NameCensus.

UK surname

Fenney

A surname originating from the Old English word "fennig," referring to someone from a fen or marsh.

In the 1881 census there were 363 people recorded with the Fenney surname, ranking it #8,545 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 704, ranked #7,672, up from #8,545 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Birmingham Town: Birmingham and Birmingham Town: Aston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St. Helens, West Lancashire and Halton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fenney is 755 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 93.9%.

1881 census count

363

Ranked #8,545

Modern count

704

2016, ranked #7,672

Peak year

1998

755 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fenney had 363 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,545 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 704 in 2016, ranked #7,672.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 577 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Fenney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fenney surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fenney 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 229 #9,390
1861 historical 357 #7,155
1881 historical 363 #8,545
1891 historical 431 #8,330
1901 historical 466 #8,485
1911 historical 577 #7,046
1997 modern 718 #7,109
1998 modern 755 #7,059
1999 modern 752 #7,138
2000 modern 743 #7,154
2001 modern 737 #7,078
2002 modern 726 #7,299
2003 modern 701 #7,381
2004 modern 692 #7,479
2005 modern 675 #7,556
2006 modern 669 #7,626
2007 modern 672 #7,680
2008 modern 680 #7,655
2009 modern 712 #7,539
2010 modern 713 #7,667
2011 modern 690 #7,773
2012 modern 675 #7,838
2013 modern 695 #7,763
2014 modern 699 #7,777
2015 modern 706 #7,671
2016 modern 704 #7,672

Geography

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Where Fenneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Birmingham Town: Birmingham, Birmingham Town: Aston, Prescot and Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to St. Helens, West Lancashire and Halton. 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 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
3 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire
4 Prescot Lancashire
5 Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St. Helens 019 St. Helens
2 West Lancashire 011 West Lancashire
3 Halton 003 Halton
4 St. Helens 016 St. Helens
5 St. Helens 020 St. Helens

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fenney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fenney

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Fenney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Fenney household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Fenney is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Fenney 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

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

Meaning and origin of Fenney

The surname Fenney has its origins in England, emerging in the medieval period around the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "fenn," which referred to a marshy or boggy area. This suggests that the name may have initially been a locative name, referring to someone who lived near or worked in a marshy region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fenney can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "de la Fenne." This entry suggests that the name was likely originally a descriptive name referring to a person's residence near a fen or marsh.

During the 14th century, the name appears to have evolved into various spellings, such as "Fenny," "Fenni," and "Fenney." These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistent nature of spelling during that time period.

In the 16th century, a notable individual with the surname Fenney was William Fenney, who was born in 1536 and served as a member of Parliament for Salisbury in 1571. Records also show a John Fenney, born in 1562, who was a prominent merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire.

The surname Fenney has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Fenney Compton in Warwickshire and Fenney Stratford in Buckinghamshire. These place names likely derived from the Old English word "fenn," further reinforcing the connection between the surname and marshy or boggy areas.

Other notable individuals with the surname Fenney include Robert Fenney, born in 1612, who was a renowned scholar and author of several works on theology and philosophy. Thomas Fenney, born in 1674, was a successful businessman and landowner in Lincolnshire.

It is worth mentioning that the name Fenney has also been recorded in various forms throughout history, such as Fenny, Fennye, and Fenneye, reflecting the evolution of spelling and regional variations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fenney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fenney 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. Lancashire leads with 167 Fenneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.97x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 167 3.97x
Yorkshire 49 1.40x
Warwickshire 28 3.14x
Middlesex 15 0.42x
Flintshire 13 13.66x
Durham 11 1.04x
Staffordshire 11 0.92x
Angus 9 2.74x
Hampshire 8 1.10x
Lincolnshire 8 1.41x
Kent 7 0.58x
Lanarkshire 6 0.52x
Cumberland 5 1.64x
Surrey 5 0.29x
Denbighshire 4 2.99x
Derbyshire 4 0.72x
Northumberland 4 0.76x
Shropshire 3 0.98x
Worcestershire 3 0.65x
Cheshire 1 0.13x
Dunbartonshire 1 1.05x
Midlothian 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sutton in Lancashire leads with 43 Fenneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 305.18x.

Place Total Index
Sutton 43 305.18x
Birmingham 20 6.72x
Widnes 17 56.09x
Parr 16 106.45x
Worsley 11 42.47x
Guisbrough 10 130.38x
Kirby In Cleveland 10 3333.33x
St George In East London 10 30.02x
Eccleston In Prescot 9 42.67x
Liff Benvie 9 18.07x
West Derby 9 7.32x
Aldershot 8 32.91x
Aston 8 3.25x
Tryddyn 8 386.47x
Windle 8 33.84x
Skelmersdale 7 100.00x
Atherton 6 39.24x
Holy Trinity 6 7.11x
Newton In Makerfield 6 46.62x
St Giles 6 91.19x
Yarm 6 333.33x
Ashton In Makerfield 5 41.81x
Billinge Chapel End 5 211.86x
Brotton 5 109.17x
Burtonwood 5 324.68x
Cockermouth 5 77.88x
Glasgow 5 2.46x
Middlesbrough 5 10.94x
Mold 5 57.94x
Normanby In 5 53.30x
North Meols 5 12.16x
Stoke Upon Trent 5 3.94x
Bermondsey 4 3.79x
Elswick 4 9.51x
Greenwich 4 7.10x
Keelby 4 444.44x
Llandrillo Yn Rhos 4 202.02x
Over Darwen 4 11.92x
Great Grimsby 3 8.35x
Shrewsbury St Julian 3 39.63x
Wavertree 3 22.30x
Westoe 3 5.02x
Cannock 2 9.59x
Eckington 2 14.85x
Gravesend 2 19.55x
Kings Norton 2 4.82x
St Marylebone London 2 1.06x
Bilston 1 4.32x
Binbrooke 1 70.92x
Blymhill 1 163.93x
Bollington In 1 14.37x
Broughton In Salford 1 2.60x
Bury 1 2.08x
Claylane 1 12.97x
Dumbarton 1 7.55x
Govan 1 0.35x
Hackney London 1 0.50x
Haydock 1 13.81x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 2.19x
Lambeth 1 0.32x
Leeds 1 0.50x
North Wingfield 1 40.32x
Old Artillery Ground 1 32.79x
Pendleton In Salford 1 2.00x
Poplar London 1 1.50x
Poulton Barre 1 20.92x
Rainhill 1 37.17x
South Leith 1 1.87x
Tong 1 14.75x
Tottington Lower End 1 5.01x
Tudhoe 1 10.85x
Wednesbury 1 3.35x
Wigan 1 1.70x
Wolverhampton 1 1.09x
Woolwich 1 2.24x
Worcester St Helen 1 67.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Elizabeth 14
Ellen 14
Alice 13
Ann 12
Sarah 12
Margaret 9
Annie 5
Emma 5
Anne 4
Eliza 4
Jane 4
Bridget 3
Catherine 3
Charlotte 3
Edith 3
Esther 3
Hannah 3
Martha 3
Agnes 2
Anna 2
Gertrude 2
Harriet 2
Louisa 2
Maria 2
Amy 1
Clara 1
Dabrah 1
Dorotha 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lily 1
Lydia 1
Margt. 1
Maryann 1
Maud 1
Maude 1
Minnie 1
Nancy 1
Phoebe 1
Rosa 1
Rosanna 1
Rose 1
Thanzam 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 29
William 19
James 18
Thomas 17
George 6
Henry 6
Joseph 6
Charles 5
Edward 5
Samuel 5
Richard 4
Arthur 3
Peter 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Alexander 2
Alfred 2
Ebenezer 2
Harry 2
Henery 2
Michael 2
Robert 2
Wm. 2
Alexr. 1
Aurthur 1
Ben. 1
Cecil 1
Claude 1
Daniel 1
Edgar 1
Frederick 1
Herbert 1
Howard 1
Isaac 1
Jabey 1
Job 1
Nathan 1
Ralph 1
Richmond 1
Roger 1
Russell 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Fenney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fenney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 363 people were recorded with the Fenney surname. That placed it at #8,545 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fenney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 704 in 2016. That gives Fenney a modern rank of #7,672.

What does the Fenney surname mean?

A surname originating from the Old English word "fennig," referring to someone from a fen or marsh.

What does the Fenney map show?

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