NameCensus.

UK surname

Ferneyhough

In the 1881 census there were 220 people recorded with the Ferneyhough surname, ranking it #12,087 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 357, ranked #12,953, down from #12,087 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Trentham, Wolstanton and Burslem. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ferneyhough is 378 in 2008. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.3%.

1881 census count

220

Ranked #12,087

Modern count

357

2016, ranked #12,953

Peak year

2008

378 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ferneyhough had 220 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,087 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 357 in 2016, ranked #12,953.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 352 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Ferneyhough surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ferneyhough surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ferneyhough 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 113 #15,815
1861 historical 113 #19,151
1881 historical 220 #12,087
1891 historical 267 #12,136
1901 historical 352 #10,394
1911 historical 315 #11,050
1997 modern 266 #14,658
1998 modern 376 #11,918
1999 modern 376 #11,979
2000 modern 370 #12,078
2001 modern 368 #11,952
2002 modern 377 #11,962
2003 modern 373 #11,857
2004 modern 368 #12,001
2005 modern 369 #11,901
2006 modern 373 #11,854
2007 modern 374 #11,974
2008 modern 378 #11,993
2009 modern 373 #12,364
2010 modern 373 #12,628
2011 modern 376 #12,416
2012 modern 375 #12,292
2013 modern 372 #12,570
2014 modern 370 #12,712
2015 modern 362 #12,825
2016 modern 357 #12,953

Geography

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Where Ferneyhoughs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Trentham, Wolstanton, Burslem, Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford. 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 Trentham Staffordshire
2 Wolstanton Staffordshire
3 Burslem Staffordshire
4 Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington Staffordshire
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Staffordshire 006 East Staffordshire
2 Stoke-on-Trent 013 Stoke-on-Trent
3 Stafford 014 Stafford
4 Stoke-on-Trent 020 Stoke-on-Trent
5 Stoke-on-Trent 001 Stoke-on-Trent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ferneyhough

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ferneyhough

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

Ferneyhough 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

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

1881 census detail

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Ferneyhough families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ferneyhough 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 160 Ferneyhoughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.19x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 160 22.19x
Cheshire 18 3.82x
Nottinghamshire 8 2.78x
Leicestershire 7 2.96x
Northamptonshire 6 2.99x
Lancashire 5 0.20x
Warwickshire 5 0.93x
Middlesex 2 0.09x
Sussex 2 0.56x
Yorkshire 2 0.09x
Derbyshire 1 0.30x
Durham 1 0.16x
Kent 1 0.14x
Worcestershire 1 0.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 35 Ferneyhoughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.78x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 35 45.78x
Cheddleton 15 993.38x
Trentham 15 244.70x
Kingston 14 7000.00x
Burslem 13 62.95x
Stafford St Mary 13 127.33x
Macclesfield 12 57.25x
Wolstanton 12 54.79x
Checkley 8 427.81x
Harborne 8 34.62x
Nottingham St Mary 8 10.74x
Leicester St Mary 7 36.59x
Ellenhall 6 3529.41x
Hanbury 6 1538.46x
Lichfield St Chad 6 370.37x
Northampton Priory St 6 49.75x
Blatchinworth 5 86.66x
Onecote 5 1851.85x
Aston 4 2.70x
Nether Alderley 3 714.29x
Cheadle 2 22.20x
Isleworth 2 21.05x
Rumbolds Wyke 2 303.03x
Aldridge 1 71.94x
Barlaston 1 166.67x
Birmingham 1 0.56x
Burton Extra 1 24.21x
Derby St Werburgh 1 5.18x
Dodworth 1 45.45x
Elvet 1 21.79x
Horton 1 113.64x
Leeds 1 0.84x
Margate St John Baptist 1 7.49x
Mickle Bridge 1 454.55x
Stoke Prior 1 58.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 18
William 16
Thomas 13
Joseph 10
George 8
James 7
Arthur 6
Charles 5
Albert 3
David 3
Frederick 3
Samuel 3
Harry 2
Leonard 2
Richard 2
Archibold 1
Chas. 1
Ephraim 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Josiah 1
Martin 1
Rupert 1
Thark 1
Thos. 1
Wilfred 1
Willm.J. 1

FAQ

Ferneyhough surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ferneyhough surname in 1881?

In 1881, 220 people were recorded with the Ferneyhough surname. That placed it at #12,087 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ferneyhough surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 357 in 2016. That gives Ferneyhough a modern rank of #12,953.

What does the Ferneyhough map show?

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