NameCensus.

UK surname

Devere

A surname of Norman French origin meaning "of Vere", referring to the town of Vère in Normandy, France.

In the 1881 census there were 58 people recorded with the Devere surname, ranking it #25,428 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 307, ranked #14,508, up from #25,428 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Battersea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gateshead, East Hertfordshire and Dartford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Devere is 308 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 429.3%.

1881 census count

58

Ranked #25,428

Modern count

307

2016, ranked #14,508

Peak year

2014

308 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Devere had 58 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,428 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 307 in 2016, ranked #14,508.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 115 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Devere surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Devere surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Devere 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 14 #30,790
1861 historical 17 #31,714
1881 historical 58 #25,428
1891 historical 108 #22,828
1901 historical 115 #21,050
1911 historical 99 #22,850
1997 modern 256 #15,034
1998 modern 270 #14,913
1999 modern 267 #15,097
2000 modern 265 #15,143
2001 modern 264 #14,958
2002 modern 269 #15,044
2003 modern 255 #15,416
2004 modern 260 #15,309
2005 modern 255 #15,437
2006 modern 257 #15,448
2007 modern 257 #15,606
2008 modern 266 #15,384
2009 modern 281 #15,098
2010 modern 302 #14,661
2011 modern 304 #14,475
2012 modern 295 #14,670
2013 modern 307 #14,522
2014 modern 308 #14,571
2015 modern 307 #14,504
2016 modern 307 #14,508

Geography

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Where Deveres are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, Battersea and Hawkinge, Folkestone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gateshead, East Hertfordshire, Dartford, Northumberland and Telford and Wrekin. 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 Gateshead Durham
4 Battersea London (South Districts)
5 Hawkinge, Folkestone Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gateshead 019 Gateshead
2 East Hertfordshire 018 East Hertfordshire
3 Dartford 007 Dartford
4 Northumberland 035 Northumberland
5 Telford and Wrekin 016 Telford and Wrekin

Forenames

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First names often paired with Devere

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Devere

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

Devere 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

Devere 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 Devere 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 Devere, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Devere

The surname DEVERE originated in England, with the earliest known records dating back to the 11th century. It is a locational name derived from the town of Vere in the county of Essex, which was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Fered" or "Feria". The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "fer" and "feld", meaning a journey or road over a field.

The DEVERE surname is closely associated with the powerful De Vere family, who held the hereditary title of Earl of Oxford for over 500 years. The first recorded bearer of the name was Aubrey de Vere, who was granted the manor of Vere by William the Conqueror after the Norman invasion of 1066. The family played a significant role in English history, with various members holding important positions in the royal court and participating in major events such as the Crusades and the Hundred Years' War.

One notable member of the De Vere family was Robert de Vere, 9th Earl of Oxford (1362-1392), who was a favorite of King Richard II and served as Lord Chamberlain. Another prominent figure was Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford (1550-1604), who was a renowned playwright and poet during the Elizabethan era and is often considered as a potential candidate for the authorship of some of Shakespeare's works.

Outside of the noble De Vere family, the surname has been borne by several notable individuals throughout history. These include:

1. John de Vere, a 14th-century English philosopher and theologian. 2. Thomas de Vere, a 15th-century English prelate who served as Bishop of Carlisle. 3. Maximilien de Béthune, Duke of Sully (1560-1641), a French nobleman and statesman with the surname De Vere. 4. Aubrey De Vere (1788-1846), an Irish poet and critic. 5. Maximilian Schele de Vere (1820-1898), an American writer and educator of Dutch and French descent.

The DEVERE surname has also been associated with various place names and alternative spellings throughout its history, such as Vere, Vair, and Vair-de-Vere.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Devere families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Devere 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. Middlesex leads with 13 Deveres recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.70x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 13 3.70x
Surrey 9 5.26x
Gloucestershire 4 5.81x
Lancashire 4 0.96x
Hampshire 3 4.17x
Monmouthshire 2 7.88x
Renfrewshire 1 3.68x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Battersea in Surrey leads with 4 Deveres recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.96x.

Place Total Index
Battersea 4 30.96x
Islington London 4 11.75x
Bromley London 3 38.81x
Croydon 3 31.58x
St Pancras London 3 10.61x
Bristol St James St Paul 2 86.96x
Cheltenham 2 37.66x
Everton 2 15.06x
Holdenhurst 2 105.82x
Trevethin 2 83.33x
Alton 1 185.19x
Camberwell 1 4.46x
Chertsey 1 90.09x
Kensington London 1 5.12x
Oldham 1 7.43x
Teddington London 1 125.00x
Tonge With Haulgh 1 123.46x
West Greenock 1 20.49x
Westminster St James 1 27.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Edward 2
Henry 2
Adolphus 1
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Earnest 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
John 1
Walter 1
William 1

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 Devere households.

FAQ

Devere surname: questions and answers

How common was the Devere surname in 1881?

In 1881, 58 people were recorded with the Devere surname. That placed it at #25,428 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Devere surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 307 in 2016. That gives Devere a modern rank of #14,508.

What does the Devere surname mean?

A surname of Norman French origin meaning "of Vere", referring to the town of Vère in Normandy, France.

What does the Devere map show?

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