NameCensus.

UK surname

Turnham

A locational surname derived from a place named Turnham in England.

In the 1881 census there were 240 people recorded with the Turnham surname, ranking it #11,410 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 363, ranked #12,777, down from #11,410 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stoke Mandeville, Great and Little Hampden, Hartwell, Stone, Winslow and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Northamptonshire, Aylesbury Vale and Bromley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Turnham is 439 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.2%.

1881 census count

240

Ranked #11,410

Modern count

363

2016, ranked #12,777

Peak year

1999

439 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Turnham had 240 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,410 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 363 in 2016, ranked #12,777.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 418 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Turnham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Turnham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Turnham 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 121 #15,049
1861 historical 154 #14,963
1881 historical 240 #11,410
1891 historical 269 #12,060
1901 historical 339 #10,682
1911 historical 418 #9,006
1997 modern 404 #10,931
1998 modern 415 #11,061
1999 modern 439 #10,673
2000 modern 439 #10,650
2001 modern 418 #10,860
2002 modern 439 #10,656
2003 modern 429 #10,684
2004 modern 397 #11,345
2005 modern 370 #11,875
2006 modern 378 #11,714
2007 modern 377 #11,900
2008 modern 375 #12,059
2009 modern 363 #12,602
2010 modern 386 #12,330
2011 modern 373 #12,496
2012 modern 370 #12,417
2013 modern 372 #12,570
2014 modern 369 #12,745
2015 modern 365 #12,743
2016 modern 363 #12,777

Geography

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Where Turnhams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stoke Mandeville, Great and Little Hampden, Hartwell, Stone, Winslow, London parishes and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Northamptonshire, Aylesbury Vale, Bromley, Cornwall and Christchurch. 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 Mandeville, Great and Little Hampden, Hartwell, Stone Buckinghamshire
2 Winslow Buckinghamshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Northamptonshire 007 South Northamptonshire
2 Aylesbury Vale 018 Aylesbury Vale
3 Bromley 039 Bromley
4 Cornwall 012 Cornwall
5 Christchurch 005 Christchurch

Forenames

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First names often paired with Turnham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Turnham

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Turnham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Turnham household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Turnham 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

Turnham is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Turnham falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Turnham

The surname TURNHAM originated in England, with its earliest known roots dating back to the late 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "tun" meaning a village or settlement, and "ham" denoting a homestead or enclosure. The name likely referred to an individual or family residing in a hamlet or small village.

Records indicate that the earliest known spelling of the name was Turneham, as documented in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

The TURNHAM name is closely associated with the historic county of Kent in southeastern England, where several villages and hamlets bore similar names, such as Turneham and Turnham Green. It is believed that the surname originated from these specific locations, with families adopting the place name as their surname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the TURNHAM surname can be traced back to Robert de Turnham, who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Kent in 1189. These rolls were financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, documenting tax payments and other financial transactions.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1205, which recorded legal proceedings held before the King's Court. A certain William de Turnham was mentioned in these rolls, indicating the continued use and prominence of the surname during this period.

Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the TURNHAM surname. These include:

1. Sir John Turnham (born c. 1480, died 1551), an English politician and landowner who served as Sheriff of Kent in 1522. 2. Richard Turnham (born c. 1600, died 1668), a prominent merchant and member of the East India Company, who played a significant role in the spice trade between England and the East Indies. 3. Mary Turnham (born c. 1630, died 1695), a renowned Puritan author and poet, known for her religious works and devotional writings. 4. William Turnham (born 1784, died 1862), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812. 5. Margaret Turnham (born 1910, died 1998), a celebrated English artist and sculptor, renowned for her abstract and modernist works, which were exhibited in galleries across Europe and North America.

The TURNHAM surname has a rich history deeply rooted in the English countryside, with its origins dating back to the 11th century. While the name has evolved over time, it remains a testament to the enduring legacy of ancient place names and the families who once called those settlements home.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Turnham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Turnham 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. Buckinghamshire leads with 104 Turnhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 73.49x.

County Total Index
Buckinghamshire 104 73.49x
Middlesex 104 4.44x
Essex 13 2.81x
Surrey 8 0.70x
Bedfordshire 3 2.48x
Lancashire 2 0.07x
Derbyshire 1 0.27x
Hampshire 1 0.21x
Hertfordshire 1 0.62x
Lanarkshire 1 0.13x
Oxfordshire 1 0.69x
Yorkshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire leads with 66 Turnhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 1052.63x.

Place Total Index
Aylesbury 66 1052.63x
Islington London 24 10.58x
Stone 19 1727.27x
Kensington London 12 9.22x
St Marylebone London 12 9.60x
Clerkenwell London 10 18.10x
Paddington London 9 10.46x
Waltham Holy Cross 8 185.19x
Acton 7 51.02x
St George Bloomsbury 7 52.12x
Winslow 7 526.32x
Lambeth 6 2.94x
Wycombe 6 56.87x
Finchley 4 44.59x
Willesden 4 18.12x
Bethnal Green London 3 2.95x
Leighton Buzzard 3 57.58x
Mile End Old Town 3 8.12x
West Thurrock 3 194.81x
Buckingham 2 69.44x
Cheetham 2 9.65x
St Luke London 2 5.33x
St Pancras London 2 1.06x
West Ham 2 1.96x
Alverstoke 1 5.76x
Barony 1 0.52x
Bierton With Broughton 1 153.85x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 1 12.61x
Chelsea London 1 1.42x
Cheshunt 1 17.73x
Hampstead London 1 2.74x
Langley Marish 1 57.47x
Lee 1 1000.00x
Linslade 1 71.94x
Matlock 1 20.33x
Putney 1 9.37x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 2.12x
St Clement Danes 1 26.39x
St Giles In Fields 1 12.39x
Thame 1 38.02x
Tottenham 1 2.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 17
James 12
Henry 10
John 10
George 8
Thomas 8
Charles 6
Robert 5
Harry 4
Frederick 3
Joseph 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Edward 2
Elijah 2
Ernest 2
Herbert 2
Percy 2
A. 1
Alexander 1
Benjn. 1
Cecil 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Fredc. 1
Freddy 1
Fredk.W. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.K. 1
Henery 1
Hy. 1
Jas. 1
Philip 1
Seabright 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Turnham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Turnham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 240 people were recorded with the Turnham surname. That placed it at #11,410 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Turnham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 363 in 2016. That gives Turnham a modern rank of #12,777.

What does the Turnham surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place named Turnham in England.

What does the Turnham map show?

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