NameCensus.

UK surname

Athay

From an Anglo-Saxon origin, meaning 'at the hay' or 'dweller near the hayfields'.

In the 1881 census there were 42 people recorded with the Athay surname, ranking it #27,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 102, ranked #30,722, down from #27,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newport, Cornwall and Sedgemoor.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Athay is 127 in 2008. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 142.9%.

1881 census count

42

Ranked #27,721

Modern count

102

2016, ranked #30,722

Peak year

2008

127 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Athay had 42 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016, ranked #30,722.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 78 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Athay surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Athay surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Athay 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 32 #27,570
1861 historical 44 #28,433
1881 historical 42 #27,721
1891 historical 52 #30,061
1901 historical 67 #26,703
1911 historical 78 #25,013
1997 modern 101 #26,774
1998 modern 103 #27,141
1999 modern 112 #26,044
2000 modern 107 #26,700
2001 modern 105 #26,620
2002 modern 106 #26,985
2003 modern 95 #28,536
2004 modern 104 #27,338
2005 modern 109 #26,583
2006 modern 115 #25,969
2007 modern 119 #25,747
2008 modern 127 #25,020
2009 modern 122 #26,220
2010 modern 127 #26,176
2011 modern 119 #27,063
2012 modern 112 #28,174
2013 modern 106 #29,740
2014 modern 106 #30,030
2015 modern 101 #30,816
2016 modern 102 #30,722

Geography

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Where Athays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newport, Cornwall, Sedgemoor, Torfaen and North Somerset. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newport 002 Newport
2 Cornwall 072 Cornwall
3 Sedgemoor 001 Sedgemoor
4 Torfaen 007 Torfaen
5 North Somerset 021 North Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Athay

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Athay

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Athay surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Athay household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Athay 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

Athay is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Athay falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Athay is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 15-20 mbit/s.

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

3
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Athay

The surname Athay has its origins in France, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "atier," meaning "to prepare" or "to arrange," which was likely an occupational surname given to someone who prepared or organized goods or materials.

One of the earliest known references to the name Athay can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this historical document, the name appears as "Ati," which is believed to be an early spelling variation of Athay.

The surname Athay can also be traced back to various regions in France, particularly in the areas of Normandy and Brittany. Some historical records suggest that the name may have originated from place names or locations, such as the village of Athay in the department of Saône-et-Loire.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the name Athay was Jean d'Athay, a French knight who participated in the Seventh Crusade led by King Louis IX. Another prominent individual was Étienne Athay, a 14th-century French scholar and philosopher who taught at the University of Paris.

During the 16th century, the surname Athay gained recognition in England, with records mentioning individuals such as William Athay (1520-1588), a merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire, and Thomas Athay (1545-1612), a clergyman and author from Warwickshire.

In the 17th century, the name Athay appeared in various historical documents, including parish records and court proceedings. One notable figure from this period was Sir Richard Athay (1625-1698), an English politician and member of Parliament who served during the reign of King Charles II.

As the surname spread across Europe and beyond, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Athy, Athie, and Athée. Despite its French origins, individuals bearing the name Athay have contributed to various fields, including literature, arts, and sciences, throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Athay families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Athay 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. Somerset leads with 33 Athays recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.05x.

County Total Index
Somerset 33 50.05x
Gloucestershire 7 8.71x
Worcestershire 2 3.74x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Weston Super Mare in Somerset leads with 17 Athays recorded in 1881 and an index of 1024.10x.

Place Total Index
Weston Super Mare 17 1024.10x
Shipham 14 23333.33x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 79.37x
Holy Cross 2 10000.00x
Cheddar 1 303.03x
Compton Bishop 1 1250.00x
West Dean 1 76.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emily 2
Louisa 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Bessie 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizath. 1
Ethelind 1
Etheline 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Grace 1
Hart. 1
Kate 1
Lilly 1
Mary 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Joseph 3
Alfred 2
Francis 2
James 2
Charles 1
Christopher 1
Fred 1
George 1
Henry 1
Howard 1
Jack 1
Luke 1
Samuel 1
Walter 1
Wm. 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 Athay households.

FAQ

Athay surname: questions and answers

How common was the Athay surname in 1881?

In 1881, 42 people were recorded with the Athay surname. That placed it at #27,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Athay surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016. That gives Athay a modern rank of #30,722.

What does the Athay surname mean?

From an Anglo-Saxon origin, meaning 'at the hay' or 'dweller near the hayfields'.

What does the Athay map show?

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