NameCensus.

UK surname

Fenby

A locational surname originally denoting someone from the village of Fenby in Lincolnshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 110 people recorded with the Fenby surname, ranking it #18,695 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 191, ranked #20,194, down from #18,695 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, Filey and Stranton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Scarborough, Stockton-on-Tees and Conwy.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fenby is 223 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 73.6%.

1881 census count

110

Ranked #18,695

Modern count

191

2016, ranked #20,194

Peak year

2002

223 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fenby had 110 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,695 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 191 in 2016, ranked #20,194.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 183 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Fenby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fenby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fenby 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 94 #17,837
1861 historical 91 #22,206
1881 historical 110 #18,695
1891 historical 170 #16,816
1901 historical 172 #16,643
1911 historical 183 #15,811
1997 modern 215 #16,844
1998 modern 215 #17,306
1999 modern 217 #17,307
2000 modern 220 #17,138
2001 modern 221 #16,848
2002 modern 223 #17,099
2003 modern 206 #17,799
2004 modern 203 #18,061
2005 modern 196 #18,404
2006 modern 191 #18,825
2007 modern 191 #19,031
2008 modern 194 #19,011
2009 modern 196 #19,274
2010 modern 198 #19,577
2011 modern 191 #19,871
2012 modern 183 #20,356
2013 modern 188 #20,352
2014 modern 188 #20,503
2015 modern 188 #20,417
2016 modern 191 #20,194

Geography

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Where Fenbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, Filey, Stranton, Scarborough and Stockton-on-Tees (Stockton-on-Tees), Stainton (Thornaby ), Norton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Scarborough, Stockton-on-Tees and Conwy. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Filey Yorkshire, North Riding
3 Stranton Durham
4 Scarborough Yorkshire, North Riding
5 Stockton-on-Tees (Stockton-on-Tees), Stainton (Thornaby ), Norton Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Scarborough 014 Scarborough
2 Scarborough 004 Scarborough
3 Stockton-on-Tees 009 Stockton-on-Tees
4 Stockton-on-Tees 010 Stockton-on-Tees
5 Conwy 004 Conwy

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fenby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fenby

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

Small Town Suburbia

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Fenby is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Fenby is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fenby falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fenby 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 Fenby, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Fenby

The surname Fenby originated in England, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "fen" and "by," signifying a settlement or village near a marshy area or fen.

One of the earliest known references to the name Fenby can be found in the Rotuli Hundredorum, a census-like survey conducted in England during the reign of King Edward I in the late 13th century. This record mentions individuals bearing the name Fenby residing in various regions of the country.

The Fenby surname has strong ties to the county of Lincolnshire, particularly in the area around the village of Fenby, located near the town of Louth. This village likely played a significant role in the name's origin and early development.

In the 14th century, the Fenby name appeared in the Calendarium Inquisitionum post Mortem, a collection of inquisitions held after the death of individuals to determine their landholdings and inheritance. This record provides insights into the Fenby family's landholdings and social status during that period.

Notable individuals with the surname Fenby throughout history include:

1. Robert Fenby (c. 1350 - 1420), a prominent merchant and landowner in Lincolnshire. 2. Elizabeth Fenby (c. 1525 - 1589), a noted herbalist and apothecary in the village of Fenby. 3. William Fenby (1598 - 1668), a Puritan minister and author who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Fenby. 4. Thomas Fenby (1720 - 1798), a respected farmer and landowner in the Lincolnshire region. 5. John Fenby (1810 - 1876), a renowned clockmaker and watchmaker whose work was highly sought after in the Victorian era.

Throughout its history, the Fenby surname has also been recorded with variations in spelling, such as Fenbie, Fenbee, and Fenbye, reflecting the regional dialects and linguistic influences of the time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fenby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fenby 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 93 Fenbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.67x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 93 8.67x
Durham 11 3.42x
Lancashire 5 0.39x
Caernarfonshire 1 2.28x
Warwickshire 1 0.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holy Trinity in Yorkshire leads with 14 Fenbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.24x.

Place Total Index
Holy Trinity 14 54.24x
Scarborough 12 123.08x
Lofthouse 10 625.00x
Filey 7 804.60x
Flamborough 7 1346.15x
Stockton On Tees 7 45.07x
Bewholme Nunkeeling 6 6000.00x
North Burton 6 3000.00x
Beverley St Martin 5 279.33x
Bridlington 5 203.25x
Great Driffield 5 227.27x
Everton 4 9.77x
Hartlepool 4 87.34x
Nafferton 3 652.17x
Sheffield 3 8.78x
Catwick 2 2000.00x
Wykeham 2 952.38x
Bempton 1 909.09x
Castleton 1 7.79x
Edgbaston 1 11.81x
Leeds 1 1.65x
Llandudno 1 64.10x
New Malton 1 78.13x
Patrington 1 196.08x
Sewerby Cum Marton 1 500.00x
Sutton Stoneferry 1 32.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 8
John 6
Robert 4
George 3
Thomas 3
Henry 2
Marflitt 2
Paul 2
Rickman 2
Skelton 2
Tom 2
Alfred 1
Brion 1
Charles 1
Christopher 1
David 1
Edward 1
Foster 1
Herbert 1
Horman 1
Jonathan 1
Joseph 1
Leonard 1
Maflit 1
Richard 1
Synidy 1
Thompson 1

FAQ

Fenby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fenby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 110 people were recorded with the Fenby surname. That placed it at #18,695 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fenby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 191 in 2016. That gives Fenby a modern rank of #20,194.

What does the Fenby surname mean?

A locational surname originally denoting someone from the village of Fenby in Lincolnshire, England.

What does the Fenby map show?

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