NameCensus.

UK surname

Vivian

Derived from a French place name meaning "lively" or "vivacious," likely referring to the character of the town's inhabitants.

In the 1881 census there were 1,368 people recorded with the Vivian surname, ranking it #2,999 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,142, ranked #5,164, down from #2,999 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Redruth and St Austell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, Cornwall and Christchurch.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Vivian is 1,545 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 16.5%.

1881 census count

1,368

Ranked #2,999

Modern count

1,142

2016, ranked #5,164

Peak year

1911

1,545 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Vivian had 1,368 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,999 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,142 in 2016, ranked #5,164.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,545 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Vivian surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Vivian surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Vivian 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 1,252 #2,279
1861 historical 993 #2,808
1881 historical 1,368 #2,999
1891 historical 1,288 #3,359
1901 historical 1,446 #3,521
1911 historical 1,545 #3,138
1997 modern 1,184 #4,767
1998 modern 1,200 #4,875
1999 modern 1,204 #4,918
2000 modern 1,198 #4,911
2001 modern 1,171 #4,920
2002 modern 1,174 #4,989
2003 modern 1,121 #5,099
2004 modern 1,094 #5,212
2005 modern 1,096 #5,144
2006 modern 1,078 #5,223
2007 modern 1,100 #5,188
2008 modern 1,093 #5,246
2009 modern 1,111 #5,284
2010 modern 1,148 #5,251
2011 modern 1,159 #5,145
2012 modern 1,173 #5,002
2013 modern 1,181 #5,062
2014 modern 1,181 #5,093
2015 modern 1,164 #5,099
2016 modern 1,142 #5,164

Geography

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Where Vivians are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Redruth, St Austell and Camborne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caerphilly, Cornwall, Christchurch and Kensington and Chelsea. 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 Redruth Cornwall
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Austell Cornwall
5 Camborne Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 012 Caerphilly
2 Cornwall 035 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 008 Cornwall
4 Christchurch 005 Christchurch
5 Kensington and Chelsea 011 Kensington and Chelsea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Vivian

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Vivian

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

Vivian 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

Vivian falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Vivian 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 Vivian, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Vivian

The surname Vivian is of French origin, derived from the Latin name Vivianus. It is believed to have originated in the region of Languedoc in southern France during the medieval period.

The name Vivianus is thought to be a derivative of the Latin word "vivus," meaning "alive" or "lively." This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon someone with a vibrant or energetic personality.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Vivian can be found in the Domesday Book, compiled in 1086 during the reign of William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a landowner named Vivian in the county of Somerset, England.

In the 12th century, a notable figure named Vivian de Tongo served as a Benedictine monk and chronicler at the Abbey of St. Peter in Gloucester, England. He is known for his historical writings, including a chronicle of the abbots of Gloucester.

Another prominent individual with the surname Vivian was Sir Robert Vivian (1599-1679), an English nobleman and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Cornwall during the English Civil War era.

In the 18th century, John Vivian (1730-1799), a British mining engineer and industrialist, made significant contributions to the development of the Cornish mining industry. He is credited with introducing several innovations in mining technology.

Robert Vivian (1802-1887), an English lawyer and politician, served as a Member of Parliament for Penryn and Falmouth in Cornwall. He was also a prominent figure in the movement to abolish the slave trade in the British Empire.

Throughout history, the surname Vivian has been associated with various places, including the village of Vivian in Brittany, France, and the town of Vivian, Louisiana, in the United States, which was named after a local landowner.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Vivian families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Vivian 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. Cornwall leads with 519 Vivians recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.83x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 519 33.83x
Devon 178 6.31x
Middlesex 161 1.19x
Hampshire 109 3.92x
Surrey 65 0.98x
Glamorgan 40 1.70x
Somerset 32 1.47x
Yorkshire 32 0.24x
Dorset 26 2.92x
Lancashire 24 0.15x
Carmarthenshire 18 3.15x
Essex 15 0.56x
Worcestershire 15 0.85x
Channel Islands 14 3.49x
Sussex 14 0.61x
Monmouthshire 12 1.23x
Kent 10 0.22x
Lincolnshire 10 0.46x
Warwickshire 10 0.29x
Cumberland 9 0.77x
Denbighshire 9 1.76x
Gloucestershire 8 0.30x
Durham 7 0.17x
Wiltshire 7 0.58x
Staffordshire 6 0.13x
Berkshire 5 0.49x
Royal Navy 5 3.10x
Cheshire 4 0.13x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.22x
Oxfordshire 3 0.36x
Shropshire 3 0.26x
Bedfordshire 2 0.29x
Herefordshire 2 0.36x
Northamptonshire 2 0.16x
Suffolk 2 0.12x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.12x
Cardiganshire 1 0.30x
Isle of Man 1 0.40x
Lanarkshire 1 0.02x
Norfolk 1 0.05x
Northumberland 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camborne in Cornwall leads with 125 Vivians recorded in 1881 and an index of 197.75x.

Place Total Index
Camborne 125 197.75x
Holdenhurst 46 63.15x
St Austell 46 87.74x
Kensington London 30 3.98x
Holy Trinity 24 7.43x
Malborough 22 196.25x
Plymouth Charles The 20 16.10x
Redruth 20 46.09x
Phillack 18 90.91x
Christchurch 17 28.23x
Falmouth 17 31.31x
St Pancras London 16 1.47x
Chelsea London 15 3.67x
Croydon 15 4.09x
Illogan 15 36.94x
Madron Penzance 15 26.89x
Islington London 14 1.07x
Lambeth 14 1.19x
Liskeard 14 54.54x
Llanelly 14 10.88x
Axminster 13 98.34x
Cornwood 13 241.19x
Southampton St Mary 13 7.44x
St George Hanover 13 7.35x
St Issey 13 414.01x
Stoke Damerel 13 6.59x
Truro St Mary 13 100.85x
Welland 13 320.99x
Newlyn 11 167.94x
Plymouth St Andrew 11 5.06x
Roche 11 141.21x
East Stonehouse 10 18.00x
Gwennap 10 34.55x
Hackney London 10 1.32x
Paddington London 10 2.01x
Perranzabuloe 10 75.59x
St Breock 10 120.63x
St Erth 10 107.64x
Swansea Town 10 5.17x
Bath St Peter St Paul 9 93.36x
Camberwell 9 1.04x
Gwinear 9 123.63x
Leamington Priors 9 10.70x
Llanrwst 9 50.79x
St Pinnock 9 386.27x
Budock 8 69.32x
Constantine 8 89.59x
Mylor 8 77.82x
Padstow 8 78.51x
St Agnes 8 37.24x
St Gluvias Penryn 8 65.09x
St Thomas Winchester 8 40.80x
Calstock 7 23.27x
Colchester St Runwald 7 489.51x
Milton Damerel 7 316.74x
Sopley 7 183.25x
St Clement 7 114.57x
St Mewan 7 147.99x
St Stephen In Brannel 7 50.04x
West Derby 7 1.49x
Willesden 7 5.48x
Beerferris 6 109.09x
Benfieldside 6 22.63x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.02x
Buckland Monachorum 6 99.67x
Gwithian 6 210.53x
Halliwell 6 10.25x
Oystermouth 6 32.86x
Plymstock 6 40.62x
St Columb Minor 6 46.58x
St Marylebone London 6 0.83x
St Nicholas Lincoln 6 28.97x
St Saviour 6 27.04x
Walcot 6 5.17x
Fisherton Anger 5 22.54x
Margam 5 19.00x
Newington 5 1.00x
Royal Navy 5 3.62x
St Ewe 5 107.53x
St Kew 5 97.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 82
William 82
James 45
Henry 32
Thomas 31
George 29
Joseph 26
Richard 24
Charles 20
Alfred 18
Arthur 18
Edward 14
Frederick 13
Albert 11
Harry 7
Samuel 7
Ernest 6
Frank 5
Stephen 5
Harold 4
Johnson 4
Philip 4
Thos. 4
Wm. 4
Andrew 3
Aylmer 3
Benjamin 3
Edgar 3
Edwin 3
Francis 3
Fred 3
Herbert 3
Nicholas 3
Ralph 3
Richd. 3
Robert 3
Simon 3
Sydney 3
Walter 3
Chas. 2
Claude 2
Eli 2
Geo. 2
Isaac 2
Peter 2
Phillip 2
Roger 2
Sidney 2
Valentine 2
Willie 2

FAQ

Vivian surname: questions and answers

How common was the Vivian surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,368 people were recorded with the Vivian surname. That placed it at #2,999 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Vivian surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,142 in 2016. That gives Vivian a modern rank of #5,164.

What does the Vivian surname mean?

Derived from a French place name meaning "lively" or "vivacious," likely referring to the character of the town's inhabitants.

What does the Vivian map show?

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