NameCensus.

UK surname

Banbury

A locational surname referring to someone from Banbury, a town in Oxfordshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 713 people recorded with the Banbury surname, ranking it #5,104 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 706, ranked #7,656, down from #5,104 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, West Devon and Torridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Banbury is 839 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.0%.

1881 census count

713

Ranked #5,104

Modern count

706

2016, ranked #7,656

Peak year

1911

839 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Banbury had 713 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,104 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 706 in 2016, ranked #7,656.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 839 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Banbury surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Banbury surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Banbury 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 543 #4,650
1861 historical 538 #4,878
1881 historical 713 #5,104
1891 historical 753 #5,289
1901 historical 813 #5,549
1911 historical 839 #5,276
1997 modern 756 #6,844
1998 modern 776 #6,925
1999 modern 774 #6,970
2000 modern 764 #7,006
2001 modern 744 #7,027
2002 modern 748 #7,126
2003 modern 734 #7,121
2004 modern 739 #7,105
2005 modern 699 #7,356
2006 modern 688 #7,468
2007 modern 689 #7,515
2008 modern 688 #7,586
2009 modern 703 #7,617
2010 modern 733 #7,504
2011 modern 728 #7,476
2012 modern 697 #7,631
2013 modern 702 #7,705
2014 modern 704 #7,735
2015 modern 696 #7,745
2016 modern 706 #7,656

Geography

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Where Banburys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Pancras and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, West Devon, Torridge and South 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 024 Cornwall
2 West Devon 001 West Devon
3 Torridge 009 Torridge
4 Cornwall 008 Cornwall
5 South Somerset 006 South Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Banbury

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Banbury

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

Banbury is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Banbury falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Banbury

The surname Banbury originated in England during the late medieval period. It is a locational name, derived from the town of Banbury in Oxfordshire. The name Banbury itself is believed to have originated from the Old English words "Banan" meaning "bean" and "byrig" meaning "town" or "fortified place".

Banbury is first recorded as "Banesberie" in the Domesday Book of 1086, indicating that the name and the settlement were well-established by the time of the Norman Conquest. Early records show various spellings such as Banesberie, Bannebury, and Banburi before the modern spelling of Banbury became standardized.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the surname was John de Banbury, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1195. Another early record is that of William de Banbury, who was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1207.

In the 14th century, a notable figure was Sir William de Banbury, a knight who served under King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War. He was born around 1310 and died in 1375.

During the 16th century, the Banbury family of Gloucestershire produced several notable individuals, including John Banbury (1531-1610), a wealthy merchant and benefactor who endowed a school in the village of Bourton-on-the-Water.

In the 17th century, Jeremiah Banbury (1630-1697) was a prominent Puritan clergyman and author, known for his work titled "A View of Christ's Doctrine and of His Treatment of Mankind".

Another noteworthy bearer of the surname was Richard Banbury (1753-1823), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars, and eventually rose to the rank of Admiral.

The name Banbury has also been associated with the famous "Banbury cakes", a type of spiced pastry that originated in the town of Banbury and became popular throughout England from the 16th century onwards.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Banbury families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Banbury 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. Middlesex leads with 135 Banburys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.94x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 135 1.94x
Devon 129 8.91x
Cornwall 69 8.76x
Leicestershire 52 6.74x
Hampshire 39 2.74x
Surrey 39 1.15x
Somerset 38 3.39x
Staffordshire 31 1.32x
Oxfordshire 24 5.59x
Warwickshire 22 1.25x
Kent 17 0.72x
Glamorgan 16 1.32x
Berkshire 14 2.68x
Lancashire 14 0.17x
Gloucestershire 12 0.88x
Northamptonshire 10 1.53x
Sussex 10 0.85x
Lincolnshire 9 0.81x
Dorset 7 1.53x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.95x
Worcestershire 4 0.44x
Cheshire 3 0.20x
Essex 3 0.22x
Suffolk 3 0.35x
Yorkshire 3 0.04x
Hertfordshire 2 0.42x
Angus 1 0.16x
Derbyshire 1 0.09x
Midlothian 1 0.11x
Wiltshire 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. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 29 Banburys recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.42x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 29 15.42x
Leicester St Mary 17 27.29x
Exeter St Sidwell 16 48.25x
St Luke London 15 13.45x
St Pancras London 14 2.50x
Tamerton Foliott 14 501.79x
Wolverhampton 14 7.76x
Battersea 12 4.69x
Stratton 12 281.03x
Kensington London 11 2.84x
Launcells 11 833.33x
St Giles On The Heath 11 1666.67x
Westminster St Margaret 11 32.79x
West Teignmouth 10 90.25x
Woodstock 10 370.37x
Croydon 9 4.78x
Roath 9 16.36x
Aston 8 1.66x
Bedminster 8 7.60x
Broadwater 8 29.74x
Burford 8 214.48x
Hackney London 8 2.05x
Horncastle 8 69.69x
Newington 8 3.11x
Warkworth 8 135.82x
Bridgerule East 7 1842.11x
Cove 7 374.33x
Deptford St Paul 7 3.82x
Honiton 7 87.39x
Sherborne 7 52.08x
St Germans 7 127.50x
St Marylebone London 7 1.89x
Tadley 7 288.07x
Ventnor 7 51.62x
Barnes 6 41.87x
Bishops Waltham 6 101.01x
Brimpton 6 588.24x
Burslem 6 8.92x
Cheddar 6 106.57x
Hampstead London 6 5.54x
Henley On Thames 6 68.18x
Marhamchurch 6 468.75x
Montacute 6 292.68x
Neath 6 24.35x
Pyworthy 6 500.00x
Bulkworthy 5 1851.85x
Clerkenwell London 5 3.05x
Fowey 5 138.50x
Great Bolton 5 4.57x
Hammersmith London 5 2.92x
Islington London 5 0.74x
Kilkhampton 5 215.52x
Kingsclere 5 76.80x
Littlebourne 5 277.78x
Marystow 5 537.63x
North Petherwyn 5 243.90x
Sedgley 5 5.73x
St George Hanover Square 5 4.08x
Thrushelton 5 490.20x
West Derby 5 2.07x
Basingstoke 4 24.39x
Blockley 4 77.82x
Church Lawford 4 634.92x
Cirencester 4 21.66x
Coventry St Michael 4 7.10x
Earley 4 45.98x
Jacobstow 4 392.16x
Kingsbury Episcopi 4 110.19x
Little Torrington 4 314.96x
Paddington London 4 1.56x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 3.59x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 4 40.65x
St Margaret New Fish 4 1600.00x
St Mary Magdalene 4 69.08x
Stoke Damerel 4 3.95x
Thornbury 4 540.54x
Acton 3 7.36x
Bow London 3 3.39x
Forrabury 3 422.54x
Wallingford St Leonard 3 123.46x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Banbury surname: questions and answers

How common was the Banbury surname in 1881?

In 1881, 713 people were recorded with the Banbury surname. That placed it at #5,104 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Banbury surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 706 in 2016. That gives Banbury a modern rank of #7,656.

What does the Banbury surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from Banbury, a town in Oxfordshire, England.

What does the Banbury map show?

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