NameCensus.

UK surname

Vose

A surname derived from a Norman French place name, possibly related to a woodland area.

In the 1881 census there were 477 people recorded with the Vose surname, ranking it #7,014 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 705, ranked #7,661, down from #7,014 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Radcliffe, West Derby and Bolton-le-Moors. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Lancashire, Newcastle upon Tyne and St. Helens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Vose is 753 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.8%.

1881 census count

477

Ranked #7,014

Modern count

705

2016, ranked #7,661

Peak year

1998

753 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Vose had 477 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,014 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 705 in 2016, ranked #7,661.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 620 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Vose surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Vose surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Vose 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 214 #9,898
1861 historical 239 #10,273
1881 historical 477 #7,014
1891 historical 469 #7,813
1901 historical 596 #7,109
1911 historical 620 #6,668
1997 modern 738 #6,967
1998 modern 753 #7,075
1999 modern 751 #7,140
2000 modern 735 #7,220
2001 modern 720 #7,204
2002 modern 728 #7,277
2003 modern 704 #7,357
2004 modern 684 #7,544
2005 modern 668 #7,623
2006 modern 692 #7,421
2007 modern 690 #7,507
2008 modern 683 #7,622
2009 modern 719 #7,484
2010 modern 721 #7,606
2011 modern 720 #7,530
2012 modern 720 #7,452
2013 modern 726 #7,527
2014 modern 719 #7,619
2015 modern 711 #7,630
2016 modern 705 #7,661

Geography

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Where Voses are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Radcliffe, West Derby, Bolton-le-Moors, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) and Prescot. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Lancashire, Newcastle upon Tyne, St. Helens, South Tyneside and Wigan. 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 Radcliffe Lancashire
2 West Derby Lancashire
3 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
4 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire
5 Prescot Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Lancashire 003 West Lancashire
2 Newcastle upon Tyne 026 Newcastle upon Tyne
3 St. Helens 008 St. Helens
4 South Tyneside 021 South Tyneside
5 Wigan 021 Wigan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Vose

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Vose

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Vose, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Vose surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Vose 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Vose is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Vose is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Vose

The surname Vose originates from England, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 12th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "foss," meaning a ditch or waterway, possibly referring to someone who lived near a ditch or stream.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, the name appears as "de Fossa," which translates to "of the ditch." This early spelling suggests that the name may have originated as a place name before evolving into a surname.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was John de Foss, who lived in Gloucestershire, England, in the 13th century. The name also appeared in various medieval records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it was spelled as "Fosse."

As time passed, the name underwent several spelling variations, including Vose, Voce, Voase, and Voase. These variations likely resulted from regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.

Prominent individuals with the surname Vose include Joseph Vose (1738-1816), an American merchant and politician from Massachusetts who served as a Representative in the United States Congress. Another notable figure was Robert Vose (1723-1785), an American colonial merchant and patriot during the American Revolutionary War.

In England, one of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1197, where a Richard de la Foss is mentioned. Thomas Vose (c. 1577-1658), an English colonist and one of the founders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, is another notable individual with this surname.

The surname Vose also has connections to various place names in England, such as Vose's Farm in Gloucestershire and Vose's Mill in Wiltshire. These locations may have been named after individuals with the Vose surname, further highlighting the name's historical roots in the region.

Throughout history, the Vose surname has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including farmers, merchants, politicians, and colonists. Despite its relatively uncommon nature, the name has left its mark on historical records and continues to be associated with its English origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Vose families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Vose 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. Lancashire leads with 395 Voses recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.07x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 395 7.07x
Middlesex 27 0.57x
Yorkshire 12 0.26x
Cheshire 9 0.87x
Kent 8 0.50x
Monmouthshire 6 1.76x
Hampshire 5 0.52x
Lincolnshire 4 0.53x
Surrey 4 0.17x
Channel Islands 3 2.15x
Durham 3 0.21x
Isle of Man 3 3.43x
Staffordshire 3 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Windle in Lancashire leads with 60 Voses recorded in 1881 and an index of 190.72x.

Place Total Index
Windle 60 190.72x
Eccleston In Prescot 30 106.88x
Great Bolton 30 40.51x
Little Bolton 29 40.35x
Radcliffe 24 89.05x
West Derby 22 13.45x
Rainhill 17 474.86x
Wigan 16 20.48x
Halliwell 11 54.05x
Hulme 10 8.57x
Pemberton 10 44.86x
Pendleton In Salford 10 15.01x
Ormskirk 9 84.11x
Kearsley 7 59.52x
Lathom 7 103.70x
Plumstead 7 13.06x
Salford 7 4.26x
Warley 7 51.89x
Widnes 7 17.36x
Kirkdale 6 6.38x
Leyland 6 61.67x
North Meols 6 10.96x
St Pancras London 6 1.58x
Trevethin 6 18.65x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 5 11.49x
Aughton 5 90.25x
Bedford 5 42.77x
Little Crosby 5 555.56x
St Clement Danes 5 65.53x
St George In East 5 15.60x
Toxteth Park 5 2.64x
Whiston 5 114.68x
Chorley 4 12.75x
Elton 4 20.70x
Holbeach 4 47.68x
Islington London 4 0.88x
Lydiate 4 229.89x
Portsea 4 2.11x
Clerkenwell London 3 2.70x
Harborne 3 5.89x
Heapey 3 500.00x
Houghton Le Spring 3 30.96x
Liverpool 3 0.88x
Onchan 3 11.90x
Preston 3 2.01x
Scarisbrick 3 46.23x
St Peter Port 3 11.61x
Streatham 3 8.58x
Weston In Runcorn 3 111.11x
Birkenhead 2 2.41x
Everton 2 1.12x
Farnworth 2 5.97x
Hindley 2 8.39x
Little Heaton 2 149.25x
St Anne Soho London 2 7.43x
Standish With Langtree 2 29.03x
Stretton In Runcorn 2 312.50x
Aldershot 1 3.09x
Allerton 1 74.63x
Atherton 1 4.91x
Barton Upon Irwell 1 2.38x
Blackburn 1 0.67x
Blackrod 1 14.39x
Bow London 1 1.67x
Cheetham 1 2.40x
Farnham 1 5.60x
Gillingham 1 3.02x
Hartford 1 42.55x
Liscard 1 5.34x
Litherland 1 8.55x
St Luke London 1 1.32x
Tottington Lower End 1 3.76x
Warrington 1 1.51x
Whittingham 1 40.65x
Withington 1 5.55x
Witton 1 14.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 29
Elizabeth 25
Ann 22
Margaret 21
Sarah 17
Alice 13
Ellen 12
Jane 9
Harriet 6
Martha 6
Eliza 5
Emma 5
Hannah 5
Esther 4
Laura 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Annie 2
Charlotte 2
Georgina 2
Amy 1
Annah 1
Anne 1
Augusta 1
Betty 1
Catherine 1
Cecilia 1
Clara 1
Dorothy 1
Drucilla 1
Drusclla 1
Edda 1
Edith 1
Elisabeth 1
Eliz.A. 1
Elizth.Ellen 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Harrett 1
Henrietta 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Lily 1
Margary 1
Margery 1
Margret 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
May 1
Mercy 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 38
John 33
James 29
Thomas 24
George 17
Edward 11
Joseph 9
Samuel 9
Henry 8
Alfred 7
Robert 7
Walter 4
Albert 3
Charles 3
Herbert 3
Thos. 3
Daniel 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
Nathan 2
Peter 2
Richard 2
Abel 1
Alexander 1
Cornelius 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Eugene 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Izaac 1
Leigh 1
Oliver 1
Richd. 1
Sidney 1
Wiliam 1
Willm.T. 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Jos.Patk. 1

FAQ

Vose surname: questions and answers

How common was the Vose surname in 1881?

In 1881, 477 people were recorded with the Vose surname. That placed it at #7,014 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Vose surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 705 in 2016. That gives Vose a modern rank of #7,661.

What does the Vose surname mean?

A surname derived from a Norman French place name, possibly related to a woodland area.

What does the Vose map show?

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