NameCensus.

UK surname

Vance

Derived from Old English, referring to a person who lived near a fen or marsh.

In the 1881 census there were 571 people recorded with the Vance surname, ranking it #6,089 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,327, ranked #4,526, up from #6,089 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Manchester and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Machars South, Harthill and Salsburgh and Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Vance is 1,327 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 132.4%.

1881 census count

571

Ranked #6,089

Modern count

1,327

2016, ranked #4,526

Peak year

2016

1,327 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Vance had 571 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,089 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,327 in 2016, ranked #4,526.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 652 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Vance surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Vance surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Vance 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 243 #8,983
1861 historical 320 #7,960
1881 historical 571 #6,089
1891 historical 562 #6,758
1901 historical 652 #6,629
1911 historical 305 #11,307
1997 modern 1,114 #5,011
1998 modern 1,159 #5,023
1999 modern 1,158 #5,077
2000 modern 1,143 #5,096
2001 modern 1,125 #5,072
2002 modern 1,202 #4,896
2003 modern 1,212 #4,765
2004 modern 1,224 #4,728
2005 modern 1,228 #4,667
2006 modern 1,228 #4,678
2007 modern 1,246 #4,665
2008 modern 1,268 #4,607
2009 modern 1,257 #4,760
2010 modern 1,285 #4,747
2011 modern 1,292 #4,669
2012 modern 1,287 #4,614
2013 modern 1,292 #4,676
2014 modern 1,308 #4,649
2015 modern 1,323 #4,564
2016 modern 1,327 #4,526

Geography

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Where Vances are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Manchester, Glasgow, Paisley Abbey and Tarbolton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Machars South, Harthill and Salsburgh, Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields, Dalmilling and Medway. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Paisley Abbey Renfrew
5 Tarbolton Ayr

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Machars South Dumfries and Galloway
2 Harthill and Salsburgh North Lanarkshire
3 Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields South Ayrshire
4 Dalmilling South Ayrshire
5 Medway 001 Medway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Vance

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Vance

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

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Vance surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Vance household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Vance 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

Vance is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Vance falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Vance 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Vance

The surname Vance is of Norman-French origin and is derived from the Old French word "avanc," meaning "advancement" or "progress." It is believed to have originated in the 11th century during the Norman Conquest of England.

The name Vance is thought to have been first used as a descriptive surname, given to individuals who were considered progressive or ambitious in their pursuits. It may have been bestowed upon soldiers or nobles who distinguished themselves in battle or who advanced their status through their actions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Vance can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this document, the name appears as "de Avanc," indicating its Norman-French roots.

During the Middle Ages, the name Vance began to spread across various regions of England, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One such person was Sir Henry de Vance, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War in the 14th century.

In Scotland, the Vance family established itself in the Borders region, where they held lands and played a prominent role in local affairs. One of the earliest recorded Scottish Vances was John Vance, who was granted lands in Dumfriesshire in the 16th century.

Another notable figure with the surname Vance was Sir John Vance, an Irish soldier and landowner who served as Governor of Londonderry during the 17th century. His descendants would go on to become influential members of the Anglo-Irish gentry in Ulster.

In the United States, the Vance family has a long and distinguished history, with several prominent individuals bearing the name. One of the earliest was David Vance, a Revolutionary War soldier from Pennsylvania who fought at the Battle of Trenton in 1776.

Other notable Vances include Zebulon Baird Vance, who served as Governor of North Carolina during the American Civil War, and Cyrus Roberts Vance, who served as Secretary of State under President Jimmy Carter in the late 1970s.

Throughout its history, the surname Vance has been associated with a sense of ambition, progress, and advancement, reflecting its Norman-French roots and the accomplishments of those who have borne the name over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Vance families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Vance 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. Lanarkshire leads with 96 Vances recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.34x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 96 5.34x
Lancashire 71 1.08x
Ayrshire 70 16.82x
Renfrewshire 46 10.68x
Middlesex 43 0.77x
Yorkshire 35 0.64x
Midlothian 23 3.09x
Surrey 20 0.74x
Dunbartonshire 15 10.04x
Wigtownshire 15 20.32x
Worcestershire 14 1.93x
Clackmannanshire 12 26.13x
Cheshire 10 0.81x
Nottinghamshire 10 1.33x
Hampshire 9 0.79x
Kent 8 0.42x
Selkirkshire 7 13.92x
Angus 6 1.16x
Channel Islands 6 3.64x
Northumberland 5 0.60x
Stirlingshire 5 2.44x
Argyllshire 4 2.58x
Derbyshire 4 0.46x
Essex 4 0.36x
Glamorgan 4 0.41x
Gloucestershire 4 0.37x
Suffolk 4 0.59x
Durham 3 0.18x
Warwickshire 3 0.21x
Wiltshire 3 0.61x
Norfolk 2 0.23x
Staffordshire 2 0.11x
Anglesey 1 1.01x
Berkshire 1 0.24x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.30x
Dorset 1 0.27x
Leicestershire 1 0.16x
Royal Navy 1 1.51x
Sussex 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 38 Vances recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.90x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 38 11.90x
Tarbolton 31 452.55x
Barony 29 6.37x
Everton 18 8.56x
Abbey 16 24.33x
Hamilton 14 27.92x
Oldbury 14 39.19x
Coylton 13 220.34x
Alloa 12 53.88x
Liverpool 12 2.99x
Pendleton In Salford 11 13.99x
Stevenston 11 101.38x
Middlesbrough 10 13.94x
West Calder 10 68.12x
Whithorn 10 177.62x
Dumbarton 9 43.27x
Govan 9 2.02x
Shoreditch London 9 3.73x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 7 13.64x
Camberwell 7 1.97x
Dalry 7 35.75x
Kirkdale 7 6.31x
Newton 7 13.77x
Paisley High Church 7 20.40x
Paisley Low Church 7 51.32x
Paisley Middle Church 7 27.90x
Poplar London 7 6.67x
Dukinfield 6 10.58x
Edinburgh Old Church 6 100.33x
Lambeth 6 1.24x
Lewisham 6 5.93x
Liff Benvie 6 7.67x
Portsea 6 2.69x
St Anne Soho London 6 18.90x
Bonhill 5 20.84x
Eastwood 5 18.84x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 1.67x
Goole 5 54.17x
Hucknall Torkard 5 26.32x
Kensington London 5 1.62x
Melrose 5 39.49x
Mochrum 5 113.38x
Alnwick 4 28.13x
Ardrossan 4 27.78x
Bury St Edmunds St James 4 22.11x
Buxton 4 54.27x
Claughton With Grange 4 71.56x
Holy Trinity 4 3.02x
Lismore Appin 4 77.67x
Nottingham St Mary 4 2.06x
St George Bloomsbury 4 12.54x
St Helier 4 7.46x
Stirling 4 15.47x
Stoke Newington London 4 9.24x
Westhoughton 4 22.71x
Aston 3 0.78x
Blackburn 3 1.71x
Carnwath 3 26.98x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 2.86x
Croydon 3 1.99x
Ecclesall Bierlow 3 2.68x
Rawcliffe In Goole 3 95.54x
Stratton St Margaret 3 39.79x
West Ham 3 1.24x
Broughton In Salford 2 3.32x
Cardiff St John 2 6.33x
Cornforth 2 41.07x
Galashiels 2 10.75x
Leeds 2 0.64x
Rowley Regis 2 3.82x
St George Hanover 2 2.76x
St Peter Port 2 6.56x
St Quivox 2 14.21x
Wandsworth 2 3.74x
Acton 1 3.07x
Gorbals 1 9.37x
Hove 1 2.43x
Plumstead 1 1.58x
St Mary 1 27.17x
West Derby 1 0.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Elizabeth 12
Ellen 9
Margaret 8
Maria 7
Sarah 7
Ann 6
Alice 5
Annie 4
Emily 4
Georgina 4
Amelia 3
Catherine 3
Hannah 3
Anne 2
Beatrice 2
Edith 2
Harriet 2
Hilda 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Martha 2
Adelaide 1
Agnes 1
Amy 1
Anna 1
Arminella 1
Bella 1
Caroline 1
Christiana 1
E. 1
E.S. 1
Eleanor 1
Ella 1
Elvina 1
Emmeline 1
Eunice 1
F. 1
F.H. 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Harriett 1
Isabella 1
Julia 1
Kathleen 1
Louise 1
Lydia 1
Phoebe 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 22
John 20
James 12
Thomas 8
Alfred 5
Robert 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Edward 3
George 3
Patrick 3
Samuel 3
Cuthbert 2
David 2
Frederick 2
Joseph 2
Nathan 2
Richard 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Andrew 1
C.H. 1
Charle 1
Claude 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Emanuel 1
Eustace 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Henry 1
Hugh 1
Lionel 1
Mark 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Page 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Reginald 1
Robt. 1
Saml. 1
W. 1
Willm 1
Wm.K. 1

FAQ

Vance surname: questions and answers

How common was the Vance surname in 1881?

In 1881, 571 people were recorded with the Vance surname. That placed it at #6,089 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Vance surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,327 in 2016. That gives Vance a modern rank of #4,526.

What does the Vance surname mean?

Derived from Old English, referring to a person who lived near a fen or marsh.

What does the Vance map show?

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