NameCensus.

UK surname

Davey

A patronymic surname derived from the given name David, meaning "beloved" or "friend" in Hebrew.

In the 1881 census there were 12,184 people recorded with the Davey surname, ranking it #353 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 16,807, ranked #374, down from #353 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall and Mid Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Davey is 17,945 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.9%.

1881 census count

12,184

Ranked #353

Modern count

16,807

2016, ranked #374

Peak year

1999

17,945 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Davey had 12,184 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #353 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 16,807 in 2016, ranked #374.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 16,911 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Davey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Davey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Davey 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 8,080 #343
1861 historical 7,091 #399
1881 historical 12,184 #353
1891 historical 12,635 #348
1901 historical 14,907 #356
1911 historical 16,911 #281
1997 modern 17,455 #339
1998 modern 17,926 #343
1999 modern 17,945 #345
2000 modern 17,725 #348
2001 modern 17,333 #349
2002 modern 17,701 #349
2003 modern 17,001 #358
2004 modern 17,017 #355
2005 modern 16,665 #355
2006 modern 16,564 #358
2007 modern 16,614 #362
2008 modern 16,609 #364
2009 modern 16,980 #365
2010 modern 17,228 #369
2011 modern 16,907 #372
2012 modern 16,512 #373
2013 modern 17,021 #371
2014 modern 17,074 #372
2015 modern 16,950 #372
2016 modern 16,807 #374

Geography

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Where Daveys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Lambeth and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall and Mid Devon. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 005 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 006 Cornwall
3 Mid Devon 011 Mid Devon
4 Mid Devon 004 Mid Devon
5 Mid Devon 005 Mid Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Davey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Davey

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Davey 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

Davey 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

Davey falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Davey

The surname Davey is of English origin and is a variation of the name David. It first emerged in the 12th century as a diminutive form of the name David, meaning "beloved" in Hebrew.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Davey appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1201, where it is listed as Davi. Other early spellings include Davye, Davy, and Davye.

The name Davey is often associated with the county of Yorkshire, where it was particularly prevalent in the medieval period. It is believed that many Davey families originated from the Yorkshire village of Davey, now known as Dairycoates.

One of the earliest notable people with the surname Davey was John Davey, a 14th-century English prelate who served as Bishop of Salisbury from 1329 to 1341.

In the 16th century, the name Davey gained prominence with the rise of the Davey family of Credy, Devon. This family produced several notable individuals, including Sir John Davey (1545-1619), who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1603.

Another prominent figure with the surname Davey was Sir Humphrey Davey (1778-1829), an English chemist and inventor who is best known for his contributions to the study of electrochemistry and the discovery of several elements, including potassium and sodium.

In the 19th century, the name Davey was associated with the English botanist and horticulturist, John Davey (1763-1838), who is credited with introducing the Davey Tree Expert Company, which became one of the largest tree care companies in the United States.

Other notable individuals with the surname Davey include the English cricketer, Maurice Davey (1885-1958), who played for Somerset County Cricket Club, and the American politician, Ralph Davey (1896-1976), who served as the 43rd Governor of Idaho.

Throughout its history, the surname Davey has been associated with various place names, such as Davey's Court in London and Davey's Creek in New South Wales, Australia, further highlighting its widespread presence and significance across different regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Davey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Davey 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. Devon leads with 1,991 Daveys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.96x.

County Total Index
Devon 1,991 7.96x
Middlesex 1,598 1.33x
Cornwall 1,290 9.49x
Surrey 935 1.60x
Somerset 765 3.96x
Essex 628 2.65x
Sussex 604 2.98x
Yorkshire 594 0.50x
Suffolk 451 3.08x
Kent 417 1.02x
Norfolk 373 2.02x
Gloucestershire 305 1.29x
Lancashire 279 0.20x
Lincolnshire 250 1.30x
Glamorgan 217 1.04x
Hampshire 172 0.70x
Durham 137 0.38x
Channel Islands 117 3.29x
Dorset 105 1.33x
Monmouthshire 99 1.14x
Staffordshire 92 0.23x
Nottinghamshire 80 0.49x
Northumberland 78 0.44x
Cambridgeshire 75 0.99x
Cumberland 59 0.57x
Warwickshire 58 0.19x
Hertfordshire 46 0.56x
Worcestershire 46 0.29x
Berkshire 45 0.50x
Leicestershire 42 0.32x
Derbyshire 36 0.19x
Royal Navy 34 2.38x
Cheshire 32 0.12x
Oxfordshire 29 0.39x
Herefordshire 28 0.57x
Northamptonshire 27 0.24x
Bedfordshire 23 0.37x
Buckinghamshire 19 0.26x
Wiltshire 19 0.18x
Huntingdonshire 17 0.71x
Lanarkshire 15 0.04x
Pembrokeshire 14 0.37x
Flintshire 10 0.31x
Midlothian 10 0.06x
Cardiganshire 9 0.31x
Shropshire 9 0.09x
Brecknockshire 8 0.33x
Caernarfonshire 8 0.16x
Renfrewshire 6 0.06x
Wigtownshire 6 0.38x
Angus 2 0.02x
Denbighshire 1 0.02x
Roxburghshire 1 0.05x
Westmorland 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 247 Daveys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.12x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 247 2.12x
Brighton 171 4.19x
Lambeth 171 1.63x
St Pancras London 121 1.25x
Kensington London 117 1.75x
Tiverton 110 25.54x
Battersea 107 2.42x
Illogan 106 29.44x
Hackney London 100 1.49x
Stoke Damerel 99 5.66x
Newington 95 2.14x
Tormoham 95 8.98x
Bedminster 89 4.90x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 86 3.88x
West Ham 86 1.64x
Croydon 85 2.62x
Redruth 83 21.58x
Camberwell 81 1.06x
Portsea 73 1.51x
Shoreditch London 69 1.33x
Kenwyn 64 18.00x
St Marylebone London 64 1.00x
Bethnal Green London 61 1.17x
Paddington London 61 1.38x
Chelsea London 60 1.66x
Clerkenwell London 58 2.05x
Kea 57 56.25x
Exeter St Sidwell 56 9.78x
Gwennap 56 21.83x
Wellington 56 21.36x
Taunton St James 54 19.15x
Bermondsey 53 1.48x
Great Yarmouth 52 3.40x
Plymouth Charles The 48 4.36x
Bideford 47 17.55x
Pudsey 47 7.39x
Bromley London 46 1.74x
Hammersmith London 46 1.55x
St Helier 46 3.97x
Mile End Old Town London 44 1.72x
Newton Abbot St Mary 43 20.50x
St Peter Port 43 6.53x
Camborne 42 7.50x
Plymouth St Andrew 42 2.18x
South Petherton 42 42.08x
Chelmsford 41 10.08x
Barnstaple 40 10.19x
Hurstpierpoint 40 35.50x
Harborne 39 3.00x
Bampton 38 49.64x
Roath 38 4.00x
St George Hanover Square 38 1.80x
Lewisham 37 1.69x
St Just In Penwith 37 14.03x
Woolfardisworthy 37 102.15x
Liverpool 36 0.42x
Woodbury 36 48.57x
Royal Navy 34 2.78x
Beccles 33 14.02x
Kingston On Thames 33 2.35x
Bradford 32 1.11x
Bridgewater 32 6.10x
Cannington 32 55.72x
Burwell 31 34.01x
Clifton 31 2.60x
Exeter St Mary Major 31 20.57x
Winkleigh 31 61.75x
Falmouth 30 6.23x
Hampstead London 30 1.60x
Southwark St George Martyr 30 1.24x
St Gluvias 30 39.40x
Stogursey 30 57.83x
Willesden 30 2.65x
Armley 29 5.52x
Darlington 29 2.10x
Poplar London 29 1.28x
Somerton 29 36.74x
Liskeard 28 12.31x
St Luke London 28 1.45x
Tonbridge 28 1.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 881
Elizabeth 559
Sarah 356
Emma 212
Jane 212
Eliza 209
Ellen 204
Ann 187
Alice 167
Emily 166
Annie 146
Susan 100
Louisa 98
Hannah 96
Maria 92
Martha 89
Caroline 86
Florence 80
Edith 78
Fanny 73
Charlotte 72
Harriet 71
Margaret 66
Ada 62
Amelia 62
Kate 55
Clara 53
Catherine 52
Harriett 51
Agnes 46
Frances 46
Anne 45
Bessie 45
Grace 45
Lucy 40
Rose 34
Laura 33
Elizth. 32
Jessie 32
Sophia 31
Matilda 30
Ethel 28
Anna 25
Rebecca 25
Julia 24
Rosa 24
Lydia 23
Eleanor 20
Isabella 19
Mabel 19

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 858
John 720
George 390
James 379
Thomas 336
Henry 247
Charles 214
Robert 169
Alfred 143
Joseph 142
Richard 136
Samuel 136
Frederick 120
Walter 120
Arthur 110
Edward 108
Albert 90
Harry 85
Edwin 66
Frank 56
Ernest 55
Francis 45
Herbert 45
Wm. 38
Stephen 33
David 31
Edmund 25
Fredk. 22
Thos. 22
Geo. 21
Benjamin 20
Horace 20
Isaac 20
Daniel 19
Sidney 18
Abraham 17
Peter 17
Fred 16
Fredrick 16
Sydney 16
Tom 16
Chas. 14
Earnest 12
Michael 12
Mark 11
Willie 11
Edgar 10
Jno. 9
Amos 8
Robt. 8

Top occupations

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 Davey households.

FAQ

Davey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Davey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 12,184 people were recorded with the Davey surname. That placed it at #353 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Davey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 16,807 in 2016. That gives Davey a modern rank of #374.

What does the Davey surname mean?

A patronymic surname derived from the given name David, meaning "beloved" or "friend" in Hebrew.

What does the Davey map show?

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