NameCensus.

UK surname

Fellows

An occupational surname referring to a partner or shareholder in a business or a companion in an organization.

In the 1881 census there were 4,059 people recorded with the Fellows surname, ranking it #1,114 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,678, ranked #1,011, up from #1,114 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Sedgley and Dudley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dudley, Wolverhampton and South Staffordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fellows is 6,987 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 64.5%.

1881 census count

4,059

Ranked #1,114

Modern count

6,678

2016, ranked #1,011

Peak year

1999

6,987 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fellows had 4,059 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,114 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,678 in 2016, ranked #1,011.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,854 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Fellows surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fellows surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fellows 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 2,314 #1,281
1861 historical 2,029 #1,430
1881 historical 4,059 #1,114
1891 historical 4,129 #1,164
1901 historical 5,339 #1,056
1911 historical 5,854 #887
1997 modern 6,666 #975
1998 modern 6,919 #976
1999 modern 6,987 #978
2000 modern 6,895 #983
2001 modern 6,792 #978
2002 modern 6,907 #981
2003 modern 6,723 #983
2004 modern 6,740 #982
2005 modern 6,609 #994
2006 modern 6,628 #990
2007 modern 6,675 #992
2008 modern 6,662 #997
2009 modern 6,852 #995
2010 modern 6,856 #1,010
2011 modern 6,852 #997
2012 modern 6,711 #999
2013 modern 6,831 #999
2014 modern 6,848 #1,001
2015 modern 6,750 #1,005
2016 modern 6,678 #1,011

Geography

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Where Fellows' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Sedgley, Dudley, Birmingham Town: Birmingham and Birmingham Town: Aston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dudley, Wolverhampton and South Staffordshire. 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 Sedgley Staffordshire
3 Dudley Staffordshire
4 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
5 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dudley 005 Dudley
2 Wolverhampton 033 Wolverhampton
3 Dudley 001 Dudley
4 South Staffordshire 013 South Staffordshire
5 Dudley 008 Dudley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fellows

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fellows

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

Fellows is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fellows 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 Fellows is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Fellows

The surname Fellows has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "feolaga," which means companion or partner. In the early days, the name was often given to people who were members of a guild or fellowship.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fellows can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Felagh." This suggests that the name was already in use during the Norman Conquest of England.

During the 13th century, the name was commonly spelled as "Felawe" or "Felaw." It was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Herefordshire, where many Fellows families were based.

One notable historical figure with the surname Fellows was John Fellows (c. 1670-1724), an English painter and engraver who was best known for his portraits and landscapes. He was a member of the Worshipful Company of Painter-Stainers and is regarded as one of the finest English artists of his time.

Another famous Fellows was Sir Charles Fellows (1799-1860), a British archaeologist and explorer who is credited with rediscovering several ancient cities in Asia Minor, including Xanthos and Tlos. His explorations and excavations contributed significantly to the understanding of classical Greek and Lycian civilizations.

In the 16th century, the name was sometimes associated with place names, such as Fellows Hill in Gloucestershire and Fellows Green in Worcestershire. These place names likely derived from individuals or families with the surname Fellows who lived or owned land in those areas.

John Fellows (c. 1605-1675) was an English Puritan minister and author who served as the rector of Awre in Gloucestershire. He was known for his religious writings and sermons, which were published during his lifetime.

Another notable figure was Robert Fellows (1840-1920), an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York from 1889 to 1891.

Throughout its history, the surname Fellows has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, archaeologists, clergymen, and politicians, among others. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the name has since spread to other parts of the world, reflecting the diverse journeys and experiences of those who carry it.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fellows families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fellows 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 1,556 Fellows' recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.66x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 1,556 11.66x
Warwickshire 469 4.70x
Worcestershire 289 5.60x
Middlesex 279 0.71x
Yorkshire 230 0.59x
Lancashire 214 0.46x
Sussex 149 2.24x
Surrey 120 0.62x
Cheshire 82 0.94x
Durham 71 0.60x
Northamptonshire 68 1.83x
Hampshire 50 0.62x
Shropshire 50 1.46x
Derbyshire 39 0.63x
Hertfordshire 38 1.39x
Kent 37 0.27x
Northumberland 26 0.44x
Essex 23 0.29x
Somerset 23 0.36x
Devon 22 0.27x
Norfolk 22 0.36x
Gloucestershire 19 0.25x
Buckinghamshire 18 0.75x
Leicestershire 16 0.37x
Suffolk 16 0.33x
Lanarkshire 14 0.11x
Monmouthshire 14 0.49x
Berkshire 13 0.44x
Lincolnshire 13 0.21x
Nottinghamshire 13 0.24x
Caernarfonshire 12 0.75x
Bedfordshire 10 0.49x
Herefordshire 9 0.56x
Glamorgan 8 0.12x
Wiltshire 6 0.17x
Midlothian 5 0.09x
Oxfordshire 3 0.12x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.08x
Flintshire 2 0.19x
Brecknockshire 1 0.13x
Dorset 1 0.04x
Fife 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sedgley in Staffordshire leads with 402 Fellows' recorded in 1881 and an index of 81.10x.

Place Total Index
Sedgley 402 81.10x
Aston 220 8.01x
Dudley 203 32.34x
Birmingham 188 5.66x
Bilston 160 61.86x
West Bromwich 127 16.62x
Wednesbury 124 37.18x
Wolverhampton 83 8.09x
Rowley Regis 82 22.05x
Willenhall 59 23.60x
Darlaston 55 29.82x
Cannock 51 21.90x
Tipton 50 12.24x
Harborne 41 9.59x
Brightside Bierlow 40 5.21x
Camberwell 38 1.50x
Islington London 31 0.81x
Kingswinford 31 6.40x
Kensington London 30 1.36x
Walsall Foreign 29 4.21x
Handsworth 28 8.51x
Oldbury 27 10.63x
Pelsall 27 68.04x
Ecclesall Bierlow 26 3.26x
Manchester 24 1.14x
Icklesham 23 196.08x
Preston 23 1.83x
Batheaston 22 100.96x
Northwood 22 19.06x
Pett 22 578.95x
Enville 21 200.38x
Rushall 20 25.46x
Darlington 19 4.18x
Featherstone 19 43.18x
Great Weldon 18 446.65x
Guestling 18 166.05x
Hackney London 18 0.81x
Paddington London 18 1.24x
St Marylebone London 18 0.85x
Tarvin Pryors Hayes 18 155.57x
Wolstanton Knutton 17 20.86x
Hastings St Mary In The 16 11.25x
Monks Coppenhall 16 4.86x
Ormesby 16 15.20x
Shifnal 16 17.25x
Shoreditch London 16 0.93x
St Pancras London 16 0.50x
Wednesfield 16 8.15x
Stoke Doyle 15 909.09x
Tettenhall 15 18.38x
Aylesbury 14 13.22x
Lambeth 14 0.41x
Sheffield 14 1.12x
Trevethin 14 5.19x
Ashton Under Lyne 13 1.27x
Derby St Werburgh 13 3.64x
Edgbaston 13 4.21x
Openshaw 13 5.92x
Sutton Coldfield 13 12.40x
Bromley London 12 1.38x
Nether Hallam 12 2.26x
Ryton Woodside 12 81.86x
Salford 12 0.87x
Southampton St Mary 12 2.35x
Thornby 12 413.79x
Westfield 12 84.27x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 11 3.01x
Burnley 11 2.78x
Fairlight 11 168.71x
Mountfield 11 130.49x
Ore 11 22.17x
Redbourn 11 36.95x
Walton Le Dale 11 8.73x
Abbots Langley 10 24.70x
Barrow In Furness 10 1.57x
Hampstead London 10 1.62x
Mitcham 10 8.21x
Shrewsbury St Julian 10 11.83x
St Albans St Peter 10 10.88x
St George Hanover Square 10 1.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 288
Sarah 173
Elizabeth 165
Ann 88
Eliza 79
Emma 59
Jane 59
Annie 55
Hannah 54
Alice 53
Harriet 42
Emily 41
Ellen 36
Maria 32
Martha 30
Florence 26
Fanny 25
Edith 23
Ada 22
Charlotte 20
Louisa 20
Lucy 20
Caroline 19
Catherine 17
Harriett 17
Margaret 17
Clara 16
Rose 16
Agnes 14
Amelia 14
Esther 13
Eleanor 12
Elizth. 12
Julia 12
Lizzie 12
Phoebe 12
Frances 11
Matilda 11
Susan 11
Susannah 11
Rebecca 10
Betsy 9
Amy 8
Anne 8
Kate 8
Lydia 7
Selina 7
Bertha 6
Rachel 6
Ruth 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 236
William 220
James 130
Thomas 127
Joseph 126
George 107
Henry 95
Edward 70
Samuel 63
Alfred 46
Charles 45
Benjamin 44
Arthur 33
Isaac 27
Albert 26
Frederick 26
Richard 26
Harry 25
Walter 25
Daniel 19
David 18
Herbert 17
Edwin 16
Frank 15
Thos. 14
Ernest 13
Robert 13
Noah 12
Francis 10
Isaiah 10
Stephen 10
Joshua 7
Peter 7
Abraham 6
Enoch 6
Jesse 6
Fredk. 5
Hugh 5
Spencer 5
Titus 5
Willm. 5
Chas. 4
Edgar 4
Elijah 4
Jacob 4
Jas. 4
Josiah 4
Leonard 4
Ralph 4
Saml. 4

FAQ

Fellows surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fellows surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,059 people were recorded with the Fellows surname. That placed it at #1,114 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fellows surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,678 in 2016. That gives Fellows a modern rank of #1,011.

What does the Fellows surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a partner or shareholder in a business or a companion in an organization.

What does the Fellows map show?

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