Findings are based on information from the 1851 census: selecting only women who were born 1740-1820, and who were living in London in 1851. Total number of individuals included is 8 229. Note that Greater London was not treated as a county in the census data, so this is actually a subset of the counties of Middlesex, and to a lesser degree, Surrey.
The five most common names were:
Mary 15.6%
Elizabeth 11.0%
Sarah 9.6%
Ann 9.4%
Jane 5.0%
Over half of the women were called Mary, Elizabeth, Sarah, Ann or Jane.
Over two-thirds of the women were called Mary, Elizabeth, Sarah, Ann, Jane, Mary Ann, Eliza, Margaret, Hannah or Harriet.
5.7% (468) of the women had unusual names--those which were shared by 5 or fewer individuals. A handful of these appeared to be foreign immigrant names (Resinhappurk, Vicomsepdo), or men who had accidently been marked as female on the census return (John, Richard).
 | Names | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Mary | 15.6% | |
| Elizabeth | 11.0% | |
| Sarah | 9.6% | |
| Ann | 9.4% | |
| Jane; Mary Ann; Eliza | 12.0% | |
| Margaret; Hannah; Harriet; Maria; Catherine; Charlotte | 13.6% | |
| Martha; Caroline; Ellen; Frances; Susan; Sophia | 8.6% | |
| Louisa; Susanna; Emma; Rebecca; Lucy; Amelia; Eleanor; Esther; Bridget; Isabella; Emily | 8.0% | |
| Johanna; Fanny; Julia; Anna; Phoebe; Lydia; Matilda; May; Alice; Jemima; Rachael; Agnes; Ruth; Betsy; Helen; Georgiana; Grace; James; Hester; Letitia; Dorothy; William; Clara; Deborah; Dinah; Henrietta; Honora; John; Laura; Marie; Matha; Priscilla; Rosina; Barbara; Jessie; Rosa; Selina | 6.4% | |
| shared by 5 people or fewer | 5.7% |
All names, ranked with the most popular first.
| Names \ year born | 1740-1759 | 1760-1779 | 1780-1799 | 1800-1820 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mary | 2 | 67 | 363 | 853 | 1285 |
| Elizabeth | 2 | 50 | 258 | 596 | 906 |
| Sarah | 1 | 65 | 208 | 520 | 794 |
| Ann | - | 46 | 212 | 514 | 772 |
| Jane | - | 17 | 98 | 294 | 409 |
| Mary Ann/Maryann | - | 2 | 73 | 255 | 330 |
| Eliza | - | 2 | 32 | 216 | 250 |
| Margaret | - | 11 | 46 | 144 | 201 |
| Hannah | - | 11 | 54 | 133 | 198 |
| Harriet | - | 7 | 45 | 139 | 191 |
| Maria | - | 4 | 47 | 136 | 187 |
| Catherine | - | 10 | 52 | 123 | 185 |
| Charlotte | - | 6 | 40 | 114 | 160 |
| Martha | - | 6 | 48 | 86 | 140 |
| Caroline | - | 1 | 17 | 112 | 130 |
| Ellen | - | 6 | 20 | 91 | 117 |
| Frances | - | 9 | 31 | 75 | 115 |
| Susan | - | 9 | 22 | 75 | 106 |
| Sophia | - | 1 | 33 | 67 | 101 |
| Louisa | 1 | - | 21 | 77 | 99 |
| Susanna | - | 2 | 21 | 65 | 88 |
| Emma | - | 4 | 9 | 66 | 79 |
| Rebecca | - | 7 | 22 | 50 | 79 |
| Lucy | - | 3 | 20 | 26 | 49 |
| Amelia | - | 2 | 12 | 33 | 47 |
| Eleanor | - | 2 | 14 | 30 | 46 |
| Esther | - | 3 | 20 | 23 | 46 |
| Bridget | 2 | 2 | 11 | 28 | 43 |
| Isabella | - | 3 | 9 | 30 | 42 |
| Emily | - | - | 6 | 34 | 40 |
| Johanna | - | 2 | 13 | 23 | 38 |
| Fanny | - | 1 | 10 | 23 | 34 |
| Julia | - | - | 7 | 27 | 34 |
| Anna | - | 2 | 5 | 24 | 31 |
| Phoebe | - | 1 | 5 | 22 | 28 |
| Lydia | - | - | 6 | 20 | 26 |
| Matilda | - | 1 | 4 | 21 | 26 |
| May | - | 1 | 6 | 16 | 23 |
| Alice | - | - | 9 | 13 | 22 |
| Jemima | - | - | 4 | 18 | 22 |
| Rachael | - | 2 | 2 | 17 | 21 |
| Agnes | - | 2 | 3 | 11 | 16 |
| Ruth | - | 2 | 5 | 6 | 13 |
| Betsy | - | - | 3 | 9 | 12 |
| Helen | - | - | 4 | 8 | 12 |
| Georgiana | - | - | 1 | 10 | 11 |
| Grace | - | - | 3 | 8 | 11 |
| James | - | 3 | 1 | 7 | 11 |
| Hester | - | - | 2 | 7 | 9 |
| Letitia | - | 1 | 4 | 4 | 9 |
| Dorothy | - | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 |
| William | - | - | 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Matha | - | - | - | 7 | 7 |
| Deborah; Dinah; John | - | - | 4 | 3 | 3 x 7 |
| Marie; Priscilla | - | - | 1 | 6 | 2 x 7 |
| Henrietta; Rosina | - | - | 2 | 5 | 2 x 7 |
| Honora; Laura | - | - | 3 | 4 | 2 x 7 |
| Clara | - | 1 | - | 6 | 7 |
| Jessie; Rosa | - | - | - | 6 | 2 x 6 |
| Barbara | - | - | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Selina | - | - | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Adelaide; Kate; Rhoda; Rosetta | - | - | 1 | 4 | 4 x 5 |
| Christianna; Thomas | - | 1 | - | 4 | 2 x 5 |
| Augusta; Christian | - | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 x 5 |
| Joseph | - | - | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Nancy | - | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Amy | - | - | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Edith | - | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| Marion | - | - | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Clarissa; Diana; Kezia; Teresa | - | - | - | 4 | 4 x 4 |
| Judy; Phillis | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 x 4 |
| Abigail | - | - | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Celia | - | 1 | - | 3 | 4 |
| Elija | - | - | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Johanne | - | - | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Am; Dora; Jenie; Josephine; Juliana; Philadelphia; Rose; Sush | - | - | 1 | 2 | 8 x 3 |
| Angelina; Charles; Harrett; Jean; Rosanna | - | - | - | 3 | 5 x 3 |
| Adeline | - | - | - | 2 | 2 x 2 |
| Judith; Milicent | - | - | 3 | - | 2 x 3 |
| Annette | - | 1 | - | 2 | 3 |
| Elira | - | - | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Annie; Bethia; Betty; Blanch; Charlotta; Henry; Mat; Mildred; Prudence; Sally; Tryphena | - | - | - | 2 | 11 x 2 |
| Arabella; Clemencia; Elie; Hephribah; Nanny; Penelope; Sam; Samuel; Uslar; Winifred | - | - | 1 | 1 | 10 x 2 |
| Alicia; Constance; Janet; Lane; Miriam | - | 1 | - | 1 | 5 x 2 |
| George; Kitty | - | 1 | 1 | - | 2 x 2 |
| Hary | - | - | 2 | - | 2 |
| Adde; Adele; Alexandrina; Algarg; Alida; Allen; Allison; Altezeera; Althea; Ama; Amele; Amelis; Amolia; Amore; Annabel; Apolina; Archy; Arseneth; Arsula; Ary; Barnard; Batista; Beatrice; Belinda; Bella; Bertha; Bertice; Bessy; Blettcher; Cady; Cahallo; Cathear; Cathenay; Cecila; Cecile; Cecilia; Cecily; Chaterine; Cheris; Cherry; Christopher; Cicely; Cine; Clavia; Clement; Clementine; Cleona; Cleverdens; Donna; Edna; Eleanora; Eliane; Elise; Elissa; Ellard; Ellenam; Elmer; Elmira; Elora; Elra; Emblon; Emelia; Emmelina; Enna; Enough; Epse; Ernestine; Euginia; Euphemia; Evelyn; Farah; Florentia; Florentine; Georgina; Goodlick; Guilly; Hanny; Harrel; Henera; Henorta; Hephencbah; Hilda; Honor; Ioannis; Irad; Isobel; Jana; Jared; Jarret; Jeanette; Jerema; Joan; Josepha; Joyce; Juliet; June; Justina; Karenhappack; Keason; Kerenhappench; Lacey; Lansing; Lelina; Lipporah; Louise; Lovinia; Lucretia; Luemma; Luna; Lyde; Madalene; Magretta; Marge; Marianne; Markin; Marriel; Mauneline; Mee; Melinda; Meliora; Meria; Merran; Mersalia; Mijr; Milliard; Mon; Morgum; Mu; Myria; Nora; Octavia; Partiene; Paulina; Pauline; Percilla; Peucika; Phelomine; Philadelp; Phillipins; Pilia; Ramsey; Rarked; Rathe; Resinhappurk; Rhona; Richard; Robert; Robinson; Rosamah; Rosann; Roselle; Rosema; Rositta; Salome; Saragh; Sarahb ; Se; Selma; Septima; Setcha; Shire; Sidelia; Sidney; Solomon; Sophine; Sophy; Sura; Sylvia; Tamisianna; Tarisa; Tercia; Theodosia; Treacy; Turpin; Vicomsepdo; Victoria; Virginie; Weller; Wilhemina; Woote; Worthey; Zane | - | - | - | 1 | 182 x 1 |
| Abigar; Albina; Alison; Antoinette; Arist; Catton; Christina; Clemantina; Cordelia; Daina; Deboras; Diane; Drane; Ealliannie; Eken; Eli; Estella; Estie; Faith; Floinday; Gabetha; Germina; Goainn; Helena; Henrta; Hepseta; Hetty; Jehona; Josette; Kachael; Leanna; Lethia; Lettice; Loana; Lomer; Marcy; Marijan; Matho; Mayfield; Mervina; Milas; Morgan; Patricia; Rate; Ressie; Ruther; Seeria; Serena; Sibbell; Theodocia; Theresa; Veronica; Virginia; Wylan | - | - | 1 | - | 54 x 1 |
| Aleling; Ally; Alphia; Barber; Canew; Catharina; Cathra; Dorothea; Hensca; Huey; Joep; Julian; Olivia; Rosamond; Tablitha; Victora | - | 1 | - | - | 16 x 1 |
| Total | 8 | 411 | 2106 | 5704 | 8229 |
My analysis is presented with thanks to ancestry.co.uk whose free online access to basic 1851 census data allowed me to complete this study.