NameCensus.

UK surname

Conyers

Derived from a place name meaning "rabbit warren" in Old French, likely referring to a person who lived nearby.

In the 1881 census there were 357 people recorded with the Conyers surname, ranking it #8,652 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 434, ranked #11,102, down from #8,652 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, Batley and Wakefield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dover, Malvern Hills and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Conyers is 472 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.6%.

1881 census count

357

Ranked #8,652

Modern count

434

2016, ranked #11,102

Peak year

1997

472 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Conyers had 357 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,652 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 434 in 2016, ranked #11,102.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 454 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Conyers surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Conyers surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Conyers 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 189 #10,896
1861 historical 159 #14,553
1881 historical 357 #8,652
1891 historical 368 #9,464
1901 historical 431 #8,982
1911 historical 454 #8,445
1997 modern 472 #9,716
1998 modern 468 #10,098
1999 modern 472 #10,083
2000 modern 467 #10,144
2001 modern 447 #10,294
2002 modern 459 #10,264
2003 modern 459 #10,113
2004 modern 457 #10,168
2005 modern 449 #10,230
2006 modern 433 #10,564
2007 modern 443 #10,467
2008 modern 453 #10,345
2009 modern 461 #10,462
2010 modern 467 #10,570
2011 modern 454 #10,707
2012 modern 443 #10,796
2013 modern 443 #10,968
2014 modern 434 #11,246
2015 modern 433 #11,162
2016 modern 434 #11,102

Geography

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Where Conyers' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, Batley, Wakefield, Sculcoates and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dover, Malvern Hills, East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull and York. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Sculcoates Yorkshire, East Riding
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dover 008 Dover
2 Malvern Hills 002 Malvern Hills
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 032 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 Kingston upon Hull 029 Kingston upon Hull, City of
5 York 004 York

Forenames

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First names often paired with Conyers

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Conyers

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Conyers 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

Conyers is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Conyers falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Conyers

The surname CONYERS originates from England and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the village of Conyers in County Durham, which was named after Roger de Coigners, a Norman landowner who held the manor there after the Norman Conquest in 1066.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1175, where it appears as Robert de Conyng'. Over time, the name evolved into various spellings, such as Conyers, Connyers, and Coigniers, reflecting its Norman-French origins.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Sir John Conyers, who was born around 1330 and served as a knight during the reign of Edward III. He fought in the Battle of Crécy in 1346 and the Battle of Poitiers in 1356 during the Hundred Years' War.

The Conyers family played a significant role in the history of County Durham and held the title of Baron Conyers from the 15th century until the late 18th century. Notable members include Sir John Conyers (1499-1557), who served as Lord Warden of the East Marches and was involved in the suppression of the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536.

Another prominent figure was Sir Gerard Conyers (1597-1666), a Royalist during the English Civil War who fought for King Charles I. He was knighted in 1628 and later became a member of the Privy Council under Charles II.

In the literary world, John Conyers (1628-1694) was an English poet and playwright who wrote several tragedies and comedies, including "The Carnival" and "Love's Triumph."

The Conyers name is also associated with the Conyers Falchion, a medieval sword that dates back to the 13th century and was once owned by the Conyers family. It is currently on display at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

While the name has its roots in England, it has spread to other parts of the world through emigration, including the United States, Canada, and Australia. Some notable individuals with the surname Conyers include John Conyers Jr. (1929-2019), a U.S. Congressman who represented Michigan for over 50 years, and Lenny Conyers (born 1951), an American professional basketball player.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Conyers families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Conyers 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. Yorkshire leads with 220 Conyers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.38x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 220 6.38x
Surrey 25 1.47x
Lincolnshire 24 4.31x
Norfolk 14 2.61x
Gloucestershire 13 1.90x
Fife 11 5.34x
Lancashire 8 0.19x
Middlesex 8 0.23x
Cheshire 6 0.78x
Derbyshire 6 1.10x
Glamorgan 5 0.82x
Leicestershire 5 1.30x
Staffordshire 4 0.34x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.64x
Warwickshire 2 0.23x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.45x
Hampshire 1 0.14x
Kent 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sculcoates in Yorkshire leads with 23 Conyers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.04x.

Place Total Index
Sculcoates 23 42.04x
Batley 22 67.09x
Hunslet 20 37.17x
Leeds 15 7.70x
Battersea 13 10.15x
Bristol St George 12 37.99x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 11 87.79x
Headingley Cum Burley 11 49.53x
Holy Trinity 11 13.25x
Soothill 11 88.28x
Torryburn 11 1235.96x
East Keal 9 1914.89x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 9 72.99x
Bramley In Bramley 8 60.56x
Carlton In Skipton 7 346.53x
Cononley 7 707.07x
Glusburn 7 358.97x
Great Driffield 7 98.87x
Newington 7 73.68x
Dewsbury 6 16.95x
Great Yarmouth 6 13.53x
Lambeth 6 1.98x
Raithby In Spilsby 6 3333.33x
Ashby De La Zouch 5 55.87x
Beighton 5 202.43x
Clase 5 22.17x
Keighley 5 13.59x
Salford 5 4.11x
Chester St Oswald 4 28.74x
Cleethorpes 4 121.95x
Halifax 4 7.90x
Holbeck 4 17.50x
Newington 4 3.11x
Norwich St Peter Mancroft 4 148.70x
St Marylebone London 4 2.15x
Thurgoland 4 171.67x
Wolverhampton 4 4.43x
Beverley St Nicholas 3 106.01x
Harby 3 714.29x
Scotter 3 234.38x
Tong 3 44.98x
Feltwell 2 192.31x
Fylingdales 2 116.28x
Gorton 2 5.15x
Handsworth 2 21.93x
Horton In Bradford 2 3.71x
Kensington London 2 1.03x
Manningham 2 4.70x
Norwich St Stephen 2 40.73x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 1 8.47x
Birkenhead 1 1.63x
Bradford 1 1.20x
Chatham 1 3.06x
Clifton On Dunsmore 1 140.85x
Derby All Sts 1 21.98x
Easenhall 1 333.33x
Great Grimsby 1 2.83x
Heckmondwike 1 9.01x
Liverpool 1 0.40x
Naburn 1 147.06x
Pocklington 1 30.67x
Portsea 1 0.71x
Rothwell 1 14.35x
Saltfleetby All Sts 1 500.00x
South Hamlet 1 23.64x
St Andrewthe Great 1 35.09x
Stockport 1 2.53x
Streatham 1 3.87x
Thorner 1 89.29x
Wandsworth 1 2.98x
Westminster St James 1 2.79x
Westminster St Margaret 1 5.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Sarah 22
Elizabeth 14
Annie 7
Martha 7
Ann 6
Alice 5
Emily 5
Edith 4
Hannah 4
Jane 4
Maria 4
Ada 3
Emma 3
Florence 3
Louisa 3
Lucy 3
Carry 2
Ellen 2
Esther 2
Ethel 2
Fanny 2
Gertrude 2
Grace 2
Lilly 2
Minnie 2
Rose 2
Anne 1
Bertha 1
Betsey 1
Clara 1
Eliza 1
Emiline 1
Flora 1
Frances 1
Georgiana 1
H. 1
Harriett 1
Isabella 1
June 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lilian 1
Lousia 1
M. 1
Maggie 1
Margt. 1
Marion 1
Matilda 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 25
John 23
Thomas 16
George 12
Charles 9
James 8
Joseph 8
Henry 5
Alfred 4
Frederick 4
Robert 4
Walter 4
Arthur 3
Richard 3
Samuel 3
Tom 3
Benjamin 2
David 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Harry 2
Joshua 2
Percy 2
Albert 1
Benjn. 1
Charlie 1
Dixon 1
Ebenezer 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
F. 1
Heber 1
Herbert 1
Leonard 1
Mark 1
Moses 1
Paul 1
Peter 1
Raymond 1
Reynard 1
Sam 1
T.R. 1
Thos. 1
Thos.C. 1
Walkers 1
Wharton 1

FAQ

Conyers surname: questions and answers

How common was the Conyers surname in 1881?

In 1881, 357 people were recorded with the Conyers surname. That placed it at #8,652 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Conyers surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 434 in 2016. That gives Conyers a modern rank of #11,102.

What does the Conyers surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "rabbit warren" in Old French, likely referring to a person who lived nearby.

What does the Conyers map show?

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