NameCensus.

UK surname

Vicars

An ecclesiastical surname derived from the word "vicar," denoting a substitute or deputy for a clergyman.

In the 1881 census there were 521 people recorded with the Vicars surname, ranking it #6,556 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 158, ranked #22,904, down from #6,556 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rugby, St Bees and Clee. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Liverpool, Cornwall and Copeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Vicars is 521 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 69.7%.

1881 census count

521

Ranked #6,556

Modern count

158

2016, ranked #22,904

Peak year

1881

521 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Vicars had 521 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,556 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 158 in 2016, ranked #22,904.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 521 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Vicars surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Vicars surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Vicars 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 311 #7,413
1861 historical 335 #7,610
1881 historical 521 #6,556
1891 historical 422 #8,483
1901 historical 408 #9,358
1911 historical 296 #11,569
1997 modern 161 #20,176
1998 modern 164 #20,505
1999 modern 171 #20,072
2000 modern 178 #19,570
2001 modern 166 #20,129
2002 modern 158 #21,178
2003 modern 152 #21,486
2004 modern 164 #20,609
2005 modern 169 #20,153
2006 modern 157 #21,322
2007 modern 160 #21,296
2008 modern 161 #21,431
2009 modern 163 #21,715
2010 modern 152 #23,282
2011 modern 155 #22,790
2012 modern 156 #22,645
2013 modern 155 #23,108
2014 modern 158 #23,022
2015 modern 158 #22,913
2016 modern 158 #22,904

Geography

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Where Vicars' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rugby, St Bees, Clee, Toxteth Park and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Liverpool, Cornwall, Copeland, Havant and Blairgowrie West. 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 Rugby Warwickshire
2 St Bees Cumberland
3 Clee Lincolnshire
4 Toxteth Park Lancashire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Liverpool 028 Liverpool
2 Cornwall 070 Cornwall
3 Copeland 007 Copeland
4 Havant 006 Havant
5 Blairgowrie West Perth and Kinross

Forenames

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First names often paired with Vicars

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Vicars

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Vicars, 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 Vicars surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Vicars 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, Vicars 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

Vicars 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

Vicars falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Vicars is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Vicars

The surname Vicars is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "vicaire" which means a deputy or substitute. The name first emerged in the 12th century and referred to a person who acted as a deputy or representative of a higher-ranking official, such as a parish priest or a lord.

In medieval times, the Vicars name was commonly found in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and Yorkshire. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1190, where a certain "Willelmus Vicarius" is mentioned.

The Vicars surname also appears in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive record of landowners and tenants in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name had already established itself in the country by the 11th century.

Over the centuries, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Vicar, Vickers, and Vicars. Some notable individuals bearing this surname include John Vicars (1604-1652), an English writer and minister who was a staunch Puritan and author of the book "The Schismatical Puritan."

Another prominent figure was Thomas Vicars (1612-1697), an English theologian and scholar who served as a fellow at Queen's College, Oxford. He was known for his translations of ancient Greek works and his writings on theology.

In the 18th century, John Vicars (1709-1792) was an English landowner and member of parliament who represented the borough of Downton in Wiltshire. He was also a Justice of the Peace and served as High Sheriff of Wiltshire in 1753.

Moving into the 19th century, Robert Vicars-Vickers (1786-1853) was a British Army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a major-general. He was also a renowned artist and published several books on military history and tactics.

Lastly, one cannot overlook the contribution of Hedley Vicars (1826-1855), an English soldier and clergyman who served in the Crimean War. He was widely admired for his bravery and devotion to his men, and his tragic death at the Battle of Sebastopol made him a celebrated figure in Victorian Britain.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals who have carried the Vicars surname throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of this name's legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Vicars families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Vicars 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. Yorkshire leads with 66 Vicars' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.32x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 66 1.32x
Lancashire 64 1.07x
Middlesex 53 1.05x
Cumberland 39 8.96x
Lincolnshire 39 4.83x
Surrey 31 1.26x
Warwickshire 28 2.20x
Nottinghamshire 24 3.52x
Berkshire 21 5.54x
Sussex 20 2.35x
Kent 18 1.04x
Renfrewshire 14 3.58x
Northamptonshire 11 2.31x
Staffordshire 10 0.59x
Cheshire 9 0.81x
Durham 9 0.60x
Stirlingshire 9 4.83x
Midlothian 8 1.18x
Perthshire 7 3.09x
Hampshire 5 0.48x
Hertfordshire 4 1.15x
Lanarkshire 4 0.24x
Westmorland 4 3.60x
Ayrshire 3 0.79x
Worcestershire 3 0.45x
Devon 2 0.19x
Dunbartonshire 2 1.47x
Leicestershire 2 0.36x
Northumberland 2 0.27x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.33x
Channel Islands 1 0.67x
Derbyshire 1 0.13x
Oxfordshire 1 0.32x
Royal Navy 1 1.66x
Shropshire 1 0.23x
Wiltshire 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Toxteth Park in Lancashire leads with 22 Vicars' recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.84x.

Place Total Index
Toxteth Park 22 10.84x
Cleethorpes 16 336.84x
Brighton 15 8.73x
Streatham 15 40.01x
Hunslet 13 16.65x
Renfrew 12 92.81x
Rugby 12 69.61x
St Pancras London 11 2.70x
Ashampstead 10 1666.67x
Greasley 9 58.56x
Lambeth 9 2.04x
Mirfield 9 32.74x
St Ninians 9 48.73x
Wolverhampton 9 6.86x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 8 44.00x
Coventry Holy Trinity 8 21.03x
Eskdale Wasdale 8 860.22x
Louth 8 43.20x
Greencroft 7 253.62x
Parton 7 272.37x
Dalton In Furness 6 25.93x
Dewsbury 6 11.68x
Hammersmith London 6 4.82x
Hendon 6 33.00x
Heston 6 35.76x
Liverpool 6 1.65x
Over Hulton 6 352.94x
Papcastle 6 495.87x
Preston 6 3.74x
Reading St Giles 6 16.12x
Wellingborough 6 25.10x
Whitehaven 6 25.87x
Clapham 5 7.92x
Harrow On The Hill 5 49.55x
Hove 5 13.38x
Hucknall Torkard 5 28.95x
Lewisham 5 5.44x
Logie 5 61.43x
Mile End Old Town 5 6.27x
Rusholme 5 31.27x
Southcoates 5 17.99x
Birker Austhwaite 4 2105.26x
Bothwell 4 9.03x
Hackney London 4 1.41x
Menwith Cum Darley 4 400.00x
Snenton 4 14.95x
Weeton 4 714.29x
Woolwich 4 6.28x
Charlton Next Woolwich 3 16.69x
Christchurch 3 13.36x
Cockpen 3 37.93x
Dalkeith 3 22.47x
Deal 3 20.39x
Dunkeswick 3 1034.48x
Edgbaston 3 7.59x
Grasmere 3 236.22x
Kings Norton 3 5.07x
Loudoun 3 33.00x
Marsh Chapel 3 303.03x
Nantwich 3 23.15x
South Ferriby 3 234.38x
Spalding 3 18.71x
St Clement Danes 3 36.67x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 3 12.90x
Ulverston 3 17.18x
Ashton Under Lyne 2 1.53x
Brigstock 2 111.11x
Chester St Mary On Hill 2 20.90x
Dunblane 2 36.83x
East Greenock 2 5.41x
Folkestone 2 5.98x
Haydon 2 48.66x
Hulme 2 1.60x
Leamington 2 23.70x
Leamington Priors 2 6.38x
Leicester St Margaret 2 1.46x
Little Berkhampstead 2 273.97x
Sherburn 2 48.66x
St Albans St Peter 2 17.02x
Tudhoe 2 15.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Sarah 20
Elizabeth 14
Jane 13
Ann 9
Hannah 7
Alice 6
Emily 6
Emma 6
Frances 6
Martha 6
Edith 5
Eliza 5
Annie 4
Caroline 4
Ellen 4
Louisa 4
Margaret 4
Rebecca 4
Amelia 3
Ethel 3
Fanny 3
Kate 3
Lilian 3
Amy 2
Anne 2
Clara 2
Eleanor 2
Elizth. 2
Florence 2
Gertrude 2
Helen 2
Isabella 2
Julia 2
Lucy 2
Mabel 2
Maria 2
Marion 2
Susanna 2
Bella 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Betsy 1
Dinah 1
Dougless 1
Dugless 1
Elanor 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Vicars surname: questions and answers

How common was the Vicars surname in 1881?

In 1881, 521 people were recorded with the Vicars surname. That placed it at #6,556 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Vicars surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 158 in 2016. That gives Vicars a modern rank of #22,904.

What does the Vicars surname mean?

An ecclesiastical surname derived from the word "vicar," denoting a substitute or deputy for a clergyman.

What does the Vicars map show?

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