From the charts creator:
Source: Rachael Tatman’s “Every Pub in England” dataset
Tools: Powerpoint
Methodology: I downloaded the above dataset and manually filtered for any mentions of monarchs names.
I excluded royal references without names, eg “King’s Arms/Queen’s Arms” – I only wanted specifics, eg “King William” or “Queen Elizabeth”.
There are many pubs with ambiguous names like “The George” where I looked on Google StreetView or tracked down some historic photographs to see which king they used on the pub sign. Even with that extra research there were about 50 I couldn’t categorize.
Another thing to note: the original dataset includes things like bars attached to social clubs, sports clubs, or churches. These might stretch the definition of “pub” a little bit but in practice it made more sense to leave them in and avoid drawing an arbitrary line!
The totals:
| Monarch | # of Pubs | Reign Years |
|---|---|---|
| Alfred the Great | 11 | 871–899 |
| Edward the Elder | 0 | 899–924 |
| Athelstan | 1 | 924–939 |
| Edmund I | 1 | 939–946 |
| Eadred | 0 | 946–955 |
| Eadwig | 0 | 955–959 |
| Edgar the Peaceful | 0 | 959–975 |
| Edward the Martyr | 0 | 975–978 |
| Æthelred the Unready | 0 | 978–1013, 1014–1016 |
| Sweyn Forkbeard | 1 | 1013–1014 |
| Edmund Ironside | 0 | 1016 |
| Canute (Cnut the Great) | 1 | 1016–1035 |
| Harold Harefoot | 0 | 1035–1040 |
| Harthacnut | 0 | 1040–1042 |
| Edward the Confessor | 2 | 1042–1066 |
| Harold Godwinson | 1 | 1066 |
| William I (the Conqueror) | 2 | 1066–1087 |
| William II (Rufus) | 0 | 1087–1100 |
| Henry I | 0 | 1100–1135 |
| Stephen | 0 | 1135–1154 |
| Matilda | 0 | (Disputed, 1135–1153) |
| Henry II | 0 | 1154–1189 |
| Richard I (the Lionheart) | 1 | 1189–1199 |
| John | 2 | 1199–1216 |
| Henry III | 0 | 1216–1272 |
| Edward I | 0 | 1272–1307 |
| Edward II | 0 | 1307–1327 |
| Edward III | 0 | 1327–1377 |
| Richard II | 0 | 1377–1399 |
| Henry IV | 1 | 1399–1413 |
| Henry V | 0 | 1413–1422 |
| Henry VI | 1 | 1422–1461, 1470–1471 |
| Edward IV | 0 | 1461–1470, 1471–1483 |
| Edward V | 0 | 1483 |
| Richard III | 1 | 1483–1485 |
| Henry VII | 1 | 1485–1509 |
| Henry VIII | 3 | 1509–1547 |
| Edward VI | 0 | 1547–1553 |
| Mary I | 1 | 1553–1558 |
| Elizabeth I | 7 | 1558–1603 |
| James I | 1 | 1603–1625 |
| Charles I | 3 | 1625–1649 |
| Charles II | 3 | 1660–1685 |
| James II | 0 | 1685–1688 |
| William III | 1 | 1689–1702 |
| Mary II | 0 | 1689–1694 |
| Anne | 5 | 1702–1714 |
| George I | 7 | 1714–1727 |
| George II | 11 | 1727–1760 |
| George III | 50 | 1760–1820 |
| George IV | 29 | 1820–1830 |
| William IV | 62 | 1830–1837 |
| Victoria | 222 | 1837–1901 |
| Edward VII | 11 | 1901–1910 |
| George V | 17 | 1910–1936 |
| Edward VIII | 0 | 1936 |
| George VI | 1 | 1936–1952 |
| Elizabeth II | 0 | 1952–2022 |
Royal Pub Names
Pubs named after monarchs (or with monarchical associations) are among the oldest and most numerous categories of pub names in the UK, and the “less obvious” ones are often the most historically interesting.
Let’s break this down into clear categories, from the directly royal to the symbolically related:
Directly Named After Monarchs
These are the straightforward cases, pubs named explicitly after kings, queens, princes, or other members of the royal family.
Examples:
- The King’s Head / Queen’s Head – Among the most common names in Britain. Originated after the Reformation, when pub signs showing monarchs’ portraits (Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Charles I, etc.) became popular, often reflecting loyalty to a particular ruler.
- The King’s Arms / Queen’s Arms – Referring to the royal coat of arms rather than the monarch personally.
- The Prince of Wales / Duke of York / Duke of Edinburgh – Titles from within the royal family; still popular, especially in the 18th–19th centuries.
- The Victoria / The Albert / The George – Monarchs used as shorthand; “The George” in particular often refers to St. George or King George, and it can be ambiguous which.
- The Charles / The Henry / The Elizabeth – Less common but still found, often referencing a specific period (e.g., Restoration-era taverns for Charles II).
Indirectly Royal – By Title or Association
These names reference titles or positions associated with monarchy rather than naming a specific ruler.
Examples:
- The Regent / The Regency – Referring to a prince regent (famously George IV, who ruled as Prince Regent 1811–1820). “The Regent” was a fashionable pub name in the early 19th century, especially in London, reflecting Regency style and culture.
- The Sovereign – Evokes royal authority without naming a monarch.
- The Crown / The Three Crowns – Among the most widespread names in Britain. “The Crown” symbolizes the monarchy as an institution; after the English Civil War, many “King’s Head” pubs quietly changed to “The Crown” to avoid political trouble.
- The Royal Oak – A very famous example: commemorates Charles II hiding in an oak tree after the Battle of Worcester (1651). Became a patriotic royalist pub name after the Restoration.
- The Royal Standard – The personal flag of the monarch; often indicates loyalty or royal patronage.
Symbolically Royal (Heraldic Beasts and Emblems)
These names often come from royal badges or heraldry, especially in medieval and Tudor times.
Examples:
- The White Hart – The personal badge of King Richard II. One of the oldest royal-linked pub names, widespread across England.
- The White Swan – Associated with Henry IV’s son (later Henry V) and the de Bohun family badge, later adopted as a Lancastrian symbol.
- The Red Lion – Possibly the most common pub name in the UK. Associated with the lion on the royal arms of Scotland (and later the unified royal arms of Great Britain). Also may relate to the badge of John of Gaunt.
- The White Lion – Tudor and Yorkist associations; often found in regions with historical ties to those houses.
- The Black Prince – Refers to Edward, Prince of Wales (son of Edward III). Romantic medieval nostalgia made this name popular in Victorian times.
- The Griffin / Dragon / Unicorn – Heraldic beasts connected to royal coats of arms (the unicorn especially for Scotland, the dragon for Wales).
By Royal Event or Connection
Some pubs commemorate royal events, places, or symbols of imperial identity.
Examples:
- The Coronation – Named for specific coronations, often those of Victoria, Edward VII, or Elizabeth II.
- The Jubilee / The Diamond Jubilee – Reflecting long reigns or celebrations.
- The Windsor Castle – A direct reference to the royal residence.
- The Sandringham / The Balmoral – Royal estates used as pub names, especially during the late Victorian era.
- The King’s Coronation / The Queen’s Jubilee / The Royal Wedding – These tend to appear after particular events.
Subtle or Archaic Connections
Some pubs retain older or less obvious links to monarchy, the connection only makes sense if you know the history.
Examples:
- The Rose & Crown – Symbolic fusion of royal and national emblems; the Tudor rose symbolized the union of the houses of Lancaster and York.
- The Globe – Sometimes associated with Elizabeth I’s patronage of the arts and the age of exploration.
- The Mitre – Though ecclesiastical, sometimes indicates royal involvement in church patronage.
- The Coach & Horses / The King’s Arms Hotel – Indirectly royal via royal travel and coaching routes (many “Coaching Inns” had royal charters or hosted royal messengers).
Books on pub names:
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