NameCensus.

UK surname

Clews

A topographical surname referring to someone who lived near a ridge or hill.

In the 1881 census there were 1,358 people recorded with the Clews surname, ranking it #3,019 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,108, ranked #3,064, down from #3,019 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolstanton, Burslem and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sevenoaks, Lichfield and Stoke-on-Trent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clews is 2,275 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 55.2%.

1881 census count

1,358

Ranked #3,019

Modern count

2,108

2016, ranked #3,064

Peak year

2010

2,275 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Clews had 1,358 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,019 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,108 in 2016, ranked #3,064.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,826 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Clews surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Clews surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Clews 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 727 #3,611
1861 historical 664 #4,033
1881 historical 1,358 #3,019
1891 historical 1,472 #2,988
1901 historical 1,764 #2,942
1911 historical 1,826 #2,700
1997 modern 1,958 #3,104
1998 modern 2,246 #2,867
1999 modern 2,270 #2,855
2000 modern 2,234 #2,884
2001 modern 2,201 #2,869
2002 modern 2,261 #2,862
2003 modern 2,209 #2,853
2004 modern 2,187 #2,881
2005 modern 2,165 #2,873
2006 modern 2,177 #2,863
2007 modern 2,192 #2,871
2008 modern 2,193 #2,890
2009 modern 2,249 #2,896
2010 modern 2,275 #2,926
2011 modern 2,256 #2,914
2012 modern 2,145 #2,981
2013 modern 2,166 #3,009
2014 modern 2,170 #3,021
2015 modern 2,141 #3,030
2016 modern 2,108 #3,064

Geography

Back to top

Where Clews' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolstanton, Burslem, Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken, Walsall and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sevenoaks, Lichfield, Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Sandwell. 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 Wolstanton Staffordshire
2 Burslem Staffordshire
3 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire
4 Walsall Staffordshire
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sevenoaks 012 Sevenoaks
2 Lichfield 001 Lichfield
3 Stoke-on-Trent 006 Stoke-on-Trent
4 Newcastle-under-Lyme 016 Newcastle-under-Lyme
5 Sandwell 022 Sandwell

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Clews

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Clews

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Clews surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Clews household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Clews is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Clews 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

Clews falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Clews is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Clews

The surname Clews is an English locational surname that originated in Northumberland, England in the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "clueu" or "cliou," meaning a hillock or small hill. This suggests that the name was first borne by someone who lived near a prominent hillock or hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Clews surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Northumberland from 1273, where it appears as "Isolde de Clues." This record provides evidence that the surname was already established in the region by the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various spellings, such as "Clewes," "Clowes," and "Clues," reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling common in medieval times. The Clews family is believed to have resided in the vicinity of Clew's Hill, a small settlement near the town of Hexham in Northumberland.

The Clews surname has a long and rich history, with several notable individuals bearing this name throughout the centuries. One of the earliest recorded individuals was John Clews, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived in Northumberland in the late 15th century.

In the 16th century, the name gained prominence with Thomas Clews (1536-1604), a respected scholar and clergyman who served as the Dean of Battle Abbey in Sussex. His contemporary, William Clews (1550-1622), was a renowned architect who contributed to the design of several churches and public buildings in London.

During the 17th century, the Clews family expanded their influence, with Richard Clews (1617-1688) becoming a wealthy merchant and philanthropist in Bristol. He was known for his generous support of local charities and educational institutions.

In the 18th century, the name gained literary recognition through the works of the poet and essayist, Samuel Clews (1745-1815), whose writings were widely celebrated for their wit and eloquence.

One of the most notable figures bearing the Clews surname was the Victorian explorer and naturalist, Robert Clews (1828-1892), who led several expeditions to Africa and Asia, contributing significantly to the study of botany and zoology.

While the Clews surname originated in Northumberland, it has since spread across various regions of England and beyond, reflecting the mobility and diversity of families throughout history. The name continues to carry a rich legacy, preserving the connection to its origins in the hills and landscapes of northern England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Clews families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clews 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. Staffordshire leads with 462 Clews' recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.33x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 462 10.33x
Warwickshire 282 8.44x
Worcestershire 109 6.30x
Cheshire 103 3.52x
Lancashire 78 0.50x
Middlesex 65 0.49x
Nottinghamshire 35 1.96x
Shropshire 28 2.45x
Yorkshire 28 0.21x
Renfrewshire 27 2.63x
Derbyshire 26 1.25x
Durham 21 0.53x
Bedfordshire 11 1.60x
Ayrshire 10 1.01x
Glamorgan 9 0.39x
Lanarkshire 9 0.21x
Oxfordshire 9 1.10x
Kent 7 0.15x
Cornwall 5 0.33x
Flintshire 5 1.40x
Leicestershire 5 0.34x
Surrey 5 0.08x
Sussex 5 0.22x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.48x
Lincolnshire 3 0.14x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.16x
Devon 2 0.07x
Gloucestershire 1 0.04x
Herefordshire 1 0.18x
Suffolk 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 85 Clews' recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.24x.

Place Total Index
Aston 85 9.24x
Birmingham 77 6.92x
Stoke Upon Trent 73 15.40x
Burslem 72 56.21x
Walsall Foreign 65 28.14x
Wolstanton 62 45.65x
Stafford St Mary 34 53.71x
Monks Coppenhall 30 27.19x
Bilston 25 28.85x
Chilvers Coton 21 152.84x
Harborne 21 14.65x
Lye 21 72.94x
Bow London 20 11.86x
Stoke 16 243.16x
Romsley 15 797.87x
Mancetter 14 145.68x
Widnes 14 12.35x
Basford 13 15.80x
Dudley 13 6.18x
Great Wyrley 12 246.91x
Wednesbury 12 10.74x
Bethnal Green London 11 1.91x
Stockport 11 7.31x
Auckinleck 10 32.58x
Newport 10 72.41x
Nuneaton 10 25.84x
Redditch 10 28.51x
Tranmere 10 9.30x
Audley 9 20.34x
Bromsgrove 9 15.46x
Dunstable 9 42.69x
Marburywith Quoisley 9 294.12x
Selston 9 45.14x
Cathcart 8 14.40x
Dukinfield 8 5.92x
Glasgow 8 1.05x
Great Malvern 8 22.17x
Neilston 8 15.52x
Oxford St Thomas 8 20.95x
Shrewsbury St Mary 8 17.71x
St Marylebone London 8 1.13x
Sutton Coldfield 8 22.78x
Wolstanton Oldcott 8 49.38x
Cardiff St John 7 9.29x
Castle Church 7 26.04x
Coundon 7 555.56x
Dawdon 7 14.44x
Islington London 7 0.55x
Leeds 7 0.94x
Oldham 7 1.38x
Salford 7 1.51x
Sandon 7 299.15x
Warrington 7 3.76x
Betley 6 161.29x
Corley 6 441.18x
Coventry Holy Trinity 6 6.02x
Keighley 6 4.29x
Little Bolton 6 2.97x
Manchester 6 0.85x
Monk Hesleden 6 54.64x
Newton Grange 6 2142.86x
Nottingham St Nicholas 6 24.67x
Oldbury 6 7.05x
Over 6 20.19x
Paisley High Church 6 7.34x
Sandbach 6 24.06x
West Bromwich 6 2.34x
Ardwick 5 3.53x
Barrow In Furness 5 2.34x
Broomhall 5 862.07x
Cradley 5 31.97x
Darlington 5 3.29x
East Grinstead 5 15.82x
Kensington London 5 0.68x
Litchurch 5 5.99x
Newton In Northwich 5 56.18x
Paisley Middle Church 5 8.37x
Saddleworth 5 4.94x
Southwark Christchurch 5 8.06x
Tipton 5 3.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 105
John 71
Thomas 48
Joseph 46
James 45
Charles 39
George 33
Samuel 23
Arthur 21
Henry 21
Frederick 14
Alfred 11
Edward 10
Herbert 10
Walter 9
Harry 7
Robert 7
Richard 6
Edwin 5
Enoch 5
Benjamin 4
David 4
Francis 4
Frank 4
Isaac 4
Willm. 4
Wm. 4
Albert 3
Andrew 3
Austin 3
Daniel 3
Fred 3
Louis 3
Mark 3
Robt. 3
Amos 2
Cornelius 2
Edmund 2
Elijah 2
Ernest 2
Fredrick 2
Geo. 2
Josiah 2
Ralph 2
Rechab 2
Saml. 2
Thos. 2
Emmanuel 1
Enock 1
Ephraim 1

FAQ

Clews surname: questions and answers

How common was the Clews surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,358 people were recorded with the Clews surname. That placed it at #3,019 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Clews surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,108 in 2016. That gives Clews a modern rank of #3,064.

What does the Clews surname mean?

A topographical surname referring to someone who lived near a ridge or hill.

What does the Clews map show?

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