NameCensus.

UK surname

Virgin

An English surname derived from the Latin "virgo," referring to a young woman or a person of immaculate character.

In the 1881 census there were 292 people recorded with the Virgin surname, ranking it #9,912 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 310, ranked #14,406, down from #9,912 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Pulloxhill, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Petherton, South. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forest of Dean, South Kesteven and North Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Virgin is 395 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6.2%.

1881 census count

292

Ranked #9,912

Modern count

310

2016, ranked #14,406

Peak year

1911

395 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Virgin had 292 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,912 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 310 in 2016, ranked #14,406.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 395 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Virgin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Virgin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Virgin 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 184 #11,120
1861 historical 192 #12,423
1881 historical 292 #9,912
1891 historical 284 #11,542
1901 historical 357 #10,280
1911 historical 395 #9,373
1997 modern 350 #12,172
1998 modern 357 #12,372
1999 modern 350 #12,609
2000 modern 346 #12,670
2001 modern 337 #12,702
2002 modern 339 #12,911
2003 modern 336 #12,786
2004 modern 328 #13,058
2005 modern 319 #13,275
2006 modern 315 #13,440
2007 modern 314 #13,618
2008 modern 304 #14,000
2009 modern 312 #14,040
2010 modern 330 #13,786
2011 modern 326 #13,775
2012 modern 312 #14,131
2013 modern 306 #14,557
2014 modern 307 #14,608
2015 modern 311 #14,369
2016 modern 310 #14,406

Geography

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Where Virgins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Pulloxhill, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Petherton, South, London parishes and Chardstock, Membury, Yarcombe (Combe St Nicholas, Somerset). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Forest of Dean, South Kesteven, North Dorset, Great Yarmouth and Sheffield. 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 Pulloxhill Bedfordshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Petherton, South Somerset
4 London parishes London 3
5 Chardstock, Membury, Yarcombe (Combe St Nicholas, Somerset) Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forest of Dean 007 Forest of Dean
2 South Kesteven 013 South Kesteven
3 North Dorset 004 North Dorset
4 Great Yarmouth 001 Great Yarmouth
5 Sheffield 032 Sheffield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Virgin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Virgin

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

Virgin is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Virgin

The surname "Virgin" is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "virge" or "verge," meaning "rod" or "wand." It is believed to have originated as an occupational surname during the medieval period, referring to individuals who carried a rod or staff as part of their profession, such as officials or law enforcers.

In the 12th and 13th centuries, the surname began appearing in various records and documents across England. One of the earliest known references can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which mentions a "John le Virger" in Oxfordshire. The name is also present in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1334, with entries for a "Thomas le Verger" in Gloucestershire and a "Robert le Virger" in Wiltshire.

During the Middle Ages, the surname experienced variations in spelling, including "Virger," "Verger," and "Virgour." These variations likely stemmed from regional dialects and the inconsistencies in spelling practices at the time.

Notable individuals bearing the surname "Virgin" include:

1. William Virgin (c. 1390 - c. 1460), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire in the 15th century.

2. John Virgin (c. 1520 - c. 1590), an English theologian and clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Nottingham during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

3. Robert Virgin (1598 - 1662), an English clergyman and academic who held the position of Master of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, in the mid-17th century.

4. Samuel Virgin (1635 - 1718), a Puritan minister who immigrated to New England and served as the pastor of the First Church of Salisbury, Massachusetts, for over 50 years.

5. Edward Virgin (1712 - 1786), a British naval officer who participated in the Seven Years' War and achieved the rank of Rear Admiral in the Royal Navy.

While the surname "Virgin" has its roots in medieval England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and settlement. However, its origins can be traced back to the occupational titles of those who carried rods or wands as part of their duties in the Middle Ages.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Virgin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Virgin 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. Somerset leads with 60 Virgins recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.04x.

County Total Index
Somerset 60 13.04x
Bedfordshire 42 28.38x
Middlesex 29 1.01x
Gloucestershire 23 4.10x
Yorkshire 23 0.81x
Glamorgan 12 2.41x
Hertfordshire 12 6.09x
Devon 11 1.85x
Kent 11 1.13x
Oxfordshire 10 5.67x
Warwickshire 10 1.39x
Dorset 8 4.27x
Surrey 8 0.57x
Huntingdonshire 7 12.33x
Wiltshire 6 2.37x
Hampshire 4 0.68x
Lincolnshire 4 0.88x
Cheshire 3 0.48x
Monmouthshire 2 0.97x
Staffordshire 2 0.21x
Sussex 2 0.42x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.55x
Cumberland 1 0.41x
Royal Navy 1 2.94x
Shropshire 1 0.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Pulloxhill in Bedfordshire leads with 12 Virgins recorded in 1881 and an index of 2307.69x.

Place Total Index
Pulloxhill 12 2307.69x
Ampthill 11 497.74x
Birmingham 10 4.16x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 10 97.47x
Headington 10 364.96x
Paddington London 10 9.52x
South Petherton 10 420.17x
Llandaff 9 54.35x
Taunton St James 8 119.23x
Walcot 8 32.65x
Watford 8 52.39x
Bincombe 7 3181.82x
Buckden 7 686.27x
Cheltenham 7 16.19x
Donyatt 7 1891.89x
Marske In Guisbrough 7 139.17x
Saddleworth 7 32.04x
Thulbear 7 7777.78x
Box 6 277.78x
Camberwell 6 3.29x
Chaffcombe 6 3000.00x
Deptford St Paul 6 7.98x
Marston Moretaine 6 521.74x
Bexley 5 58.00x
Islington London 5 1.81x
Sheldon 5 3571.43x
Bygrave 4 1739.13x
Flitwick 4 500.00x
Norton Sub Hamdon 4 754.72x
Portsea 4 3.48x
St James Taunton 4 1818.18x
Westbury On Trym 4 21.06x
Bratoft 3 1428.57x
Chester St John Baptist 3 26.46x
Flitton 3 447.76x
Kirkleatham 3 78.53x
Luton 3 11.71x
Mile End Old Town 3 6.65x
Otley 3 43.60x
Roath 3 13.27x
Shoreditch London 3 2.42x
St Pancras London 3 1.30x
Stockland 3 348.84x
Battersea 2 1.90x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.61x
Arthuret 1 38.91x
Batheaston 1 63.29x
Bedford St Cuthbert 1 76.34x
Bideford 1 15.70x
Brightside Bierlow 1 1.80x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 1.90x
Clevedon 1 20.92x
Combe St Nicholas 1 90.09x
Corfe 1 263.16x
Cowfold 1 98.04x
Drayton In Hales 1 19.65x
Evershot 1 204.08x
Hampstead London 1 2.25x
Heckmondwike 1 10.98x
Lancing 1 75.76x
March 1 16.50x
Panteg 1 30.77x
Royal Navy 1 3.44x
Sandy 1 38.31x
Spitalfields London 1 4.65x
St Mellons 1 169.49x
St Stephen Coleman 1 131.58x
Stapleton 1 9.41x
Stickford 1 208.33x
Streatley 1 322.58x
Taunton St Mary 1 11.85x
Thorverton 1 111.11x
Tormoham 1 3.97x
Uttoxeter 1 20.24x
Walsall Foreign 1 2.01x
Weston Super Mare 1 8.61x
Wilton In Guisbrough 1 78.74x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Elizabeth 11
Emily 8
Sarah 8
Ann 7
Ellen 7
Alice 6
Ada 5
Eliza 5
Annie 4
Emma 4
Louisa 4
Edith 3
Fanny 3
Caroline 2
Florence 2
Hannah 2
Harriett 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Minnie 2
Rose 2
Tamar 2
Anne 1
Beatrice 1
Bessie 1
Betrice 1
Clara 1
Eliz. 1
Esther 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Henerietta 1
Horvile 1
Jemima 1
Jennet 1
Jessie 1
Johanna 1
Katherine 1
Lillian 1
Liza 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Marian 1
Maud 1
Meril 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 15
William 13
George 11
John 9
Joseph 8
James 7
Charles 6
Thomas 6
Samuel 5
Frederick 4
Fredrick 4
Walter 4
Arthur 3
Tom 3
Alfred 2
Benjamin 2
Eli 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Geo. 2
Sidney 2
Simeon 2
Auther 1
Bert 1
Berty 1
Burtham 1
Burtie 1
Chs. 1
Dan 1
Earnie 1
Edward 1
Elizabeth 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fred. 1
Fredk.A.J. 1
Geo.W. 1
Herbert 1
Hubert 1
Jasper 1
Job 1
Levi 1
Nicholas 1
Reuben 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Sam 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1
Willm.H. 1

FAQ

Virgin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Virgin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 292 people were recorded with the Virgin surname. That placed it at #9,912 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Virgin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 310 in 2016. That gives Virgin a modern rank of #14,406.

What does the Virgin surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Latin "virgo," referring to a young woman or a person of immaculate character.

What does the Virgin map show?

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