NameCensus.

UK surname

Evens

Derived from the given name Evan, meaning "young warrior," or from even or flat-bottomed land.

In the 1881 census there were 782 people recorded with the Evens surname, ranking it #4,745 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 432, ranked #11,135, down from #4,745 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lambeth and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tameside, Cornwall and East Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Evens is 1,420 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 44.8%.

1881 census count

782

Ranked #4,745

Modern count

432

2016, ranked #11,135

Peak year

1861

1,420 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Evens had 782 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,745 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 432 in 2016, ranked #11,135.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,420 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Evens surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Evens surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Evens 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 1,243 #2,304
1861 historical 1,420 #2,001
1881 historical 782 #4,745
1891 historical 1,167 #3,661
1901 historical 728 #6,087
1911 historical 756 #5,711
1997 modern 332 #12,645
1998 modern 347 #12,607
1999 modern 363 #12,290
2000 modern 342 #12,771
2001 modern 333 #12,817
2002 modern 345 #12,754
2003 modern 332 #12,914
2004 modern 346 #12,544
2005 modern 332 #12,881
2006 modern 326 #13,128
2007 modern 348 #12,637
2008 modern 354 #12,591
2009 modern 381 #12,174
2010 modern 401 #11,973
2011 modern 406 #11,730
2012 modern 384 #12,088
2013 modern 395 #12,035
2014 modern 405 #11,880
2015 modern 409 #11,713
2016 modern 432 #11,135

Geography

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Where Evens' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lambeth, Liverpool, St Mary Islington and Plymouth St Charles the Martyr. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tameside, Cornwall, East Devon, Cardiff and Bexley. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Lambeth London (South Districts)
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
5 Plymouth St Charles the Martyr Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tameside 011 Tameside
2 Cornwall 046 Cornwall
3 East Devon 015 East Devon
4 Cardiff 009 Cardiff
5 Bexley 019 Bexley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Evens

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Evens

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

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

Nationally, the Evens surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Evens household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial 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, Evens 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

Evens 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

Evens 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 Evens 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 Evens, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Evens

The surname Evens is of English origin, derived from the personal name "Evan" which itself comes from the Hebrew name "Evan" meaning "rock" or "stone". It's believed that the surname first emerged in the 12th century in the counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Wiltshire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Evens surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a William Evenes is mentioned as residing in Oxfordshire. Additionally, the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, which lists a John Evenes.

During the Middle Ages, the surname was often spelled in various ways, such as Evens, Evyns, Evenes, and Evens. These variations were likely due to the inconsistent spelling practices of the time and the regional dialects in which the name was recorded.

Notable historical figures with the surname Evens include Sir John Evens (1586-1650), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Wiltshire in the early 17th century. Another prominent individual was Reverend Lewis Evens (1630-1720), a Welsh clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.

In the 18th century, Thomas Evens (1743-1825) was a renowned English architect responsible for designing several buildings in London, including the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. Additionally, William Evens (1776-1857) was a British military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament.

Moving into the 19th century, Evan Evens (1828-1905) was a Welsh poet and writer who contributed significantly to the preservation of Welsh language and literature. His works, such as "Y Geirlyfr Ysgrythyrol" (The Scriptural Dictionary), were widely acclaimed.

Throughout its history, the Evens surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Evenshill in Wiltshire and Evenswood in Worcestershire, further highlighting its deep roots in the English countryside.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Evens families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Evens 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. Middlesex leads with 106 Evens' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.38x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 106 1.38x
Devon 92 5.76x
Lancashire 91 1.00x
Yorkshire 67 0.88x
Staffordshire 48 1.85x
Cheshire 34 2.01x
Durham 30 1.32x
Surrey 23 0.62x
Lincolnshire 18 1.47x
Sussex 17 1.32x
Gloucestershire 16 1.06x
Oxfordshire 16 3.38x
Warwickshire 16 0.83x
Hampshire 15 0.95x
Flintshire 14 6.79x
Somerset 14 1.13x
Berkshire 13 2.26x
Cornwall 12 1.38x
Nottinghamshire 12 1.16x
Bedfordshire 11 2.77x
Shropshire 11 1.66x
Suffolk 11 1.18x
Derbyshire 10 0.83x
Kent 10 0.38x
Northumberland 10 0.88x
Worcestershire 10 1.00x
Glamorgan 8 0.60x
Lanarkshire 6 0.24x
Northamptonshire 6 0.83x
Norfolk 5 0.42x
Hertfordshire 4 0.76x
Angus 3 0.42x
Essex 3 0.20x
Leicestershire 3 0.35x
Royal Navy 3 3.28x
Anglesey 2 1.47x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.43x
Channel Islands 2 0.88x
Monmouthshire 2 0.36x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.82x
Renfrewshire 2 0.34x
Banffshire 1 0.63x
Denbighshire 1 0.35x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.66x
Midlothian 1 0.10x
Stirlingshire 1 0.35x
Wigtownshire 1 0.98x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Plymouth Charles The in Devon leads with 29 Evens' recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.25x.

Place Total Index
Plymouth Charles The 29 41.25x
Cannock 19 42.07x
West Derby 19 7.14x
Islington London 14 1.88x
Mold Argoed 14 479.45x
Salford 12 4.48x
Birmingham 10 1.55x
Ecclesall Bierlow 10 6.47x
Kensington London 10 2.35x
Leighton Buzzard 10 58.55x
Manchester 10 2.44x
Newington 10 3.53x
Barnton 9 222.77x
Barthomley 9 918.37x
Ealing 9 13.13x
Gainsborough 9 31.14x
Potter Newton 9 67.16x
Speen 9 95.54x
Stoke Newington London 9 15.07x
Chadderton 8 17.99x
East Stonehouse 8 25.45x
Hemingstone 8 1025.64x
Mile End Old Town London 8 4.90x
Oxford All Sts 8 784.31x
St Pancras London 8 1.30x
Stoke Upon Trent 8 2.91x
Worsbrough 8 35.94x
Cornworthy 7 636.36x
Kirkdale 7 4.57x
Plymouth St Andrew 7 5.69x
Southwick 7 32.41x
Stockton On Tees 7 6.37x
Westbury On Trym 7 13.74x
Lambeth 6 0.90x
Madron Penzance 6 19.01x
Nottingham St Mary 6 2.24x
Sheffield 6 2.48x
Totnes 6 64.24x
Willenhall 6 12.38x
Glossop Dale 5 8.90x
Holbeton 5 171.23x
Kingston 5 403.23x
Liverpool 5 0.90x
Mansfield Woodhouse 5 72.67x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 5 7.34x
Rotherfield 5 43.94x
Thornley 5 60.61x
Walsall Foreign 5 3.74x
Wem 5 50.76x
Audley Talk O Th Hill 4 85.84x
Beddingham 4 338.98x
Bethnal Green London 4 1.20x
Blagdon 4 153.85x
Burton By Lincoln 4 540.54x
Deddington 4 77.82x
Dudley 4 3.29x
Eccleston In Prescot 4 8.76x
Kimberworth 4 9.49x
Leeds 4 0.93x
Litherland 4 21.03x
Matlock 4 24.81x
Millbrook 4 10.11x
Monkwearmouth Shore 4 8.98x
Pytchley 4 270.27x
Romsey Extra 4 42.78x
St Marylebone London 4 0.98x
Stoke Damerel 4 3.58x
Tormoham 4 5.92x
Whittington 4 72.07x
Wicklewood 4 208.33x
Elstree 3 172.41x
Hampstead London 3 2.51x
Highweek 3 52.72x
Hugglescote 3 23.98x
Leftwich 3 39.89x
Maidstone 3 3.85x
Mile End New Town London 3 19.80x
Newton Abbot St Mary 3 22.40x
Scarborough 3 4.35x
Wakefield 3 5.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 54
Elizabeth 28
Sarah 27
Ann 22
Jane 15
Margaret 15
Eliza 11
Emily 11
Emma 11
Ellen 10
Hannah 8
Annie 7
Catherine 6
Harriet 6
Martha 6
Alice 5
Agnes 4
Florence 4
Julia 4
Kate 4
Lydia 4
Nellie 4
Amelia 3
Anne 3
Charlotte 3
Edith 3
Fanny 3
Grace 3
Matilda 3
Betsy 2
Blanche 2
Clara 2
Elizebth 2
Elizth. 2
Ellin 2
Esther 2
Frances 2
Harriett 2
Isabella 2
Jessie 2
Lillian 2
Lizzie 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
May 2
Selina 2
Susan 2
Susannah 2
Winnifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 50
William 47
Thomas 31
James 19
George 18
Joseph 18
Alfred 13
Edward 13
Henry 13
Charles 12
Richard 9
Robert 9
Arthur 8
Albert 6
David 6
Harry 6
Walter 6
Frederick 4
Wm. 4
Daniel 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Philip 3
Thos. 3
Alexander 2
Christopher 2
Elijah 2
Enock 2
Evan 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
Lewis 2
Mark 2
Peter 2
Saml. 2
Samuel 2
Willm. 2
Andrew 1
Aron 1
Chas. 1
Ellin 1
Ellis 1
Even 1
Fexilx 1
Frank 1
Issac 1
Jeremiah 1
Jessie 1

FAQ

Evens surname: questions and answers

How common was the Evens surname in 1881?

In 1881, 782 people were recorded with the Evens surname. That placed it at #4,745 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Evens surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 432 in 2016. That gives Evens a modern rank of #11,135.

What does the Evens surname mean?

Derived from the given name Evan, meaning "young warrior," or from even or flat-bottomed land.

What does the Evens map show?

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