Surrey is a ceremonial county in South East England, wrapped around the southern edge of London. It covers 642 square miles (1,663 km2) and had a population of 1,205,994 at the 2021 census. Few shire counties are settled more densely.
Woking is the largest town. The county council moved out of Kingston upon Thames in 2020 and now works from Woodhatch Place at Reigate, inside the county it administers.
| Country | England, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Region | South East England |
| Area | 642 sq mi (1,663 km2) |
| Population (2021) | 1,205,994 |
| Density | 725 people per km2 (1,878 per sq mi) |
| Largest town | Woking (103,900) |
| Council headquarters | Woodhatch Place, Reigate |
| Districts | 11 boroughs and districts |
| Highest point | Leith Hill, 294 m |
| Postcode areas | GU, KT, RH, CR, SM, TW |
Towns and Villages in Surrey
The GeoNames gazetteer records 359 named places in Surrey. The 250 listed below cover the county’s towns and villages, alphabetically from Abinger to Wyke; the remainder are suburbs, estates and named hills within existing towns.
- Abinger
- Abinger Common
- Abinger Hammer
- Addlestone
- Albury
- Alfold Crossways
- Anglefield Corner
- Artington
- Ash Vale
- Ashford
- Ashtead
- Badshot Lea
- Bagshot
- Banstead
- Beacon Hill
- Betchworth
- Binscombe
- Bishopsgate
- Blackbrook
- Bletchingley
- Blindley Heath
- Bookham
- Boundstone
- Box Hill
- Boxgrove Park
- Bramley
- Brick Hill
- Broadmoor
- Brook
- Buckland
- Burntcommon
- Burpham
- Burwood Park
- Bushy Hill
- Byfleet
- Camberley
- Capel
- Caterham
- Chaldon
- Charlton
- Charlwood
- Chertsey
- Chertsey Meads
- Chiddingfold
- Chilworth
- Chipstead
- Chobham
- Churt
- Claygate
- Cobham
- Compton
- Cranleigh
- Crosswater
- Cudworth
- Deepcut
- Dippenhall
- Dockenfield
- Domewood
- Dorking
- Dormans Park
- Dormansland
- Downside
- Dunsfold
- East Horsley
- East Horsley Village
- East Molesey
- Effingham
- Egham
- Egham Wick
- Elm Corner
- Elstead
- Englefield Green
- Enton
- Enton Green
- Epsom
- Esher
- Ewell
- Ewhurst
- Ewhurst Green
- Fairlands
- Farley Green
- Farnham
- Felbridge
- Felcourt
- Fetcham
- Flexford
- Frensham
- Frimley
- Frimley Green
- Gatton
- Godalming
- Godstone
- Gomshall
- Great Bookham
- Great Burgh
- Guildford
- Hambledon
- Haslemere
- Hatchford
- Haxted
- Headley
- Hersham
- Hinchley Wood
- Hindhead
- Hoe
- Holmbury St Mary
- Holmwood
- Hookwood
- Horley
- Horne
- Hurlands
- Hydestile
- Irons Bottom
- Jayes Park
- Kingswood
- Kingswood Warren
- Knaphill
- Langley Vale
- Leatherhead
- Leigh
- Lightwater
- Limpsfield
- Lingfield
- Little Bookham
- Littleton
- Logmore Green
- Long Ditton
- Longcross
- Lower Kingswood
- Loxhill
- Margery
- May’s Green
- Mayford
- Merle Common
- Merrow
- Merstham
- Mickleham
- Milford
- Millbridge
- Mogador
- Molesey
- Mousehill
- Munstead Heath
- Mytchett
- Nalderswood
- New Chapel
- New Haw
- Newdigate
- Nork
- Normandy
- North Holmwood
- Norwood Hill
- Nutfield
- Oatlands Park
- Ockley
- Okewood Hill
- Old Woking
- Ottershaw
- Oxshott
- Oxted
- Pachesham Park
- Palmers Cross
- Paynes Green
- Peartree Green
- Peaslake
- Pebble Coombe
- Penton Hook
- Peper Harow
- Pirbright
- Pitland Street
- Puttenham
- Pyle Hill
- Pyrford
- Ranmore Common
- Redhill
- Reigate
- Ripley
- Row Town
- Rowledge
- Runfold
- Rushmoor
- Salfords
- Sandhills
- Seale
- Send
- Sendmarsh
- Shackleford
- Shalford
- Sheerwater
- Sheet’s Heath
- Shellwood Cross
- Shepperton
- Shere
- Shortheath
- Sidlow
- Skimmington
- South Godstone
- South Nutfield
- St George’s Hill
- Staines
- Stanwell
- Stanwell Moor
- Stonehill
- Strood Green
- Stroude
- Sunbury-on-Thames
- Sutton Abinger
- Sutton Green
- Tadworth
- Tatsfield
- Thames Ditton
- The Chart
- The Sands
- Thorpe
- Thursley
- Tilford
- Tongham
- Tyler’s Green
- Upper Hale
- Virginia Water
- Walliswood
- Walton on the Hill
- Walton-on-Thames
- Warlingham
- Watercolour
- Wentworth
- West Bedfont
- West Byfleet
- West Clandon
- West Ewell
- West Horsley
- West Molesey
- Westcott
- Westhumble
- Weybourne
- Weybridge
- Whiteley Village
- Whitmoor Bottom
- Whyteleafe
- Willey Green
- Windlesham
- Witley
- Woking
- Woldingham
- Wonersh
- Wood Street Village
- Woodmansterne
- Wormley
- Wotton
- Wyke
Population is spread across many medium towns rather than one dominant centre. Woking (103,900) leads, followed by Guildford (77,057), Esher, Redhill, Staines, Banstead and Leatherhead (32,522). Horley (22,693) and Godalming (22,689) are the largest towns in the south.
Geography
The chalk of the North Downs crosses Surrey from Farnham to Oxted, breached by the Wey at Guildford and the Mole at Dorking. South of it the Greensand Ridge rises higher still: Leith Hill, at 294 metres, is the highest point in south-east England.
The Thames forms much of the northern boundary. Greater London lies north and north-east, Kent east, East Sussex and West Sussex south, Hampshire west and Berkshire north-west. About a quarter of the county sits inside the Surrey Hills National Landscape, and much of the rest is green belt.
Demographics
The 2021 census counted 1,205,994 residents, up 70,627 on 2011. Density averages 725 people per square kilometre, but the figure hides a sharp split: the north is continuous suburb, while the south and west stay rural.
Surrey has among the highest household incomes and house prices of any English county outside London, and a large share of residents commute into the capital. Elmbridge, around Esher and Weybridge, is consistently the most expensive district.
Economy and Local Life
Professional services, pharmaceuticals and technology dominate. Woking holds McLaren’s headquarters, Guildford has a cluster of games and satellite firms around the University of Surrey, and Royal Holloway sits at Egham.
Two racecourses draw large crowds: Epsom Downs, which stages the Derby, and Sandown Park at Esher. Brooklands at Weybridge was the world’s first purpose-built motor circuit and now houses a motoring and aviation museum. Thorpe Park at Chertsey is the county’s biggest single visitor attraction.
History
King John sealed Magna Carta at Runnymede, beside the Thames near Egham, in June 1215. Guildford Castle guarded the Wey gap from the 11th century. The Wey Navigation of 1653 was one of the earliest British rivers improved for barge traffic.
The historic county reached much further north and east, taking in Southwark, Lambeth, Wandsworth and Croydon. Those areas passed to London in 1889 and 1965, and Staines came the other way from Middlesex in 1965.
Getting There
The M25 crosses the north of the county, meeting the M3 at Chertsey and the M23 at Merstham. The A3 runs from London through Guildford towards Portsmouth, and the A31 heads west from Farnham.
South Western Railway serves Woking, Guildford, Staines and Epsom from Waterloo, and the Brighton Main Line runs through Redhill towards Gatwick. Gatwick Airport lies immediately over the West Sussex boundary; Heathrow is just north of the county.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Surrey?
1,205,994 at the 2021 census, an increase of 70,627 since 2011.
What is the largest town in Surrey?
Woking, with 103,900 people in its built-up area. Guildford (77,057) is second.
Which councils cover Surrey?
Surrey County Council plus 11 boroughs and districts: Elmbridge, Epsom and Ewell, Guildford, Mole Valley, Reigate and Banstead, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, Tandridge, Waverley and Woking.
What postcode areas cover Surrey?
GU, KT and RH cover most of it, with CR, SM and TW along the London edge.
What is the highest point in Surrey?
Leith Hill, near Dorking, at 294 metres. It is also the highest point in south-east England.
Where is Surrey?
Immediately south and south-west of London, between Berkshire and Hampshire to the west, Kent to the east and the two Sussex counties to the south.