We have compiled a list of the 40 most popular surnames across Derbyshire, so you can see how many other people bearing your family name are spread across the county.
As well as this, we have provided details of the hidden meanings behind each surname – with some of these historical names descending from the Normans, Hebrews and Germanic tribes, among others.
All data relating to the popularity of surnames across Derbyshire was taken from Forebears, and information on the meaning of each surname was taken from Ancestry and FindMyPast.
21. Turner
Turner comes in at 21st on this list, with the surname held by 3,263 people across Derbyshire. This is an occupational name from the Middle English word ‘t(o)urnour’, mainly denoting someone who fashioned small objects of wood, metal or bone on a lathe. It also has connections to a variety of other occupations, including turnspit, translator or interpreter. Pictured here are Jill and Simon Turner of Hasland Pet Supplies. Photo: Rachel Atkins
22. Holmes
There are 3,168 Holmes’ across Derbyshire, ranking the surname as the 22nd most common in the county. This is derived from Holm, a topographic name for someone who lived on an island in particular a piece of slightly raised land lying in a fen or partly surrounded by streams. Pictured here is pet shop owner Bill Holmes, who used to take the leopard for walks on the Codnor Ormonde golf course in 1983. Photo: George Eyre
23. Green
Green is the 23rd surname on this list, held by 3,114 people across Derbyshire. Green has a number of potential meanings - it was used as a nickname for someone who was fond of dressing in this color (Old English grēne), someone who was was young or immature, or someone who had played the part of the ‘Green Man’ in the May Day celebrations. It was also a topographic name for someone who lived near a village green. Pictured here are Kelly Green and Ashley Walker of United Cast Bar. Photo: Marie Caley
24. White
There are 3,078 people with the surname White across Derbyshire, making it the 24th most popular in the county. Historically, it was a nickname for someone with white hair or a pale complexion, but could also be topographic, referring to someone who lived by a bend or curve in a river or road. Pictured here is performance historian John S. White at Bolsover Castle. Photo: Rachel Atkins