NameCensus.

UK surname

Birdsey

An English habitation surname derived from a place meaning "bird's island".

In the 1881 census there were 102 people recorded with the Birdsey surname, ranking it #19,518 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 236, ranked #17,470, up from #19,518 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hillingdon (Hillingdon), Ickenham, Cowley, London parishes and Watford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire West and Chester, Neath Port Talbot and North Tyneside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Birdsey is 257 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 131.4%.

1881 census count

102

Ranked #19,518

Modern count

236

2016, ranked #17,470

Peak year

2009

257 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Birdsey had 102 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,518 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 236 in 2016, ranked #17,470.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 182 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Birdsey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Birdsey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Birdsey 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 67 #21,440
1861 historical 80 #23,566
1881 historical 102 #19,518
1891 historical 136 #19,601
1901 historical 139 #18,876
1911 historical 182 #15,859
1997 modern 234 #15,939
1998 modern 232 #16,508
1999 modern 237 #16,360
2000 modern 224 #16,934
2001 modern 218 #17,017
2002 modern 238 #16,378
2003 modern 229 #16,601
2004 modern 226 #16,829
2005 modern 234 #16,388
2006 modern 231 #16,636
2007 modern 237 #16,571
2008 modern 250 #16,065
2009 modern 257 #16,099
2010 modern 251 #16,749
2011 modern 250 #16,637
2012 modern 247 #16,661
2013 modern 240 #17,251
2014 modern 243 #17,232
2015 modern 237 #17,413
2016 modern 236 #17,470

Geography

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Where Birdseys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hillingdon (Hillingdon), Ickenham, Cowley, London parishes, Watford and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire West and Chester, Neath Port Talbot and North Tyneside. 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 Hillingdon (Hillingdon), Ickenham, Cowley Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Watford Hertfordshire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire West and Chester 021 Cheshire West and Chester
2 Neath Port Talbot 007 Neath Port Talbot
3 North Tyneside 015 North Tyneside
4 Cheshire West and Chester 018 Cheshire West and Chester
5 Cheshire West and Chester 020 Cheshire West and Chester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Birdsey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Birdsey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Birdsey, 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 Birdsey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Birdsey 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Birdsey is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Birdsey 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

Birdsey falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Birdsey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Birdsey

The surname Birdsey originates from England and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from a place name, possibly an old village or hamlet that no longer exists or has a different spelling today. The name likely refers to a location associated with birds or a bird enclosure.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Birdsey surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror. However, the spelling variations at the time were quite diverse, including Burdsay, Byrdsay, and Birdseye.

In the 13th century, records show a John de Birdsey who was a landowner in Oxfordshire. This suggests that the Birdsey family had established itself as part of the gentry class during this period.

During the 16th century, a notable figure with the Birdsey surname was Sir Thomas Birdsey (1490-1558), a prominent lawyer and judge who served as a Member of Parliament and Chief Justice of the King's Bench under Queen Mary I.

Another historical figure of note was Reverend Hugh Birdsey (1615-1687), an English Puritan minister who emigrated to the American colonies and became one of the founders of Stratford, Connecticut. He played a significant role in the early religious and civic life of the colony.

In the late 18th century, a Captain William Birdsey (1745-1821) served as a naval officer in the British Royal Navy and was involved in several notable battles during the American Revolutionary War.

Elizabeth Birdsey (1810-1892) was a notable author and poet from New York, known for her collections of poems and essays that explored themes of nature and spirituality.

Another distinguished individual with this surname was Sir George Birdsey (1865-1943), a British diplomat and statesman who served as Ambassador to France and played a crucial role in diplomatic negotiations during the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Birdsey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Birdsey 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. Bedfordshire leads with 24 Birdseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.59x.

County Total Index
Bedfordshire 24 46.59x
Buckinghamshire 16 26.60x
Middlesex 14 1.41x
Hertfordshire 9 13.13x
Northamptonshire 7 7.48x
Surrey 7 1.44x
Norfolk 6 3.92x
Oxfordshire 6 9.77x
Northumberland 5 3.38x
Staffordshire 3 0.89x
Kent 2 0.59x
Warwickshire 2 0.80x
Yorkshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire leads with 19 Birdseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 855.86x.

Place Total Index
Leighton Buzzard 19 855.86x
Linslade 11 1864.41x
Great Yarmouth 6 47.36x
Watford 6 112.78x
Chinnor 5 1162.79x
Wallsend 5 106.61x
Wicken 5 3571.43x
Islington London 4 4.15x
Studham 4 1428.57x
Harborne 3 27.88x
Lambeth 3 3.46x
Ratcliffe London 3 54.64x
Twickenham 3 70.26x
Birmingham 2 2.39x
Camberwell 2 3.15x
Rushden 2 160.00x
Shenley 2 444.44x
Soulbury 2 1250.00x
Winslow 2 350.88x
Ampthill 1 129.87x
Banbury 1 81.30x
Chelsea London 1 3.34x
Hanslope 1 185.19x
Hendon 1 27.93x
Kirk Smeaton 1 769.23x
Lewisham 1 5.52x
Newington 1 2.72x
Redbourn 1 133.33x
Reigate Foreign 1 19.05x
Sevenoaks 1 36.36x
St George Bloomsbury 1 17.51x
Westminster St James 1 9.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Ann 5
Elizabeth 4
Eliza 3
Sarah 3
Alice 2
Annie 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Martha 2
Anna 1
Bethiah 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Louisa 1
Lousina 1
Mable 1
Rachel 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Birdsey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Birdsey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 102 people were recorded with the Birdsey surname. That placed it at #19,518 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Birdsey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 236 in 2016. That gives Birdsey a modern rank of #17,470.

What does the Birdsey surname mean?

An English habitation surname derived from a place meaning "bird's island".

What does the Birdsey map show?

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