NameCensus.

UK surname

Traverse

A surname derived from the Old French meaning "to cross over" or "to pass through."

In the 1881 census there were 169 people recorded with the Traverse surname, ranking it #14,324 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 165, ranked #22,234, down from #14,324 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Winwick, Netherbury and West Derby. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St. Helens and Kirklees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Traverse is 193 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.4%.

1881 census count

169

Ranked #14,324

Modern count

165

2016, ranked #22,234

Peak year

1999

193 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Traverse had 169 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,324 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 165 in 2016, ranked #22,234.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 176 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Traverse surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Traverse surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Traverse 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 176 #11,489
1861 historical 133 #16,835
1881 historical 169 #14,324
1891 historical 137 #19,501
1901 historical 167 #16,943
1911 historical 176 #16,185
1997 modern 192 #18,103
1998 modern 185 #18,973
1999 modern 193 #18,642
2000 modern 186 #19,055
2001 modern 184 #18,907
2002 modern 179 #19,598
2003 modern 179 #19,416
2004 modern 175 #19,805
2005 modern 170 #20,066
2006 modern 176 #19,787
2007 modern 175 #20,090
2008 modern 175 #20,311
2009 modern 176 #20,632
2010 modern 179 #20,886
2011 modern 176 #20,957
2012 modern 176 #20,915
2013 modern 173 #21,486
2014 modern 171 #21,812
2015 modern 165 #22,241
2016 modern 165 #22,234

Geography

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Where Traverses are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Winwick, Netherbury, West Derby, Warrington and Prescot. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to St. Helens and Kirklees. 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 Winwick Lancashire
2 Netherbury Dorset
3 West Derby Lancashire
4 Warrington Lancashire
5 Prescot Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St. Helens 016 St. Helens
2 Kirklees 049 Kirklees
3 St. Helens 001 St. Helens
4 St. Helens 007 St. Helens
5 St. Helens 008 St. Helens

Forenames

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First names often paired with Traverse

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Traverse

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Traverse 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

Traverse is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Traverse 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 Traverse is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Traverse

The surname Traverse originated in France, specifically in the northern region of Normandy, during the early Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "traverser," meaning "to cross over" or "to traverse." This likely referred to someone who lived near a river crossing or bridge.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. It lists a landowner named Robert Travers in Gloucestershire.

In the 12th century, the surname was also found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire, where a Robert Travers was mentioned as a landholder. During this period, the name was often spelled as Travers or Trauers, reflecting the variations in spelling common at the time.

Notable individuals with the surname Traverse include:

1. Sir John Traverse (c. 1340 - 1409), an English knight and landowner from Yorkshire. 2. Guillaume Traverse (1580 - 1645), a French explorer and colonist who settled in present-day Quebec, Canada. 3. Edmund Traverse (1592 - 1670), an English Puritan minister and author who wrote several theological works. 4. Jean-Baptiste Traverse (1722 - 1787), a French architect known for his work on several churches and public buildings in Paris. 5. Marie-Louise Traverse (1801 - 1878), a French novelist and poet who wrote under the pseudonym Marie Aycard.

The name Traverse is also linked to various place names, such as Travers in Normandy, France, and Travers City in Michigan, United States. These places likely derived their names from early settlers or landowners with the surname Traverse.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Traverse families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Traverse 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. Lancashire leads with 142 Traverses recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.26x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 142 7.26x
Dorset 10 9.24x
Middlesex 9 0.55x
Yorkshire 3 0.18x
Argyllshire 2 4.36x
Hampshire 2 0.59x
Lanarkshire 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Burtonwood in Lancashire leads with 40 Traverses recorded in 1881 and an index of 5555.56x.

Place Total Index
Burtonwood 40 5555.56x
Sutton 27 411.59x
Eccleston In Prescot 26 264.77x
Windle 16 145.32x
Elton 9 133.14x
Islington London 7 4.38x
Whiston 7 457.52x
Parr 5 71.43x
Manchester 4 4.55x
Beaminster 3 250.00x
Netherbury 3 337.08x
Symondsbury 3 434.78x
York St Maurice 3 97.40x
Lismore Appin 2 130.72x
St Martin In Fields 2 20.26x
Upham 2 540.54x
Widnes 2 14.17x
Barony 1 0.74x
Halewood 1 95.24x
Haydock 1 29.67x
Loders 1 185.19x
Ribchester 1 135.14x
Warrington 1 4.31x
West Derby 1 1.75x
Withington 1 15.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 15
John 11
Thomas 11
James 8
Joseph 5
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Robert 3
Timothy 3
Dominic 2
George 2
Walter 2
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Eaton 1
Edwd. 1
Fredrick 1
Isaac 1
Ned 1
Nicholas 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Will 1

FAQ

Traverse surname: questions and answers

How common was the Traverse surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Traverse surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 165 in 2016. That gives Traverse a modern rank of #22,234.

What does the Traverse surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old French meaning "to cross over" or "to pass through."

What does the Traverse map show?

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