NameCensus.

UK surname

Arney

Derived from a place name meaning "eagle island" in Old English, or from a Norman personal name, Arnaud.

In the 1881 census there were 255 people recorded with the Arney surname, ranking it #10,924 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 257, ranked #16,485, down from #10,924 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Mark, Chapel Allerton, Weare, East Brent, South Brent. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hammersmith and Fulham, Dartford and Maidstone.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Arney is 337 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.8%.

1881 census count

255

Ranked #10,924

Modern count

257

2016, ranked #16,485

Peak year

1911

337 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Arney had 255 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,924 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 257 in 2016, ranked #16,485.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 337 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Arney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Arney surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Arney 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 216 #9,818
1861 historical 242 #10,154
1881 historical 255 #10,924
1891 historical 262 #12,297
1901 historical 297 #11,721
1911 historical 337 #10,547
1997 modern 271 #14,486
1998 modern 270 #14,913
1999 modern 271 #14,954
2000 modern 266 #15,096
2001 modern 256 #15,273
2002 modern 272 #14,930
2003 modern 260 #15,216
2004 modern 266 #15,075
2005 modern 247 #15,763
2006 modern 241 #16,139
2007 modern 243 #16,243
2008 modern 241 #16,481
2009 modern 244 #16,706
2010 modern 268 #15,978
2011 modern 257 #16,335
2012 modern 254 #16,328
2013 modern 260 #16,350
2014 modern 261 #16,421
2015 modern 259 #16,409
2016 modern 257 #16,485

Geography

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Where Arneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Mark, Chapel Allerton, Weare, East Brent, South Brent, Burnham and Fordingbridge, Rockbourn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hammersmith and Fulham, Dartford, Maidstone and Gravesham. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Mark, Chapel Allerton, Weare, East Brent, South Brent Somerset
4 Burnham Somerset
5 Fordingbridge, Rockbourn Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hammersmith and Fulham 013 Hammersmith and Fulham
2 Dartford 001 Dartford
3 Maidstone 013 Maidstone
4 Dartford 004 Dartford
5 Gravesham 002 Gravesham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Arney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Arney

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Arney 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

Arney is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Arney falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Arney is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Arney

The surname ARNEY is believed to have its origins in the Old English words "earn" meaning "eagle" and "ieg" meaning "island" or "watery place." This suggests that the name initially referred to someone who lived on an island inhabited by eagles or near an area where these majestic birds were commonly seen.

The earliest known records of the ARNEY surname date back to the 12th century in the county of Shropshire, England. In the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and resources across England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several references to places with names similar to ARNEY, such as Earnedic and Ernedie.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the ARNEY surname was Sir John Arney, a knight who lived in Shropshire during the 13th century. He was a prominent landowner and is mentioned in various historical documents from that time period.

In the 16th century, the ARNEY surname began to appear more frequently in records across different regions of England. Notable bearers of the name include Thomas Arney (1533-1592), a clergyman and academic who served as the Archdeacon of Taunton in Somerset, and Elizabeth Arney (1610-1678), a wealthy landowner and benefactor from Gloucestershire.

As the ARNEY surname spread across the British Isles, variations in spelling emerged, such as Arny, Arnay, Arnaye, and Arnie. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and the whims of record-keepers who transcribed names based on their own interpretations.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, several individuals with the ARNEY surname made their mark in various fields. Among them were Sir William Arney (1641-1718), a Member of Parliament for Warwickshire, and Captain John Arney (1705-1778), a naval officer who participated in several significant battles during the War of Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War.

As people bearing the ARNEY surname migrated to other parts of the world, the name took on new meanings and associations. For instance, in the United States, the ARNEY surname is often associated with individuals whose ancestors hailed from regions like Pennsylvania and Virginia, where early settlers from England and other parts of the British Isles established communities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Arney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Arney 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. Hampshire leads with 70 Arneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.57x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 70 13.57x
Somerset 70 17.28x
Wiltshire 25 11.23x
Middlesex 24 0.95x
Surrey 22 1.79x
Gloucestershire 10 2.03x
Dorset 9 5.45x
Lancashire 7 0.23x
Leicestershire 5 1.79x
Sussex 5 1.18x
Channel Islands 3 4.02x
Northamptonshire 2 0.84x
Berkshire 1 0.53x
Kent 1 0.12x
Midlothian 1 0.30x
Monmouthshire 1 0.55x
Suffolk 1 0.33x
Warwickshire 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. Burnham in Somerset leads with 23 Arneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 744.34x.

Place Total Index
Burnham 23 744.34x
Fordingbridge 17 604.98x
Alverstoke 8 42.85x
East Brent 8 1311.48x
Huntspill 8 481.93x
Sopley 8 1126.76x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 7 15.06x
Clevedon 7 166.27x
Melksham 7 181.35x
Ringwood 7 212.12x
Eling 6 114.94x
Newington 6 6.45x
Salisbury St Martin 6 258.62x
St George In East London 6 25.35x
Hackney London 5 3.54x
Leicester St Margaret 5 7.35x
Millbrook 5 38.49x
Shoreditch London 5 4.58x
South Brent 5 735.29x
Southampton St Mary 5 15.41x
Sutton 5 56.37x
Brighton 4 4.67x
Christchurch 4 35.75x
Congresbury 4 388.35x
Downton 4 137.46x
Great Bolton 4 10.11x
Mere 4 158.10x
Nyland 4 10000.00x
Poole St James 4 64.41x
Portsea 4 3.96x
Weare 4 714.29x
Churchill 3 461.54x
Corfe Castle 3 196.08x
Hulme 3 4.81x
St Bartholomew Hyde 3 243.90x
Whiteparish 3 315.79x
Bow London 2 6.24x
Compton Bishop 2 425.53x
Guildford St Nicholas 2 92.17x
Kensington London 2 1.43x
Lambeth 2 0.91x
Putney 2 17.44x
Southampton St Lawrence 2 740.74x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 3.95x
St Luke London 2 4.95x
St Sampson 2 59.52x
Swanage 2 98.04x
Aldershot 1 5.79x
Bristol St James In 1 13.77x
Cheltenham 1 2.63x
Churchover 1 357.14x
Croydon 1 1.47x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.51x
Eastbourne 1 5.12x
Edinburgh Canongate 1 11.66x
Fisherton Anger 1 24.27x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 1 11.07x
Gorleston 1 12.84x
Henstridge 1 89.29x
Hurley 1 102.04x
Newport 1 11.52x
Northampton Priory St 1 7.04x
Pytchley 1 204.08x
Rotherhithe 1 3.22x
St Helier 1 4.12x
St Marylebone London 1 0.74x
St Pancras London 1 0.49x
Streatham 1 5.36x
Winford 1 121.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Elizabeth 14
Jane 7
Sarah 7
Eliza 6
Alice 5
Ann 5
Emily 5
Annie 4
Ellen 4
Emma 3
Maria 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Anna 2
Charlotte 2
Esther 2
Evelyn 2
Frances 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Sophia 2
Amy 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Cecilia 1
Christine 1
Crissey 1
Edith 1
Elizath. 1
Elizth.J. 1
Eva 1
Eveline 1
Florence 1
Harriette 1
Helen 1
Hellen 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Keturah 1
Laura 1
Lill. 1
Liza 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Marie 1
Marion 1
Matilda 1
Susan 1
Totty 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 19
John 14
William 14
Edward 11
Henry 7
James 7
Charles 6
Thomas 6
Frank 5
Arthur 3
Edwin 3
Frederick 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Chs.W. 2
Harry 2
Richard 2
Sidney 2
Alfd. 1
Arnold 1
Augustus 1
Edgar 1
Ernest 1
Geo. 1
Gerard 1
Harold 1
Jacob 1
Jesse 1
Joseph 1
Josiah 1
Leonard 1
Percival 1
Rodney 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Arney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Arney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 255 people were recorded with the Arney surname. That placed it at #10,924 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Arney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 257 in 2016. That gives Arney a modern rank of #16,485.

What does the Arney surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "eagle island" in Old English, or from a Norman personal name, Arnaud.

What does the Arney map show?

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