NameCensus.

UK surname

Viles

A surname possibly derived from the Old French word "vile" meaning town or village.

In the 1881 census there were 206 people recorded with the Viles surname, ranking it #12,596 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 325, ranked #13,930, down from #12,596 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rhondda Cynon Taf, Taunton Deane and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Viles is 394 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.8%.

1881 census count

206

Ranked #12,596

Modern count

325

2016, ranked #13,930

Peak year

1999

394 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Viles had 206 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,596 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 325 in 2016, ranked #13,930.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 365 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Viles surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Viles surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Viles 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 96 #17,594
1861 historical 96 #21,648
1881 historical 206 #12,596
1891 historical 245 #12,950
1901 historical 311 #11,363
1911 historical 365 #9,955
1997 modern 362 #11,866
1998 modern 385 #11,698
1999 modern 394 #11,579
2000 modern 379 #11,855
2001 modern 365 #12,014
2002 modern 364 #12,268
2003 modern 374 #11,828
2004 modern 356 #12,299
2005 modern 348 #12,410
2006 modern 348 #12,498
2007 modern 356 #12,437
2008 modern 359 #12,459
2009 modern 367 #12,501
2010 modern 380 #12,462
2011 modern 374 #12,464
2012 modern 351 #12,942
2013 modern 337 #13,537
2014 modern 335 #13,720
2015 modern 333 #13,676
2016 modern 325 #13,930

Geography

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Where Viles' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, London parishes, Eccles and Bath St Michael. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rhondda Cynon Taf, Taunton Deane, Sheffield and Leeds. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Eccles Lancashire
5 Bath St Michael Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rhondda Cynon Taf 012 Rhondda Cynon Taf
2 Rhondda Cynon Taf 008 Rhondda Cynon Taf
3 Taunton Deane 002 Taunton Deane
4 Sheffield 022 Sheffield
5 Leeds 101 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Viles

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Viles

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

Viles is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Viles falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Viles is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Viles

The surname VILES is believed to have originated in England, possibly deriving from the Old English word "vile," meaning "vile" or "wicked." It may have been a descriptive surname initially given to someone with a disreputable or undesirable character trait.

Another theory suggests the name VILES could be a variant spelling of the French surname "Villes," which stems from the Old French word "ville," meaning "town" or "village." This surname may have been initially borne by someone who lived in or near a particular town or village.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are entries for individuals with the surname VILES or similar spellings, such as "Vilein" and "Vilain." These early records indicate the surname was present in parts of England shortly after the Norman Conquest.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the surname VILES was John Viles, who was born in Somerset, England, in the late 13th century. Other early examples include William Viles, born in Gloucestershire, England, around 1320, and Thomas Viles, born in Oxfordshire, England, circa 1375.

In the 16th century, the surname VILES was found in various parts of England, including Dorset, where the village of Viles Combe (or Viles Coombe) was located. This place name may be related to the surname's origins.

Notable individuals with the surname VILES throughout history include:

1. Jonas Viles (1590-1657), an English clergyman and writer who served as the Rector of Weddington in Warwickshire.

2. William Viles (1700-1772), a British soldier and military engineer who served in the American colonies during the French and Indian War.

3. Elizabeth Viles (1756-1836), an English author and poet who published several works, including "The Miseries of an Author's Wife" and "The Beauties of Creation."

4. Henry Viles (1812-1887), a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

5. Charles Viles (1865-1942), an American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Viles Arboretum in Augusta, Maine.

While these are just a few examples, the surname VILES has a long history in England and other parts of the United Kingdom, as well as in North America, where many bearers of the name migrated in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Viles families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Viles 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. Worcestershire leads with 24 Viles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.15x.

County Total Index
Worcestershire 24 9.15x
Middlesex 22 1.09x
Lancashire 20 0.84x
Warwickshire 19 3.75x
Kent 17 2.48x
Somerset 16 4.95x
Surrey 12 1.23x
Wiltshire 11 6.19x
Essex 10 2.52x
Huntingdonshire 10 25.06x
Yorkshire 9 0.45x
Staffordshire 6 0.88x
Leicestershire 5 2.24x
Nottinghamshire 5 1.85x
Glamorgan 4 1.14x
Hertfordshire 4 2.89x
Buckinghamshire 3 2.47x
Sussex 3 0.89x
Durham 2 0.33x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.79x
Devon 1 0.24x
Gloucestershire 1 0.25x
Northamptonshire 1 0.53x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 13 Viles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.12x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 13 12.12x
Aston 12 8.60x
Bradford On Avon 11 193.32x
Kings Norton 10 42.50x
Charlton Next Woolwich 9 125.87x
Worcester St Peter 9 181.09x
Leeds 8 7.12x
St Andrew Holborn 8 117.47x
St Ives 7 338.16x
Bermondsey 6 10.03x
Codsall 6 625.00x
Newington 6 8.08x
Bethnal Green London 5 5.73x
Castleton 5 21.00x
Great Glenn 5 847.46x
Weston 5 200.80x
Nottingham St Mary 4 5.71x
Orpington 4 190.48x
West Ham 4 4.57x
Wilnecote 4 275.86x
Birmingham 3 1.78x
Brighton 3 4.39x
Colchester St Giles 3 76.53x
Leyton Low 3 37.22x
Somersham 3 309.28x
Walcot 3 17.41x
Wolverton 3 119.52x
Worcester St John 3 95.85x
Ystradyfodwg 3 9.78x
Lyncombe Widcombe 2 23.61x
Moss Side 2 15.94x
Plumstead 2 8.75x
St Albans 2 70.42x
St Giles 2 53.62x
St Pancras London 2 1.24x
Twerton 2 59.88x
Almondsbury 1 66.67x
Bingham 1 86.96x
Brightside Bierlow 1 2.56x
Cardiff St John 1 8.75x
Chelsea London 1 1.65x
Clerkenwell London 1 2.11x
Fiddington 1 588.24x
Hampstead London 1 3.20x
Ilfracombe 1 23.20x
Islington London 1 0.51x
Lydd 1 68.03x
Northfield 1 20.08x
Paddington London 1 1.35x
Ramsgate 1 8.94x
Somerton 1 75.76x
St Andrewthe Less 1 6.88x
Street 1 57.14x
Tottenham 1 3.13x
Watford 1 9.31x
Wellingborough 1 10.53x
Westminster St 1 13.50x
Weston 1 149.25x
Weston Super Mare 1 12.24x
Worcester St Nicholas 1 80.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Sarah 9
Elizabeth 6
Ada 4
Eliza 4
Ellen 4
Alice 3
Ann 3
Annie 3
Clara 3
Edith 3
Emma 3
Florence 3
Louisa 3
Martha 3
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Laura 2
Maria 2
Maud 2
Susan 2
Anne 1
Beatrice 1
Caroline 1
Christehannah 1
Constance 1
Elizth. 1
Evelyn 1
Francis 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Infant 1
Isabella 1
Isolia 1
Julia 1
Keziah 1
Lilley 1
Lillian 1
Lily 1
Lucy 1
M.Elizabeth 1
Minnie 1
Nellie 1
Rachael 1
Rachel 1
Rose 1
Ruth 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 18
James 9
George 8
Henry 7
John 7
Charles 6
Albert 3
Arthur 3
Frederick 3
Walter 3
Alfred 2
David 2
Edward 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Harry 2
Alexander 1
Benjamin 1
Edwin 1
Fredrick 1
Herbert 1
Howard 1
Hwltland 1
J.H.C. 1
Jesse 1
Leonard 1
Robbey 1
Sydney 1
Thomas 1
Trubee 1

FAQ

Viles surname: questions and answers

How common was the Viles surname in 1881?

In 1881, 206 people were recorded with the Viles surname. That placed it at #12,596 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Viles surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 325 in 2016. That gives Viles a modern rank of #13,930.

What does the Viles surname mean?

A surname possibly derived from the Old French word "vile" meaning town or village.

What does the Viles map show?

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