NameCensus.

UK surname

Traviss

English surname derived from the Old French word for "travail" meaning labor or hard work.

In the 1881 census there were 81 people recorded with the Traviss surname, ranking it #22,082 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 113, ranked #28,691, down from #22,082 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stoke-next-Guildford, Willesden and Silkstone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Portsmouth, Westminster and Havant.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Traviss is 126 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.5%.

1881 census count

81

Ranked #22,082

Modern count

113

2016, ranked #28,691

Peak year

1901

126 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Traviss had 81 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,082 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 113 in 2016, ranked #28,691.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 126 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Traviss surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Traviss surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Traviss 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 49 #24,448
1861 historical 72 #24,643
1881 historical 81 #22,082
1891 historical 96 #24,559
1901 historical 126 #19,970
1911 historical 119 #20,535
1997 modern 89 #28,490
1998 modern 94 #28,435
1999 modern 100 #27,757
2000 modern 104 #27,150
2001 modern 104 #26,765
2002 modern 109 #26,552
2003 modern 113 #25,797
2004 modern 112 #26,159
2005 modern 118 #25,301
2006 modern 116 #25,813
2007 modern 115 #26,348
2008 modern 113 #26,920
2009 modern 111 #27,846
2010 modern 114 #28,017
2011 modern 109 #28,653
2012 modern 103 #29,733
2013 modern 104 #30,076
2014 modern 108 #29,658
2015 modern 106 #29,895
2016 modern 113 #28,691

Geography

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Where Traviss' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stoke-next-Guildford, Willesden, Silkstone, Doncaster and Worplesdon , Ash. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Portsmouth, Westminster, Havant and Waverley. 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 Stoke-next-Guildford Surrey
2 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 Silkstone Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Doncaster Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Worplesdon , Ash Surrey

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Portsmouth 001 Portsmouth
2 Portsmouth 002 Portsmouth
3 Westminster 011 Westminster
4 Havant 010 Havant
5 Waverley 016 Waverley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Traviss

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Traviss

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Traviss surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Traviss household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Traviss is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Traviss is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Traviss falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Traviss

The surname Traviss has its origins in England, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "travers," meaning "across" or "to cross over." This suggests that the name may have originally been given to someone who lived near a ford or crossing point over a river or stream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Traviss can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where a Robert Travers is mentioned. The Pipe Rolls were a record of financial transactions related to the English Crown, indicating that individuals with this name held a certain level of prominence or status at the time.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Travers, Travis, and Traviss, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings during that era. One notable example from this period is Sir John Travers, a knight who fought alongside King Edward I in the Scottish Wars of Independence in the late 13th century.

The Traviss name has also been linked to several place names in England, such as Travers in Dorset and Travers Farm in Essex. These places may have been named after early bearers of the surname or vice versa, further underscoring the connection between the name and geographic locations.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, several notable individuals with the surname Traviss emerged. One such figure was Thomas Traviss (c. 1540-1614), an English soldier and explorer who served under Sir Walter Raleigh and participated in the early colonization efforts in Virginia.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Richard Traviss (1610-1669), a Puritan minister and author who played a significant role in the religious turmoil of the English Civil War period. His writings and sermons were widely read and influential during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, the name Traviss gained further recognition with the birth of Samuel Traviss (1722-1799), a renowned English landscape painter whose works captured the beauty of the English countryside and were highly sought after by aristocratic patrons.

Moving into the 19th century, one cannot overlook the contribution of Elizabeth Traviss (1832-1901), a pioneering educator and activist who fought for women's rights and educational opportunities for girls in Victorian-era England.

Throughout its long history, the surname Traviss has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including soldiers, clergymen, artists, and activists, each leaving their mark on the annals of history in their own unique way.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Traviss families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Traviss 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 43 Traviss' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.49x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 43 5.49x
Nottinghamshire 8 7.51x
Lincolnshire 7 5.54x
Surrey 7 1.82x
Cheshire 5 2.87x
Middlesex 4 0.51x
Berkshire 2 3.37x
Flintshire 2 9.42x
Hampshire 2 1.24x
Lancashire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Doncaster in Yorkshire leads with 15 Traviss' recorded in 1881 and an index of 262.24x.

Place Total Index
Doncaster 15 262.24x
Barnsley 8 99.13x
Nottingham St Mary 8 29.05x
Scunthorpe 7 1228.07x
Chelford 5 6250.00x
Rotherham 5 113.38x
Austerfield 4 4444.44x
Lambeth 4 5.81x
Wentworth 4 833.33x
Frimley 3 272.73x
Aldershot 2 36.90x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 12.56x
Fulham London 2 17.45x
Nether Hallam 2 18.89x
Reading St Mary 2 42.11x
Rhuddlan 2 106.95x
Gisburn 1 714.29x
Knottingley 1 72.46x
Radcliffe 1 22.12x
Teddington London 1 55.87x
Thornhill 1 43.86x
Willesden 1 13.42x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 6
John 5
George 4
James 3
Charles 2
Edwin 1
Elizabeth 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
J.J. 1
Joe 1
Joseph 1
Newton 1
Owen 1
Richard 1
Stephen 1
Thomas 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Traviss surname: questions and answers

How common was the Traviss surname in 1881?

In 1881, 81 people were recorded with the Traviss surname. That placed it at #22,082 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Traviss surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 113 in 2016. That gives Traviss a modern rank of #28,691.

What does the Traviss surname mean?

English surname derived from the Old French word for "travail" meaning labor or hard work.

What does the Traviss map show?

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