NameCensus.

UK surname

Valentine

A surname derived from the Latin name Valentinus, meaning "healthy, strong, or powerful."

In the 1881 census there were 3,845 people recorded with the Valentine surname, ranking it #1,187 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,317, ranked #1,067, up from #1,187 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ruabon, London parishes and Eccles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wrexham and Montrose South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Valentine is 6,349 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 64.3%.

1881 census count

3,845

Ranked #1,187

Modern count

6,317

2016, ranked #1,067

Peak year

2014

6,349 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Valentine had 3,845 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,187 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,317 in 2016, ranked #1,067.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,650 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Valentine surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Valentine surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Valentine 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 2,351 #1,267
1861 historical 2,375 #1,238
1881 historical 3,845 #1,187
1891 historical 3,975 #1,207
1901 historical 4,650 #1,216
1911 historical 4,131 #1,249
1997 modern 5,696 #1,145
1998 modern 5,988 #1,134
1999 modern 5,994 #1,140
2000 modern 5,988 #1,133
2001 modern 5,876 #1,131
2002 modern 6,096 #1,115
2003 modern 5,962 #1,110
2004 modern 5,937 #1,116
2005 modern 5,866 #1,113
2006 modern 5,823 #1,122
2007 modern 5,886 #1,120
2008 modern 5,940 #1,117
2009 modern 6,150 #1,109
2010 modern 6,285 #1,107
2011 modern 6,163 #1,111
2012 modern 6,137 #1,094
2013 modern 6,311 #1,082
2014 modern 6,349 #1,078
2015 modern 6,329 #1,069
2016 modern 6,317 #1,067

Geography

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Where Valentines are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ruabon, London parishes, Eccles, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wrexham and Montrose South. 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 Ruabon Denbighshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Eccles Lancashire
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wrexham 015 Wrexham
2 Wrexham 013 Wrexham
3 Wrexham 017 Wrexham
4 Montrose South Angus
5 Wrexham 014 Wrexham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Valentine

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Valentine

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Valentine surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Valentine household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Valentine is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Valentine 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

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

Meaning and origin of Valentine

The surname Valentine is of Latin origin, derived from the Roman name Valentinus, which itself comes from the Latin word "valens" meaning "strong" or "healthy". The name was particularly popular during the Roman Empire and the early Christian era, likely due to the veneration of St. Valentine, a 3rd-century Christian martyr.

In England, the surname Valentine can be traced back to the Norman Conquest of 1066, when many Norman families with the name settled in various parts of the country. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists a landowner named Richard Valentine in Hertfordshire.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Valentine was particularly prevalent in the counties of Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk, where several notable families bearing the name held lands and estates. One of the earliest recorded examples is that of Sir John Valentine, a prominent landowner in Suffolk who lived in the late 13th century.

In the 16th century, the Valentine family established themselves as prominent merchants and traders in the city of London. One of the most notable members of this family was Benjamin Valentine (c. 1570-1652), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist who served as an alderman and sheriff of London.

Another notable figure was Richard Valentine (1585-1661), an English lawyer and member of Parliament who played a significant role in the English Civil War. He was a staunch Royalist and served as a judge during the Commonwealth period.

In the 17th century, the surname Valentine gained further prominence with the birth of Thomas Valentine (1617-1679), an English clergyman and author who served as the vicar of Whittington in Derbyshire. He is best known for his work "The Spiritual Guide", a popular devotional book of the time.

Across the Atlantic, the Valentine surname can be found among early settlers in colonial America. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of John Valentine, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 and became a prominent landowner and planter in the colony.

Throughout its history, the surname Valentine has been associated with various notable individuals, including the English poet and playwright Robert Valentine (1671-1747), the American Revolutionary War soldier Joseph Valentine (1741-1811), and the British mathematician and mathematician George Valentine (1810-1884).

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Valentine families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Valentine 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. Lancashire leads with 1,064 Valentines recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.39x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,064 2.39x
Angus 424 12.22x
Middlesex 363 0.97x
Surrey 217 1.19x
Aberdeenshire 147 4.24x
Northamptonshire 143 4.06x
Yorkshire 130 0.35x
Kincardineshire 123 26.96x
Essex 122 1.65x
Bedfordshire 114 5.88x
Kent 90 0.70x
Hertfordshire 75 2.90x
Denbighshire 64 4.52x
Cheshire 62 0.75x
Devon 51 0.65x
Norfolk 44 0.76x
Somerset 44 0.73x
Lanarkshire 43 0.35x
Durham 37 0.33x
Staffordshire 36 0.28x
Northumberland 33 0.59x
Perthshire 31 1.84x
Derbyshire 30 0.51x
Midlothian 29 0.58x
Warwickshire 25 0.26x
Buckinghamshire 24 1.06x
Gloucestershire 23 0.31x
Dunbartonshire 22 2.19x
Sussex 21 0.33x
Hampshire 20 0.26x
Nottinghamshire 20 0.40x
Leicestershire 18 0.43x
Fife 16 0.72x
Huntingdonshire 14 1.88x
Shropshire 12 0.37x
Worcestershire 12 0.25x
Banffshire 11 1.42x
Cumberland 10 0.31x
Glamorgan 10 0.15x
Stirlingshire 10 0.72x
Ayrshire 8 0.29x
Cambridgeshire 7 0.30x
Royal Navy 6 1.34x
Selkirkshire 5 1.48x
Westmorland 4 0.49x
Isle of Man 3 0.43x
Oxfordshire 3 0.13x
Berkshire 2 0.07x
Dorset 2 0.08x
Lincolnshire 2 0.03x
Renfrewshire 2 0.07x
Berwickshire 1 0.22x
Caithness 1 0.20x
Cornwall 1 0.02x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.12x
Flintshire 1 0.10x
Herefordshire 1 0.07x
Inverness-shire 1 0.09x
Monmouthshire 1 0.04x
Ross-shire 1 0.10x
Suffolk 1 0.02x
Wigtownshire 1 0.20x
Wiltshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 96 Valentines recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.41x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 96 7.41x
Montrose 84 39.94x
Lambeth 75 2.30x
Blackrod 66 119.48x
Hulme 66 7.11x
Liff Benvie 66 12.53x
Barton Upon Irwell 65 19.43x
Pendleton In Salford 55 10.39x
Ruabon 51 26.21x
Aberdeen Old Machar 46 6.35x
Manchester 45 2.25x
Mile End Old Town 45 7.61x
Salford 45 3.44x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 44 34.39x
Islington London 37 1.02x
Brechin 35 25.66x
Battersea 33 2.39x
Arbroath 32 27.83x
Hatfield 32 61.14x
Standish With Langtree 30 54.80x
Gorton 29 6.94x
St Vigeans 28 14.95x
Harrold 27 205.64x
St Pancras London 27 0.90x
Stoke Bruern 27 250.46x
Stretford 27 11.04x
Bedford St Paul 26 19.54x
Fetteresso 26 36.37x
Bow London 25 5.24x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 25 1.24x
Fettercairn 25 128.87x
Inverurie 25 63.71x
Ecclesall Bierlow 24 3.18x
Toxteth Park 24 1.59x
Fordoun 23 90.02x
Horwich 23 47.44x
Kirriemuir 23 26.86x
West Derby 23 1.77x
Barony 20 0.65x
Bethnal Green London 20 1.23x
Hitchin 20 17.16x
Camberwell 19 0.79x
Hackney London 18 0.86x
St Marylebone London 18 0.90x
Dukinfield 17 4.45x
Eccleston In Prescot 17 7.62x
Lewisham 17 2.49x
Liverpool 17 0.63x
Paddington London 17 1.23x
Worsley 17 6.20x
Ardwick 16 3.99x
Eversholt 16 162.44x
Hammersmith London 16 1.73x
Bickerstaffe 15 51.56x
Inverkeillor 15 69.70x
Preston 15 1.26x
Dorking 14 11.42x
Newton 14 4.09x
Sheffield 14 1.18x
Skelmersdale 14 18.90x
Stoke Upon Trent 14 1.04x
West Ham 14 0.86x
Banchory Devenick 13 30.51x
Bridgewater 13 7.94x
Govan 13 0.43x
Hemyock 13 111.78x
Little Bolton 13 2.27x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 12 1.85x
Ashton Under Lyne 12 1.24x
Cowpen 12 9.35x
Hatfield Peverel 12 75.19x
Kings Norton 12 2.74x
Radcliffe 12 5.60x
Rainham 12 74.58x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 12 22.63x
Tonge With Haulgh 12 13.87x
Ashton In Makerfield 11 8.69x
Boreham 11 86.21x
Cheetham 11 3.32x
Tarbock 11 136.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 185
Elizabeth 127
Sarah 122
Ann 75
Jane 61
Ellen 59
Alice 55
Margaret 53
Emma 41
Emily 39
Annie 36
Hannah 30
Martha 30
Eliza 28
Louisa 21
Florence 19
Harriet 19
Catherine 17
Caroline 16
Julia 16
Ada 15
Agnes 15
Clara 12
Susan 12
Charlotte 11
Maria 11
Isabella 9
Kate 9
Lucy 9
Rebecca 9
Edith 8
Elizth. 8
Sophia 8
Esther 7
Fanny 7
Jessie 7
Frances 6
Lydia 6
Matilda 6
Minnie 6
Nancy 6
Rachel 6
Ruth 6
Susannah 6
Amy 5
Barbara 5
Harriett 5
Nellie 5
Selina 5
Bridget 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 188
William 182
James 112
Thomas 106
George 79
Joseph 65
Henry 62
Charles 43
Robert 37
Alfred 33
Edward 29
Richard 28
Frederick 25
Arthur 24
Peter 17
David 16
Harry 16
Samuel 16
Thos. 16
Walter 16
Herbert 15
Albert 14
Isaac 12
Ernest 10
Sidney 9
Wm. 9
Edwin 8
Frank 8
Stephen 6
Abraham 5
Edmund 5
Fredk. 5
Percy 5
Tom 5
Andrew 4
Benjamin 4
Chas. 4
Daniel 4
Edgar 4
Francis 4
Frederic 4
Ralph 4
Alexander 3
Ellis 3
Emanuel 3
Fred 3
Jas. 3
Matthew 3
Michael 3
Moses 3

FAQ

Valentine surname: questions and answers

How common was the Valentine surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,845 people were recorded with the Valentine surname. That placed it at #1,187 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Valentine surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,317 in 2016. That gives Valentine a modern rank of #1,067.

What does the Valentine surname mean?

A surname derived from the Latin name Valentinus, meaning "healthy, strong, or powerful."

What does the Valentine map show?

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