NameCensus.

UK surname

Vice

An English occupational surname referring to a vise maker or someone who works with a vise or screw press.

In the 1881 census there were 147 people recorded with the Vice surname, ranking it #15,674 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 184, ranked #20,731, down from #15,674 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Duloe and Blaby. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swansea, Elmbridge and Coventry.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Vice is 188 in 2012. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.2%.

1881 census count

147

Ranked #15,674

Modern count

184

2016, ranked #20,731

Peak year

2012

188 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Vice had 147 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,674 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 184 in 2016, ranked #20,731.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 179 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Vice surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Vice surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Vice 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 150 #12,905
1861 historical 158 #14,644
1881 historical 147 #15,674
1891 historical 128 #20,393
1901 historical 177 #16,342
1911 historical 179 #16,023
1997 modern 170 #19,505
1998 modern 181 #19,229
1999 modern 174 #19,870
2000 modern 171 #20,044
2001 modern 167 #20,060
2002 modern 166 #20,532
2003 modern 171 #19,953
2004 modern 173 #19,937
2005 modern 174 #19,783
2006 modern 169 #20,294
2007 modern 179 #19,811
2008 modern 180 #19,946
2009 modern 179 #20,418
2010 modern 181 #20,738
2011 modern 181 #20,579
2012 modern 188 #20,018
2013 modern 183 #20,722
2014 modern 188 #20,503
2015 modern 179 #21,069
2016 modern 184 #20,731

Geography

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Where Vices are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Duloe, Blaby, Nottingham St Mary and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swansea, Elmbridge, Coventry, Sheffield and Oadby and Wigston. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Duloe Cornwall
3 Blaby Leicestershire
4 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swansea 011 Swansea
2 Elmbridge 001 Elmbridge
3 Coventry 006 Coventry
4 Sheffield 075 Sheffield
5 Oadby and Wigston 009 Oadby and Wigston

Forenames

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First names often paired with Vice

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Vice

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Vice is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Vice 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

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

Meaning and origin of Vice

The surname Vice is of English origin, dating back to the medieval era. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "vis," meaning "screw" or "spiral staircase." This occupational surname was likely bestowed upon an individual who worked as a maker or repairer of winding staircases or spiral stairways.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Vice surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Wiltshire, England, from 1242, where a Robert le Vyse is mentioned. The use of the prefix "le" before the surname was common during this time, indicating "the" or "the one."

In the 13th century, the surname was also recorded with various spellings, such as Vyce, Vise, and Vyse, reflecting the regional dialects and inconsistencies in spelling during that era. The spelling "Vice" became more standardized in later centuries.

Notably, the Vice surname appears in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population across England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This early record suggests the name's presence in England before the Norman Conquest.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the Vice surname. One such figure was Sir Thomas Vice (c. 1506-1558), an English merchant and diplomat who served as the Governor of the Company of Merchant Adventurers during the reign of Queen Mary I.

Another prominent bearer of the Vice name was John Vice (c. 1587-1635), an English clergyman and writer who served as the Rector of Battersea in London. He authored several religious works during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, John Vice (1718-1790) was a renowned English architect and surveyor responsible for designing several notable buildings, including the Radcliffe Observatory in Oxford.

The Vice surname also has connections to the literary world, with William Vice (1865-1936), an English novelist and short story writer known for his works set in rural Gloucestershire.

Finally, Samantha Vice (born 1968) is a contemporary South African philosopher and academic, currently serving as a Professor of Philosophy at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Vice families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Vice 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. Suffolk leads with 28 Vices recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.03x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 28 16.03x
Leicestershire 24 15.10x
Warwickshire 22 6.08x
Yorkshire 18 1.27x
Middlesex 11 0.77x
Surrey 10 1.43x
Essex 7 2.47x
Nottinghamshire 7 3.62x
Cornwall 6 3.70x
Lancashire 5 0.29x
Lincolnshire 3 1.31x
Hampshire 2 0.68x
Devon 1 0.34x
Norfolk 1 0.45x
Sussex 1 0.41x
Wiltshire 1 0.79x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Martlesham in Suffolk leads with 14 Vices recorded in 1881 and an index of 5833.33x.

Place Total Index
Martlesham 14 5833.33x
Framlingham 10 806.45x
Holy Trinity 9 26.34x
Leicester St Martin 9 841.12x
Aston 7 7.03x
Blaby 7 1093.75x
Castleford 7 135.40x
Coventry St Michael 7 60.24x
Leicester St Margaret 7 18.06x
Nottingham St Mary 7 14.00x
Duloe 6 1250.00x
Birmingham 5 4.15x
Kirkdale 5 17.47x
Newington 5 9.44x
Clerkenwell London 3 8.87x
Coventry Holy Trinity 3 27.78x
St Pancras London 3 2.60x
Bermondsey 2 4.68x
Burnham 2 190.48x
Limehouse London 2 12.71x
Maldon St Marys 2 294.12x
West Ham 2 3.20x
Bourn 1 54.05x
Brading 1 25.58x
Brighton 1 2.05x
Camberwell 1 1.09x
Chirton 1 588.24x
Fishtoft 1 222.22x
Foxhall 1 833.33x
Great Grimsby 1 6.87x
Great Yarmouth 1 5.48x
Ipswich St Margaret 1 16.86x
Ipswich St Mathew 1 20.45x
Keyingham 1 322.58x
Lambeth 1 0.80x
Leicester All Sts 1 32.05x
Mile End Old Town 1 4.42x
North Bovey 1 454.55x
Norwood 1 30.49x
Romford 1 22.37x
Southcoates 1 12.67x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 3.47x
Spitalfields London 1 9.28x
St Thomas Winchester 1 48.08x
Woodbridge 1 44.84x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Eliza 7
Sarah 6
Elizabeth 5
Annie 4
Ann 3
Caroline 3
Ellen 3
Fanny 3
Martha 3
Anne 2
Clara 2
Hannah 2
Harriett 2
Jane 2
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Bessie 1
C.J. 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Frances 1
Georgeanna 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Henrietta 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Marth 1
Pollie 1
Selina 1
Sevriania 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
John 10
James 5
Abraham 3
Charles 3
George 3
Henry 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Thomas 2
Walter 2
Alfred 1
David 1
E. 1
Frederick 1
J. 1
Jacob 1
Jms. 1
Joseph 1
Leonard 1
Mark 1
Moses 1
Newman 1
Shea 1
Soloman 1
Thos. 1
Timothy 1

FAQ

Vice surname: questions and answers

How common was the Vice surname in 1881?

In 1881, 147 people were recorded with the Vice surname. That placed it at #15,674 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Vice surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 184 in 2016. That gives Vice a modern rank of #20,731.

What does the Vice surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a vise maker or someone who works with a vise or screw press.

What does the Vice map show?

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