NameCensus.

UK surname

Devers

Derived from the French name "Devier," an occupational surname for a guardian or watchman.

In the 1881 census there were 50 people recorded with the Devers surname, ranking it #26,587 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 237, ranked #17,418, up from #26,587 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Burnley, Liverpool and Harrow.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Devers is 244 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 374.0%.

1881 census count

50

Ranked #26,587

Modern count

237

2016, ranked #17,418

Peak year

2014

244 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Devers had 50 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,587 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 237 in 2016, ranked #17,418.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 93 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Devers surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Devers surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Devers 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 21 #29,550
1861 historical 61 #26,170
1881 historical 50 #26,587
1891 historical 73 #27,677
1901 historical 93 #23,689
1911 historical 68 #26,050
1997 modern 217 #16,761
1998 modern 224 #16,888
1999 modern 231 #16,646
2000 modern 219 #17,195
2001 modern 213 #17,267
2002 modern 217 #17,388
2003 modern 205 #17,851
2004 modern 211 #17,590
2005 modern 215 #17,334
2006 modern 206 #17,945
2007 modern 218 #17,477
2008 modern 213 #17,903
2009 modern 223 #17,735
2010 modern 232 #17,657
2011 modern 231 #17,530
2012 modern 228 #17,584
2013 modern 238 #17,354
2014 modern 244 #17,189
2015 modern 233 #17,627
2016 modern 237 #17,418

Geography

Back to top

Where Devers' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Burnley, Liverpool and Harrow. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Burnley 010 Burnley
2 Liverpool 044 Liverpool
3 Liverpool 031 Liverpool
4 Harrow 031 Harrow
5 Liverpool 006 Liverpool

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Devers

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Devers

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Devers, 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 Devers surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Devers 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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Devers is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Devers is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Devers falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Devers

The surname DEVERS is believed to have originated in France, specifically in the Normandy region, sometime during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "devers," which means "towards" or "in the direction of." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near or in the vicinity of a specific location or landmark.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name DEVERS can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Radulfus Devers, who held estates in Wiltshire.

During the 13th century, records show a family bearing the name DEVERS residing in the village of Devers-sur-Mer, located near the town of Caen in Normandy. It's possible that the surname originated from this place name, which translates to "towards the sea."

In the 14th century, a notable figure named Jean DEVERS (c. 1320-1380) was a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Rouen, France. He is mentioned in several historical documents related to trade and property transactions.

Another individual of note was Pierre DEVERS (1450-1522), a French scholar and theologian who served as a professor at the University of Paris. He authored several influential works on religious philosophy during the Renaissance period.

In the 17th century, a member of the DEVERS family, Jacques DEVERS (1605-1670), immigrated to the French colony of Quebec in Canada. He is considered one of the earliest settlers of the DEVERS name in North America.

During the 18th century, a French military officer named Louis DEVERS (1725-1792) served in the French and Indian War and later fought for the American Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

In the 19th century, a prominent figure was Thomas DEVERS (1820-1892), an Irish-American politician and lawyer who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from North Carolina from 1879 to 1881.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Devers families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Devers 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 23 Devers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.32x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 23 4.32x
Lanarkshire 6 4.13x
Midlothian 5 8.32x
Worcestershire 5 8.53x
Derbyshire 3 4.27x
Gloucestershire 1 1.14x
Kent 1 0.65x
Staffordshire 1 0.66x
Sussex 1 1.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Toxteth Park in Lancashire leads with 11 Devers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 61.01x.

Place Total Index
Toxteth Park 11 61.01x
Liverpool 7 21.65x
Govan 6 16.72x
Dudley 5 70.22x
Penicuik 5 609.76x
Derby St Werburgh 3 73.89x
Burnley 2 44.64x
Farnworth 1 31.35x
Gillingham 1 31.65x
Hartpury 1 833.33x
Hove 1 30.12x
North Meols 1 19.19x
Oldham 1 5.82x
Walsall Foreign 1 12.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Ann 2
Bridget 2
Margaret 2
Agnes 1
Anna 1
Barbara 1
Elizabeth 1
Emma 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Kate 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Edward 4
John 4
Anthony 2
Robert 2
William 2
George 1
James 1
Patrick 1
Thomas 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 Devers households.

FAQ

Devers surname: questions and answers

How common was the Devers surname in 1881?

In 1881, 50 people were recorded with the Devers surname. That placed it at #26,587 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Devers surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 237 in 2016. That gives Devers a modern rank of #17,418.

What does the Devers surname mean?

Derived from the French name "Devier," an occupational surname for a guardian or watchman.

What does the Devers map show?

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