.73x
Hammersmith London 10 6.33x
St Pancras London 10 1.94x
Battersea 9 3.82x
Bodicote 9 596.03x
Clapham 9 11.23x
Gorton 9 12.59x
Lytham 9 77.52x
Reading St Mary 9 23.36x
Salford 9 4.02x
Staines 9 88.67x
Barton Upon Irwell 8 13.97x
Brighton 8 3.67x
Leicester St Margaret 8 4.62x
Lewes St John Southover 8 110.19x
Old Stratford 8 87.43x
Chislehurst 7 59.68x
Long Buckby 7 125.67x
Oxford St Thomas 7 37.90x
Warwick St Mary 7 49.89x
Wheatfield 7 3181.82x
Witney 7 105.74x
Abbots Langley 6 91.46x
Camberwell 6 1.47x
Farthinghoe 6 769.23x
Hatfield 6 66.96x
Hook Norton 6 221.40x
Reading St Giles 6 12.71x
Southam 6 152.67x
St Marylebone London 6 1.75x
Steeple Barton 6 298.51x
Teddington London 6 41.32x
Upper Mitton 6 319.15x
Westbury On Severn East 6 21.11x
Brimington 5 65.62x
Ellesmere 5 52.58x
Hackney London 5 1.39x
Kidlington 5 163.40x
Leamington 5 46.69x
Lullington 5 306.75x
Newington 5 2.11x
St Mary Woolchurch Haw 5 8333.33x
Steventon 5 246.31x
Windrush 5 980.39x
Barford St John 4 2222.22x
Buckingham 4 50.76x
Chelsea London 4 2.07x
Cranbrook 4 43.20x
Cropredy 4 333.33x
Hereford St Owen 4 46.08x
Holbeck 4 9.51x
Middleton Cheney 4 152.09x
Whittington 4 28.82x
Willesden 4 6.62x
Aberdare 3 3.92x
Banbury 3 37.83x
Chartham 3 55.05x
Fulham London 3 3.23x
Great Bolton 3 2.98x
Isleworth 3 10.53x
Islington London 3 0.48x
New Brentford 3 89.02x
Oxford St Giles 3 15.89x
Reddish 3 28.63x
Rothwell 3 23.38x
Watton 3 166.67x
Yardley 3 14.01x
Mile End Old Town 2 1.98x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 49
John 39
Thomas 31
George 29
Henry 15
Charles 14
James 13
Joseph 9
Samuel 9
Frank 8
Edward 7
Harry 7
Alfred 6
Albert 5
Francis 5
Luke 5
Walter 5
Ernest 4
Robert 4
Edmund 3
Edwin 3
Frederick 3
Richard 3
Benjamin 2
Fredrick 2
Jesse 2
Martin 2
Michael 2
Owen 2
Stephen 2
Arthur 1
Augustine 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Firdy 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Horatio 1
J. 1
Josiah 1
Matthew 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Reuben 1
Saml. 1
Septimus 1
Shadrach 1
Wm.O. 1

FAQ

Tims surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tims surname in 1881?

In 1881, 659 people were recorded with the Tims surname. That placed it at #5,448 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tims surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 478 in 2016. That gives Tims a modern rank of #10,329.

What does the Tims surname mean?

Derived from the given name Timothy, ultimately from the Greek Timotheos, meaning "honoring God" or "honored by God."

What does the Tims map show?

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