NameCensus.

UK surname

Devereaux

A French habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "from Évreux," referring to a town in Normandy.

In the 1881 census there were 166 people recorded with the Devereaux surname, ranking it #14,496 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 379, ranked #12,371, up from #14,496 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Llanwonno and Shitlington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Melton, Cheshire East and Brent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Devereaux is 385 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 128.3%.

1881 census count

166

Ranked #14,496

Modern count

379

2016, ranked #12,371

Peak year

2015

385 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Devereaux had 166 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,496 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 379 in 2016, ranked #12,371.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 166 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Devereaux surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Devereaux surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Devereaux 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 61 #22,412
1861 historical 94 #21,883
1881 historical 166 #14,496
1891 historical 133 #19,870
1901 historical 92 #23,800
1911 historical 127 #19,749
1997 modern 321 #12,941
1998 modern 338 #12,829
1999 modern 339 #12,892
2000 modern 336 #12,921
2001 modern 322 #13,098
2002 modern 338 #12,939
2003 modern 308 #13,587
2004 modern 332 #12,951
2005 modern 338 #12,698
2006 modern 329 #13,044
2007 modern 336 #12,975
2008 modern 333 #13,175
2009 modern 354 #12,858
2010 modern 363 #12,878
2011 modern 353 #13,004
2012 modern 356 #12,784
2013 modern 367 #12,707
2014 modern 379 #12,483
2015 modern 385 #12,256
2016 modern 379 #12,371

Geography

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Where Devereaux' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Llanwonno, Shitlington, Campton with Shefford, Shefford Hardwick, Chicksands and Loughor. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Melton, Cheshire East, Brent, Cornwall and Birmingham. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Llanwonno Glamorganshire
3 Shitlington Bedfordshire
4 Campton with Shefford, Shefford Hardwick, Chicksands Bedfordshire
5 Loughor Carmarthenshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Melton 003 Melton
2 Cheshire East 010 Cheshire East
3 Brent 014 Brent
4 Cornwall 041 Cornwall
5 Birmingham 073 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Devereaux

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Devereaux

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

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Devereaux is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Devereaux 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

Devereaux falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Devereaux is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Devereaux

The surname Devereaux is of Anglo-Norman origin and dates back to the 11th century. It is derived from the ancient town of Evreux in Normandy, France. The name is a locational surname, which means it was originally given to someone who came from or lived near the town of Evreux.

The name is believed to have been introduced to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. It was initially spelled as "de Evreux" or "de Evreux-Normandie" to indicate the bearer's place of origin. Over time, it evolved into the more Anglicized form of "Devereaux" or "Devereux."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "de Evreux," indicating that the bearer was of Norman descent and hailed from the town of Evreux.

In the 12th century, a notable figure bearing the name was Robert Devereux, who served as the Sheriff of Nottinghamshire in 1155. Another early record is that of Sir Walter Devereux, who accompanied King Richard I on the Third Crusade to the Holy Land in 1191.

The Devereux family gained prominence in the 16th century with Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex (1541-1576), who was a prominent courtier and military leader during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. His son, Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex (1567-1601), was a favorite of the Queen but later fell out of favor and was executed for treason.

Other notable individuals with the surname Devereux include:

1. Thomas Devereux, 4th Viscount Hereford (1572-1619), an English nobleman and politician. 2. Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex (1591-1646), an English Civil War leader who fought for the Parliamentarian cause. 3. Walter Devereux, 5th Viscount Hereford (1578-1558), an English soldier and courtier during the reign of King Charles I. 4. Georges Devereux (1908-1985), a French-American ethnologist and psychoanalyst known for his work in cultural anthropology. 5. Anita Devereux (1937-2005), a British writer and artist who authored several books on art and culture.

Throughout history, the Devereaux surname has been associated with prominent figures in various fields, including politics, military, and the arts. Its origins can be traced back to the Norman conquest of England, and it has evolved from its original form to reflect the Anglicization of French surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Devereaux families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Devereaux 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. Lancashire leads with 42 Devereaux' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.19x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 42 2.19x
Glamorgan 20 7.09x
Pembrokeshire 20 38.87x
Bedfordshire 10 11.93x
Durham 8 1.66x
Gloucestershire 8 2.52x
Middlesex 8 0.49x
Staffordshire 8 1.46x
Suffolk 8 4.06x
Carmarthenshire 5 7.33x
Sussex 5 1.83x
Worcestershire 5 2.36x
Warwickshire 3 0.73x
Yorkshire 3 0.19x
Hampshire 2 0.60x
Northamptonshire 2 1.31x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.92x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.97x
Cheshire 1 0.28x
Essex 1 0.31x
Isle of Man 1 3.33x
Norfolk 1 0.40x
Northumberland 1 0.42x
Surrey 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Widnes in Lancashire leads with 14 Devereaux' recorded in 1881 and an index of 101.01x.

Place Total Index
Widnes 14 101.01x
Llanwonno 12 118.46x
Roch 9 3000.00x
Accrington 8 45.79x
Kemerton 8 2962.96x
Shefford 8 1333.33x
Lackford 7 7000.00x
Leek Lowe 7 96.29x
Swansea Town 7 30.28x
Llanelly 5 32.53x
Stranton 5 30.83x
Subdeanery 5 241.55x
Boulston 4 6666.67x
Broughton In Salford 4 22.77x
West Derby 4 7.11x
Willesden 4 26.21x
Aston 3 2.67x
Everton 3 4.90x
Haycastle 3 1875.00x
Kensington London 3 3.33x
Worcester St John 3 118.58x
Burton Latimer 2 217.39x
Camrose 2 408.16x
Great Malvern 2 45.35x
Haverfordwest St Thomas 2 194.17x
Liverpool 2 1.71x
Middleton In Oldham 2 34.72x
Nottingham St Mary 2 3.54x
Silsoe 2 526.32x
Westoe 2 7.32x
Wigan 2 7.45x
York St Giles In 2 132.45x
Bradwell 1 181.82x
Douglas 1 227.27x
Great Yarmouth 1 4.85x
Halesworth 1 71.43x
Hilderstone 1 454.55x
Ickleton 1 270.27x
Isleworth 1 13.89x
Kirkdale 1 3.09x
Neath 1 17.42x
Northwood 1 21.14x
Pennington In Leigh 1 27.10x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 3.07x
St Faith Winchester 1 64.52x
Stockton On Tees 1 4.31x
Toxteth Park 1 1.54x
Tranmere 1 7.61x
Tynemouth 1 7.75x
Wath On Dearne 1 31.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Sarah 9
Hannah 5
Margaret 5
Ann 4
Catherine 4
Emma 4
Eliza 3
Elizabeth 2
Emily 2
Kate 2
Martha 2
Anne 1
Annie 1
Beatrice 1
Betsie 1
Bridget 1
Clara 1
Dolly 1
Dora 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Frances 1
H.T. 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Margaretta 1
Matha 1
Maud 1
May 1
Miriam 1
Priscilla 1
Rhoda 1
Siberia 1
Sophy 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 10
Thomas 10
William 10
James 7
George 6
Arthur 3
Joseph 3
Martin 3
Patrick 3
Alfred 2
Kearn 2
Michael 2
Albert 1
Benjamin 1
Caleb 1
Charles 1
Edwin 1
Geo. 1
H. 1
Harry 1
Howard 1
Job 1
Jonah 1
Joshua 1
Josiah 1
Nicholas 1
Norman 1
Richard 1
Rob. 1
Stephen 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Devereaux surname: questions and answers

How common was the Devereaux surname in 1881?

In 1881, 166 people were recorded with the Devereaux surname. That placed it at #14,496 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Devereaux surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 379 in 2016. That gives Devereaux a modern rank of #12,371.

What does the Devereaux surname mean?

A French habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "from Évreux," referring to a town in Normandy.

What does the Devereaux map show?

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