NameCensus.

UK surname

Devey

A surname of Norman origin, likely derived from a place name.

In the 1881 census there were 455 people recorded with the Devey surname, ranking it #7,268 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 932, ranked #6,137, up from #7,268 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Tipton otherwise Tibington and Yardley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Walsall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Devey is 986 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 104.8%.

1881 census count

455

Ranked #7,268

Modern count

932

2016, ranked #6,137

Peak year

2010

986 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Devey had 455 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,268 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 932 in 2016, ranked #6,137.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 811 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Devey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Devey surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Devey 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 307 #7,502
1861 historical 297 #8,508
1881 historical 455 #7,268
1891 historical 608 #6,315
1901 historical 734 #6,034
1911 historical 811 #5,421
1997 modern 918 #5,886
1998 modern 961 #5,854
1999 modern 965 #5,879
2000 modern 982 #5,783
2001 modern 949 #5,824
2002 modern 962 #5,858
2003 modern 963 #5,776
2004 modern 935 #5,912
2005 modern 893 #6,063
2006 modern 893 #6,081
2007 modern 910 #6,036
2008 modern 929 #5,989
2009 modern 965 #5,930
2010 modern 986 #5,941
2011 modern 963 #6,001
2012 modern 949 #5,986
2013 modern 971 #5,965
2014 modern 962 #6,067
2015 modern 942 #6,111
2016 modern 932 #6,137

Geography

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Where Deveys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Tipton otherwise Tibington, Yardley, Walsall 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 Walsall. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Tipton otherwise Tibington Staffordshire
3 Yardley Warwickshire
4 Walsall Staffordshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Walsall 012 Walsall
2 Walsall 031 Walsall
3 Walsall 017 Walsall
4 Walsall 025 Walsall
5 Walsall 023 Walsall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Devey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Devey

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Devey 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

Devey 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

Devey 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 Devey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Devey

The surname Devey originated in England, with its roots dating back to the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is believed to be a variant of the French surname Duvey, derived from the Old French word "duve," meaning a ditch or moat. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a ditch or moat.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Devey can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "de Duva," indicating its Norman French origins.

During the Middle Ages, the name took on various spellings, including Duvey, Duvy, and Devye. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in spelling conventions of the time.

In the 14th century, records show a John Devey who was a landowner in Warwickshire. Another notable figure from this period was Sir Thomas Devey, a knight who served under King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War.

As the centuries passed, the Devey surname spread across different regions of England. In the 16th century, a prominent member of the family was William Devey, a merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol.

The 17th century saw the birth of John Devey (1606-1685), a renowned English dissenting minister and author who played a significant role in the religious and intellectual debates of his time.

In the 18th century, the name Devey was associated with several notable figures, including Samuel Devey (1717-1789), a prominent English engraver and illustrator, and Thomas Devey (1745-1824), a celebrated architect and surveyor who contributed to the design of several notable buildings in London.

As the industrial revolution transformed England in the 19th century, the Devey surname continued to be represented in various fields. One notable figure was George Devey (1820-1886), a renowned English architect known for his Gothic Revival and Arts and Crafts style buildings.

Throughout its history, the surname Devey has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, spanning various professions and walks of life, contributing to the rich tapestry of English society and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Devey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Devey 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. Staffordshire leads with 171 Deveys recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.57x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 171 11.57x
Warwickshire 74 6.70x
Shropshire 41 10.84x
Lancashire 25 0.48x
Middlesex 23 0.53x
Worcestershire 21 3.67x
Yorkshire 19 0.44x
Cheshire 14 1.45x
Durham 12 0.92x
Buckinghamshire 9 3.40x
Leicestershire 7 1.44x
Norfolk 6 0.89x
Surrey 6 0.28x
Northumberland 5 0.77x
Herefordshire 3 1.67x
Kent 3 0.20x
Sussex 3 0.41x
Derbyshire 1 0.15x
Devon 1 0.11x
Essex 1 0.12x
Gloucestershire 1 0.12x
Lincolnshire 1 0.14x
Royal Navy 1 1.92x
Suffolk 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 41 Deveys recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.48x.

Place Total Index
Aston 41 13.48x
Wolverhampton 35 30.79x
Walsall Foreign 26 34.04x
Birmingham 24 6.52x
Claverley 16 627.45x
Rushall 15 172.41x
Rugeley 14 131.95x
Birkenhead 12 15.57x
Cannock 12 46.51x
St Luke London 11 15.66x
Tipton 11 24.30x
Pipe Hill 10 3846.15x
Middlesbrough 9 15.92x
Much Wenlock 9 257.88x
Tamworth 9 113.78x
Wellington 9 42.31x
Wolverton 9 164.23x
Sedgley 8 14.57x
Wednesfield 8 36.76x
Ardwick 7 14.93x
Great Bowden 7 158.37x
Oldbury 7 24.88x
Bury 6 10.11x
Great Yarmouth 6 10.76x
Redditch 6 51.72x
Ealing 5 12.77x
Edgbaston 5 14.60x
Elswick 5 9.61x
Kidderminster Borough 5 14.94x
West Derby 5 3.29x
Ecclesall Bierlow 4 4.53x
Wolsingham 4 33.67x
Wombourn 4 145.99x
Bilston 3 10.47x
Burton Upon Trent 3 8.67x
Lichfield St Michael 3 64.66x
St Devereux 3 1000.00x
Staindrop 3 151.52x
Stockton On Tees 3 4.78x
Warwick St Nicholas 3 37.04x
West Bromwich 3 3.54x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 2.42x
Croydon 2 1.69x
Hackney London 2 0.81x
Hastings St Mary In The 2 12.70x
Kings Norton 2 3.90x
Seaton Carew 2 76.34x
Shareshill Hilton 2 338.98x
Shrewsbury St Julian 2 21.37x
St Marylebone London 2 0.86x
Toxteth Park 2 1.14x
Bexhill 1 27.17x
Bridgnorth St Leonard 1 23.31x
Camberwell 1 0.36x
Chesterfield 1 3.89x
Clerkenwell London 1 0.97x
Clifton 1 2.30x
Donington 1 169.49x
Everton 1 0.60x
Fulbeck 1 103.09x
Habberley 1 476.19x
Hampton Lucy 1 169.49x
Himley 1 192.31x
Ipswich St Lawrence 1 138.89x
Kingston On Thames 1 1.95x
Lambeth 1 0.26x
Leeds 1 0.41x
Lewisham 1 1.26x
Linthorpe 1 3.86x
Manchester 1 0.43x
Paddington London 1 0.62x
Reigate Foreign 1 4.33x
Rowley Regis 1 2.43x
Royal Navy 1 2.24x
Sheffield 1 0.72x
Shifnal 1 9.74x
Speldhurst 1 13.14x
Trysull 1 116.28x
Upperswinford 1 20.66x
Willenhall 1 3.61x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 34
Elizabeth 20
Sarah 14
Annie 13
Jane 13
Alice 11
Ellen 9
Clara 8
Ada 5
Hannah 5
Ann 4
Emily 4
Harriet 4
Charlotte 3
Edith 3
Eliza 3
Elizth. 3
Emma 3
Sophia 3
Agnes 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Fanny 2
Laura 2
Louis 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Nellie 2
Nelly 2
Selina 2
Barbara 1
Delilah 1
Dinah 1
Dorothy 1
Esther 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Florrey 1
Gertrude 1
Isabella 1
Jullia 1
Lily 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1
Miriam 1
Rachael 1
Rhoda 1
Rose 1
Volet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 30
William 28
Thomas 20
Joseph 19
George 17
James 15
Edward 12
Charles 11
Henry 9
Albert 6
Arthur 6
Frederick 4
Samuel 4
Thos. 4
Alfred 3
Harry 3
Julius 3
Mark 3
Richard 3
Robert 3
Benjamin 2
Edwin 2
Chas. 1
Eli 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Goerge 1
Henery 1
Jabez 1
Jno.Geo. 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Moses 1
Nathaniel 1
Oscar 1
Patrick 1
Philip 1
Rd.Jos. 1
Richd. 1
Roland 1
Septimus 1
Sydney 1
Valentine 1
W. 1
Walter 1
Wm.Edwin 1

FAQ

Devey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Devey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 455 people were recorded with the Devey surname. That placed it at #7,268 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Devey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 932 in 2016. That gives Devey a modern rank of #6,137.

What does the Devey surname mean?

A surname of Norman origin, likely derived from a place name.

What does the Devey map show?

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