NameCensus.

UK surname

Bisby

A locational surname derived from a place name in Yorkshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 214 people recorded with the Bisby surname, ranking it #12,284 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 386, ranked #12,202, up from #12,284 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Mexborough and Hull Holy Trinity. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, Boston and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bisby is 399 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 80.4%.

1881 census count

214

Ranked #12,284

Modern count

386

2016, ranked #12,202

Peak year

1999

399 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bisby had 214 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,284 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 386 in 2016, ranked #12,202.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 303 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Bisby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bisby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bisby 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 153 #12,721
1861 historical 185 #12,799
1881 historical 214 #12,284
1891 historical 261 #12,337
1901 historical 303 #11,569
1911 historical 299 #11,475
1997 modern 393 #11,144
1998 modern 397 #11,400
1999 modern 399 #11,463
2000 modern 379 #11,855
2001 modern 370 #11,904
2002 modern 374 #12,040
2003 modern 369 #11,941
2004 modern 381 #11,700
2005 modern 373 #11,794
2006 modern 377 #11,743
2007 modern 376 #11,925
2008 modern 381 #11,918
2009 modern 382 #12,150
2010 modern 390 #12,233
2011 modern 399 #11,882
2012 modern 389 #11,963
2013 modern 392 #12,100
2014 modern 391 #12,214
2015 modern 382 #12,322
2016 modern 386 #12,202

Geography

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Where Bisbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Mexborough, Hull Holy Trinity, Rawmarsh, Wath-on-Dearn (Swinton) and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, Boston, Barnsley and Welwyn Hatfield. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Mexborough Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Rawmarsh, Wath-on-Dearn (Swinton) Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 003 Doncaster
2 Boston 004 Boston
3 Boston 002 Boston
4 Barnsley 011 Barnsley
5 Welwyn Hatfield 012 Welwyn Hatfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bisby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bisby

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Bisby is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bisby is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bisby 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 Bisby is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bisby

The surname Bisby is of English origin and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "byce" meaning a brook or stream and "by" meaning a village or settlement. The name Bisby likely referred to someone who lived near a brook or stream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bisby can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Bicesberie" in the county of Lincolnshire. This suggests that the name originated in this region and may have been associated with a specific place name.

During the medieval period, the name Bisby was most prevalent in the counties of Lincolnshire and Leicestershire. Various spellings such as Bicesby, Bicesberie, and Bixby were also used, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings at the time.

One notable individual with the surname Bisby was John Bisby, a 14th-century clergyman who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Stamford, Lincolnshire, from 1349 to 1371. Another early reference is to Willelmus de Byxby, who was mentioned in the Lincolnshire Feet of Fines in 1302.

In the 16th century, the name Bisby appeared in the records of the College of Arms, which oversaw matters of heraldry and genealogy. This suggests that some Bisby families had achieved a degree of social prominence by this time.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Bisby was Sir Nathaniel Bisby (1619-1689), an English politician and Member of Parliament who represented the borough of Grantham in Lincolnshire during the reign of Charles II.

Other notable individuals include: - Robert Bisby (1796-1867), an English clergyman and author. - Thomas Bisby (1832-1908), a British naturalist and botanical illustrator. - William Bisby (1824-1897), an English cricketer who played for Nottinghamshire. - George Bisby (1856-1923), a British botanist and mycologist.

While the surname Bisby has its roots in England, particularly in the counties of Lincolnshire and Leicestershire, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bisby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bisby 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. Yorkshire leads with 157 Bisbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.55x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 157 7.55x
Staffordshire 24 3.39x
Warwickshire 12 2.27x
Lancashire 11 0.44x
Cheshire 7 1.51x
Derbyshire 1 0.30x
Kent 1 0.14x
Middlesex 1 0.05x
Suffolk 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wednesfield in Staffordshire leads with 16 Bisbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 153.55x.

Place Total Index
Wednesfield 16 153.55x
Mexborough 15 363.20x
Barmbrough 14 1842.11x
Swinton In Rotherham 14 254.55x
Birmingham 12 6.81x
Rawmarsh 11 149.86x
Doncaster 10 65.88x
Sheffield 9 13.60x
Hunslet 8 24.68x
Wolverhampton 8 14.70x
Bolton On Dearne 7 972.22x
Bradfield 7 87.39x
Heap 7 53.03x
Darfield 6 317.46x
Foulk Stapleford 6 3157.89x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 4 20.66x
Ormskirk 4 84.03x
Rotherham 4 34.13x
Tinsley 4 547.95x
Greasbrough 3 109.49x
Holy Trinity 3 6.00x
Hoyland Nether 3 58.82x
Linton In Wetherby 3 2727.27x
Nether Hallam 3 10.67x
Southcoates 3 26.00x
Thrybergh 3 2000.00x
Adwick Le Street 2 1111.11x
Ecclesfield 2 13.12x
Holy Trinity St Mary 2 63.29x
Huddersfield 2 6.61x
York St Mary 2 23.23x
Adel Cum Eccup 1 116.28x
Allerton Bywater 1 89.29x
Badsworth 1 625.00x
Billingley 1 714.29x
Collingham 1 416.67x
Denaby 1 84.75x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 2.37x
Hasland 1 29.94x
Holbeck 1 7.26x
Kemsing 1 312.50x
Kirkleatham 1 35.59x
Leeds 1 0.85x
Northowram 1 6.86x
Poole 1 909.09x
Poplar London 1 2.53x
Rattlesden 1 133.33x
Wadworth 1 243.90x
Wortley In Bramley 1 6.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 14
Mary 10
Ann 9
Sarah 9
Jane 8
Eliza 5
Martha 5
Alice 4
Annie 4
Emma 3
Ada 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Lydia 2
Alma 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Ellen 1
Flora 1
Frances 1
Fredrica 1
Harriett 1
Isabel 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Leah 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Nellie 1
Phoebe 1
Susannah 1
Susannh 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 19
Thomas 13
William 9
George 8
Charles 5
Ambrose 4
Edward 4
Henry 4
Samuel 4
Benjamin 3
Arthur 2
Ernest 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
James 2
Joseph 2
Wm. 2
Ainley 1
Albert 1
Andrew 1
Archibald 1
Edwin 1
Elias 1
Frans.E. 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Jesse 1
Jessie 1
Jno. 1
Joe 1
Josh.W. 1
Paul 1
Richard 1
Saml.E. 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Bisby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bisby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 214 people were recorded with the Bisby surname. That placed it at #12,284 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bisby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 386 in 2016. That gives Bisby a modern rank of #12,202.

What does the Bisby surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in Yorkshire, England.

What does the Bisby map show?

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