NameCensus.

UK surname

Feery

A variant spelling of the surname Ferry, derived from the occupation of a ferrier or ferryman.

In the 1881 census there were 16 people recorded with the Feery surname, ranking it #31,301 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 99, ranked #31,358, down from #31,301 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees, Warrington and Fenland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Feery is 112 in 2007. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 518.8%.

1881 census count

16

Ranked #31,301

Modern count

99

2016, ranked #31,358

Peak year

2007

112 bearers

Map years

1

2006 to 2006

Key insights

  • Feery had 16 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,301 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 99 in 2016, ranked #31,358.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 16 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Feery surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Feery surname density by area, 2006 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Feery 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 16 #30,441
1861 historical 11 #32,452
1881 historical 16 #31,301
1891 historical 6 #33,800
1901 historical 6 #33,591
1911 historical 12 #32,302
1997 modern 81 #29,436
1998 modern 87 #29,240
1999 modern 89 #29,168
2000 modern 81 #30,036
2001 modern 78 #30,168
2002 modern 89 #29,428
2003 modern 82 #30,206
2004 modern 92 #29,197
2005 modern 95 #28,817
2006 modern 109 #26,872
2007 modern 112 #26,800
2008 modern 111 #27,225
2009 modern 100 #29,597
2010 modern 103 #29,780
2011 modern 94 #31,016
2012 modern 104 #29,543
2013 modern 106 #29,740
2014 modern 108 #29,658
2015 modern 105 #30,092
2016 modern 99 #31,358

Geography

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Where Feerys 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 Kirklees, Warrington, Fenland and Bedford. 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 Kirklees 040 Kirklees
2 Warrington 021 Warrington
3 Fenland 006 Fenland
4 Bedford 003 Bedford
5 Kirklees 044 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Feery

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Feery

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Feery 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

Feery 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

Feery falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Feery is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Feery

The surname Feery has its origins in England, tracing back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "ferier," meaning a blacksmith or iron worker. This occupation name likely arose due to the prevalence of blacksmiths in medieval times.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, referencing a Thomas le Feyrer. The name also appeared in various spellings, such as Ferror, Ferror, and Ferrier, reflecting the evolution of language over time.

In the 13th century, the name Feery was associated with several landowners in the county of Somerset. The Feeries of Batcombe Manor are mentioned in documents from 1274, indicating their influential status in the region.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the name Feery. However, it does list individuals with similar occupational surnames, such as "Faber" (meaning smith), suggesting the presence of blacksmiths and metalworkers during that period.

Historically notable individuals with the surname Feery include Sir John Feery (1567-1644), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Shaftesbury in the early 17th century. Another prominent figure was William Feery (1694-1768), a renowned clockmaker from London whose intricate timepieces were highly sought after by the aristocracy.

In the literary world, Elizabeth Feery (1820-1891) was an acclaimed novelist and poet from Ireland, known for her works exploring the lives of the working class in the Victorian era. Her contemporaries included the famous Irish author William Carleton and poet James Clarence Mangan.

During the American Civil War, Captain James Feery (1836-1864) served in the Union Army and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery in the Battle of Chaffin's Farm in Virginia. He tragically lost his life during the conflict.

Another notable figure was Sir Robert Feery (1875-1948), a British diplomat and ambassador to several countries, including Turkey and Brazil, in the early 20th century. He played a crucial role in shaping foreign policy during his distinguished career.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Feery families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Feery 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. Wiltshire leads with 9 Feerys recorded in 1881 and an index of 65.22x.

County Total Index
Wiltshire 9 65.22x
Surrey 6 7.89x
Lancashire 1 0.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Salisbury St Martin in Wiltshire leads with 9 Feerys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6428.57x.

Place Total Index
Salisbury St Martin 9 6428.57x
Lambeth 6 44.12x
Burnley 1 64.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 2
Amy 1
Catherine 1
Emily 1
Margaret 1
Mary 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Patrick 2
Thomas 2
Lewin 1
Loughlin 1
Maurice 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 Feery households.

FAQ

Feery surname: questions and answers

How common was the Feery surname in 1881?

In 1881, 16 people were recorded with the Feery surname. That placed it at #31,301 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Feery surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 99 in 2016. That gives Feery a modern rank of #31,358.

What does the Feery surname mean?

A variant spelling of the surname Ferry, derived from the occupation of a ferrier or ferryman.

What does the Feery map show?

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