NameCensus.

UK surname

Tremble

A surname derived from the Old French word "trembler," indicating ancestors who exhibited trembling or shaking.

In the 1881 census there were 293 people recorded with the Tremble surname, ranking it #9,884 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 380, ranked #12,346, down from #9,884 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Earsdon, Penrith and Wetheral. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale and Irvine Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tremble is 402 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.7%.

1881 census count

293

Ranked #9,884

Modern count

380

2016, ranked #12,346

Peak year

1901

402 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tremble had 293 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,884 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 380 in 2016, ranked #12,346.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 402 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Tremble surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tremble surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tremble 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 169 #11,832
1861 historical 137 #16,465
1881 historical 293 #9,884
1891 historical 302 #11,058
1901 historical 402 #9,463
1911 historical 381 #9,635
1997 modern 376 #11,533
1998 modern 384 #11,727
1999 modern 382 #11,843
2000 modern 399 #11,422
2001 modern 382 #11,606
2002 modern 375 #12,018
2003 modern 370 #11,919
2004 modern 370 #11,936
2005 modern 377 #11,714
2006 modern 375 #11,796
2007 modern 373 #12,005
2008 modern 378 #11,993
2009 modern 379 #12,224
2010 modern 386 #12,330
2011 modern 388 #12,121
2012 modern 375 #12,292
2013 modern 382 #12,337
2014 modern 392 #12,192
2015 modern 387 #12,218
2016 modern 380 #12,346

Geography

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Where Trembles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Earsdon, Penrith, Wetheral, West Ham,Wanstead and Carlisle St Mary, Eaglesfield Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale and Irvine Central. 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 Earsdon Northumberland
2 Penrith Cumberland
3 Wetheral Cumberland
4 West Ham,Wanstead Essex
5 Carlisle St Mary, Eaglesfield Abbey Cumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 004 Allerdale
2 Allerdale 005 Allerdale
3 Allerdale 012 Allerdale
4 Irvine Central North Ayrshire
5 Allerdale 009 Allerdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tremble

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tremble

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Tremble surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Tremble household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Tremble is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tremble 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

Tremble 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 Tremble is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Tremble

The surname Tremble originated in England in the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "trembler", which means "to tremble". This suggests the name may have initially referred to someone with a nervous disposition or a physical tremor.

The name first appeared in historical records in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a John Tremblay was listed in Oxfordshire. Another early record is the Placita de Quo Warranto of 1292, which mentions a Adam le Tremelur in Essex.

By the 14th century, the name had taken on various spellings, including Tremblor, Tremeler, and Trembelur. These variations reflect the name's Norman origins and the changing spelling conventions of the time.

One notable early bearer of the name was Sir Walter Tremble, a knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War under King Edward III in the mid-14th century. He is mentioned in the Gesta Henrici Quinti, a chronicle of the life of King Henry V, for his actions at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.

Another significant figure was Sir John Tremble, a member of Parliament and Lord Mayor of London in the late 16th century. He was instrumental in the establishment of several charitable institutions in the city.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Tremble family settled in the village of Trembletown, near Steyning in Sussex. The village's name likely derived from the family, suggesting their long-standing presence in the area.

Other notable individuals include William Tremble (1584-1643), a Puritan minister and author of several religious works, and Thomas Tremble (1638-1697), a prominent English lawyer and judge who served as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas.

The surname Tremble has also been associated with several place names throughout England, such as Tremblebatch in Shropshire and Trembletown in Sussex, further cementing its historical roots in the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tremble families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tremble 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. Cumberland leads with 137 Trembles recorded in 1881 and an index of 55.68x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 137 55.68x
Lancashire 35 1.03x
Northumberland 27 6.35x
Durham 26 3.06x
Middlesex 16 0.56x
Ayrshire 9 4.21x
Sussex 8 1.66x
Yorkshire 8 0.28x
Hampshire 6 1.02x
Lincolnshire 4 0.88x
Surrey 4 0.29x
Cornwall 3 0.93x
Essex 3 0.53x
Cheshire 2 0.32x
Westmorland 2 3.18x
Derbyshire 1 0.22x
Lanarkshire 1 0.11x
Norfolk 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Crosscanonby in Cumberland leads with 20 Trembles recorded in 1881 and an index of 245.70x.

Place Total Index
Crosscanonby 20 245.70x
Wetheral 15 460.12x
Preston Quarter 13 188.41x
Burnley 11 38.52x
Hetton Le Hole 11 102.14x
Aspatria 10 421.94x
Caldewgate 10 74.18x
St Mary Within 10 325.73x
Irvine 9 151.52x
Earsdon 8 231.21x
Penrith 8 88.01x
Above Derwent 7 769.23x
Hackney London 7 4.37x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 7 27.56x
St Cuthbert W O 7 58.38x
Hulme 6 8.47x
Newcastle On Tyne St 6 27.22x
Gosforth 5 416.67x
Halliwell 5 40.52x
Hastings St Leonards 5 70.62x
Knaresborough 5 112.36x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 5 89.45x
Newton Regny Catterlen 5 1785.71x
Over Darwen 5 18.46x
Papcastle 5 724.64x
Bermondsey 4 4.70x
Millbrook 4 27.12x
St George Bloomsbury 4 24.39x
Surfleet 4 421.05x
Westward 4 388.35x
Arlecdon 3 45.87x
Crook Billy Row 3 27.55x
Haswell 3 49.26x
Low Holme 3 215.83x
Morwenstow 3 379.75x
Parton 3 206.90x
West Ham 3 2.41x
Whitehaven 3 22.87x
Altrincham 2 18.15x
Dawdon 2 19.12x
Eastbourne 2 9.02x
Egremont 2 34.07x
Embleton 2 588.24x
Holbeck 2 10.66x
Liverpool 2 0.97x
Manchester 2 1.31x
Portsmouth 2 14.83x
South Shields 2 26.42x
Westminster St John 2 5.75x
Westoe 2 4.15x
Whitburn 2 101.01x
Brighton 1 1.03x
Bromley London 1 1.59x
Casterton 1 175.44x
Cleator 1 9.77x
Crich 1 34.25x
Crumpsall 1 12.52x
Haydock 1 17.12x
Heaton Norris 1 5.18x
Heigham 1 4.24x
Hesket In Forest 1 52.08x
Islington London 1 0.36x
Newton In Makerfield 1 9.63x
Preston In Tynemouth 1 59.88x
Preston Patrick 1 188.68x
Shotts 1 9.04x
Sledmere Cum Croom 1 204.08x
St George Hanover 1 2.68x
Stranton 1 3.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 24
Elizabeth 14
Margaret 14
Sarah 13
Jane 12
Ann 6
Martha 6
Annie 5
Eliza 3
Frances 3
Louisa 3
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Bessie 2
Charlotte 2
Christina 2
Dorothy 2
Edith 2
Kate 2
Susan 2
Barbara 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Dianna 1
Dora 1
Elizb. 1
Elizibth 1
Ellen 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Isa 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Margeret 1
Margret 1
Maria 1
Rachael 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 29
Joseph 17
William 16
James 11
Thomas 8
Robert 7
Benjamin 5
George 5
Henry 5
Edward 3
Peter 3
Robinson 3
Alexander 2
Isaac 2
Lot 2
Patrick 2
Peel 2
Alfred 1
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Carlile 1
Chamber 1
Charlie 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Hugh 1
Michael 1
Richard 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Tremble surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tremble surname in 1881?

In 1881, 293 people were recorded with the Tremble surname. That placed it at #9,884 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tremble surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 380 in 2016. That gives Tremble a modern rank of #12,346.

What does the Tremble surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old French word "trembler," indicating ancestors who exhibited trembling or shaking.

What does the Tremble map show?

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