UK surname
A locational surname originating from the town of Earby in Lancashire, England.
In the 1881 census there were 32 people recorded with the Earby surname, ranking it #29,082 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 45, ranked #35,162, down from #29,082 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Ringwood, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Earby is 106 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.6%.
1881 census count
32
Ranked #29,082
Modern count
45
2016, ranked #35,162
Peak year
1861
106 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Earby surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Earby surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 26 | #28,667 |
| 1861 | historical | 106 | #20,147 |
| 1881 | historical | 32 | #29,082 |
| 1891 | historical | 103 | #23,558 |
| 1901 | historical | 52 | #28,377 |
| 1911 | historical | 62 | #26,622 |
| 1997 | modern | 48 | #32,878 |
| 1998 | modern | 54 | #32,518 |
| 1999 | modern | 58 | #32,268 |
| 2000 | modern | 52 | #32,916 |
| 2001 | modern | 46 | #33,311 |
| 2002 | modern | 47 | #33,548 |
| 2003 | modern | 50 | #33,362 |
| 2004 | modern | 48 | #33,742 |
| 2005 | modern | 50 | #33,784 |
| 2006 | modern | 50 | #34,077 |
| 2007 | modern | 44 | #34,760 |
| 2008 | modern | 44 | #34,865 |
| 2009 | modern | 44 | #35,028 |
| 2010 | modern | 43 | #35,233 |
| 2011 | modern | 45 | #35,112 |
| 2012 | modern | 43 | #35,224 |
| 2013 | modern | 44 | #35,222 |
| 2014 | modern | 44 | #35,241 |
| 2015 | modern | 44 | #35,212 |
| 2016 | modern | 45 | #35,162 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Ringwood, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, Gateshead, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory and Etwall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ringwood | Hampshire |
| 2 | Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, | Gloucestershire |
| 3 | Gateshead | Durham |
| 4 | Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory | Northamptonshire |
| 5 | Etwall | Staffordshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Earby surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Earby, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Earby surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Earby household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Earby is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Earby is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Earby, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname EARBY is of English origin and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the place name Earby, a town in the Pendle district of Lancashire, England. The name Earby is derived from the Old English words "eare" meaning "grave" and "by" meaning "settlement" or "town," suggesting that the name could refer to a settlement near a burial ground or grave site.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several references to the village of Earby, indicating its existence during the Norman conquest of England. The earliest known spelling variation of the name was "Ereby," which appeared in the Yorkshire Pipe Rolls of 1166.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname EARBY was John de Ereby, who was mentioned in the Yorkshire Assize Rolls of 1297. Another early bearer of the name was William de Ereby, a landowner in Earby, whose name was recorded in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1332.
In the 16th century, a notable figure with the surname EARBY was John Earby (c. 1515 - 1588), an English clergyman who served as the Vicar of Pontefract in Yorkshire. He was known for his staunch opposition to the Protestant Reformation and his loyalty to the Catholic faith.
During the 17th century, a significant bearer of the name was Richard Earby (1622 - 1689), an English mathematician and astronomer. He made contributions to the understanding of lunar theory and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1666.
Another individual of note was Thomas Earby (1678 - 1743), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Lancashire, who served as the High Sheriff of Lancashire in 1720.
In the 19th century, a notable figure was James Earby (1805 - 1888), a British engineer and inventor. He is credited with developing an early version of the modern-day steam engine and held several patents for his inventions.
While the surname EARBY has its roots in Lancashire, England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and is now found in various countries, including the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Earby surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Norfolk leads with 12 Earbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.02x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Norfolk | 12 | 25.02x |
| Yorkshire | 7 | 2.26x |
| Leicestershire | 5 | 14.46x |
| Durham | 3 | 3.23x |
| Buckinghamshire | 1 | 5.30x |
| Fife | 1 | 5.41x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.27x |
| Northamptonshire | 1 | 3.41x |
| Sussex | 1 | 1.90x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Walsoken in Norfolk leads with 11 Earbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3793.10x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Walsoken | 11 | 3793.10x |
| Barkby | 5 | 7142.86x |
| Holy Trinity | 5 | 67.20x |
| North Bailey South | 3 | 6000.00x |
| Aylesbury | 1 | 119.05x |
| Great Yarmouth | 1 | 25.19x |
| Hastings St Andrew | 1 | 526.32x |
| Kettering | 1 | 84.03x |
| Kirkcaldy | 1 | 108.70x |
| Leeds | 1 | 5.73x |
| Liverpool | 1 | 4.45x |
| Sutton Stoneferry | 1 | 113.64x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Earby surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Earby surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Earby households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 4 |
| At Home | 2 |
| Dressmaker | 2 |
| Baker | 1 |
| Bricklayer | 1 |
| Clerk In Wine & Spirit Merchant Office | 1 |
| Compositer | 1 |
| Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Licenced Hawker | 1 |
| Plate Layer | 1 |
| Plate Layer Wife | 1 |
| Pupil Teacher | 1 |
| Railway Booking Clerk | 1 |
| Railway Foreman | 1 |
| Railway Foreman Wife | 1 |
| Releiving Officer | 1 |
| Releiving Officer wife | 1 |
| Servant | 1 |
| Servant Domestic | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 32 people were recorded with the Earby surname. That placed it at #29,082 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 45 in 2016. That gives Earby a modern rank of #35,162.
A locational surname originating from the town of Earby in Lancashire, England.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Earby bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.