NameCensus.

UK surname

Clavey

From a location called Clavey, a place name in France.

In the 1881 census there were 96 people recorded with the Clavey surname, ranking it #20,248 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 119, ranked #27,704, down from #20,248 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford and Chewton Mendip, Emborrow, Binegar, Compton Martin. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Somerset, North Somerset and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clavey is 162 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.0%.

1881 census count

96

Ranked #20,248

Modern count

119

2016, ranked #27,704

Peak year

1911

162 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Clavey had 96 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,248 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 119 in 2016, ranked #27,704.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 162 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Clavey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Clavey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Clavey 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 58 #22,928
1861 historical 79 #23,702
1881 historical 96 #20,248
1891 historical 126 #20,604
1901 historical 150 #18,075
1911 historical 162 #17,003
1997 modern 124 #23,669
1998 modern 126 #24,094
1999 modern 127 #24,125
2000 modern 118 #25,197
2001 modern 114 #25,344
2002 modern 116 #25,632
2003 modern 109 #26,361
2004 modern 115 #25,740
2005 modern 115 #25,702
2006 modern 113 #26,267
2007 modern 111 #26,954
2008 modern 111 #27,225
2009 modern 121 #26,373
2010 modern 125 #26,448
2011 modern 123 #26,512
2012 modern 117 #27,394
2013 modern 124 #26,842
2014 modern 119 #27,813
2015 modern 121 #27,405
2016 modern 119 #27,704

Geography

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Where Claveys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford, Chewton Mendip, Emborrow, Binegar, Compton Martin and Evercreech. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Somerset, North Somerset, Cornwall, Neath Port Talbot and Eastleigh. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford Somerset
4 Chewton Mendip, Emborrow, Binegar, Compton Martin Somerset
5 Evercreech Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Somerset 003 West Somerset
2 North Somerset 008 North Somerset
3 Cornwall 013 Cornwall
4 Neath Port Talbot 020 Neath Port Talbot
5 Eastleigh 007 Eastleigh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Clavey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Clavey

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Clavey 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

Clavey 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

Clavey falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Clavey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 20-25 mbit/s.

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

4
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Clavey

The surname Clavey is believed to have originated in France, specifically in the northern regions of the country. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "clave," which means "key" or "lock." This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for a locksmith or someone who worked with keys and locks.

The earliest recorded instance of the Clavey surname can be traced back to the 13th century. In 1271, a man named Robert Clavey was mentioned in the records of the Duchy of Normandy. Another early record from 1296 lists a Jean Clavey in the tax rolls of the village of Évreux in Normandy.

During the Middle Ages, the name Clavey appeared in various historical documents, including medieval charters and land records. For instance, a William Clavey was listed as a landowner in the village of Rouen in 1392.

In the 16th century, the name Clavey was found in several church records and parish registers across northern France. One notable individual from this time was Jacques Clavey, a merchant from Calais who lived from 1520 to 1586.

The Clavey surname also has connections to several place names in France. For example, the village of Claveyères in the Auvergne region may have derived its name from the Clavey family or vice versa. Additionally, the hamlet of Clavey in the Normandy region is thought to be named after an early bearer of the Clavey surname.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the Clavey surname. These include:

1. Jean-Baptiste Clavey (1673-1742), a French architect who designed several churches and public buildings in Paris. 2. Marie-Françoise Clavey (1718-1795), a French painter and portraitist from Lyon. 3. Louis Clavey (1796-1867), a French soldier who fought in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a general in the French army. 4. Pierre Clavey (1824-1901), a French politician and lawyer who served as a member of the National Assembly for the department of Somme. 5. Émile Clavey (1862-1935), a French architect known for his work on several notable buildings in Paris, including the Palais de Chaillot.

While the Clavey surname is relatively uncommon today, it has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval France and the northern regions of the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Clavey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clavey 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. Somerset leads with 60 Claveys recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.81x.

County Total Index
Somerset 60 39.81x
Middlesex 9 0.96x
Worcestershire 8 6.54x
Lancashire 5 0.45x
Monmouthshire 4 5.91x
Kent 3 0.94x
Gloucestershire 2 1.09x
Staffordshire 2 0.63x
Surrey 2 0.44x
Yorkshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chewton Mendip in Somerset leads with 26 Claveys recorded in 1881 and an index of 10400.00x.

Place Total Index
Chewton Mendip 26 10400.00x
Pedmore 8 5000.00x
Camerton 7 1590.91x
Williton 7 1400.00x
Stoke Lane 6 2727.27x
Bury 5 39.40x
Kensington London 5 9.60x
Bedwellty 4 33.47x
East Harptree 4 1904.76x
Chelsea London 3 10.63x
Evercreech 3 833.33x
Tonbridge 3 26.04x
Burton Extra 2 110.50x
Charlwood 2 454.55x
Litton 2 2857.14x
Bradford 1 4.45x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 5.78x
Clerkenwell London 1 4.52x
Clifton 1 10.78x
Corston 1 833.33x
Doulting 1 526.32x
Frome 1 27.78x
Locking 1 2500.00x
Shepton Mallet 1 59.17x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 6
Austin 4
George 4
John 4
Thomas 4
Clement 3
James 3
Albert 2
Charles 2
Henry 2
Joseph 2
Abraham 1
Alfred 1
Allen 1
Benjamin 1
Edward 1
Harry 1
Infant 1
Michael 1
Ricard 1
Richmond 1

FAQ

Clavey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Clavey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 96 people were recorded with the Clavey surname. That placed it at #20,248 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Clavey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 119 in 2016. That gives Clavey a modern rank of #27,704.

What does the Clavey surname mean?

From a location called Clavey, a place name in France.

What does the Clavey map show?

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