NameCensus.

UK surname

Towne

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near or worked in a town or village.

In the 1881 census there were 100 people recorded with the Towne surname, ranking it #19,750 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 128, ranked #26,401, down from #19,750 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Milton, Little, Halifax and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rushcliffe, Wyre and Salford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Towne is 146 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.0%.

1881 census count

100

Ranked #19,750

Modern count

128

2016, ranked #26,401

Peak year

2010

146 bearers

Map years

5

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Towne had 100 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,750 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 128 in 2016, ranked #26,401.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 118 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Towne surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Towne surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Towne 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 91 #18,187
1861 historical 74 #24,370
1881 historical 100 #19,750
1891 historical 91 #25,239
1901 historical 99 #22,999
1911 historical 118 #20,649
1997 modern 120 #24,158
1998 modern 124 #24,316
1999 modern 128 #24,017
2000 modern 126 #24,220
2001 modern 124 #24,114
2002 modern 127 #24,267
2003 modern 121 #24,776
2004 modern 122 #24,812
2005 modern 122 #24,817
2006 modern 128 #24,267
2007 modern 128 #24,632
2008 modern 133 #24,350
2009 modern 133 #24,817
2010 modern 146 #23,921
2011 modern 140 #24,395
2012 modern 135 #24,952
2013 modern 140 #24,779
2014 modern 139 #25,093
2015 modern 126 #26,654
2016 modern 128 #26,401

Geography

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Where Townes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Milton, Little, Halifax, London parishes, Eccles and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rushcliffe, Wyre and Salford. 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 Milton, Little Oxfordshire
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Eccles Lancashire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rushcliffe 006 Rushcliffe
2 Wyre 003 Wyre
3 Salford 026 Salford
4 Wyre 001 Wyre
5 Rushcliffe 008 Rushcliffe

Forenames

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First names often paired with Towne

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Towne

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Towne is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Towne is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Towne

The surname TOWNE is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English word "tun" meaning an enclosure, such as a farm or homestead. It was originally used as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived in a town or village.

The name is believed to have originated in the areas of Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire in England during the 11th century. The earliest recorded use of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name TOWNE was Robert de la Towne, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195. Another early record is that of William atte Towne, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327.

The surname TOWNE has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, including Towne, Town, Toune, and Toun. These variations often reflect regional dialects and the evolution of the English language.

Some notable historical figures with the surname TOWNE include:

1. Robert Towne (1634-1672), an American colonist and one of the founders of the town of Topsfield, Massachusetts. 2. John Towne (1742-1828), an American merchant and politician who served as a member of the Massachusetts General Court. 3. Charles Towne (1763-1840), an English engraver and artist known for his work in book illustrations and portraiture. 4. Mary Towne (1834-1904), an American author and educator who wrote extensively on women's rights and education. 5. Robert Newton Towne (1856-1926), an American lawyer and diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador to Belgium and Greece.

The name TOWNE has also been associated with various place names, such as Townville in South Carolina, Townshend in Vermont, and Townville in Pennsylvania, which were likely named after early settlers with the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Towne families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Towne 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 23 Townes recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.36x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 23 2.36x
Kent 21 6.31x
Surrey 12 2.52x
Oxfordshire 9 14.94x
Yorkshire 8 0.83x
Leicestershire 7 6.47x
Dorset 5 7.81x
Essex 5 2.60x
Nottinghamshire 4 3.04x
Warwickshire 3 1.22x
Hampshire 2 1.00x
Rutland 1 13.97x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sittingbourne in Kent leads with 13 Townes recorded in 1881 and an index of 494.30x.

Place Total Index
Sittingbourne 13 494.30x
Lt Milton 8 6666.67x
Hackney London 6 10.97x
Halifax 6 42.28x
Melton Mowbray 6 309.28x
St Marylebone London 6 11.52x
Bothenhampton 5 2777.78x
Braintree 5 289.02x
Margate St John Baptist 4 65.68x
Streatham 4 55.25x
Aston 3 4.43x
Islington London 3 3.17x
Worksop 3 76.92x
Clapham 2 16.41x
Hammersmith London 2 8.32x
Kensington London 2 3.69x
Portsea 2 5.10x
Woking 2 69.93x
Barrowden 1 500.00x
Battersea 1 2.79x
Bradfield 1 26.81x
Camberwell 1 1.60x
Charlton Next Woolwich 1 28.82x
Croydon 1 3.79x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 5.09x
Erith 1 30.49x
Harrow 1 67.11x
Kirtlington 1 416.67x
Leicester St Margaret 1 3.79x
Nottingham St Mary 1 2.94x
Ramsgate 1 18.42x
St Dionis Backchurch 1 1428.57x
St Giles In Fields 1 29.76x
St Pancras London 1 1.27x
Wandsworth 1 10.65x
Westerham 1 129.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Charles 5
John 5
Edward 2
Ernest 2
Isaac 2
James 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Walter 2
A. 1
Alexander 1
Archibald 1
Arthur 1
Bertram 1
Cristopher 1
David 1
Frederick 1
Geo.Fredk. 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Jno. 1
Joseph 1
Leonard 1
Lyndmuret 1
M. 1
Mark 1
Robt.L. 1
Thomas 1
Victoria 1
William 1

FAQ

Towne surname: questions and answers

How common was the Towne surname in 1881?

In 1881, 100 people were recorded with the Towne surname. That placed it at #19,750 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Towne surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 128 in 2016. That gives Towne a modern rank of #26,401.

What does the Towne surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near or worked in a town or village.

What does the Towne map show?

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