NameCensus.

UK surname

Younger

A comparative surname referring to the younger of two people with the same given name in a family.

In the 1881 census there were 1,624 people recorded with the Younger surname, ranking it #2,630 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,459, ranked #2,680, down from #2,630 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Derbyshire, IZ14 and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Younger is 2,459 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.4%.

1881 census count

1,624

Ranked #2,630

Modern count

2,459

2016, ranked #2,680

Peak year

2016

2,459 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Younger had 1,624 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,630 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,459 in 2016, ranked #2,680.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,068 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Younger surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Younger surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Younger 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 1,194 #2,382
1861 historical 1,318 #2,170
1881 historical 1,624 #2,630
1891 historical 1,701 #2,657
1901 historical 2,068 #2,589
1911 historical 1,469 #3,282
1997 modern 2,302 #2,698
1998 modern 2,374 #2,733
1999 modern 2,373 #2,752
2000 modern 2,350 #2,758
2001 modern 2,326 #2,730
2002 modern 2,366 #2,739
2003 modern 2,265 #2,787
2004 modern 2,255 #2,796
2005 modern 2,222 #2,807
2006 modern 2,277 #2,739
2007 modern 2,305 #2,744
2008 modern 2,310 #2,757
2009 modern 2,350 #2,782
2010 modern 2,444 #2,742
2011 modern 2,386 #2,772
2012 modern 2,368 #2,744
2013 modern 2,403 #2,753
2014 modern 2,440 #2,736
2015 modern 2,455 #2,705
2016 modern 2,459 #2,680

Geography

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Where Youngers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Derbyshire, IZ14, Northumberland and County Durham. 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 3
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Derbyshire 006 South Derbyshire
2 IZ14 East Lothian
3 Northumberland 002 Northumberland
4 County Durham 011 County Durham
5 Northumberland 029 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Younger

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Younger

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

Younger is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Younger

The surname Younger is of English origin, and it first emerged in the medieval period. The name is derived from the Middle English word "yonger," which means "younger" or "junior." It was initially used as a distinguishing term to differentiate between two individuals with the same given name, with the younger person being referred to as "the younger."

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Younger can be traced back to the 13th century. In the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, dated 1273, there is a reference to a person named William le Yongere. This early spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name from its Middle English roots.

During the 14th century, the surname Younger appeared in various historical records across England. For instance, in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, there is a mention of one John le Yonger. Similarly, in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379, a Thomas Yonger is recorded.

The Younger surname also has connections to place names. In the 16th century, there was a notable figure named John Younger, who was born around 1514 in Younger's Ait, an island in the River Thames near Twickenham. The island's name suggests that it may have been associated with the Younger family at one point.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Younger. One prominent example is William Younger (1542-1592), a Scottish merchant and entrepreneur who founded the Younger Brewing Company in Leith, Edinburgh. This brewery later became part of the Scottish & Newcastle Breweries conglomerate.

Another significant figure was Thomas Younger (1773-1829), a Scottish businessman and politician who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1823 to 1825. He was also a partner in the Younger Brewing Company, which had been established by his ancestors.

In the literary world, Caleb Younger (1822-1888) was an American writer and journalist who published several works, including "Lonz Powers: A Romance of the Revolution" and "The Light Dragoon: An Historical Romance of the Old French War."

The Younger surname has also been associated with military figures. One such individual was William Sanky Younger (1839-1921), a British Army officer who served in the Anglo-Zulu War and the Second Boer War, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.

Lastly, Arthur Younger (1858-1919) was a British politician and businessman who served as the President of the Board of Education from 1905 to 1910 and later became the Governor of New South Wales, Australia, from 1913 to 1919.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Younger families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Younger 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. Northumberland leads with 380 Youngers recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.15x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 380 16.15x
Durham 176 3.74x
Fife 108 11.54x
Middlesex 97 0.61x
Lanarkshire 90 1.76x
Midlothian 78 3.68x
Angus 64 4.37x
Suffolk 62 3.22x
Yorkshire 56 0.36x
Surrey 45 0.58x
Perthshire 40 5.64x
Clackmannanshire 38 29.10x
Lincolnshire 37 1.46x
Renfrewshire 35 2.86x
Essex 30 0.96x
Lancashire 29 0.15x
Stirlingshire 26 4.46x
Berwickshire 24 12.53x
Roxburghshire 24 8.38x
Caithness 22 10.16x
Cumberland 16 1.18x
Selkirkshire 15 10.49x
Nottinghamshire 14 0.66x
Hampshire 13 0.40x
Kent 13 0.24x
West Lothian 13 5.46x
Cheshire 12 0.34x
Gloucestershire 12 0.39x
Leicestershire 10 0.57x
Hertfordshire 8 0.73x
Devon 7 0.21x
Aberdeenshire 6 0.41x
Sussex 5 0.19x
Derbyshire 4 0.16x
Norfolk 3 0.12x
Kinross-shire 2 5.00x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.15x
East Lothian 1 0.48x
Glamorgan 1 0.04x
Royal Navy 1 0.53x
Staffordshire 1 0.02x
Warwickshire 1 0.03x
Westmorland 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Long Melford in Suffolk leads with 45 Youngers recorded in 1881 and an index of 251.40x.

Place Total Index
Long Melford 45 251.40x
Govan 39 3.08x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 32 3.75x
Barony 31 2.40x
Dunfermline 30 20.84x
Dundee 29 5.30x
Olrig 21 194.26x
Gateshead 20 5.68x
Monkwearmouth Shore 20 21.78x
Tweedmouth 19 64.78x
Bishopwearmouth 18 4.46x
Ancroft 17 205.56x
Glasgow 17 1.87x
Chirton 16 30.05x
Newington 16 2.74x
South Leith 16 6.71x
Galashiels 15 28.36x
Holywell 15 123.97x
Seghill 15 130.10x
Tillicoultry 15 51.64x
Cramlington 14 45.03x
Elswick 14 7.46x
Alloa 13 20.53x
Markinch 13 40.91x
St Luke London 13 5.13x
St Pancras London 13 1.02x
Stirling 13 17.68x
Trimdon 13 78.17x
Byker 12 10.32x
Cathcart 12 18.10x
Dalmeny 12 131.87x
Kyloe 12 221.40x
Longbenton 12 12.04x
Muckhart 12 365.85x
Newcastle On Tyne St 12 9.84x
Edinburgh St Georges 11 25.02x
Harton 11 59.17x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 11 5.40x
Kensington London 11 1.25x
Leeds 11 1.24x
Liff Benvie 11 4.95x
Paston 11 1182.80x
Maxton 10 403.23x
St Andrews 10 23.48x
West Ham 10 1.45x
Alnwick 9 22.25x
Burradon In Tynemouth 9 149.75x
Cressing 9 307.17x
Cupar 9 22.11x
Earlston 9 93.85x
Hebron Cockle Park Earsdon 9 461.54x
Islington London 9 0.59x
Merrington 9 99.34x
Newbottle 9 35.03x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 9 6.41x
Paddington London 9 1.55x
Seaton Delaval 9 43.56x
Tynemouth 9 7.14x
West Greenock 9 4.09x
West Herrington 9 54.61x
Adderstone 8 540.54x
Auchtergaven 8 67.23x
Beath 8 27.05x
Burradon In Rothbury 8 1230.77x
Chester Le Street 8 22.15x
Dursley 8 62.75x
Monkwearmouth 8 17.77x
Paisley Middle Church 8 11.21x
Alford 7 44.67x
Beddington 7 23.49x
Bedlington 7 8.91x
Birkenhead 7 2.52x
Brightside Bierlow 7 2.28x
Corby 7 165.09x
Kinghorn 7 35.23x
Lenton 7 13.94x
Linton 7 234.90x
Newmarket St Mary 7 47.36x
St Cuthbert W O 7 10.55x
Westoe 7 2.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 83
William 69
Robert 47
Thomas 44
James 35
George 32
Henry 22
Edward 16
Joseph 16
Ralph 15
Charles 11
Andrew 8
David 8
Arthur 6
Richard 6
Walter 5
Harry 4
Samuel 4
Thos. 4
Alfred 3
Edwin 3
Francis 3
Isaac 3
Peter 3
Adam 2
Albert 2
Alexander 2
Barnett 2
Eardley 2
Fred 2
Frederick 2
Wm. 2
Wright 2
Archibald 1
Auther 1
Basil 1
Chas. 1
Chas.J. 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
E.E.L. 1
Elix.Thos. 1
Frank 1
Herbert 1
J.E. 1
Jas. 1
Jasper 1
Jno.Jas. 1
Jonatham 1
Louis 1

FAQ

Younger surname: questions and answers

How common was the Younger surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,624 people were recorded with the Younger surname. That placed it at #2,630 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Younger surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,459 in 2016. That gives Younger a modern rank of #2,680.

What does the Younger surname mean?

A comparative surname referring to the younger of two people with the same given name in a family.

What does the Younger map show?

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