NameCensus.

UK surname

Turns

A surname derived from the Old French word "tourner," meaning "to turn" or "to twist."

In the 1881 census there were 23 people recorded with the Turns surname, ranking it #30,339 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 115, ranked #28,348, up from #30,339 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, South Hams and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Turns is 122 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 400.0%.

1881 census count

23

Ranked #30,339

Modern count

115

2016, ranked #28,348

Peak year

2014

122 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Turns had 23 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,339 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016, ranked #28,348.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 83 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Turns surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Turns surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Turns 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 25 #28,853
1861 historical 83 #23,189
1881 historical 23 #30,339
1891 historical 67 #28,424
1901 historical 77 #25,627
1911 historical 76 #25,221
1997 modern 93 #27,932
1998 modern 95 #28,303
1999 modern 98 #28,050
2000 modern 97 #28,142
2001 modern 95 #28,101
2002 modern 107 #26,849
2003 modern 106 #26,775
2004 modern 108 #26,741
2005 modern 107 #26,875
2006 modern 101 #28,125
2007 modern 111 #26,954
2008 modern 110 #27,391
2009 modern 113 #27,520
2010 modern 114 #28,017
2011 modern 118 #27,192
2012 modern 115 #27,717
2013 modern 121 #27,255
2014 modern 122 #27,358
2015 modern 119 #27,684
2016 modern 115 #28,348

Geography

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Where Turns' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, South Hams and Sunderland. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 017 County Durham
2 South Hams 012 South Hams
3 County Durham 016 County Durham
4 County Durham 018 County Durham
5 Sunderland 022 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Turns

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Turns

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Turns, 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 Turns surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Turns 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Turns 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

Turns is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Turns

The surname Turns is believed to have originated in England, with its roots tracing back to the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "terne," which means "lake" or "pool." This suggests that the name may have initially been a topographic surname, referring to someone who lived near a body of water.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1297, where a John de Ternes is mentioned. This spelling variation highlights the fluidity of surnames in their early stages, as they often evolved based on regional dialects and scribal interpretations.

The Turns surname has also been linked to various place names throughout England, such as Turnham Green in London and Turnworth in Dorset. It is possible that some individuals adopted the surname based on their association with these locations.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the Turns surname was Richard Turns, a merchant and alderman in the city of London. Records indicate that he was active in civic affairs and held various positions of authority within the city's governance during the 1360s.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Sir John Turns, a military commander who served under King Henry V during the Hundred Years' War. He is noted for his participation in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 and was knighted for his bravery on the battlefield.

During the Tudor period, a family of Turns resided in Gloucestershire, and their ancestry can be traced back to the 15th century. One member of this family, Thomas Turns (1520-1589), was a renowned scholar and theologian who served as the Archdeacon of Essex.

In the 17th century, the Turns surname appeared in various historical records, including the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1662, where several households bearing the name are listed across different counties in England.

Another notable figure was William Turns (1640-1718), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from London. He was instrumental in establishing several charitable organizations and endowed funds for the education of underprivileged children.

The Turns surname has also been associated with several prominent authors and intellectuals throughout history. One such individual was James Turns (1772-1842), an English writer and philosopher who authored several works on moral philosophy and political theory.

While the Turns surname may not be as widely recognized as some others, its history can be traced back to the medieval period in England, with various individuals bearing this name making significant contributions to various fields over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Turns families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Turns 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. Durham leads with 19 Turns' recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.46x.

County Total Index
Durham 19 28.46x
Essex 1 2.26x
Northumberland 1 3.00x
Staffordshire 1 1.32x
Sussex 1 2.64x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dawdon in Durham leads with 9 Turns' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1097.56x.

Place Total Index
Dawdon 9 1097.56x
Monkwearmouth Shore 7 538.46x
Sunderland 2 169.49x
Berwick Upon Tweed 1 140.85x
Eastbourne 1 57.47x
Monkwearmouth 1 156.25x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 12.45x
West Thurrock 1 666.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Isabella 2
Jane 2
Alice 1
Burbar 1
Ellen 1
Louisa 1
Mary 1
Matilda 1
Reocbba 1
Treasa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Benjiman 2
Daniel 2
Benjamin 1
Brodrick 1
David 1
Henry 1
Joseph 1
Ralph 1
Samuel 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Turns households.

FAQ

Turns surname: questions and answers

How common was the Turns surname in 1881?

In 1881, 23 people were recorded with the Turns surname. That placed it at #30,339 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Turns surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016. That gives Turns a modern rank of #28,348.

What does the Turns surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old French word "tourner," meaning "to turn" or "to twist."

What does the Turns map show?

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