NameCensus.

UK surname

Vallance

An English locational surname derived from a place name referring to a valley or dale.

In the 1881 census there were 1,354 people recorded with the Vallance surname, ranking it #3,025 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,257, ranked #2,878, up from #3,025 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Old Cumnock, Silkstone and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Teignbridge, West Devon and Amber Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Vallance is 2,271 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 66.7%.

1881 census count

1,354

Ranked #3,025

Modern count

2,257

2016, ranked #2,878

Peak year

2014

2,271 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Vallance had 1,354 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,025 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,257 in 2016, ranked #2,878.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,904 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Vallance surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Vallance surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Vallance 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 864 #3,153
1861 historical 936 #2,959
1881 historical 1,354 #3,025
1891 historical 1,619 #2,761
1901 historical 1,904 #2,775
1911 historical 1,418 #3,403
1997 modern 2,139 #2,888
1998 modern 2,251 #2,862
1999 modern 2,232 #2,904
2000 modern 2,233 #2,887
2001 modern 2,190 #2,880
2002 modern 2,251 #2,870
2003 modern 2,189 #2,875
2004 modern 2,196 #2,870
2005 modern 2,168 #2,870
2006 modern 2,130 #2,914
2007 modern 2,128 #2,945
2008 modern 2,161 #2,929
2009 modern 2,202 #2,950
2010 modern 2,259 #2,941
2011 modern 2,245 #2,927
2012 modern 2,196 #2,918
2013 modern 2,245 #2,914
2014 modern 2,271 #2,902
2015 modern 2,246 #2,902
2016 modern 2,257 #2,878

Geography

Back to top

Where Vallances are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Old Cumnock, Silkstone, London parishes, Edinburgh and Muirkirk. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Teignbridge, West Devon, Amber Valley and IZ12. 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 Old Cumnock Ayr
2 Silkstone Yorkshire, West Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Muirkirk Ayr

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Teignbridge 017 Teignbridge
2 West Devon 001 West Devon
3 West Devon 002 West Devon
4 Amber Valley 015 Amber Valley
5 IZ12 West Dunbartonshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Vallance

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Vallance

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Vallance, 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 Vallance surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Vallance 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, Vallance 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

Vallance is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Vallance

The surname Vallance has its origins in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the Old French word 'valance', meaning 'valley'. This suggests that the name originated from someone who lived near a valley or originated from a place name containing the word 'valley'.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which list a person named Vallance de Wyteley. The Hundredorum Rolls were a survey of landowners in England, conducted during the reign of King Edward I.

Another early reference to the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1297, where a person named William Vallance is mentioned. The Pipe Rolls were financial records maintained by the Exchequer, which documented the collection of taxes and other revenues.

In the 14th century, the name was also recorded in Yorkshire, where a William Vallance is listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379. This document was a census-like record of individuals required to pay a tax levied by King Richard II.

One notable bearer of the Vallance surname was John Vallance, a Scottish merchant who lived in the 16th century. He was a prominent figure in the trading community of Edinburgh and served as a Bailie (chief magistrate) of the city in 1588.

Another individual of note is Thomas Vallance, an English clergyman who lived in the 17th century. He was appointed as the Vicar of Rochdale, Lancashire in 1659 and served in this role until his death in 1679.

In the 18th century, the Vallance name can be found in various parish records and historical documents across England. One notable example is William Vallance, a clockmaker from London who was active in the early 1700s.

Moving into the 19th century, the name gained prominence in the literary world with Benjamin Vallance, an English writer and journalist. He was born in 1826 and is known for his works on literature and art criticism.

Another notable figure from this era is John Vallance, a Scottish painter born in 1770. He is renowned for his landscapes and portraits, and his works can be found in various art collections in Scotland and England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Vallance families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Vallance 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. Ayrshire leads with 158 Vallances recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.03x.

County Total Index
Ayrshire 158 16.03x
Devon 124 4.52x
Lanarkshire 123 2.89x
Middlesex 116 0.88x
Nottinghamshire 95 5.35x
Midlothian 92 5.21x
Derbyshire 62 3.01x
Yorkshire 56 0.43x
Surrey 45 0.70x
Dorset 44 5.09x
Kent 44 0.98x
Sussex 39 1.76x
Lancashire 35 0.22x
Somerset 35 1.65x
Dunbartonshire 30 8.48x
Staffordshire 30 0.67x
Warwickshire 28 0.84x
Renfrewshire 24 2.35x
Roxburghshire 23 9.64x
Fife 22 2.82x
Leicestershire 20 1.37x
Hampshire 13 0.48x
Durham 11 0.28x
Cornwall 8 0.54x
Dumfriesshire 7 2.41x
Essex 7 0.27x
Northumberland 7 0.36x
Clackmannanshire 6 5.52x
Glamorgan 5 0.22x
Worcestershire 5 0.29x
Cheshire 4 0.14x
Norfolk 4 0.20x
Peeblesshire 4 6.46x
Bedfordshire 3 0.44x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.56x
Hertfordshire 3 0.33x
Angus 2 0.16x
Buteshire 2 2.51x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 1.05x
Stirlingshire 2 0.41x
Argyllshire 1 0.27x
Channel Islands 1 0.26x
East Lothian 1 0.57x
Gloucestershire 1 0.04x
Herefordshire 1 0.19x
Lincolnshire 1 0.05x
Westmorland 1 0.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 62 Vallances recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.74x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 62 8.74x
Mansfield 40 65.13x
Barony 38 3.53x
Barnsley 35 26.00x
Glasgow 33 4.36x
Old Cumnock 33 150.41x
Kingsteignton 28 367.45x
Muirkirk 28 121.00x
Weymouth 28 171.04x
Islington London 22 1.72x
Dumbarton 19 38.57x
Nottingham St Mary 18 3.92x
Hennock 17 488.51x
Ordsall 17 125.09x
Bermondsey 15 3.83x
Govan 15 1.42x
St Pancras London 13 1.23x
Stoke Golding 13 524.19x
Bromley London 12 4.14x
Fulham London 12 6.28x
Tarbolton 12 73.98x
Bath St James 11 49.75x
Hawick 11 20.60x
Riccarton 11 73.97x
Row 11 24.03x
South Leith 11 5.54x
Stevenston 11 42.82x
Ashbury 10 4545.45x
Brighton 10 2.23x
Burntisland 10 45.87x
Chudleigh 10 114.81x
Gateshead 10 3.41x
Mile End Old Town 10 4.81x
New Cumnock 10 58.51x
Northlew 10 291.55x
Wilnecote 10 105.04x
Bedminster 9 4.52x
Hamilton 9 7.58x
Slaugham 9 125.35x
Smailholm 9 447.76x
Worth 9 55.83x
Battersea 8 1.65x
Cannock 8 10.31x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 3.22x
Galston 8 29.68x
Kilmaurs 8 47.70x
Leamington Priors 8 9.79x
Newton On Ayr 8 27.10x
Plumstead 8 5.34x
Wiveliscombe 8 67.74x
Auckinleck 7 22.94x
Belper 7 17.51x
Buckland Filleigh 7 823.53x
Carluke 7 18.10x
Church Gresley 7 21.34x
Eckington 7 13.97x
Edinburgh St Marys 7 20.41x
Kirkcaldy 7 18.11x
Newington 7 1.44x
Stonehouse 7 48.44x
Abbotsbury 6 136.05x
Burton Upon Trent 6 5.77x
Cadder 6 19.07x
Dover St Mary Virgin 6 13.80x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 6 14.38x
Elswick 6 3.84x
Harborne 6 4.21x
Hatherleigh 6 87.98x
Lynsted 6 103.09x
Paignton 6 28.76x
Paisley Middle Church 6 10.10x
Ripley 6 23.54x
St Luke London 6 2.84x
Tillicoultry 6 24.80x
West Ham 6 1.05x
Wolverhampton 6 1.76x
York St Mary 6 11.10x
Hove 5 5.13x
Ibstock 5 47.13x
St Leonards 5 143.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 59
Elizabeth 30
Sarah 26
Ellen 20
Ann 19
Eliza 17
Jane 12
Emma 11
Annie 10
Charlotte 9
Ada 8
Alice 8
Emily 8
Hannah 8
Anne 7
Clara 7
Margaret 7
Susan 7
Agnes 6
Florence 6
Harriet 6
Maria 6
Catherine 4
Edith 4
Harriett 4
Kate 4
Louisa 4
Martha 4
Rose 4
Eleanor 3
Fanny 3
Isabella 3
Jessie 3
Lucy 3
Maud 3
Rhoda 3
Bessie 2
Betsy 2
Elizth. 2
Esther 2
Frances 2
Julia 2
Kitty 2
Lydia 2
Maggie 2
Nellie 2
Rosa 2
Selina 2
Sophia 2
Ulrica 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 75
John 44
George 35
Thomas 28
James 25
Charles 20
Henry 14
Arthur 12
Edward 11
Robert 11
Frederick 10
Joseph 10
Alfred 8
David 7
Samuel 7
Walter 7
Andrew 6
Richard 5
Albert 4
Ebenezer 4
Ernest 4
Edmund 3
Matthew 3
Chas. 2
Christepher 2
Daniel 2
Frank 2
Harry 2
Hugh 2
Phillip 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Wilfred 2
Wm. 2
Allen 1
Bertie 1
Charels 1
Derwent 1
Earnest 1
Edd. 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Jessie 1
Jim 1
Job 1
Joe 1
Lewis 1
Lionel 1
Louis 1
Mark 1

FAQ

Vallance surname: questions and answers

How common was the Vallance surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,354 people were recorded with the Vallance surname. That placed it at #3,025 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Vallance surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,257 in 2016. That gives Vallance a modern rank of #2,878.

What does the Vallance surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place name referring to a valley or dale.

What does the Vallance map show?

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