NameCensus.

UK surname

Ashbee

A surname derived from the Old English words "aesc" meaning ash tree and "by" referring to a town or village.

In the 1881 census there were 277 people recorded with the Ashbee surname, ranking it #10,283 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 284, ranked #15,323, down from #10,283 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, Herne (incl. Herne Bay Chapelry) and Tunbridge, Bidborough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Northamptonshire, Manchester and Rother.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ashbee is 349 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.5%.

1881 census count

277

Ranked #10,283

Modern count

284

2016, ranked #15,323

Peak year

1911

349 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ashbee had 277 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,283 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 284 in 2016, ranked #15,323.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 349 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ashbee surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ashbee surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ashbee 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 218 #9,754
1861 historical 246 #10,010
1881 historical 277 #10,283
1891 historical 276 #11,810
1901 historical 339 #10,682
1911 historical 349 #10,282
1997 modern 319 #13,000
1998 modern 310 #13,578
1999 modern 330 #13,125
2000 modern 335 #12,953
2001 modern 319 #13,168
2002 modern 322 #13,354
2003 modern 328 #13,026
2004 modern 317 #13,400
2005 modern 303 #13,757
2006 modern 291 #14,175
2007 modern 291 #14,347
2008 modern 292 #14,403
2009 modern 304 #14,287
2010 modern 311 #14,345
2011 modern 300 #14,591
2012 modern 286 #15,012
2013 modern 294 #14,961
2014 modern 303 #14,733
2015 modern 300 #14,758
2016 modern 284 #15,323

Geography

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Where Ashbees are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, Herne (incl. Herne Bay Chapelry), Tunbridge, Bidborough, Dover St James, Dover St Mary and Ashford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Northamptonshire, Manchester, Rother and Thanet. 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 Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, Gloucestershire
2 Herne (incl. Herne Bay Chapelry) Kent
3 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
4 Dover St James, Dover St Mary Kent
5 Ashford Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Northamptonshire 002 East Northamptonshire
2 Manchester 035 Manchester
3 Rother 004 Rother
4 Rother 002 Rother
5 Thanet 005 Thanet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ashbee

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ashbee

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Ashbee is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ashbee is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ashbee falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Ashbee

The surname Ashbee originated in England and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from a place called Ashby, which means "the ash-tree farm or settlement" in Old English. The name is composed of the elements "aesc" (ash tree) and "by" (a farmstead or village).

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to 1273 when a John de Asscheby was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire. This early spelling variation highlights the locational origin of the surname. In the 14th century, there are records of a Nicholas de Asshebyein in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379.

The name Ashbee appeared in various forms throughout history, including Ashby, Assheby, Asby, and Ashebyein. These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time. Some of these alternate spellings were also influenced by the places where the bearers of the name lived, such as Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire or Ashby Magna in Northamptonshire.

One notable historical figure with the surname Ashbee was Charles Robert Ashbee (1863-1942), an English architect, designer, and social reformer. He was a key figure in the Arts and Crafts movement and founded the Guild of Handicraft in 1888. Another prominent individual was Henry Spencer Ashbee (1834-1900), a respected bibliographer and book collector who wrote under the pseudonym Pisanus Fraxi.

Other notable bearers of the name include:

1. Felicia Ashbee (1925-2021), a British artist and sculptor. 2. Charles Hubert Ashbee (1866-1946), an English architect and craftsman, brother of C.R. Ashbee. 3. Edmund Ashbee (1946-2021), a British archaeologist and author. 4. Henry Ashbee (1846-1923), an English cricketer who played for Essex. 5. Thomas Ashbee (1787-1863), an English architect and surveyor who worked on various projects in London.

While the surname Ashbee has its origins in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and intermarriage. However, the earliest recorded instances and historical references to this name can be traced back to various regions of England, reflecting its locational roots and connection to the ash tree settlements of the past.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ashbee families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ashbee 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. Kent leads with 146 Ashbees recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.84x.

County Total Index
Kent 146 15.84x
Gloucestershire 39 7.36x
Middlesex 39 1.44x
Surrey 16 1.22x
Sussex 11 2.41x
Yorkshire 11 0.41x
Somerset 7 1.61x
Lancashire 3 0.09x
Hampshire 2 0.36x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.61x
Durham 1 0.12x
Warwickshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ashford in Kent leads with 16 Ashbees recorded in 1881 and an index of 178.17x.

Place Total Index
Ashford 16 178.17x
Margate St John Baptist 12 71.09x
Maidstone 11 40.06x
Boxley 9 633.80x
Chartham 8 347.83x
Clifton 8 29.86x
South Hamlet 8 243.90x
Brightside Bierlow 7 13.33x
Little Chart 7 2692.31x
Ore 7 206.49x
Appledore 6 1000.00x
Lyncombe Widcombe 6 52.68x
Battersea 5 5.03x
Bromley London 5 8.41x
Dover St Mary Virgin 5 56.05x
Elham 5 454.55x
Islington London 5 1.91x
Richmond 5 27.10x
Wotton St Mary 5 181.82x
Wotton Under Edge 5 160.26x
Acol 4 1481.48x
Acton 4 25.25x
Bromley 4 28.47x
Canterbury Holy Cross 4 449.44x
Dover St James 4 99.01x
Faversham 4 45.51x
Gloucester St Catherine 4 268.46x
Hackney London 4 2.64x
Hammersmith London 4 6.01x
Holy Trinity 4 6.21x
Sheldwich 4 677.97x
Sittingbourne 4 54.95x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 7.36x
St Pancras London 4 1.84x
Westminster St Margaret 4 30.70x
Alderley 3 3333.33x
Charing 3 240.00x
Folkestone 3 16.78x
Gloucester St Owen 3 517.24x
Heap 3 17.64x
Poplar London 3 5.88x
Rochester St Margaret 3 30.86x
Throwley 3 517.24x
Bobbing 2 454.55x
Boughton Under Blean 2 129.87x
Canterbury Archbishops 2 1176.47x
Crayford 2 49.63x
Herne 2 49.02x
Minster In Sheppey 2 13.10x
Paddington London 2 2.01x
Rye 2 46.19x
Stelling 2 740.74x
Tenterden 2 61.54x
Aldershot 1 5.39x
Alverstoke 1 4.99x
Birmingham 1 0.44x
Bredgar 1 175.44x
Brighton 1 1.09x
Camberwell 1 0.58x
Chatham 1 3.94x
Cheltenham 1 2.45x
Chilham 1 76.34x
Darlington 1 3.22x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 1 10.31x
Hove 1 5.00x
Kensington London 1 0.67x
Lambeth 1 0.42x
Lewisham 1 2.03x
Milton In Gravesend 1 7.24x
Nonington 1 136.99x
Pointington 1 909.09x
Preston Next Faversham 1 46.08x
Queenborough 1 109.89x
Rochester St Nicholas 1 34.84x
Smarden 1 95.24x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 8.55x
St Marylebone London 1 0.69x
Swanscombe 1 24.15x
Tottenham 1 2.32x
Westbury On Trym 1 5.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 18
Elizabeth 9
Emily 7
Sarah 7
Alice 6
Emma 6
Eliza 5
Ellen 5
Charlotte 4
Clara 4
Florence 4
Frances 4
Ada 3
Anne 3
Annie 3
Caroline 3
Esther 3
Harriet 3
Maud 3
Ann 2
Fanny 2
Hannah 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Mabel 2
Marion 2
Minnie 2
Angelina 1
Anna 1
Catherine 1
Celia 1
Clementine 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Faenson 1
Gertrude 1
Harriett 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
May 1
Phebe 1
Priscilla 1
Rachel 1
Rhoda 1
Rose 1
Roseina 1
Susuanah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Ashbee surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ashbee surname in 1881?

In 1881, 277 people were recorded with the Ashbee surname. That placed it at #10,283 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ashbee surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 284 in 2016. That gives Ashbee a modern rank of #15,323.

What does the Ashbee surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English words "aesc" meaning ash tree and "by" referring to a town or village.

What does the Ashbee map show?

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