NameCensus.

UK surname

Adby

In the 1881 census there were 71 people recorded with the Adby surname, ranking it #23,517 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 131, ranked #26,004, down from #23,517 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Basildon, Streatley and Sonning. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wycombe, South Oxfordshire and York.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Adby is 145 in 2004. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 84.5%.

1881 census count

71

Ranked #23,517

Modern count

131

2016, ranked #26,004

Peak year

2004

145 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Adby had 71 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,517 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 131 in 2016, ranked #26,004.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 101 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Adby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Adby surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Adby 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 33 #27,390
1861 historical 34 #29,685
1881 historical 71 #23,517
1891 historical 69 #28,188
1901 historical 97 #23,227
1911 historical 101 #22,589
1997 modern 127 #23,352
1998 modern 142 #22,406
1999 modern 138 #22,983
2000 modern 144 #22,357
2001 modern 144 #22,040
2002 modern 143 #22,595
2003 modern 138 #22,823
2004 modern 145 #22,289
2005 modern 136 #23,205
2006 modern 133 #23,711
2007 modern 123 #25,208
2008 modern 122 #25,638
2009 modern 129 #25,314
2010 modern 132 #25,519
2011 modern 120 #26,930
2012 modern 122 #26,696
2013 modern 134 #25,525
2014 modern 135 #25,581
2015 modern 131 #25,979
2016 modern 131 #26,004

Geography

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Where Adbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Basildon, Streatley, Sonning, London parishes and Ashamstead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wycombe, South Oxfordshire and York. 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 Basildon Berkshire
2 Streatley Berkshire
3 Sonning Oxfordshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Ashamstead Berkshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wycombe 017 Wycombe
2 Wycombe 006 Wycombe
3 South Oxfordshire 013 South Oxfordshire
4 Wycombe 014 Wycombe
5 York 021 York

Forenames

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First names often paired with Adby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Adby

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Adby, 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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Adby surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Adby household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Adby is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Adby is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Adby falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Adby 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 Adby, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Adby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Adby 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. Berkshire leads with 30 Adbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 57.73x.

County Total Index
Berkshire 30 57.73x
Buckinghamshire 25 59.72x
Kent 7 2.96x
Sussex 7 6.00x
Hampshire 2 1.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wycombe in Buckinghamshire leads with 25 Adbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 801.28x.

Place Total Index
Wycombe 25 801.28x
Streatley 12 8000.00x
Reading St Mary 9 216.35x
Ashampstead 7 8750.00x
Brighton 7 29.72x
St Lawrence 7 432.10x
Cholsey 1 243.90x
Holdenhurst 1 26.88x
Reading St Giles 1 19.61x
South Warnborough 1 1428.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 3
Amelia 2
Ann 2
Elizabeth 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Jane 2
Mary 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Blanch 1
Edith 1
Ellen 1
Fanny 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Kate 1
Letitia 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Marian 1
Rosa 1
Sarah 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 5
William 5
George 4
Frederick 3
Richard 3
Alfred 2
Fredk. 2
James 2
Abraham 1
Albert 1
David 1
Edward 1
Fred 1
Harry 1
Jas. 1
John 1
Louis 1
Stephen 1
Thomas 1
Walter 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Adby households.

FAQ

Adby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Adby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 71 people were recorded with the Adby surname. That placed it at #23,517 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Adby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 131 in 2016. That gives Adby a modern rank of #26,004.

What does the Adby map show?

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