NameCensus.

UK surname

Villiers

A French place name referring to inhabitants of a village or small town.

In the 1881 census there were 261 people recorded with the Villiers surname, ranking it #10,752 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 645, ranked #8,231, up from #10,752 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Bedford St Paul and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Coventry, Suffolk Coastal and St. Helens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Villiers is 662 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 147.1%.

1881 census count

261

Ranked #10,752

Modern count

645

2016, ranked #8,231

Peak year

2010

662 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Villiers had 261 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,752 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 645 in 2016, ranked #8,231.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 415 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Villiers surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Villiers surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Villiers 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 104 #16,746
1861 historical 141 #16,072
1881 historical 261 #10,752
1891 historical 299 #11,140
1901 historical 373 #9,948
1911 historical 415 #9,049
1997 modern 603 #8,110
1998 modern 637 #8,026
1999 modern 639 #8,067
2000 modern 620 #8,240
2001 modern 610 #8,193
2002 modern 626 #8,196
2003 modern 616 #8,159
2004 modern 630 #8,028
2005 modern 627 #7,994
2006 modern 618 #8,102
2007 modern 612 #8,231
2008 modern 615 #8,252
2009 modern 649 #8,085
2010 modern 662 #8,125
2011 modern 658 #8,080
2012 modern 642 #8,142
2013 modern 658 #8,134
2014 modern 660 #8,149
2015 modern 651 #8,187
2016 modern 645 #8,231

Geography

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Where Villiers' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Bedford St Paul, Lambeth and St George, Hanover Square, Buckingham Palace. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Coventry, Suffolk Coastal and St. Helens. 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 1
2 Bedford St Paul Bedfordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St George, Hanover Square, Buckingham Palace London (West Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Coventry 033 Coventry
2 Coventry 030 Coventry
3 Suffolk Coastal 007 Suffolk Coastal
4 Coventry 007 Coventry
5 St. Helens 015 St. Helens

Forenames

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First names often paired with Villiers

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Villiers

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Villiers is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Villiers 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

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

Meaning and origin of Villiers

The surname Villiers originated in France, with its roots dating back to the early Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "villier," meaning a small village or hamlet. This name was likely adopted by individuals who lived in or came from a particular village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Villiers surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that individuals bearing this name had already established a presence in England by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, the Villiers family gained prominence in Normandy, France. Notable figures from this period include Raoul de Villiers, a Norman knight who participated in the Seventh Crusade (1248-1254), and Geoffroy de Villiers, a cleric and chaplain to King Philip III of France (1245-1285).

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the surname Villiers became closely associated with the English nobility. One of the most renowned individuals bearing this name was George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham (1592-1628), a courtier and favorite of King James I. His son, George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham (1628-1687), also held significant influence as a statesman and military leader.

Another notable figure was Edward Villiers (1620-1689), a diplomat and courtier during the reign of King Charles II. He was appointed as the first Earl of Jersey in 1667.

In the 18th century, John Villiers (1711-1793) served as a British naval officer and politician, holding the position of First Lord of the Admiralty from 1766 to 1782.

During the Napoleonic Wars, Sir John Villiers (1766-1838) distinguished himself as a British army officer, participating in several major battles against the French forces.

The Villiers surname has also been associated with various place names throughout history. For example, the village of Villiers-le-Bel in northern France and the town of Villiers-sur-Orge in the Paris region both derive their names from this surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Villiers families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Villiers 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. Warwickshire leads with 61 Villiers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.50x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 61 9.50x
Middlesex 59 2.32x
Kent 19 2.19x
Surrey 19 1.53x
Lancashire 18 0.60x
Nottinghamshire 10 2.91x
Derbyshire 9 2.26x
Staffordshire 9 1.05x
Huntingdonshire 8 15.83x
Hertfordshire 7 3.99x
Gloucestershire 5 1.00x
Leicestershire 5 1.77x
Argyllshire 4 5.64x
Lanarkshire 4 0.49x
Berkshire 3 1.57x
Monmouthshire 3 1.63x
Northamptonshire 3 1.25x
Sussex 3 0.70x
Yorkshire 3 0.12x
Hampshire 2 0.38x
Pembrokeshire 2 2.47x
Devon 1 0.19x
Essex 1 0.20x
Lincolnshire 1 0.25x
Rutland 1 5.35x
Wiltshire 1 0.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Coventry St Michael in Warwickshire leads with 27 Villiers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 130.94x.

Place Total Index
Coventry St Michael 27 130.94x
Coventry Holy Trinity 21 109.55x
Adisham 10 2500.00x
Islington London 9 3.65x
St Anne Soho London 9 61.90x
Chelsea London 8 10.43x
Eynesbury 8 683.76x
Kirkdale 8 15.74x
St George Hanover 8 24.07x
Bulwell 7 93.83x
Lambeth 7 3.15x
Newington 7 7.44x
Shoreditch London 7 6.34x
Hartshorn 6 397.35x
Walsall Foreign 6 13.52x
Watford 6 44.09x
St Marylebone London 5 3.68x
Ashby De La Zouch 4 61.16x
Clifton 4 15.85x
Glenorchy Inishail 4 487.80x
Govan 4 1.96x
Lewisham 4 8.64x
Liverpool 4 2.18x
Polesworth 4 131.15x
Basford 3 18.96x
Birmingham 3 1.40x
Blackburn 3 3.73x
Brighton 3 3.46x
Camberwell 3 1.84x
Hackney London 3 2.10x
Kensington London 3 2.12x
Newport 3 34.17x
Sedgley 3 9.40x
Stoneleigh 3 280.37x
Aldworth 2 833.33x
Beverley St Martin 2 47.51x
Greenwich 2 4.93x
Litchurch 2 12.47x
Newborough 2 327.87x
Nuneaton 2 26.88x
St Bartholomew Less 2 152.67x
Alford 1 39.68x
Battersea 1 1.07x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.90x
Bristol St Paul In 1 7.52x
Castleton 1 3.31x
Cheam 1 75.19x
Dagenham 1 33.44x
Dartmouth Townstall 1 46.30x
Derby St Werburgh 1 4.34x
Everton 1 1.04x
Farnborough 1 18.25x
Gillingham 1 5.58x
Hampstead London 1 2.52x
Knebworth 1 434.78x
Leicester St Margaret 1 1.45x
Margate St John Baptist 1 6.29x
Marlborough 1 263.16x
Northbourne 1 120.48x
Pembroke St Mary 1 9.60x
Rainhill 1 51.55x
Ryde 1 8.92x
Sandhurst 1 27.03x
Scarborough 1 4.36x
Shadwell London 1 14.04x
Solihull 1 21.65x
St Clement Danes 1 24.27x
Sulby 1 1428.57x
Tenby St Mary In 1 24.27x
Twickenham 1 9.16x
Uppingham 1 44.84x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 13
William 12
Edward 9
Henry 9
George 7
Thomas 7
Charles 6
Joseph 6
Robert 6
Arthur 5
Ernest 4
Frederick 4
Edmund 3
Alfred 2
Andrew 2
Edwin 2
Reginald 2
Richard 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Alexr. 1
C. 1
Cattrey 1
Charl.H. 1
E.E. 1
Edw. 1
Eric 1
Eugene 1
F. 1
Frank 1
Godfrey 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
James 1
Mathew 1
Michael 1
Pierre 1
Surtees 1
Thos.J. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Villiers surname: questions and answers

How common was the Villiers surname in 1881?

In 1881, 261 people were recorded with the Villiers surname. That placed it at #10,752 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Villiers surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 645 in 2016. That gives Villiers a modern rank of #8,231.

What does the Villiers surname mean?

A French place name referring to inhabitants of a village or small town.

What does the Villiers map show?

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