NameCensus.

UK surname

Bibby

A surname derived from a location name associated with an area near a brook or stream.

In the 1881 census there were 3,233 people recorded with the Bibby surname, ranking it #1,400 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,339, ranked #1,571, down from #1,400 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Toxteth Park, Wigan and Preston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Ribble, Middlesbrough and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bibby is 4,763 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.2%.

1881 census count

3,233

Ranked #1,400

Modern count

4,339

2016, ranked #1,571

Peak year

1998

4,763 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bibby had 3,233 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,400 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,339 in 2016, ranked #1,571.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,407 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Bibby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bibby surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Bibby 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 1,908 #1,515
1861 historical 1,822 #1,589
1881 historical 3,233 #1,400
1891 historical 3,364 #1,421
1901 historical 4,003 #1,410
1911 historical 4,407 #1,168
1997 modern 4,578 #1,428
1998 modern 4,763 #1,427
1999 modern 4,728 #1,452
2000 modern 4,733 #1,438
2001 modern 4,663 #1,424
2002 modern 4,719 #1,446
2003 modern 4,632 #1,437
2004 modern 4,564 #1,457
2005 modern 4,478 #1,460
2006 modern 4,471 #1,466
2007 modern 4,483 #1,474
2008 modern 4,483 #1,487
2009 modern 4,591 #1,489
2010 modern 4,684 #1,494
2011 modern 4,527 #1,520
2012 modern 4,356 #1,546
2013 modern 4,467 #1,533
2014 modern 4,472 #1,544
2015 modern 4,381 #1,561
2016 modern 4,339 #1,571

Geography

Back to top

Where Bibbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Toxteth Park, Wigan, Preston, Liverpool and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Ribble, Middlesbrough, Wigan and Blackburn with Darwen. 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 Toxteth Park Lancashire
2 Wigan Lancashire
3 Preston Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Ribble 015 South Ribble
2 Middlesbrough 007 Middlesbrough
3 South Ribble 013 South Ribble
4 Wigan 004 Wigan
5 Blackburn with Darwen 009 Blackburn with Darwen

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Bibby

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Bibby

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Bibby surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Bibby household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Bibby 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

Bibby is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Bibby

The surname Bibby originates from England, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bybi," which referred to a small settlement or hamlet.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Byby." This document was a census-like survey undertaken during the reign of King Edward I.

The Bibby name has strong ties to Lancashire, particularly in areas around the town of Wigan. In the 16th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as "Bybie" and "Bibbie," reflecting the regional dialects of the time.

Historically, the Bibby family held land and property in the villages of Upholland and Billinge, near Wigan. Records from the 17th century mention John Bibby (1624-1697), a prominent landowner and yeoman farmer from Upholland.

Another notable figure was James Bibby (1777-1861), a successful cotton manufacturer from Leigh, Lancashire. He established the Bibby Line, a renowned shipping company that played a significant role in the growth of the British maritime industry.

The Bibby surname also has connections to the town of Chorley, where the Bibby family owned several mills and factories during the Industrial Revolution. One member of this branch was Sir Joseph Bibby (1838-1914), a businessman and philanthropist who was knighted for his contributions to the local community.

In the literary world, Walter Ebenezer Bibby (1871-1949), a writer and journalist from Liverpool, gained recognition for his works on local history and dialect poetry.

The name Bibby has also been associated with notable figures in other fields, such as John Bibby (1918-2007), a British author and illustrator of children's books, and Edward Bibby (1838-1889), a pioneering English engineer and inventor of agricultural machinery.

While the Bibby surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and family connections, carrying with it a rich historical legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Bibby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bibby 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. Lancashire leads with 2,182 Bibbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.83x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 2,182 5.83x
Cheshire 202 2.90x
Yorkshire 176 0.56x
Essex 123 1.98x
Middlesex 93 0.29x
Staffordshire 70 0.66x
Surrey 55 0.36x
Durham 46 0.49x
Cumberland 43 1.58x
Westmorland 32 4.62x
Northumberland 30 0.64x
Shropshire 24 0.88x
Hampshire 17 0.26x
Kent 13 0.12x
Warwickshire 11 0.14x
Flintshire 10 1.18x
Glamorgan 10 0.18x
Hertfordshire 10 0.46x
Montgomeryshire 10 1.38x
Norfolk 9 0.19x
Derbyshire 8 0.16x
Berkshire 7 0.30x
Angus 5 0.17x
Caernarfonshire 5 0.39x
Monmouthshire 5 0.22x
Suffolk 5 0.13x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.21x
Gloucestershire 4 0.06x
Wiltshire 4 0.14x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.10x
Channel Islands 3 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.07x
Isle of Man 2 0.34x
Ayrshire 1 0.04x
Brecknockshire 1 0.16x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.05x
Devon 1 0.02x
Lanarkshire 1 0.01x
Lincolnshire 1 0.02x
Northamptonshire 1 0.03x
Oxfordshire 1 0.05x
Renfrewshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston in Lancashire leads with 131 Bibbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.08x.

Place Total Index
Preston 131 13.08x
Toxteth Park 107 8.44x
Wigan 104 19.89x
Warrington 98 22.09x
Liverpool 85 3.74x
Chorley 82 39.05x
Blackburn 72 7.23x
Windle 58 27.54x
Bradford 45 5.95x
Little Bolton 44 9.14x
West Derby 43 3.93x
Kirkdale 41 6.51x
Manchester 39 2.32x
Standish With Langtree 39 84.62x
Orrell 37 79.52x
Over Darwen 37 12.38x
Aspull 36 40.90x
Great Bolton 36 7.26x
Clitheroe 35 31.77x
Everton 35 2.93x
Stockport 34 9.49x
Accrington 30 8.82x
Chorlton On Medlock 30 5.05x
Salford 28 2.54x
Bentham 27 113.40x
Biddulph 27 44.95x
Bootle Cum Linacre 26 8.75x
Blackrod 24 51.60x
Habergham Eaves 23 6.72x
Tranmere 23 8.99x
Gorton 21 5.97x
Odd Rode 21 60.90x
Burnage 20 218.10x
Oldham 20 1.66x
Great Coggeshall 19 58.68x
Islington London 19 0.62x
Bretherton 18 235.91x
Castleton 17 4.55x
Eccleston In Prescot 17 9.05x
Lancaster 17 7.63x
Ardwick 16 4.74x
Bickerstaffe 16 65.33x
Borwick 16 586.08x
Camberwell 16 0.79x
Hexham 16 22.03x
Newchurch 16 5.23x
Rishton 16 36.45x
Spotland 16 3.85x
Wolstanton 16 4.95x
Woolston With 16 294.12x
Bury 15 3.51x
Wavertree 15 12.52x
Hindley 14 8.77x
Lambeth 14 0.51x
Latchford 14 30.27x
Walton On Hill 14 6.91x
Alsager 13 75.01x
Great Horkesley 13 151.69x
Lexden 13 52.02x
Newington 13 1.12x
Wheelton 13 77.66x
Halliwell 12 8.81x
Over Kellet 12 225.14x
Pemberton 12 8.04x
Poulton With Fearnhead 12 149.81x
Shoreditch London 12 0.88x
Stranton 12 3.80x
Stretford 12 5.83x
Arkholme With Cawood 11 342.68x
Ashton Under Lyne 11 1.34x
Kirkham 11 22.23x
Pennington In Leigh 11 15.32x
Whittle Le Woods 11 88.71x
Dalton In Furness 10 6.92x
Haydock 10 15.51x
Liscard 10 7.97x
Muncaster 10 173.01x
Newton 10 3.47x
North Meols 10 2.73x
Widnes 10 3.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 295
Elizabeth 166
Margaret 112
Sarah 103
Ellen 91
Jane 89
Ann 80
Alice 69
Hannah 41
Eliza 38
Annie 37
Catherine 26
Emma 26
Martha 25
Emily 22
Agnes 16
Harriet 14
Isabella 14
Clara 13
Edith 13
Esther 13
Ada 12
Caroline 12
Louisa 11
Lucy 11
Charlotte 9
Florence 9
Frances 9
Nancy 9
Elizth. 7
Maria 7
Minnie 7
Ruth 7
Susannah 7
Amelia 6
Betsy 6
Gertrude 6
Harriett 6
Rachel 6
Rebecca 6
Sophia 6
Anna 5
Anne 5
Eleanor 5
Fanny 5
Francis 5
Jessie 5
Kate 5
Lizzie 4
Maud 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 244
William 214
James 162
Thomas 148
Joseph 71
George 70
Richard 61
Robert 56
Edward 49
Henry 49
Charles 33
Samuel 21
Peter 17
Walter 17
Arthur 16
Wm. 14
Frederick 13
Alfred 12
David 12
Harry 12
Albert 10
Thos. 9
Edwin 8
Herbert 8
Alexander 7
Isaac 7
Joshua 7
Christopher 6
Daniel 6
Francis 6
Hugh 6
Fred 5
Jonathan 5
Robt. 5
Benjamin 4
Edmund 4
Ernest 4
Matthew 4
Richd. 4
Chas. 3
Elijah 3
Frank 3
Jesse 3
Philip 3
Rodger 3
Timothy 3
Ambrose 2
E. 2
Mathew 2
Maurice 2

FAQ

Bibby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bibby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,233 people were recorded with the Bibby surname. That placed it at #1,400 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bibby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,339 in 2016. That gives Bibby a modern rank of #1,571.

What does the Bibby surname mean?

A surname derived from a location name associated with an area near a brook or stream.

What does the Bibby map show?

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