NameCensus.

UK surname

Urban

Derived from a place name or a topographic name for someone who lived in a city or town.

In the 1881 census there were 42 people recorded with the Urban surname, ranking it #27,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 654, ranked #8,139, up from #27,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newport and Wormit, Reading and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Urban is 654 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1457.1%.

1881 census count

42

Ranked #27,721

Modern count

654

2016, ranked #8,139

Peak year

2016

654 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Urban had 42 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 654 in 2016, ranked #8,139.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 72 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Urban surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Urban surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Urban 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 1 #33,412
1861 historical 27 #30,543
1881 historical 42 #27,721
1891 historical 53 #29,946
1901 historical 66 #26,794
1911 historical 72 #25,642
1997 modern 270 #14,515
1998 modern 286 #14,318
1999 modern 303 #13,873
2000 modern 312 #13,561
2001 modern 295 #13,867
2002 modern 285 #14,483
2003 modern 291 #14,100
2004 modern 306 #13,720
2005 modern 322 #13,175
2006 modern 366 #12,042
2007 modern 404 #11,290
2008 modern 444 #10,535
2009 modern 463 #10,428
2010 modern 526 #9,684
2011 modern 546 #9,322
2012 modern 588 #8,735
2013 modern 602 #8,728
2014 modern 648 #8,274
2015 modern 637 #8,326
2016 modern 654 #8,139

Geography

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Where Urbans 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 Newport and Wormit, Reading, Sunderland, Redcar and Cleveland and Roslin and Bilston. 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 Newport and Wormit Fife
2 Reading 011 Reading
3 Sunderland 016 Sunderland
4 Redcar and Cleveland 016 Redcar and Cleveland
5 Roslin and Bilston Midlothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Urban

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Urban

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Urban surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Urban household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Urban 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

Urban is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Urban falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Urban 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Urban

The surname Urban is of German origin and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Latin word "urbanus," meaning "of the city" or "courteous and polished." The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who lived in a town or city, or who displayed urban manners and sophistication.

The earliest recorded instances of the name appear in medieval German records and manuscripts. In the 13th century, the name was mentioned in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of documents related to the history of Saxony. The name was also found in the Bairische Stammtafeln, a genealogical record of Bavarian families from the 14th century.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Henricus Urban, a German cleric who lived in the 13th century and served as the Bishop of Bamberg from 1242 to 1245. Another notable figure was Urban Wyss (c. 1420-1499), a Swiss scholar and humanist who taught at the University of Basel.

In the 16th century, the name was associated with several notable individuals, including Urban Rhegius (1489-1541), a German Lutheran reformer and theologian, and Urban of Gellhausen (c. 1540-1616), a German Catholic priest and composer.

During the 17th century, the name gained prominence in various parts of Europe. One notable bearer was Urban Hiärne (1641-1722), a Swedish naturalist and physician who made significant contributions to the study of anatomy and zoology. Another was Urban Grandier (1590-1634), a French Catholic priest who was famously accused and executed for witchcraft.

In the 18th century, the name was associated with several notable figures in the arts and sciences. Urban Jarnac (1742-1813) was a French architect who designed several notable buildings in Paris, while Urban Bruun Aaskow (1742-1806) was a Danish naval officer and cartographer who produced many important maritime charts.

As the name spread across Europe and beyond, it continued to be borne by individuals of note. In the 19th century, Urban Le Verrier (1811-1877) was a French mathematician and astronomer who is credited with predicting the existence of the planet Neptune based on mathematical calculations. Urban Oettinger (1823-1866) was a German painter and illustrator known for his landscapes and genre scenes.

These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals who have borne the surname Urban throughout history. The name has endured for centuries and continues to be carried by people of diverse backgrounds and accomplishments.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Urban families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Urban 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. Middlesex leads with 14 Urbans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.34x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 14 3.34x
Surrey 12 5.87x
Sussex 9 12.73x
Durham 5 4.01x
Channel Islands 1 8.05x
Essex 1 1.21x
Kent 1 0.70x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shoreditch London in Middlesex leads with 9 Urbans recorded in 1881 and an index of 49.53x.

Place Total Index
Shoreditch London 9 49.53x
Bolney 8 7272.73x
Bramley 5 2777.78x
Crossgate 5 909.09x
Godalming 4 310.08x
St Luke London 4 59.52x
Newington 3 19.37x
Aldington 1 1000.00x
Colchester St Giles 1 121.95x
Midhurst 1 434.78x
St Helier 1 24.75x
Stoke Newington London 1 30.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Charlotte 3
Mary 3
Anna 2
Annie 2
Meta 2
Alice 1
Ann 1
Caroline 1
Edith 1
Emma 1
Gertrude 1
Jane 1
Rosa 1
Rosetta 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 3
Albert 2
George 2
John 2
William 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Chas. 1
James 1
Jas.T. 1
Johanne 1
Richard 1
Theodor 1
Thomas 1
Walter 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 Urban households.

FAQ

Urban surname: questions and answers

How common was the Urban surname in 1881?

In 1881, 42 people were recorded with the Urban surname. That placed it at #27,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Urban surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 654 in 2016. That gives Urban a modern rank of #8,139.

What does the Urban surname mean?

Derived from a place name or a topographic name for someone who lived in a city or town.

What does the Urban map show?

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