NameCensus.

UK surname

Calway

One for a person from Calway or Calva in France.

In the 1881 census there were 124 people recorded with the Calway surname, ranking it #17,429 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 165, ranked #22,234, down from #17,429 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Hill Farrance, Oake, Nynehead and St Philip and Jacob. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cardiff, Wealden and South Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Calway is 184 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.1%.

1881 census count

124

Ranked #17,429

Modern count

165

2016, ranked #22,234

Peak year

1999

184 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Calway had 124 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,429 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 165 in 2016, ranked #22,234.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 160 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Calway surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Calway surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Calway 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 106 #16,512
1861 historical 128 #17,375
1881 historical 124 #17,429
1891 historical 129 #20,285
1901 historical 150 #18,075
1911 historical 160 #17,151
1997 modern 166 #19,797
1998 modern 177 #19,523
1999 modern 184 #19,178
2000 modern 161 #20,822
2001 modern 157 #20,884
2002 modern 157 #21,261
2003 modern 162 #20,624
2004 modern 166 #20,441
2005 modern 165 #20,468
2006 modern 166 #20,534
2007 modern 169 #20,562
2008 modern 172 #20,523
2009 modern 175 #20,707
2010 modern 167 #21,835
2011 modern 166 #21,745
2012 modern 161 #22,157
2013 modern 164 #22,236
2014 modern 168 #22,075
2015 modern 169 #21,888
2016 modern 165 #22,234

Geography

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Where Calways are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Hill Farrance, Oake, Nynehead, St Philip and Jacob, Bristol City: St Paul and Ware (Ware). Hertford St John, Hertford All Saints. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cardiff, Wealden, South Somerset and South Gloucestershire. 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 Hill Farrance, Oake, Nynehead Somerset
3 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire
4 Bristol City: St Paul Gloucestershire
5 Ware (Ware). Hertford St John, Hertford All Saints Hertfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cardiff 010 Cardiff
2 Wealden 014 Wealden
3 South Somerset 014 South Somerset
4 Cardiff 011 Cardiff
5 South Gloucestershire 032 South Gloucestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Calway

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Calway

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Calway surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Calway household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Calway 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

Calway is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Calway 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 Calway is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Calway

The surname Calway has its origins in England, tracing back to the 12th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the Old English words "cald" meaning "cold" and "weg" meaning "way" or "road," suggesting a connection to a cold or chilly path or road.

Variations of the spelling include Caldway, Caldewey, and Caldwaye, which can be found in ancient records and manuscripts from various regions of England. One of the earliest mentions of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1205, where a person named Richard de Caldewey is listed.

In the 13th century, the Calway surname was particularly prominent in the counties of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 for Gloucestershire record a William de Caldwaye, while the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1333 for Wiltshire mention a John de Caldewey.

The name is also associated with various place names, such as Caldeway in Gloucestershire and Caldeweyeshull in Wiltshire. These place names likely originated from the same Old English roots and may have influenced the formation of the surname.

One notable figure in history bearing the Calway surname was John Calway, a prominent English lawyer and member of the House of Commons, who lived from 1572 to 1642. He served as the Recorder of Gloucester and represented the city in Parliament during the reign of King Charles I.

Another individual of significance was Sir William Calway, a British diplomat and politician who lived from 1666 to 1732. He served as the Ambassador to the Netherlands and was later appointed as the Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company.

In the 18th century, the Calway family gained prominence in the city of Bristol, where several members held significant positions in local government and commerce. One such figure was Thomas Calway, who served as the Mayor of Bristol in 1765.

The name also appears in various literary works, such as the 17th-century play "The Spanish Gypsy" by Thomas Middleton and William Rowley, where a character named Calway is mentioned.

During the 19th century, the Calway surname continued to be present in various parts of England, with notable individuals like James Calway, a renowned architect who designed several churches and public buildings in the city of Bath, born in 1815.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Calway families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Calway 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. Gloucestershire leads with 47 Calways recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.97x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 47 19.97x
Somerset 31 16.05x
Middlesex 11 0.92x
Surrey 8 1.37x
Lanarkshire 5 1.29x
Sussex 5 2.47x
Devon 4 1.60x
Kent 4 0.98x
Yorkshire 4 0.34x
Berkshire 2 2.22x
Hampshire 1 0.41x
Lancashire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St Paul In in Gloucestershire leads with 21 Calways recorded in 1881 and an index of 334.93x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St Paul In 21 334.93x
Taunton St James 11 390.07x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 8 36.10x
Milverton 8 1126.76x
Poplar London 8 35.34x
Bristol St George 7 64.34x
Berkeley 6 458.02x
Barony 5 5.09x
Lambeth 5 4.78x
Lewes St John Southover 5 367.65x
Speldhurst 4 192.31x
Taunton St Mary 4 112.68x
Bradford 3 10.42x
Oake 3 6000.00x
Tewkesbury 3 142.86x
Bedminster 2 11.02x
Exeter St Sidwell 2 34.97x
Hackney London 2 2.97x
Nynehead 2 1538.46x
Penge 2 26.11x
Whitchurch 2 540.54x
Bishops Lydeard 1 204.08x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 12.74x
Cirencester 1 31.35x
Exminster 1 111.11x
Islington London 1 0.86x
Newton Abbot St Mary 1 47.85x
Portsea 1 2.07x
Southwark St Olave 1 108.70x
Thornaby 1 22.52x
Toxteth Park 1 2.07x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Sarah 8
Elizabeth 5
Alice 4
Emily 4
Florence 3
Jane 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Clara 2
Ellen 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Rose 2
Arnola 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Eunice 1
Hannah 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Maryann 1
Matilda 1
Rosa 1
S. 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
John 6
Charles 4
George 3
James 3
Frank 2
Henry 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
B. 1
Charley 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Gilbert 1
Harold 1
Isaac 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Robert 1
Stephen 1
Thomas 1
Tom 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1
Zacariah 1

FAQ

Calway surname: questions and answers

How common was the Calway surname in 1881?

In 1881, 124 people were recorded with the Calway surname. That placed it at #17,429 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Calway surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 165 in 2016. That gives Calway a modern rank of #22,234.

What does the Calway surname mean?

One for a person from Calway or Calva in France.

What does the Calway map show?

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