NameCensus.

UK surname

Vizard

An archaic surname derived from the word "vizard", referring to a mask or disguise.

In the 1881 census there were 284 people recorded with the Vizard surname, ranking it #10,100 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 416, ranked #11,533, down from #10,100 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Alveston, London parishes and Paddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Gloucestershire, St. Helens and Sevenoaks.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Vizard is 430 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 46.5%.

1881 census count

284

Ranked #10,100

Modern count

416

2016, ranked #11,533

Peak year

1999

430 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Vizard had 284 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,100 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 416 in 2016, ranked #11,533.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 410 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Vizard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Vizard surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Vizard 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 283 #7,996
1861 historical 248 #9,947
1881 historical 284 #10,100
1891 historical 328 #10,348
1901 historical 400 #9,483
1911 historical 410 #9,126
1997 modern 426 #10,490
1998 modern 424 #10,880
1999 modern 430 #10,855
2000 modern 427 #10,867
2001 modern 419 #10,835
2002 modern 424 #10,950
2003 modern 427 #10,720
2004 modern 418 #10,923
2005 modern 392 #11,355
2006 modern 387 #11,514
2007 modern 383 #11,751
2008 modern 390 #11,693
2009 modern 395 #11,838
2010 modern 405 #11,874
2011 modern 404 #11,786
2012 modern 419 #11,295
2013 modern 421 #11,462
2014 modern 422 #11,516
2015 modern 417 #11,532
2016 modern 416 #11,533

Geography

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Where Vizards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Alveston, London parishes, Paddington, North Nibley, Wotton-under-Edge and Sodbury, Chipping. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Gloucestershire, St. Helens and Sevenoaks. 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 Alveston Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Paddington London (West Districts)
4 North Nibley, Wotton-under-Edge Gloucestershire
5 Sodbury, Chipping Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Gloucestershire 004 South Gloucestershire
2 St. Helens 015 St. Helens
3 Sevenoaks 009 Sevenoaks
4 South Gloucestershire 001 South Gloucestershire
5 St. Helens 010 St. Helens

Forenames

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First names often paired with Vizard

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Vizard

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Vizard is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Vizard is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Vizard falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Vizard

The surname VIZARD is of Old French origin, derived from the word "visard" or "visard" meaning a mask or visor. It is believed to have originated in the late 12th or early 13th century in Normandy, France.

The earliest known reference to the name VIZARD can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it is recorded as "Visard" in Oxfordshire, England. This suggests that the name may have been introduced to England in the late 12th or early 13th century during the Norman Conquest.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various spellings such as "Vysard," "Vizard," and "Visard" in various records and documents across England. One notable example is the mention of a John Vysard in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name VIZARD was particularly prevalent in the counties of Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset in England. Several notable individuals with this surname emerged during this time, including William Vizard (1555-1620), a wealthy merchant from Bristol, and Thomas Vizard (1590-1663), an English clergyman and author.

In the 18th century, the name VIZARD appeared in various parish records and historical documents across England, with concentrations in the counties of Devon, Dorset, and Wiltshire. One notable individual was John Vizard (1717-1798), a British politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Taunton.

The 19th century saw the VIZARD surname spread to other parts of the world, including Australia and North America, as people emigrated from England. One notable Australian figure was George Vizard (1827-1887), a prominent businessman and philanthropist in Melbourne.

Throughout history, there have been several other notable individuals with the surname VIZARD, including the English actor and dramatist Francis Vizard (1609-1682), the British journalist and broadcaster Gerry Vizard (1927-2017), and the Australian actress and author Cheryl Vizard (born 1949).

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Vizard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Vizard 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. Gloucestershire leads with 80 Vizards recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.72x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 80 14.72x
Middlesex 35 1.26x
Wiltshire 33 13.47x
Somerset 17 3.81x
Lancashire 16 0.49x
Glamorgan 15 3.11x
Hampshire 13 2.29x
Dorset 12 6.60x
Yorkshire 11 0.40x
Monmouthshire 8 3.99x
Brecknockshire 7 12.64x
Durham 6 0.73x
Herefordshire 5 4.40x
Surrey 5 0.37x
Worcestershire 4 1.11x
Berkshire 3 1.44x
Devon 3 0.52x
Kent 3 0.32x
Staffordshire 3 0.32x
Cheshire 1 0.16x
Derbyshire 1 0.23x
Flintshire 1 1.34x
Northumberland 1 0.24x
Warwickshire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cheltenham in Gloucestershire leads with 22 Vizards recorded in 1881 and an index of 52.48x.

Place Total Index
Cheltenham 22 52.48x
Chipping Sodbury 19 1881.19x
Brinkworth 14 1272.73x
Paddington London 14 13.74x
Bath St James 9 193.55x
Henbury 8 301.89x
Southampton St Mary 8 22.40x
Wortley In Bramley 8 36.80x
Llangattock 7 155.21x
North Meols 7 21.75x
Brandon Byshottles 6 58.08x
Hampstead London 6 13.91x
Nettleton 6 1538.46x
St George Hanover 6 16.59x
Walcot 6 25.26x
Alveston 5 649.35x
Lyme Regis 5 229.36x
Penarth 5 106.16x
Wimbledon 5 32.98x
Wotton Under Edge 5 156.25x
Bremhill 4 363.64x
Chardstock 4 317.46x
Dudley 4 9.10x
Fulham London 4 9.96x
Lower Llanvrechva 4 203.05x
Malmesbury St Paul 4 189.57x
Monmouth 4 75.33x
Burton Extra 3 55.97x
Cogan 3 416.67x
Dover St James 3 72.46x
Drewsteignton 3 394.74x
Hackney London 3 1.93x
Liverpool 3 1.50x
Llandaff 3 18.69x
Speen 3 88.24x
Thornbury 3 80.86x
West Dean 3 33.98x
Abbey Dore 2 392.16x
Alverstoke 2 9.73x
Ardwick 2 6.75x
Berkeley Alkington 2 487.80x
Broughton In Salford 2 6.65x
Dursley 2 89.69x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 2 20.12x
Grittleton 2 689.66x
Hereford All Sts 2 38.46x
Llancarvan 2 377.36x
Maisemore 2 425.53x
Portsmouth 2 15.30x
Sherborne 2 37.31x
Southcoates 2 13.12x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 5.52x
Cardiff St John 1 6.35x
Clifton 1 3.64x
Derby St Werburgh 1 3.99x
Ealing 1 4.04x
Huddersfield 1 2.50x
Leckhampton 1 29.85x
Llandyfodwg 1 36.63x
Long Ashton 1 45.25x
Lyneham 1 104.17x
Macclesfield 1 3.68x
Minsterworth 1 250.00x
Much Birch 1 200.00x
North Nibley 1 128.21x
Olveston 1 65.36x
Rhuddlan 1 15.24x
Salisbury The Close 1 166.67x
South Blyth Newsham 1 123.46x
Sutton Veney 1 144.93x
Tanworth 1 54.05x
Titchfield 1 23.36x
Tottenham 1 2.27x
West Derby 1 1.04x
Wigan 1 2.18x
Winscombe 1 83.33x
Wyke Regis 1 38.31x
Yate 1 84.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 26
John 14
Charles 11
Thomas 11
Arthur 7
George 7
Henry 6
James 4
Joseph 4
Edward 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Francis 2
Harry 2
Mark 2
Martin 2
Peter 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Alfd. 1
C.S. 1
Charlie 1
Cornelius 1
David 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Handy 1
Hubert 1
Isaac 1
Jabez 1
Jacob 1
Jame 1
Jesse 1
Levi 1
Lewis 1
Luke 1
Moses 1
Patrick 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Richard 1
Richd. 1
Robert 1
Rufus 1
Samuel 1
Stanhope 1
Sydney 1
Wm.Albert 1
Worthy 1

FAQ

Vizard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Vizard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 284 people were recorded with the Vizard surname. That placed it at #10,100 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Vizard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 416 in 2016. That gives Vizard a modern rank of #11,533.

What does the Vizard surname mean?

An archaic surname derived from the word "vizard", referring to a mask or disguise.

What does the Vizard map show?

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