UK surname
Originally denoted a resident of any of several places named "Canby."
In the 1881 census there were 95 people recorded with the Canby surname, ranking it #20,349 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 44, ranked #35,224, down from #20,349 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Melling and Paddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Canby is 137 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 53.7%.
1881 census count
95
Ranked #20,349
Modern count
44
2016, ranked #35,224
Peak year
1891
137 bearers
Map years
4
1861 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Canby surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Canby surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 86 | #18,820 |
| 1861 | historical | 116 | #18,751 |
| 1881 | historical | 95 | #20,349 |
| 1891 | historical | 137 | #19,501 |
| 1901 | historical | 114 | #21,166 |
| 1911 | historical | 107 | #21,842 |
| 1997 | modern | 54 | #32,210 |
| 1998 | modern | 53 | #32,633 |
| 1999 | modern | 53 | #32,746 |
| 2000 | modern | 57 | #32,417 |
| 2001 | modern | 56 | #32,379 |
| 2002 | modern | 62 | #32,214 |
| 2003 | modern | 55 | #32,895 |
| 2004 | modern | 48 | #33,742 |
| 2005 | modern | 46 | #34,081 |
| 2006 | modern | 39 | #34,932 |
| 2007 | modern | 42 | #34,905 |
| 2008 | modern | 41 | #35,067 |
| 2009 | modern | 43 | #35,088 |
| 2010 | modern | 43 | #35,233 |
| 2011 | modern | 44 | #35,161 |
| 2012 | modern | 42 | #35,269 |
| 2013 | modern | 46 | #35,110 |
| 2014 | modern | 46 | #35,155 |
| 2015 | modern | 42 | #35,322 |
| 2016 | modern | 44 | #35,224 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Melling, Paddington, Whalley and Dalton-in-Furness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff | Gloucestershire |
| 2 | Melling | Lancashire |
| 3 | Paddington | London (West Districts) |
| 4 | Whalley | Lancashire |
| 5 | Dalton-in-Furness | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Canby surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Canby, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Canby surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Canby household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Canby is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Canby is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Canby, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Canby originated in the northern English counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. It is derived from the Old English words "cann" meaning "can" or "cup" and "by" meaning "village." Essentially, the name was originally a locational name referring to a village where cans or cups were made.
The earliest recorded instance of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Cannebi." This suggests that the name was well-established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066. Over time, various spelling variations emerged, including Canneby, Canaby, and Canby.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was John de Canby, who lived in Yorkshire in the 13th century. Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Canby, a member of the English gentry who lived during the reign of Henry VIII in the 16th century.
In the 17th century, the Canby family established a prominent presence in the city of Bristol, where several members were involved in the wool trade and civic affairs. One such individual was Richard Canby, who served as Mayor of Bristol in 1662.
The Canby surname also found its way to the American colonies, with early settlers including John Canby, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1682, and Thomas Canby, who settled in New Jersey in 1677.
In more recent history, notable individuals with the Canby surname include Edward Richard Sprigg Canby (1819-1873), a Union general during the American Civil War, and William C. Canby (1831-1904), a lawyer and politician who served as the Secretary of State for the Territory of New Mexico.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Canby surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 34 Canbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.70x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire | 34 | 3.70x |
| Lancashire | 21 | 1.91x |
| Middlesex | 13 | 1.40x |
| Surrey | 8 | 1.77x |
| Somerset | 6 | 4.02x |
| Durham | 4 | 1.45x |
| Monmouthshire | 4 | 5.97x |
| Stirlingshire | 2 | 5.85x |
| Cornwall | 1 | 0.95x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 0.55x |
| Suffolk | 1 | 0.89x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lepton in Yorkshire leads with 7 Canbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 729.17x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lepton | 7 | 729.17x |
| Battersea | 6 | 17.60x |
| Easton In Gordano | 6 | 1000.00x |
| Farnworth | 6 | 91.05x |
| St Gilesin Fields London | 6 | 769.23x |
| West Witton | 6 | 3750.00x |
| Holy Trinity | 5 | 22.63x |
| Sculcoates | 5 | 34.34x |
| Arkholme With Cawood | 4 | 4444.44x |
| Slyne With Hest | 4 | 4000.00x |
| St Woollos | 4 | 53.48x |
| Barrow In Furness | 3 | 20.05x |
| East Rainton | 3 | 566.04x |
| Barnoldswick | 2 | 156.25x |
| Hawsker Cum Stainsacre | 2 | 645.16x |
| Keighley | 2 | 20.43x |
| Lambeth | 2 | 2.48x |
| St Marylebone London | 2 | 4.04x |
| Stirling | 2 | 46.40x |
| Thorne | 2 | 175.44x |
| West Derby | 2 | 6.22x |
| Blackburn | 1 | 3.42x |
| Heston | 1 | 32.47x |
| Holy Trinity St Mary | 1 | 71.43x |
| Islington London | 1 | 1.11x |
| Lofthouse | 1 | 72.99x |
| Lowestoft | 1 | 18.76x |
| Newland | 1 | 65.36x |
| Paddington London | 1 | 2.94x |
| Pendleton In Salford | 1 | 7.63x |
| Roxby | 1 | 1666.67x |
| St Clement Danes London | 1 | 52.08x |
| St Martin In Fields | 1 | 18.02x |
| St Minver | 1 | 312.50x |
| Witton Le Wear | 1 | 128.21x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Canby surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Canby surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Canby households.
FAQ
In 1881, 95 people were recorded with the Canby surname. That placed it at #20,349 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 44 in 2016. That gives Canby a modern rank of #35,224.
Originally denoted a resident of any of several places named "Canby."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Canby bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.