NameCensus.

UK surname

Aubrey

A Norman French habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "elf ruler" or "supernatural power."

In the 1881 census there were 836 people recorded with the Aubrey surname, ranking it #4,508 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,516, ranked #4,080, up from #4,508 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes and Merthyr Tydfil. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Herefordshire, Hillingdon and Stoke-on-Trent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Aubrey is 1,609 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 81.3%.

1881 census count

836

Ranked #4,508

Modern count

1,516

2016, ranked #4,080

Peak year

1998

1,609 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Aubrey had 836 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,508 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,516 in 2016, ranked #4,080.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,337 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Aubrey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Aubrey surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Aubrey 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 514 #4,864
1861 historical 442 #5,847
1881 historical 836 #4,508
1891 historical 862 #4,759
1901 historical 1,143 #4,254
1911 historical 1,337 #3,577
1997 modern 1,546 #3,811
1998 modern 1,609 #3,823
1999 modern 1,605 #3,866
2000 modern 1,561 #3,933
2001 modern 1,526 #3,929
2002 modern 1,591 #3,877
2003 modern 1,512 #3,974
2004 modern 1,502 #3,991
2005 modern 1,482 #4,002
2006 modern 1,480 #4,015
2007 modern 1,477 #4,057
2008 modern 1,490 #4,057
2009 modern 1,529 #4,046
2010 modern 1,559 #4,052
2011 modern 1,527 #4,090
2012 modern 1,504 #4,077
2013 modern 1,541 #4,051
2014 modern 1,545 #4,072
2015 modern 1,527 #4,072
2016 modern 1,516 #4,080

Geography

Back to top

Where Aubreys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes, Merthyr Tydfil, Bedwelty and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Herefordshire, Hillingdon and Stoke-on-Trent. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Merthyr Tydfil Glamorganshire
4 Bedwelty Monmouthshire
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Herefordshire 022 Herefordshire, County of
2 Hillingdon 029 Hillingdon
3 Herefordshire 007 Herefordshire, County of
4 Herefordshire 023 Herefordshire, County of
5 Stoke-on-Trent 012 Stoke-on-Trent

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Aubrey

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Aubrey

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

Aubrey 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

Aubrey 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 Aubrey 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 Aubrey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Aubrey

The surname Aubrey has its origins in the Norman French language and is thought to have derived from the Old French personal name Aubri or Alberic, which in turn came from the Germanic name Alberich. The name is believed to have been introduced to Britain in the 11th century after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

The earliest recorded instances of the Aubrey surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and estates across England and parts of Wales. Some of the earliest recorded spelling variations include Aubrey, Aubry, Aubrie, and Aubry.

The surname Aubrey has been associated with several notable historical figures over the centuries. One of the earliest was William d'Aubigny (c. 1109-1176), a Norman nobleman who served as Lord Steward to King Henry II of England. Another notable figure was John Aubrey (1626-1697), an English antiquary, naturalist, and writer who is best known for his biographical work "Brief Lives."

In the 13th century, the Aubrey name was linked to various place names in England, such as Aubrey's Wood in Buckinghamshire and Aubrey's Castle in Pembrokeshire, Wales. The latter was the ancestral home of the Aubrey family, who were among the most prominent Norman families in the region.

Other notable individuals bearing the Aubrey surname include John Aubrey (1785-1858), a Welsh lawyer and judge, and Thomas Aubrey (1808-1867), an English clergyman and writer who served as the vicar of Chaldon Herring in Dorset.

During the Middle Ages and Renaissance period, the Aubrey name was also associated with several prominent literary figures, including the poet and courtier John Aubrey (c. 1528-1595) and the playwright John Aubrey (1626-1700), who was a contemporary of William Shakespeare.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Aubrey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Aubrey 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. Glamorgan leads with 169 Aubreys recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.86x.

County Total Index
Glamorgan 169 11.86x
Carmarthenshire 81 23.48x
Middlesex 79 0.97x
Monmouthshire 67 11.32x
Warwickshire 56 2.71x
Surrey 47 1.18x
Gloucestershire 44 2.74x
Kent 39 1.40x
Brecknockshire 35 21.38x
Berkshire 27 4.40x
Wiltshire 19 2.63x
Herefordshire 12 3.58x
Anglesey 10 6.89x
Durham 10 0.41x
Essex 10 0.62x
Hampshire 10 0.60x
Huntingdonshire 10 6.15x
Staffordshire 10 0.36x
Worcestershire 10 0.94x
Cambridgeshire 9 1.74x
Denbighshire 9 2.91x
Caernarfonshire 8 2.42x
Shropshire 7 0.99x
Lancashire 6 0.06x
Radnorshire 6 9.09x
Yorkshire 6 0.07x
Flintshire 5 2.27x
Leicestershire 5 0.55x
Merionethshire 5 3.34x
Oxfordshire 5 0.99x
Derbyshire 4 0.31x
Sussex 4 0.29x
Channel Islands 2 0.82x
Dorset 2 0.37x
Lincolnshire 2 0.15x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.77x
Somerset 2 0.15x
Bedfordshire 1 0.24x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.20x
Cheshire 1 0.06x
Devon 1 0.06x
Midlothian 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Llanelly in Carmarthenshire leads with 27 Aubreys recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.75x.

Place Total Index
Llanelly 27 34.75x
Bedwellty 25 23.93x
Llanelly 18 91.93x
Aberdare 17 17.38x
Islington London 17 2.14x
Cardiff St Mary 16 20.38x
Newington 16 5.29x
Aberystruth 15 28.76x
Briton Ferry 15 88.24x
Merthyr Tydfil 13 9.49x
Swansea Town 13 11.13x
Llannon 12 253.70x
Bradfield 11 338.46x
Llangennech 11 199.28x
Penderry 10 395.26x
Stonehouse 10 109.65x
Sutton At Hone 10 172.71x
Brailes 9 283.91x
Chelsea London 9 3.65x
Chirk 9 147.78x
Llanddarog 9 364.37x
Llangendeirne 9 140.63x
Llanwenarth Ultra 9 208.33x
Margam 9 56.64x
Poplar London 9 5.83x
Salisbury St Edmund 9 77.45x
St Pancras London 9 1.37x
Clase 8 15.10x
Haddenham 8 164.27x
Hanbury 8 276.82x
Leamington Priors 8 15.75x
Linton In Newent 8 307.69x
Old Stratford 8 68.43x
St John Near Swansea 8 45.40x
Woodhurst 8 860.22x
Cwmdu 7 40.32x
Fulbrook 7 2333.33x
Llangynwyd Higher 7 102.34x
Michaelstone Super Avon 7 45.37x
Penderyn 7 156.60x
Ryton 7 1186.44x
Springfield 7 98.87x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 6 20.43x
Ipsley 6 158.73x
Lambeth 6 0.84x
Llanbeblig 6 17.87x
Llantwit Lower 6 47.89x
Penmark 6 447.76x
Plumstead 6 6.45x
Salisbury St Thomas 6 104.71x
Braunstone 5 877.19x
Chertsey 5 19.40x
Cowbridge 5 145.35x
Gloucester Barton St 5 53.14x
Greenwich 5 3.84x
Hackney London 5 1.09x
Leamington 5 36.55x
Llanbadarn Fawr 5 292.40x
Llanedarn 5 757.58x
Llangattock 5 37.51x
Painswick 5 44.05x
Pembrey 5 31.53x
Ramsgate 5 10.97x
Snitterfield 5 219.30x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 3.04x
St Clement Danes London 5 29.52x
St George Hanover Square 5 3.47x
Stockton On Tees 5 4.26x
Sulhamstead Banister 5 694.44x
Tonbridge 5 4.96x
Towyn 5 53.08x
Brightwaltham 4 333.33x
Bristol St Paul In 4 9.35x
Camberwell 4 0.77x
Hasland 4 30.67x
Lower Ystradgynlais 4 39.60x
Mixbury 4 526.32x
Newent 4 49.02x
Southwark St Saviour 4 9.51x
St Marylebone London 4 0.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 71
Elizabeth 34
Ann 24
Jane 20
Margaret 20
Sarah 20
Catherine 11
Hannah 11
Annie 10
Eliza 10
Martha 10
Anne 9
Emily 9
Emma 8
Harriet 7
Kate 7
Alice 6
Edith 6
Ellen 6
Bessie 5
Clara 5
Maria 5
Agnes 4
Charlotte 4
Fanny 4
Rachel 4
Caroline 3
Cathrine 3
Eleanor 3
Florence 3
Harriett 3
Jennet 3
Matilda 3
May 3
Rose 3
Sophia 3
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Elenor 2
Elizth. 2
Elvira 2
Esther 2
Eva 2
Julia 2
Lily 2
Lizzie 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Minnie 2
Rosina 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 65
John 43
David 32
Thomas 29
George 28
Henry 18
Charles 15
Edward 14
Richard 14
James 12
Frederick 8
Alfred 7
Daniel 7
Arthur 5
Ernest 5
Joseph 5
Walter 5
Robert 4
Samuel 4
Albert 3
Edwin 3
Jenkin 3
Jesse 3
Morgan 3
Wm. 3
Benjamin 2
Edgar 2
Evan 2
Francis 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Philip 2
Thos. 2
Willie 2
Brinley 1
Earnest 1
Edw. 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.F.A. 1
Hampton 1
Harry 1
Jno. 1
Job 1
Jon 1
Jos. 1
Joshua 1
Lewes 1
Lucas 1
Martin 1

FAQ

Aubrey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Aubrey surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Aubrey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,516 in 2016. That gives Aubrey a modern rank of #4,080.

What does the Aubrey surname mean?

A Norman French habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "elf ruler" or "supernatural power."

What does the Aubrey map show?

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