NameCensus.

UK surname

Alvey

An English occupational surname for a wise or elf-like person, or one who came from Alvingham.

In the 1881 census there were 510 people recorded with the Alvey surname, ranking it #6,678 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 672, ranked #7,966, down from #6,678 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Whatton, Long, Normanton, South and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolsover, North East Derbyshire and Gedling.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Alvey is 725 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.8%.

1881 census count

510

Ranked #6,678

Modern count

672

2016, ranked #7,966

Peak year

2000

725 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Alvey had 510 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,678 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 672 in 2016, ranked #7,966.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 709 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Alvey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Alvey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Alvey 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 393 #6,118
1861 historical 378 #6,761
1881 historical 510 #6,678
1891 historical 523 #7,161
1901 historical 654 #6,607
1911 historical 709 #6,014
1997 modern 704 #7,217
1998 modern 707 #7,418
1999 modern 707 #7,457
2000 modern 725 #7,300
2001 modern 711 #7,275
2002 modern 703 #7,483
2003 modern 665 #7,693
2004 modern 655 #7,790
2005 modern 663 #7,671
2006 modern 650 #7,795
2007 modern 653 #7,834
2008 modern 660 #7,817
2009 modern 650 #8,073
2010 modern 661 #8,133
2011 modern 679 #7,873
2012 modern 675 #7,838
2013 modern 690 #7,817
2014 modern 695 #7,813
2015 modern 693 #7,783
2016 modern 672 #7,966

Geography

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Where Alveys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Whatton, Long, Normanton, South, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Fulwood and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolsover, North East Derbyshire and Gedling. 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 Whatton, Long Leicestershire
2 Normanton, South Nottinghamshire
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Sutton-in-Ashfield, Fulwood Nottinghamshire
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolsover 007 Bolsover
2 Bolsover 006 Bolsover
3 Bolsover 009 Bolsover
4 North East Derbyshire 013 North East Derbyshire
5 Gedling 002 Gedling

Forenames

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First names often paired with Alvey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Alvey

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Alvey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Alvey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Alvey is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Alvey is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Alvey falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Alvey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Alvey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Alvey

The surname Alvey originates from England and is thought to have first appeared in the 12th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the Norman French place name 'Alvey' or 'Alveley', which may refer to several locations across England, including villages in Shropshire and Essex.

The name itself is thought to be derived from the Old English words 'ælf' meaning 'elf' or 'supernatural being', and 'leah' meaning 'woodland clearing' or 'meadow'. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place inhabited by elves or fairies, according to folklore.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Alvey can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1198, where a Robert de Alveleye is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also record a Henry de Alvytheleye, further indicating the name's early presence in England.

In the 13th century, the Alvey surname appeared in various spellings such as Alveleye, Alvelea, and Alveley, reflecting the evolution of the name over time. The village of Alveley in Shropshire is believed to be one of the potential places of origin for those bearing the Alvey surname.

Notable individuals with the Alvey surname include John Alvey (1615-1672), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Another notable figure was Sir Richard Alvey (1826-1892), a British lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Bahamas.

Other individuals bearing the Alvey name include Thomas Alvey (1775-1839), an English farmer and landowner in Lincolnshire, and William Alvey (1846-1919), an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in the late 19th century.

The Alvey surname has also been found in various parts of the United States, likely stemming from English immigrants who brought the name with them. One notable American with the surname was Alma Alvey (1893-1983), a singer and vaudeville performer who was active in the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Alvey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Alvey 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 204 Alveys recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.36x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 204 30.36x
Derbyshire 107 13.71x
Middlesex 53 1.06x
Yorkshire 41 0.83x
Leicestershire 35 6.33x
Surrey 29 1.19x
Midlothian 9 1.35x
Lincolnshire 8 1.00x
Warwickshire 8 0.64x
Cheshire 4 0.36x
Northumberland 4 0.54x
Hampshire 2 0.20x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.32x
Durham 1 0.07x
Gloucestershire 1 0.10x
Kent 1 0.06x
Monmouthshire 1 0.28x
Staffordshire 1 0.06x
Suffolk 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nottingham St Mary in Nottinghamshire leads with 64 Alveys recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.83x.

Place Total Index
Nottingham St Mary 64 36.83x
Alfreton 24 101.22x
South Normanton 24 437.96x
Shoreditch London 16 7.40x
Mansfield 15 64.52x
Burton Joyce 14 1228.07x
Long Whatton 14 1166.67x
Woodborough 13 855.26x
Battersea 12 6.54x
Newark Upon Trent 11 45.55x
Snenton 11 41.67x
Arnold 10 101.94x
Leicester St Nicholas 10 319.49x
St Marylebone London 10 3.76x
Thrumpton 10 3571.43x
Chesterfield 9 30.76x
Cramond 9 177.87x
Loughborough 9 35.89x
Pilsley 9 348.84x
Tibshelf 9 234.99x
Sutton In Ashfield 8 54.87x
Basford 7 22.60x
Belper 7 46.27x
Bromley London 7 6.38x
Duffield 7 113.82x
Birmingham 6 1.43x
Blackwell 6 156.25x
East Bridgford 6 392.16x
Filey 6 150.38x
Islington London 6 1.24x
Lambeth 6 1.38x
Bulcote 5 2500.00x
Kimberworth 5 18.23x
Mexborough 5 51.02x
Treeton 5 431.03x
Birkenhead 4 4.56x
Brightside Bierlow 4 4.13x
Gonalstone 4 1904.76x
Hackney London 4 1.43x
Nottingham St Peter 4 53.40x
Seaton Delaval 4 61.44x
Babworth 3 240.00x
Barnes 3 29.21x
Broxholme 3 1578.95x
Clerkenwell London 3 2.55x
Ecclesfield 3 8.28x
Handsworth 3 22.97x
Hoveringham 3 535.71x
Pinxton 3 75.57x
Sheffield 3 1.91x
Southwell 3 61.35x
Aldershot 2 5.84x
Ault Hucknall 2 156.25x
Bethnal Green London 2 0.92x
Camberwell 2 0.63x
Caythorpe 2 392.16x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 1.99x
Edgbaston 2 5.13x
Glapwell 2 1250.00x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 1.99x
St Botolph Aldersgate 2 34.97x
Sykehouse 2 285.71x
Tupton 2 85.11x
Wensley Snitterton 2 172.41x
Wombwell 2 13.89x
Bedwellty 1 1.57x
Claylane 1 9.22x
East Molesey 1 17.76x
Ebchester 1 43.48x
Great Grimsby 1 1.98x
Hallam 1 204.08x
Hucknall Torkard 1 5.87x
Hucknall Under 1 28.82x
Ibstock 1 24.88x
North Leverton 1 196.08x
Southwark St Saviour 1 3.90x
St Sepulchre London 1 13.70x
Swarby 1 344.83x
Walsall Foreign 1 1.15x
Worksop 1 5.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 35
Elizabeth 20
Sarah 20
Eliza 16
Ann 14
Emma 12
Annie 10
Ada 7
Alice 7
Hannah 7
Louisa 7
Martha 6
Harriet 5
Maria 5
Florence 4
Lucy 4
Sophia 4
Catherine 3
Frances 3
Jane 3
Rebecca 3
Bertha 2
Bessie 2
Charlotte 2
Emily 2
Esther 2
Fanny 2
Grace 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Matilda 2
Anne 1
Bettrice 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Elizebth 1
Elizth. 1
Elleanor 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Lavina 1
Lavinia 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Marian 1
Millicent 1
Mirriam 1
Nancy 1
Polly 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 42
John 37
George 24
Joseph 16
Samuel 15
Charles 14
Thomas 14
James 12
Henry 6
Harry 5
Arthur 4
Edward 4
Frank 4
Herbert 4
Walter 4
Christopher 3
Isaac 3
Richard 3
Albert 2
Frederick 2
Fredrick 2
Geoe. 2
Robert 2
Tom 2
Able 1
Abraham 1
Athur 1
Bertie 1
Charley 1
Chas. 1
Earnest 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Geo. 1
Henery 1
Jas. 1
Jeremiah 1
Jermiah 1
Matthew 1
Raymond 1
Richd.H. 1
Robt. 1
Sam 1
Soloman 1
Solomon 1
T. 1
Thos. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Alvey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Alvey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 510 people were recorded with the Alvey surname. That placed it at #6,678 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Alvey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 672 in 2016. That gives Alvey a modern rank of #7,966.

What does the Alvey surname mean?

An English occupational surname for a wise or elf-like person, or one who came from Alvingham.

What does the Alvey map show?

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