NameCensus.

UK surname

Carvey

A surname derived from the occupation of a carver or sculptor.

In the 1881 census there were 85 people recorded with the Carvey surname, ranking it #21,573 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 236, ranked #17,470, up from #21,573 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Buckland with Carswell and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Richmondshire, Hambleton and West Oxfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Carvey is 251 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 177.6%.

1881 census count

85

Ranked #21,573

Modern count

236

2016, ranked #17,470

Peak year

1999

251 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Carvey had 85 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,573 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 192 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Carvey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Carvey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Carvey 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 66 #21,617
1861 historical 141 #16,072
1881 historical 85 #21,573
1891 historical 153 #18,078
1901 historical 150 #18,075
1911 historical 192 #15,342
1997 modern 219 #16,666
1998 modern 238 #16,218
1999 modern 251 #15,751
2000 modern 242 #16,101
2001 modern 242 #15,832
2002 modern 240 #16,291
2003 modern 243 #15,911
2004 modern 231 #16,591
2005 modern 225 #16,831
2006 modern 228 #16,789
2007 modern 227 #17,041
2008 modern 235 #16,777
2009 modern 243 #16,742
2010 modern 247 #16,931
2011 modern 244 #16,922
2012 modern 242 #16,886
2013 modern 249 #16,825
2014 modern 246 #17,079
2015 modern 239 #17,322
2016 modern 236 #17,470

Geography

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Where Carveys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Buckland with Carswell, London parishes, Swindon, Lyddington and Barking. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Richmondshire, Hambleton, West Oxfordshire, Three Rivers and Arun. 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 Buckland with Carswell Berkshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 Swindon, Lyddington Wiltshire
5 Barking Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Richmondshire 001 Richmondshire
2 Hambleton 004 Hambleton
3 West Oxfordshire 008 West Oxfordshire
4 Three Rivers 009 Three Rivers
5 Arun 018 Arun

Forenames

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First names often paired with Carvey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Carvey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Carvey, 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 Carvey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Carvey 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Carvey 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

Carvey 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

Carvey falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Carvey 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 Carvey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Carvey

The surname Carvey is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is believed to have originated in England during the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "carr," which referred to a rocky hill or outcropping of rocks. The "ey" suffix likely denotes a person who lived near or worked on such a rocky hill or outcrop.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Carvey can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Carueia." This suggests that the name was already well-established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

During the Middle Ages, the Carvey family is known to have resided in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire. The name is also closely tied to several place names, such as Carvy Hill in Lancashire and Carvy Brook in Yorkshire.

One notable historical figure with the surname Carvey was Sir William Carvey, a knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War during the 14th century. Another prominent individual was John Carvey (1550-1616), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Dean of Christ Church, Oxford.

In the 17th century, the Carvey family gained prominence in the village of Carvy, located in the county of Derbyshire. This village is likely named after the family, and several members of the Carvey clan are recorded as residing there during this period.

Other notable individuals with the surname Carvey include:

1. Thomas Carvey (1670-1745), an English architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London. 2. Elizabeth Carvey (1725-1801), a renowned author and poet from Yorkshire. 3. Henry Carvey (1790-1868), a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars. 4. Samuel Carvey (1820-1895), an American politician and businessman from Pennsylvania. 5. Mary Carvey (1872-1953), a pioneering female physician and advocate for women's rights in the United States.

While the surname Carvey is not as common today as it once was, it remains an intriguing part of English heritage, with roots stretching back to the early medieval period and a rich history spanning several centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Carvey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Carvey 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. Berkshire leads with 17 Carveys recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.40x.

County Total Index
Berkshire 17 29.40x
Buckinghamshire 10 21.47x
Middlesex 9 1.17x
Wiltshire 9 13.21x
Oxfordshire 6 12.61x
Yorkshire 6 0.79x
Essex 5 3.29x
Staffordshire 4 1.54x
Lancashire 3 0.33x
Lanarkshire 2 0.80x
Renfrewshire 2 3.35x
Sussex 2 1.54x
Cheshire 1 0.59x
Hampshire 1 0.63x
Kent 1 0.38x
Warwickshire 1 0.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Iver in Buckinghamshire leads with 10 Carveys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1666.67x.

Place Total Index
Iver 10 1666.67x
Buckland 8 4210.53x
Swindon 7 132.58x
Hornsey 6 61.60x
Shrivenham 6 2068.97x
Barking 5 112.36x
Sheffield 5 20.58x
Banbury 4 421.05x
Tamworth 4 287.77x
Great Bolton 3 24.77x
Binfield 2 454.55x
Glasgow 2 4.52x
Paisley High Church 2 42.11x
Rodbourne Cheney 2 377.36x
West Grinstead 2 512.82x
Aldbrough 1 2000.00x
Aston 1 1.87x
Burford 1 243.90x
Folkestone 1 19.61x
Hendon 1 36.10x
Holy Rood 1 312.50x
Kensington London 1 2.33x
Northwich 1 370.37x
Oxford St Clement 1 83.33x
Reading St Giles 1 17.64x
St Marylebone London 1 2.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Elizabeth 6
Sarah 3
Ann 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Lucy 2
Martha 2
Annie 1
Beatrice 1
Catherine 1
Cecilia 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Florence 1
Henriette 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Lauria 1
Maria 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Rose 1
Sharm 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 5
George 4
Henry 3
James 3
John 3
Mark 3
Thomas 3
Charles 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Edward 1
Joseph 1

FAQ

Carvey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Carvey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 85 people were recorded with the Carvey surname. That placed it at #21,573 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Carvey surname today?

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

What does the Carvey surname mean?

A surname derived from the occupation of a carver or sculptor.

What does the Carvey map show?

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