NameCensus.

UK surname

Fenn

Derived from Old English, denoting a person living near a marsh or low-lying wetland.

In the 1881 census there were 3,035 people recorded with the Fenn surname, ranking it #1,478 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,438, ranked #1,983, down from #1,478 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Northamptonshire, Waveney and Rutland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fenn is 4,411 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.3%.

1881 census count

3,035

Ranked #1,478

Modern count

3,438

2016, ranked #1,983

Peak year

1911

4,411 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fenn had 3,035 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,478 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,438 in 2016, ranked #1,983.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,411 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Fenn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fenn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fenn 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 2,049 #1,418
1861 historical 1,504 #1,879
1881 historical 3,035 #1,478
1891 historical 3,188 #1,485
1901 historical 3,991 #1,413
1911 historical 4,411 #1,165
1997 modern 3,664 #1,769
1998 modern 3,809 #1,772
1999 modern 3,819 #1,776
2000 modern 3,846 #1,755
2001 modern 3,735 #1,767
2002 modern 3,818 #1,778
2003 modern 3,714 #1,784
2004 modern 3,665 #1,805
2005 modern 3,555 #1,842
2006 modern 3,515 #1,860
2007 modern 3,551 #1,856
2008 modern 3,532 #1,882
2009 modern 3,621 #1,881
2010 modern 3,675 #1,894
2011 modern 3,634 #1,889
2012 modern 3,563 #1,887
2013 modern 3,626 #1,892
2014 modern 3,579 #1,929
2015 modern 3,502 #1,949
2016 modern 3,438 #1,983

Geography

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Where Fenns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, London parishes, St Pancras and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Northamptonshire, Waveney, Rutland, East Cambridgeshire and Great Yarmouth. 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 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Northamptonshire 001 East Northamptonshire
2 Waveney 011 Waveney
3 Rutland 004 Rutland
4 East Cambridgeshire 006 East Cambridgeshire
5 Great Yarmouth 012 Great Yarmouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fenn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fenn

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Fenn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Fenn 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Fenn 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

Fenn is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fenn 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 Fenn 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Fenn

The surname Fenn is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "fenn," which means "marsh" or "fen." This name was likely adopted by individuals who lived near or worked in marshy areas.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Fenn can be traced back to the late 12th century in various English counties, including Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, where marshlands were prevalent. The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings in England compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Fenn, but it does mention several place names with the element "fenn," indicating the existence of marshlands in those areas.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William de Fenne, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195. Another early record is that of Robert de la Fenne, mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of Hertfordshire in 1221.

Over the centuries, the surname Fenn has been spelled in various ways, including Fenn, Fenne, Fenne, Fen, and Fenn. Some notable individuals with the surname Fenn include Sir John Fenn (1739-1794), an English antiquarian and editor; Elijah Fenton (1683-1730), an English poet and translator; and Robert Fenn (1768-1847), an English artist and engraver.

Other historically significant figures with the surname Fenn include John Fenn (1590-1670), an English clergyman and author; Richard Fenn (1805-1887), an English painter and engraver; and James Fenn (1749-1825), an English artist and illustrator.

It is worth noting that the surname Fenn has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Fennor in Bedfordshire, Fenny Compton in Warwickshire, and Fenwick in Northumberland, further reinforcing its connection to marshy or fen-like areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fenn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fenn 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 594 Fenns recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.00x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 594 2.00x
Suffolk 356 9.85x
Norfolk 272 5.96x
Essex 270 4.61x
Surrey 246 1.70x
Kent 213 2.10x
Staffordshire 141 1.41x
Cambridgeshire 103 5.48x
Yorkshire 93 0.32x
Lancashire 87 0.25x
Shropshire 86 3.36x
Gloucestershire 70 1.20x
Hertfordshire 57 2.79x
Warwickshire 57 0.76x
Sussex 53 1.06x
Worcestershire 39 1.01x
Hampshire 37 0.61x
Durham 29 0.33x
Nottinghamshire 29 0.73x
Northamptonshire 27 0.97x
Lincolnshire 22 0.46x
Bedfordshire 20 1.30x
Devon 18 0.29x
Buckinghamshire 17 0.95x
Herefordshire 16 1.32x
Huntingdonshire 15 2.55x
Rutland 14 6.43x
Berkshire 8 0.36x
Cheshire 8 0.12x
Derbyshire 8 0.17x
Leicestershire 7 0.21x
Merionethshire 7 1.29x
Glamorgan 6 0.12x
Northumberland 6 0.14x
Royal Navy 4 1.13x
Anglesey 2 0.38x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.17x
Ayrshire 1 0.05x
Monmouthshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Ham in Essex leads with 82 Fenns recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.34x.

Place Total Index
West Ham 82 6.34x
Bethnal Green London 59 4.58x
Islington London 55 1.91x
Shoreditch London 49 3.81x
St Pancras London 48 2.01x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 42 51.26x
Camberwell 41 2.16x
Ipswich St Mathew 33 32.59x
Walthamstow 32 15.18x
Lambeth 31 1.20x
Woolwich 29 7.76x
Wolverhampton 27 3.51x
Battersea 26 2.38x
Bromley London 26 3.98x
Mile End Old Town London 26 4.12x
Aston 24 1.17x
Blofield 24 206.72x
Great Clacton 24 120.42x
Richmond 23 11.36x
Ardleigh 22 135.47x
Chediston 22 597.83x
Stoke Upon Trent 22 2.07x
Ipswich St Margaret 21 17.13x
Brighton 20 1.98x
Hackney London 20 1.20x
West Bromwich 20 3.49x
Wrockwardine 20 35.49x
Fulham London 19 4.42x
Bristol St Augustine 18 19.17x
Exning 17 93.20x
Long Ditton 17 72.03x
Nottingham St Mary 17 1.64x
Paddington London 17 1.56x
Deptford St Paul 16 2.05x
East Dereham 16 27.76x
Lewisham 16 2.96x
Portsea 16 1.34x
St Luke London 16 3.36x
Whistones 16 57.04x
Willesden 16 5.72x
Chatham 15 5.39x
Clifton 15 5.10x
Elton 15 182.04x
Halesworth 15 58.55x
Kensington London 15 0.91x
Shifnal 15 21.56x
St Marylebone London 15 0.95x
Tottenham 15 3.17x
Chelsea London 14 1.57x
Glemsford 14 55.16x
Ryhall 14 193.37x
Willenhall 14 7.46x
Woodton 14 288.66x
Hampstead London 13 2.81x
Heigham 13 5.31x
Kingswinford 13 3.58x
Somersham 13 313.25x
Woodbridge 13 28.14x
Aldbury 12 129.59x
Billington 12 277.14x
Bolehall Glascote 12 37.87x
Gorleston 12 13.07x
Greenwich 12 2.54x
Raveningham 12 491.80x
Twickenham 12 9.43x
Walsham Le Willows 12 99.50x
Walton 12 92.74x
Westoe 12 2.40x
Beccles 11 18.92x
Bylaugh 11 1009.17x
Clerkenwell London 11 1.57x
Frostenden 11 280.61x
Isleham 11 63.81x
Kemberton 11 395.68x
Penge 11 5.81x
Plumstead 11 3.26x
Poplar London 11 1.96x
Worplesdon 11 63.15x
Wandsworth 10 3.50x
Wellington 10 6.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 166
Sarah 120
Elizabeth 106
Alice 66
Eliza 64
Ann 47
Ellen 47
Emma 47
Emily 44
Jane 44
Annie 38
Louisa 29
Hannah 27
Maria 26
Charlotte 24
Kate 23
Caroline 20
Edith 20
Martha 20
Florence 18
Lucy 18
Harriet 17
Clara 16
Esther 15
Fanny 15
Margaret 14
Catherine 13
Harriett 13
Rose 13
Ada 12
Frances 11
Agnes 9
Amy 9
Anne 9
Eleanor 9
Ethel 9
Matilda 9
Gertrude 8
Lydia 8
Rebecca 8
Susan 8
Minnie 7
Ruth 7
Sophia 7
Amelia 6
Elizth. 6
Helen 6
Julia 6
Mabel 6
Selina 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 203
John 159
George 99
James 96
Thomas 82
Charles 79
Henry 55
Robert 50
Joseph 44
Edward 43
Alfred 36
Arthur 36
Frederick 30
Walter 26
Harry 25
Samuel 24
Albert 21
Richard 18
Ernest 16
Frank 15
Edwin 12
David 10
Herbert 9
Wm. 9
Fred 6
Fredk. 6
Benjamin 5
Daniel 5
Elijah 5
Enoch 5
Stephen 5
Andrew 4
Chas. 4
Edgar 4
Fredrick 4
Geo. 4
Gilbert 4
Percy 4
Thos. 4
Willie 4
Alexander 3
Emanuel 3
Harold 3
Isaac 3
Lewis 3
Michael 3
Nathaniel 3
Patrick 3
Timothy 3
Willm. 3

FAQ

Fenn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fenn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,035 people were recorded with the Fenn surname. That placed it at #1,478 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fenn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,438 in 2016. That gives Fenn a modern rank of #1,983.

What does the Fenn surname mean?

Derived from Old English, denoting a person living near a marsh or low-lying wetland.

What does the Fenn map show?

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