UK surname
A French topographic surname meaning "from the marshes or wandering."
In the 1881 census there were 80 people recorded with the Vague surname, ranking it #22,225 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 67, ranked #33,884, down from #22,225 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Bodmin, Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) and Manaccan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Vague is 134 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 16.3%.
1881 census count
80
Ranked #22,225
Modern count
67
2016, ranked #33,884
Peak year
1911
134 bearers
Map years
3
1891 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Vague surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Vague surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 84 | #19,067 |
| 1861 | historical | 65 | #25,618 |
| 1881 | historical | 80 | #22,225 |
| 1891 | historical | 112 | #22,291 |
| 1901 | historical | 119 | #20,624 |
| 1911 | historical | 134 | #19,131 |
| 1997 | modern | 61 | #31,526 |
| 1998 | modern | 69 | #31,076 |
| 1999 | modern | 74 | #30,759 |
| 2000 | modern | 72 | #30,977 |
| 2001 | modern | 75 | #30,481 |
| 2002 | modern | 86 | #29,771 |
| 2003 | modern | 83 | #30,088 |
| 2004 | modern | 76 | #31,125 |
| 2005 | modern | 71 | #31,816 |
| 2006 | modern | 73 | #31,954 |
| 2007 | modern | 76 | #31,966 |
| 2008 | modern | 78 | #32,081 |
| 2009 | modern | 76 | #32,635 |
| 2010 | modern | 68 | #33,632 |
| 2011 | modern | 71 | #33,392 |
| 2012 | modern | 70 | #33,638 |
| 2013 | modern | 70 | #33,753 |
| 2014 | modern | 68 | #33,898 |
| 2015 | modern | 67 | #33,911 |
| 2016 | modern | 67 | #33,884 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Bodmin, Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841), Manaccan, Talland (incl. Looe Island) and Lanlivery. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bodmin | Cornwall |
| 2 | Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) | Devon |
| 3 | Manaccan | Cornwall |
| 4 | Talland (incl. Looe Island) | Cornwall |
| 5 | Lanlivery | Cornwall |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Vague surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Vague, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Vague surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Vague household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Vague is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Vague is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Vague, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname VAGUE is believed to have originated in France during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "vague," meaning "wandering" or "straying." This likely referred to someone who was a nomadic or itinerant worker, or perhaps someone who was considered somewhat aimless or unfocused.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name VAGUE can be found in the medieval Cartulaire de Notre-Dame de Chartres, a collection of charters and documents related to the Cathedral of Chartres, dating back to the 12th century. This suggests that the name may have originated in the region of Chartres, in northern France.
The VAGUE name can also be traced back to the region of Normandy, where it appears in several historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is Jean VAGUE, a Norman knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War and was mentioned in the Chronique de Froissart, a famous historical work written in the late 14th century.
In England, the VAGUE surname is likely derived from French immigrants who arrived after the Norman Conquest of 1066. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of William VAGUE, a landowner in Oxfordshire whose name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086.
As the centuries passed, the VAGUE name spread throughout France and into other parts of Europe. One notable bearer of the name was Pierre VAGUE (1619-1696), a French philosopher and mathematician who made significant contributions to the development of calculus and the study of probability.
Another historically significant figure with the VAGUE surname was Marie-Thérèse VAGUE (1778-1855), a French painter and portraitist who is known for her depictions of the French nobility and members of the Bonaparte family.
In the 19th century, the VAGUE name can be found in various places across Europe, including Germany, where Johann VAGUE (1823-1892) was a prominent chemist and inventor who developed several important industrial processes.
While the VAGUE surname is relatively uncommon today, it has a rich and varied history that spans multiple countries and centuries, with notable bearers in fields ranging from military service and philosophy to art and science.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Vague surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Cornwall leads with 74 Vagues recorded in 1881 and an index of 79.79x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Talland in Cornwall leads with 15 Vagues recorded in 1881 and an index of 6818.18x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Talland | 15 | 6818.18x |
| Bodmin | 9 | 588.24x |
| Lanlivery | 9 | 2307.69x |
| Manaccan | 9 | 9000.00x |
| Pelynt | 9 | 4736.84x |
| Lanivet | 8 | 2758.62x |
| Constantine | 6 | 1111.11x |
| Luxulyan | 4 | 1290.32x |
| Lanreath | 2 | 1250.00x |
| St Clement | 2 | 206.19x |
| St Peter Port | 2 | 44.54x |
| St Sampson | 2 | 183.49x |
| Stonehouse East | 2 | 229.89x |
| Brighton | 1 | 3.59x |
| Kensington London | 1 | 2.20x |
| Neath | 1 | 34.48x |
| St Anthony In Meneage | 1 | 1666.67x |
| St Martin In Fields | 1 | 20.41x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Vague surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Vague surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Vague households.
FAQ
In 1881, 80 people were recorded with the Vague surname. That placed it at #22,225 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 67 in 2016. That gives Vague a modern rank of #33,884.
A French topographic surname meaning "from the marshes or wandering."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Vague bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.