NameCensus.

UK surname

Fenwick

From a place name meaning "dairy farm" or "marshy area," derived from Old English elements fenn and wīc.

In the 1881 census there were 3,921 people recorded with the Fenwick surname, ranking it #1,158 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,504, ranked #1,220, down from #1,158 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Sunderland and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fenwick is 5,676 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.4%.

1881 census count

3,921

Ranked #1,158

Modern count

5,504

2016, ranked #1,220

Peak year

2010

5,676 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fenwick had 3,921 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,158 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,504 in 2016, ranked #1,220.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,875 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Fenwick surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fenwick surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fenwick 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 2,492 #1,192
1861 historical 2,233 #1,319
1881 historical 3,921 #1,158
1891 historical 3,996 #1,199
1901 historical 4,875 #1,159
1911 historical 4,497 #1,145
1997 modern 5,462 #1,194
1998 modern 5,644 #1,200
1999 modern 5,622 #1,216
2000 modern 5,627 #1,212
2001 modern 5,504 #1,210
2002 modern 5,576 #1,219
2003 modern 5,453 #1,215
2004 modern 5,436 #1,220
2005 modern 5,315 #1,230
2006 modern 5,268 #1,238
2007 modern 5,332 #1,232
2008 modern 5,331 #1,242
2009 modern 5,491 #1,232
2010 modern 5,676 #1,216
2011 modern 5,634 #1,208
2012 modern 5,468 #1,222
2013 modern 5,586 #1,218
2014 modern 5,609 #1,218
2015 modern 5,543 #1,217
2016 modern 5,504 #1,220

Geography

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Where Fenwicks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Gateshead, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Sunderland, Doncaster and Northumberland. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 057 County Durham
2 Sunderland 034 Sunderland
3 County Durham 006 County Durham
4 Doncaster 003 Doncaster
5 Northumberland 032 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fenwick

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fenwick

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Fenwick is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Fenwick 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

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

Meaning and origin of Fenwick

The surname Fenwick originated in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "fenn" meaning marsh or fen, and "wic" meaning a dwelling or farm, suggesting that the name referred to someone who lived near a marsh or fen.

One of the earliest known references to the name Fenwick can be found in the Assize Rolls of Northumberland in 1268, where a Robert de Fenewyk is mentioned. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1273, where a William de Fenewyk is recorded.

The Fenwick surname is closely associated with the village of Fenwick in Northumberland, which was likely the original home of the family. It is believed that the Fenwicks were landowners and influential figures in the area during the Middle Ages.

In the 14th century, a Sir John Fenwick was a prominent knight and landowner in Northumberland. He was involved in the Anglo-Scottish Wars and fought alongside King Edward III at the Battle of Neville's Cross in 1346.

Another notable figure was Sir Ralph Fenwick, who lived in the late 15th century and was a supporter of the House of Lancaster during the Wars of the Roses. He was knighted for his service to Henry VII after the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.

In the 16th century, Sir John Fenwick (1549-1597) was a Member of Parliament for Northumberland and a renowned soldier who fought against the Spanish Armada in 1588.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, Sir John Fenwick (1615-1697) was a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and was involved in several military campaigns. He was later implicated in a plot to assassinate King William III and was executed for treason in 1697.

The Fenwick surname has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Fenwick in Yorkshire, Fenwick Tower in Northumberland, and Fenwick Wood in Cumbria, reflecting the family's historical ties to these areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fenwick families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fenwick 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. Durham leads with 1,162 Fenwicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.20x.

County Total Index
Durham 1,162 10.20x
Northumberland 702 12.33x
Yorkshire 606 1.60x
Middlesex 254 0.66x
Perthshire 149 8.67x
Lincolnshire 138 2.25x
Lancashire 133 0.29x
Angus 97 2.74x
Surrey 81 0.43x
Kent 71 0.54x
Lanarkshire 71 0.57x
Cumberland 60 1.82x
Hampshire 43 0.55x
Devon 37 0.46x
Sussex 23 0.36x
Cheshire 20 0.24x
Midlothian 20 0.39x
Renfrewshire 19 0.64x
Somerset 19 0.31x
Stirlingshire 18 1.28x
Cambridgeshire 14 0.58x
Clackmannanshire 14 4.43x
Fife 14 0.62x
Hertfordshire 14 0.53x
Aberdeenshire 13 0.37x
Essex 13 0.17x
Gloucestershire 12 0.16x
Warwickshire 11 0.11x
Wiltshire 11 0.32x
Dunbartonshire 10 0.97x
Dorset 9 0.36x
Berkshire 7 0.24x
Norfolk 7 0.12x
Staffordshire 5 0.04x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.17x
Flintshire 4 0.39x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.08x
Royal Navy 4 0.88x
Channel Islands 3 0.26x
Derbyshire 3 0.05x
Roxburghshire 3 0.43x
Selkirkshire 3 0.87x
Herefordshire 2 0.13x
Inverness-shire 2 0.18x
Isle of Man 2 0.28x
Kinross-shire 2 2.07x
Rutland 2 0.71x
Shropshire 2 0.06x
Bedfordshire 1 0.05x
Cornwall 1 0.02x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.12x
Glamorgan 1 0.02x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.18x
Leicestershire 1 0.02x
Peeblesshire 1 0.56x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gateshead in Durham leads with 159 Fenwicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.65x.

Place Total Index
Gateshead 159 18.65x
Bishopwearmouth 66 6.75x
Westoe 66 10.22x
Elswick 64 14.08x
Longbenton 61 25.29x
Monkwearmouth Shore 52 23.39x
Monkwearmouth 51 46.79x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 47 9.53x
Stranton 46 12.00x
Tanfield 44 32.49x
Dundee 42 3.17x
Govan 37 1.21x
Newcastle On Tyne St 37 12.53x
Southwick 35 32.45x
Cowpen 34 25.92x
Hexham 33 37.44x
Perth East Church 31 19.14x
Kensington London 29 1.36x
Kyo 29 54.10x
Holy Trinity 28 3.07x
Leeds 28 1.31x
Chirton 27 20.95x
Lamesley 27 44.05x
Tynemouth 27 8.85x
Exeter St Sidwell 26 14.25x
Scone 26 85.19x
Byker 25 8.88x
Haslingden 25 13.29x
Ryhope 25 31.62x
Barony 24 0.77x
Houghton Le Spring 24 30.49x
Minster In Sheppey 24 11.09x
Sheffield 24 1.99x
Liff Benvie 23 4.27x
Westgate 23 6.52x
Clerkenwell London 22 2.43x
Elvet 22 26.76x
Poplar London 21 2.91x
Seaton Delaval 21 41.99x
Pickering 20 41.88x
Putney 19 10.89x
Accrington 18 4.36x
Bethnal Green London 18 1.08x
Camberwell 18 0.74x
Chester Le Street 18 20.58x
Heworth 18 8.02x
St Marylebone London 18 0.88x
Sunderland 18 8.95x
Framwellgate 17 25.20x
Medomsley 17 32.00x
Sherburn 17 49.05x
Bradford 16 1.74x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 16 4.70x
Ryton Woodside 16 112.76x
Crossgate 15 30.13x
Middlesbrough 15 3.04x
Wallsend 15 8.30x
Winterton 15 71.36x
Bedlington 14 7.36x
Christchurch 14 8.23x
Cockerton 14 38.32x
Whitby 14 10.95x
Anick 13 650.00x
Cargill 13 72.67x
Coxlodge 13 30.02x
Dawdon 13 9.28x
Jesmond 13 16.22x
Kinnoull 13 28.78x
North Seaton 13 54.42x
Chilton 12 33.76x
Chollerton 12 75.00x
Felton 12 134.83x
Morpeth 12 17.92x
Ramsgate 12 5.63x
Stanhope 12 10.21x
Tottington Lower End 12 5.56x
Pelton 11 20.30x
Stockton On Tees 11 2.00x
Tunstall 11 19.40x
Whitgift 11 229.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 274
William 207
Thomas 174
George 122
Joseph 96
Robert 89
James 86
Charles 51
Edward 49
Henry 44
Matthew 27
Richard 22
Ralph 19
Arthur 17
Walter 17
Frederick 16
Alexander 12
Alfred 12
Frank 12
Samuel 11
Albert 9
Herbert 9
Wm. 9
Ephraim 8
Francis 8
Geo. 8
Luke 8
Andrew 7
Benjamin 7
Harry 7
Mark 7
Thos. 7
David 6
Edwin 6
Ernest 6
Fred 6
Robt. 6
Tom 6
Isaac 5
Peter 5
Philip 5
Stephen 4
Aaron 3
Cuthbert 3
Harrison 3
Jno. 3
Joshua 3
Michael 3
Percival 3
Robinson 3

FAQ

Fenwick surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fenwick surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,921 people were recorded with the Fenwick surname. That placed it at #1,158 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fenwick surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,504 in 2016. That gives Fenwick a modern rank of #1,220.

What does the Fenwick surname mean?

From a place name meaning "dairy farm" or "marshy area," derived from Old English elements fenn and wīc.

What does the Fenwick map show?

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