NameCensus.

UK surname

Amey

A surname of French origin, derived from the Old French word "ami," meaning "friend" or "beloved."

In the 1881 census there were 836 people recorded with the Amey surname, ranking it #4,508 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,074, ranked #5,440, down from #4,508 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stanstead Mountfitchet, Poole St James and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Dorset, Havant and Purbeck.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Amey is 1,298 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.5%.

1881 census count

836

Ranked #4,508

Modern count

1,074

2016, ranked #5,440

Peak year

1911

1,298 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Amey had 836 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,508 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,074 in 2016, ranked #5,440.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,298 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Amey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Amey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Amey 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 637 #4,076
1861 historical 563 #4,680
1881 historical 836 #4,508
1891 historical 1,012 #4,106
1901 historical 1,229 #4,029
1911 historical 1,298 #3,673
1997 modern 1,217 #4,655
1998 modern 1,229 #4,784
1999 modern 1,226 #4,826
2000 modern 1,218 #4,833
2001 modern 1,196 #4,808
2002 modern 1,226 #4,810
2003 modern 1,178 #4,879
2004 modern 1,170 #4,916
2005 modern 1,141 #4,974
2006 modern 1,144 #4,957
2007 modern 1,126 #5,080
2008 modern 1,119 #5,149
2009 modern 1,134 #5,191
2010 modern 1,159 #5,202
2011 modern 1,163 #5,123
2012 modern 1,117 #5,220
2013 modern 1,128 #5,266
2014 modern 1,120 #5,318
2015 modern 1,095 #5,370
2016 modern 1,074 #5,440

Geography

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Where Ameys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stanstead Mountfitchet, Poole St James, London parishes, Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Dorset, Havant, Purbeck and Poole. 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 Stanstead Mountfitchet Hertfordshire
2 Poole St James Dorset
3 London parishes London 3
4 Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew Suffolk
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Dorset 007 North Dorset
2 Havant 019 Havant
3 Havant 011 Havant
4 Purbeck 001 Purbeck
5 Poole 015 Poole

Forenames

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First names often paired with Amey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Amey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Amey, 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 Amey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Amey 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Amey is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Amey 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

Amey falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Amey

The surname Amey originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French and Middle English word "amy," which means "friend" or "beloved." This name was likely first used as a nickname for someone who was considered a close friend or a beloved person.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Amey surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1191, where it was spelled as "Ami." This suggests that the name had already been established in England by the late 12th century.

Amey is also believed to be a variant of the French surname "Ami," which has a similar meaning and origin. The Ami surname is documented in France as early as the 11th century, and it's possible that some early bearers of the Amey name were of French descent or had French ancestry.

In the 13th century, the surname Amey appeared in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire, where it was recorded as "Amye." This record indicates that the name had spread to different parts of England by that time.

The Amey surname can also be traced back to various place names in England, such as Ameye in Gloucestershire and Amye in Wiltshire. These place names likely contributed to the development and regional variations of the surname.

Notable historical figures with the surname Amey include:

1. William Amey (c. 1560-1641), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Stamford in the early 17th century. 2. John Amey (1660-1741), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works. 3. Samuel Amey (1710-1789), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London. 4. Thomas Amey (1701-1788), an English mathematician and surveyor who contributed to the field of navigation and surveying. 5. Elizabeth Amey (1779-1857), an English author and poet who wrote under the pseudonym "Gertrude."

These examples demonstrate the long history and diverse backgrounds of individuals who have borne the surname Amey throughout the centuries in England and other parts of the British Isles.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Amey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Amey 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. Essex leads with 168 Ameys recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.42x.

County Total Index
Essex 168 10.42x
Dorset 144 26.87x
Hampshire 104 6.21x
Middlesex 90 1.10x
Surrey 88 2.21x
Sussex 47 3.41x
Kent 39 1.40x
Suffolk 20 2.01x
Devon 16 0.94x
Hertfordshire 16 2.84x
Lancashire 16 0.17x
Leicestershire 15 1.66x
Warwickshire 11 0.53x
Cambridgeshire 8 1.55x
Somerset 8 0.61x
Yorkshire 7 0.09x
Gloucestershire 6 0.37x
Northamptonshire 5 0.65x
Wiltshire 5 0.69x
Bedfordshire 4 0.95x
Cheshire 3 0.17x
Roxburghshire 3 2.03x
Rutland 3 5.00x
Herefordshire 2 0.60x
Berkshire 1 0.16x
Cornwall 1 0.11x
Durham 1 0.04x
Lincolnshire 1 0.08x
Midlothian 1 0.09x
Norfolk 1 0.08x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.09x
Oxfordshire 1 0.20x
Royal Navy 1 1.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Halstead in Essex leads with 34 Ameys recorded in 1881 and an index of 180.85x.

Place Total Index
Halstead 34 180.85x
Stanstead 23 1716.42x
Cranborne 22 339.51x
Braintree 18 124.40x
Fordington 17 147.31x
Shoreditch London 15 4.24x
Enfield 14 26.13x
Shere 14 291.06x
Camberwell 13 2.49x
Walthamstow 13 22.41x
Brighton 12 4.32x
Cerne Abbas 12 461.54x
Portsea 11 3.35x
Bishop Stortford 10 53.19x
Broadwater 10 31.67x
Kings Somborne 10 284.90x
Lewisham 10 6.73x
Runwell 10 1063.83x
Aston 9 1.59x
Haverhill 9 612.24x
Kinson 9 85.96x
St Pancras London 9 1.37x
Worplesdon 9 187.50x
Ballingdon Cum Brundon 8 392.16x
Birdbrook 8 493.83x
Bocking 8 82.56x
Charlton Next Woolwich 8 27.54x
Eling 8 47.20x
Great Bookham 8 261.44x
Subdeanary 8 216.22x
Haverhill 7 79.28x
Plymouth Charles The 7 9.35x
Poole St James 7 34.77x
Preston 7 358.97x
Ringwood 7 65.36x
Romford 7 27.47x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 4.26x
West Ham 7 1.97x
Bedhampton 6 303.03x
Bow London 6 5.77x
Buriton 6 186.34x
Castle Cary 6 104.71x
Clapham 6 5.88x
Dorking 6 22.46x
Fordingbridge 6 65.93x
Hawkley 6 714.29x
Holdenhurst 6 13.67x
Islington London 6 0.76x
Leicester St Mary 6 8.20x
Loughborough 6 14.61x
Oldham 6 1.92x
Sixpenny Handley 6 229.01x
Battersea 5 1.66x
Bethnal Green London 5 1.41x
Bristol St Augustine 5 19.35x
Canterbury St Mary 5 26.75x
Castle Hedingham 5 171.82x
Grafton Underwood 5 657.89x
Hunslet 5 3.96x
Parkstone 5 80.00x
Plumstead 5 5.38x
St Andrew Holborn London 5 14.14x
St Marylebone London 5 1.15x
Winterborne Herringstone 5 2500.00x
Wyke Regis 5 65.02x
Clerkenwell London 4 2.08x
Dewlish 4 310.08x
Dorchester Holy Trinity 4 92.17x
Dorchester St Peter 4 103.09x
Little Berkhampstead 4 338.98x
Maidstone 4 4.82x
New Shoreham 4 48.48x
Newhaven 4 35.78x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 3.06x
Potton 4 71.30x
Puddletown 4 121.95x
Southampton St Mary 4 3.80x
St George Hanover Square 4 2.78x
Sudbury St Gregory 4 50.19x
Ugley 4 353.98x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 73
John 40
George 36
Charles 24
Henry 24
Thomas 24
James 21
Joseph 15
Alfred 13
Frederick 13
Harry 10
Robert 10
Walter 10
Arthur 9
Ernest 8
Samuel 8
Albert 5
Edward 5
Frank 4
Herbert 4
Richard 4
Benjamin 3
David 3
Stephen 3
Daniel 2
Edwin 2
Fred 2
Fredrick 2
Martin 2
Oliver 2
Uriah 2
Augaola 1
Ben. 1
Bertie 1
Charley 1
Christopher 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Eli 1
Elijah 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
Jas. 1
Jesse 1
Joshua 1
Kenelm 1
Morice 1

FAQ

Amey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Amey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 836 people were recorded with the Amey surname. That placed it at #4,508 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Amey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,074 in 2016. That gives Amey a modern rank of #5,440.

What does the Amey surname mean?

A surname of French origin, derived from the Old French word "ami," meaning "friend" or "beloved."

What does the Amey map show?

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