NameCensus.

UK surname

Easterby

A locational surname derived from a place name in North Yorkshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 161 people recorded with the Easterby surname, ranking it #14,801 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 212, ranked #18,843, down from #14,801 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Northfleet, Swanscombe and Bolton Percy. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bromley, Wakefield and Craven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Easterby is 249 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.7%.

1881 census count

161

Ranked #14,801

Modern count

212

2016, ranked #18,843

Peak year

1911

249 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Easterby had 161 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,801 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 212 in 2016, ranked #18,843.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 249 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Easterby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Easterby surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Easterby 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 153 #12,721
1861 historical 120 #18,255
1881 historical 161 #14,801
1891 historical 170 #16,816
1901 historical 200 #15,120
1911 historical 249 #12,951
1997 modern 195 #17,912
1998 modern 215 #17,306
1999 modern 214 #17,494
2000 modern 219 #17,195
2001 modern 225 #16,664
2002 modern 227 #16,877
2003 modern 219 #17,085
2004 modern 217 #17,276
2005 modern 199 #18,198
2006 modern 199 #18,357
2007 modern 203 #18,303
2008 modern 206 #18,300
2009 modern 216 #18,120
2010 modern 221 #18,205
2011 modern 213 #18,502
2012 modern 214 #18,358
2013 modern 215 #18,598
2014 modern 212 #18,945
2015 modern 216 #18,600
2016 modern 212 #18,843

Geography

Back to top

Where Easterbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Northfleet, Swanscombe, Bolton Percy, Preston and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bromley, Wakefield, Craven, Ryedale and Selby. 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 Northfleet Kent
2 Swanscombe Kent
3 Bolton Percy Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bromley 032 Bromley
2 Wakefield 024 Wakefield
3 Craven 001 Craven
4 Ryedale 007 Ryedale
5 Selby 002 Selby

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Easterby

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Easterby

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Easterby surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Easterby household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Easterby is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Easterby is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Easterby 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 Easterby is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Easterby

The surname Easterby is of English origin, deriving from a combination of the Old English words "easter" meaning "east" and "by" meaning "a village or hamlet." It suggests that the name originated from a village or settlement situated in the eastern part of a particular region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions an individual named Esterbi, which is believed to be an early variation of the Easterby surname.

During the Middle Ages, the name was predominantly found in the northern counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, where many villages and hamlets bore the prefix "Easter" or "Euster," indicating their eastern location within the respective county or region.

In the 13th century, records show an individual named William de Esterby, who was a landowner in the village of Easterby near Grantham, Lincolnshire. This village likely gave rise to the surname, as it was common practice for people to adopt the name of the place they originated from or resided in.

One notable bearer of the Easterby surname was Sir John Easterby (1564-1638), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Grantham in the early 17th century. He played a significant role in the local governance and affairs of Lincolnshire during his lifetime.

Another prominent figure was Robert Easterby (1718-1796), a renowned English botanist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of plant life in the 18th century. He was a member of the prestigious Royal Society and published several works on botany and natural history.

In the 19th century, the Easterby surname gained recognition through the achievements of James Easterby (1828-1901), a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings in the North of England, including churches, schools, and public structures.

Additionally, John Easterby (1871-1949) was a prominent trade unionist and labour leader in the early 20th century, representing the interests of workers in the coal mining industry and advocating for better working conditions and wages.

Throughout history, the Easterby surname has been associated with various professions and fields, including politics, academia, architecture, and labour activism, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of its bearers across different eras.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Easterby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Easterby 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. Yorkshire leads with 81 Easterbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.44x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 81 5.44x
Kent 30 5.85x
Middlesex 16 1.07x
Lancashire 11 0.62x
Durham 7 1.57x
Essex 5 1.69x
Denbighshire 4 7.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Colton in Yorkshire leads with 11 Easterbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 22000.00x.

Place Total Index
Colton 11 22000.00x
Gravesend 11 253.46x
Tottenham 10 41.81x
Milton In Gravesend 9 117.04x
Preston 9 18.87x
Leeds 7 8.33x
Pickering 7 374.33x
Stranton 7 46.54x
West Heslerton 7 3888.89x
Bentham 6 530.97x
Aylesford 5 352.11x
Guisbrough 4 123.08x
Halton Gill 4 10000.00x
Northfleet 4 88.50x
St Asaph Cil Owen 4 1904.76x
Stoke Newington London 4 34.19x
West Ham 4 6.11x
Wighill 4 3076.92x
Clapham Cum Newby 3 857.14x
Lastingham 3 3333.33x
Sinnington 3 1875.00x
Wold Newton 3 1875.00x
Holy Trinity 2 5.59x
Hutton Cranswick 2 317.46x
Kirkby Moorside 2 210.53x
New Malton 2 112.36x
Ampleforth Oswaldkirk 1 666.67x
Bilbrough 1 1000.00x
Ganton 1 588.24x
Grays Thurrock 1 36.23x
Harome 1 434.78x
Hunslet 1 4.31x
Ingleton 1 119.05x
Lancaster 1 9.43x
Myton On Swale 1 1000.00x
Oldham 1 1.74x
Paddington London 1 1.81x
Scriven Cum Tentergate 1 181.82x
St Giles In Fields London 1 13.57x
Tadcaster West 1 84.75x
Thornton Dale 1 256.41x
Tockwith 1 333.33x
West Malling 1 86.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 11
John 10
Thomas 9
George 8
James 5
Alfred 4
Henry 3
Charles 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
Rt. 2
Amos 1
Arthur 1
Christopher 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Jonney 1
Pierson 1
Ralph 1
Rd. 1
Richard 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Easterby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Easterby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 161 people were recorded with the Easterby surname. That placed it at #14,801 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Easterby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 212 in 2016. That gives Easterby a modern rank of #18,843.

What does the Easterby surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in North Yorkshire, England.

What does the Easterby map show?

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