NameCensus.

UK surname

Fewkes

From an English surname referring to a small village or area.

In the 1881 census there were 247 people recorded with the Fewkes surname, ranking it #11,173 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 333, ranked #13,670, down from #11,173 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Basford, Barrow-on-Soar and Ibstock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Nottingham, Broxtowe and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fewkes is 361 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.8%.

1881 census count

247

Ranked #11,173

Modern count

333

2016, ranked #13,670

Peak year

1998

361 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fewkes had 247 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,173 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 333 in 2016, ranked #13,670.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 355 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Fewkes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fewkes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fewkes 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 201 #10,364
1861 historical 148 #15,452
1881 historical 247 #11,173
1891 historical 293 #11,319
1901 historical 321 #11,118
1911 historical 355 #10,172
1997 modern 351 #12,145
1998 modern 361 #12,280
1999 modern 349 #12,638
2000 modern 339 #12,857
2001 modern 350 #12,375
2002 modern 356 #12,449
2003 modern 347 #12,479
2004 modern 327 #13,094
2005 modern 332 #12,881
2006 modern 334 #12,912
2007 modern 334 #13,036
2008 modern 330 #13,257
2009 modern 335 #13,381
2010 modern 349 #13,280
2011 modern 341 #13,341
2012 modern 336 #13,376
2013 modern 338 #13,508
2014 modern 334 #13,749
2015 modern 335 #13,622
2016 modern 333 #13,670

Geography

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Where Fewkes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Basford, Barrow-on-Soar, Ibstock, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Loughborough. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Nottingham, Broxtowe and Sheffield. 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 Basford Nottinghamshire
2 Barrow-on-Soar Leicestershire
3 Ibstock Leicestershire
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 Loughborough Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Nottingham 014 Nottingham
2 Nottingham 008 Nottingham
3 Nottingham 001 Nottingham
4 Broxtowe 016 Broxtowe
5 Sheffield 075 Sheffield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fewkes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fewkes

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Fewkes 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

Fewkes 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

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

Meaning and origin of Fewkes

The surname FEWKES is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval era. It is believed to be a locational name derived from a place in Yorkshire, specifically the township of Fewston near Harrogate. The name Fewston itself is thought to have originated from the Old English words "fefre" meaning fever, and "tun" meaning a farm or settlement. This suggests that the name may have referred to a settlement where fever or illness was prevalent.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name FEWKES can be found in the Yorkshire Feet of Fines for the year 1347, which mentions a William de Fewston. This document provides evidence of the name's existence during the 14th century and its connection to the Yorkshire region.

In the 16th century, the FEWKES surname appears in the Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire in 1547, where a John Fewkes is listed as a taxpayer. This record showcases the name's continued presence in the region and its evolution from the earlier "de Fewston" form.

Notable individuals bearing the FEWKES surname include Jesse Walter Fewkes (1850-1930), an American anthropologist and archaeologist known for his work on the Pueblo cultures of the American Southwest. He conducted extensive research on the Hopi and Zuni tribes and was a pioneer in the field of ethnology.

Another prominent figure was John Fewkes (1805-1886), a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal College of Chemistry (now part of Imperial College London) and the Woolwich Dock Offices.

In the realm of literature, Reverend John Fewkes (1780-1854) was an English clergyman and author who wrote several works on religious subjects, including "The Doctrines of the Church of England" and "The Churchman's Manual."

Moving back in time, the FEWKES name is mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1301, where a Robert de Fewston is recorded as a taxpayer. This early reference further solidifies the name's Yorkshire origins and its longstanding presence in the region.

While the FEWKES surname may not have gained widespread fame or prominence throughout history, its longevity and traceable roots to medieval England make it a fascinating example of how locational surnames can provide insights into the lives and settlements of our ancestors.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fewkes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fewkes 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. Leicestershire leads with 98 Fewkes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.69x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 98 36.69x
Nottinghamshire 70 21.56x
Middlesex 27 1.12x
Derbyshire 26 6.89x
Warwickshire 7 1.15x
Yorkshire 6 0.25x
Surrey 4 0.34x
Somerset 3 0.77x
Lincolnshire 2 0.52x
Berkshire 1 0.55x
Durham 1 0.14x
Staffordshire 1 0.12x
Sussex 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Mary in Leicestershire leads with 22 Fewkes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 101.95x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Mary 22 101.95x
Nottingham St Mary 20 23.81x
Basford 19 126.92x
Whitwick 15 441.18x
Leicester St Margaret 13 19.96x
Swannington 13 1313.13x
Quorndon 12 800.00x
Beighton 10 584.80x
Islington London 10 4.28x
Greasley 9 122.78x
Kirkby In Ashfield 7 201.73x
Aston 6 3.59x
Fulham London 6 17.17x
Great Glenn 6 845.07x
Horsley 6 264.32x
Radford 6 36.36x
Bakewell 5 242.72x
Chiswick 5 37.99x
Cole Orton 4 816.33x
Huncote 4 1052.63x
Lambeth 4 1.90x
Linton 4 404.04x
Loughborough 4 33.00x
Radford Lenton 3 370.37x
Taunton St Mary 3 42.13x
Westminster St John 3 10.22x
Beckingham 2 689.66x
Carlton 2 53.91x
Nether Hallam 2 6.19x
Norwood 2 36.30x
Thringstone 2 196.08x
York St Giles In 2 88.89x
Beeston 1 26.81x
Birmingham 1 0.49x
Darlington 1 3.61x
Hawton 1 416.67x
Hucknall Torkard 1 12.15x
Humberstone 1 45.66x
Leicester St Leonard 1 39.53x
Newark Upon Trent 1 8.57x
Ockbrook 1 62.50x
Peasmarsh 1 144.93x
Reading St Mary 1 6.90x
Southcoates 1 7.55x
St Pancras London 1 0.52x
Thurmaston 1 212.77x
Wednesbury 1 4.92x
York St Cuthbert 1 45.66x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 18
John 16
George 8
Thomas 7
Henry 6
Charles 5
Alfred 4
Arthur 3
Edwin 3
James 3
Walter 3
Benjamin 2
Edward 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Herbert 2
Jas. 2
Joseph 2
Samuel 2
Benj. 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edwd. 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Frederick 1
Gideon 1
Harry 1
J.G. 1
Josh. 1
Leonard 1
Matthew 1
Paul 1
Percival 1
Percy 1
Robert 1
Robt.W. 1
Sampson 1
Timothy 1
Wallace 1
Willam 1
Willis 1
Willm. 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Fewkes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fewkes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 247 people were recorded with the Fewkes surname. That placed it at #11,173 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fewkes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 333 in 2016. That gives Fewkes a modern rank of #13,670.

What does the Fewkes surname mean?

From an English surname referring to a small village or area.

What does the Fewkes map show?

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