NameCensus.

UK surname

Few

An English surname derived from the Old French word "feu," meaning "fire," possibly referring to a fiery-tempered person.

In the 1881 census there were 687 people recorded with the Few surname, ranking it #5,269 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 894, ranked #6,332, down from #5,269 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Willingham and Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Cambridgeshire, Wiltshire and East Cambridgeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Few is 978 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.1%.

1881 census count

687

Ranked #5,269

Modern count

894

2016, ranked #6,332

Peak year

1998

978 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Few had 687 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,269 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 894 in 2016, ranked #6,332.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 924 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Few surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Few surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Few 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 538 #4,683
1861 historical 1 #34,435
1881 historical 687 #5,269
1891 historical 1 #34,674
1901 historical 924 #5,043
1997 modern 970 #5,631
1998 modern 978 #5,781
1999 modern 963 #5,888
2000 modern 973 #5,821
2001 modern 954 #5,798
2002 modern 973 #5,814
2003 modern 909 #6,037
2004 modern 907 #6,059
2005 modern 884 #6,103
2006 modern 872 #6,195
2007 modern 862 #6,305
2008 modern 885 #6,210
2009 modern 885 #6,347
2010 modern 899 #6,389
2011 modern 883 #6,419
2012 modern 913 #6,184
2013 modern 923 #6,232
2014 modern 917 #6,288
2015 modern 916 #6,246
2016 modern 894 #6,332

Geography

Back to top

Where Fews are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Willingham, Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth and Potterne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Cambridgeshire, Wiltshire, East Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire. 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 1
2 Willingham Cambridgeshire
3 Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth Cambridgeshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Potterne Wiltshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Cambridgeshire 001 South Cambridgeshire
2 Wiltshire 047 Wiltshire
3 East Cambridgeshire 005 East Cambridgeshire
4 Huntingdonshire 005 Huntingdonshire
5 Wiltshire 028 Wiltshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Few

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Few

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Few, 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 Few surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Few 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Few is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Few is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Few

The surname "Few" originated in England during the late medieval period, likely derived from the Old English word "feoh" or "feo," meaning cattle or livestock. This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname initially used to identify someone who worked with cattle or livestock.

The name "Few" can be found in various early records and documents from England, such as the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1275, which mentions a "William le Fewe." The Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296 also record a "John le Feu."

One of the earliest known references to the name "Few" comes from the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199, which mention a "Robert le Few." This indicates that the surname was already in use by the late 12th century.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, where a "Thomas le Fewe" is listed. The Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1332 also mention a "John le Feu."

The name "Few" may also have been influenced by place names or older spellings of place names. For example, the village of Few in Gloucestershire could have contributed to the surname's development.

One notable figure in history with the surname "Few" was John Few (1568-1623), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Northampton in the early 17th century.

Another prominent individual was Sir William Few (1619-1695), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Westbury and later as a judge.

In the 18th century, Samuel Few (1731-1805) was a notable American planter and politician from Georgia, who served as a delegate to the Continental Congress.

Ignatius Few (1759-1828) was an American soldier and politician from Maryland, who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later served as a member of the United States House of Representatives.

Benjamin Few (1777-1842) was an American lawyer and politician from Georgia, who served as a United States Senator and later as a judge on the Superior Court of Georgia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Few families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Few 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 283 Fews recorded in 1881 and an index of 67.26x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 283 67.26x
Wiltshire 101 17.19x
Middlesex 82 1.23x
Surrey 30 0.93x
Berkshire 27 5.41x
Yorkshire 27 0.41x
Huntingdonshire 20 15.16x
Gloucestershire 15 1.15x
Hampshire 15 1.10x
Kent 12 0.53x
Cheshire 9 0.61x
Warwickshire 9 0.54x
Staffordshire 8 0.36x
Lancashire 7 0.09x
Northamptonshire 7 1.12x
Shropshire 5 0.87x
Somerset 5 0.47x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.75x
Hertfordshire 3 0.66x
Derbyshire 2 0.19x
Durham 2 0.10x
Lincolnshire 2 0.19x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.22x
Suffolk 2 0.25x
Sussex 2 0.18x
Glamorgan 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Willingham in Cambridgeshire leads with 109 Fews recorded in 1881 and an index of 3027.78x.

Place Total Index
Willingham 109 3027.78x
St Andrewthe Less 32 66.57x
Cottenham 30 536.67x
Potterne Worton 18 2337.66x
Over 16 640.00x
Kensington London 14 3.79x
Newbury 14 87.66x
Potterne 14 532.32x
Chesterton 11 84.81x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 11 59.95x
Haddenham 11 277.78x
Somersham 11 343.75x
St Pancras London 11 2.06x
Sutton 11 315.19x
Edington 10 471.70x
Islington London 10 1.55x
Birmingham 9 1.61x
Fen Ditton 9 592.11x
Battersea 8 3.27x
Handsworth 8 45.98x
Poulshot 8 1038.96x
Reading St Giles 8 16.35x
Swindon 8 17.56x
Appleton 7 210.84x
Bethnal Green London 7 2.43x
Boyton 7 1000.00x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 7 5.71x
Downham 7 156.60x
Lambeth 7 1.21x
Peterborough 7 15.47x
St Marylebone London 7 1.97x
Stoke Newington London 7 13.53x
Wentworth 7 1590.91x
Barnsley 6 8.84x
Devizes St Mary 6 101.01x
Nether Hallam 6 6.74x
Seal 6 163.93x
Stoke 6 39.29x
Westbury On Trym 6 13.59x
Wolverhampton 6 3.48x
Bighton 5 961.54x
Bow London 5 5.91x
Chatteris 5 46.55x
Chute 5 510.20x
Coton 5 675.68x
Dauntsey 5 454.55x
Mile End Old Town London 5 3.54x
Stanton All Sts 5 537.63x
Tonbridge 5 6.12x
Tottenham 5 4.73x
Warnford 5 568.18x
Bromley London 4 2.74x
Dry Drayton 4 470.59x
Great Bedwin 4 95.92x
Sonning 4 72.60x
W Felton 4 163.93x
Alton Priors 3 666.67x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 3 4.89x
Cheshunt 3 18.74x
Devizes St John 3 68.03x
Ramsey 3 28.41x
Trowbridge 3 11.55x
Westbury 3 21.88x
Basford 2 4.85x
Camberwell 2 0.47x
Cheetham 2 3.40x
Cheltenham 2 1.99x
Chesterfield 2 5.13x
Esher 2 44.15x
Frome 2 7.82x
Hammersmith London 2 1.22x
Iver 2 38.61x
Kirkley 2 29.54x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 2 11.86x
Rugeley 2 12.43x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 1.50x
St Ives 2 29.24x
Twickenham 2 7.02x
West Lavington 2 70.92x
Westoe 2 1.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 40
Elizabeth 28
Sarah 24
Emma 16
Ann 13
Emily 13
Jane 13
Alice 10
Annie 9
Hannah 9
Eliza 8
Martha 8
Lydia 7
Ellen 6
Florence 6
Louisa 6
Amelia 5
Fanny 5
Maria 5
Rose 5
Bertha 4
Elizth. 4
Lizzie 4
Susan 4
Ada 3
Amy 3
Catherine 3
Charlotte 3
Constance 3
Harriett 3
Kate 3
Ruth 3
Eleanor 2
Elizbth. 2
Esther 2
Harriet 2
Jemima 2
Jessie 2
Julia 2
Lilian 2
Margaret 2
May 2
Naomi 2
Sophia 2
Candace 1
Caroline 1
Carrie 1
Ethel 1
Evelyn 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 41
George 28
John 28
Charles 15
Thomas 13
James 12
Walter 12
Henry 11
Edward 9
Arthur 8
Frederick 8
Harry 8
Albert 7
Richard 7
Robert 7
Alfred 6
Benjamin 5
Frank 5
Herbert 5
Joseph 5
Jonas 4
Edwin 3
Fred 3
Jesse 3
Mark 3
Oliver 3
Stephen 3
Aaron 2
Abraham 2
David 2
Elijah 2
Elisha 2
Francis 2
Norman 2
Parkerson 2
Philip 2
Samuel 2
Theodore 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Butcher 1
Charls 1
Daniel 1
Engel 1
Ernest 1
Ezra 1
Fred. 1
Jethro 1
Job 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Few surname: questions and answers

How common was the Few surname in 1881?

In 1881, 687 people were recorded with the Few surname. That placed it at #5,269 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Few surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 894 in 2016. That gives Few a modern rank of #6,332.

What does the Few surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old French word "feu," meaning "fire," possibly referring to a fiery-tempered person.

What does the Few map show?

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