NameCensus.

UK surname

Filbey

An English locational surname originating from a place in Norfolk, possibly referring to someone from Philby.

In the 1881 census there were 102 people recorded with the Filbey surname, ranking it #19,518 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 100, ranked #31,123, down from #19,518 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Heston, Hillingdon (Hillingdon), Ickenham, Cowley and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Bournemouth and Hounslow.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Filbey is 142 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.0%.

1881 census count

102

Ranked #19,518

Modern count

100

2016, ranked #31,123

Peak year

1901

142 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Filbey had 102 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,518 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 100 in 2016, ranked #31,123.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 142 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Filbey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Filbey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Filbey 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 32 #27,570
1861 historical 63 #25,901
1881 historical 102 #19,518
1891 historical 81 #26,632
1901 historical 142 #18,633
1911 historical 136 #18,962
1997 modern 120 #24,158
1998 modern 112 #25,856
1999 modern 114 #25,766
2000 modern 110 #26,248
2001 modern 105 #26,620
2002 modern 115 #25,749
2003 modern 104 #27,101
2004 modern 103 #27,503
2005 modern 98 #28,325
2006 modern 100 #28,283
2007 modern 105 #27,868
2008 modern 102 #28,664
2009 modern 105 #28,815
2010 modern 108 #28,996
2011 modern 107 #28,979
2012 modern 102 #29,902
2013 modern 104 #30,076
2014 modern 104 #30,365
2015 modern 100 #31,005
2016 modern 100 #31,123

Geography

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Where Filbeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Heston, Hillingdon (Hillingdon), Ickenham, Cowley, London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and Isleworth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Bournemouth, Hounslow and Wycombe. 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 Heston Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 Hillingdon (Hillingdon), Ickenham, Cowley Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 London parishes London 1
4 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
5 Isleworth Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 048 Cornwall
2 Bournemouth 013 Bournemouth
3 Hounslow 015 Hounslow
4 Wycombe 007 Wycombe
5 Cornwall 012 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Filbey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Filbey

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Filbey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Filbey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Filbey 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

Filbey 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

Filbey falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Filbey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Filbey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Filbey

The surname Filbey is believed to have originated in England, deriving from the Old English words "fill" and "bai," which together could have meant "one who lives near a muddy or swampy area." This name likely originated during the Anglo-Saxon period in England, which lasted from the 5th to the 11th centuries.

There are records of the name Filbey appearing in various parts of England, particularly in counties such as Norfolk, Suffolk, and Lincolnshire. The name may have been associated with specific settlements or geographical features in these areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Filbey can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which were administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I. This suggests that the name was already established in England by the 13th century.

In the 16th century, there are records of a John Filbey who lived in the village of Hingham, Norfolk. He was born around 1540 and was a landowner and farmer in the area.

During the 17th century, a notable figure with the surname Filbey was William Filbey, who was born in Ipswich, Suffolk, in 1612. He was a merchant and trader involved in the wool and textile trade between England and the Netherlands.

Another prominent individual with the Filbey surname was Thomas Filbey, born in 1756 in Lincolnshire. He was a renowned horticulturist and botanist who contributed to the development of several new plant varieties and wrote extensively on gardening and agriculture.

In the 19th century, a notable bearer of the name was Robert Filbey, born in 1824 in Norfolk. He was a civil engineer and played a significant role in the construction of several railway lines in England during the Industrial Revolution.

Lastly, one of the more recent historical figures with the Filbey surname was Edith Filbey, born in 1884 in Suffolk. She was a prominent educator and women's rights activist, advocating for equal educational opportunities for girls and women in the early 20th century.

While the surname Filbey is not among the most common in England, it has a long and rich history, with bearers of the name contributing to various fields throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Filbey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Filbey 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. Middlesex leads with 50 Filbeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.03x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 50 5.03x
Essex 11 5.60x
Norfolk 11 7.19x
Hertfordshire 8 11.67x
Surrey 8 1.65x
Lancashire 4 0.34x
Yorkshire 4 0.41x
Buckinghamshire 3 4.99x
Cambridgeshire 1 1.59x
Cumberland 1 1.17x
Glamorgan 1 0.58x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishop Stortford in Hertfordshire leads with 8 Filbeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 349.35x.

Place Total Index
Bishop Stortford 8 349.35x
Lambeth 8 9.22x
Great Yarmouth 7 55.25x
Isleworth 7 158.37x
Shoreditch London 7 16.23x
New Brentford 6 1153.85x
Prittlewell 6 220.59x
Hornsey 5 39.75x
Tottenham 5 31.57x
Elton 4 98.04x
Uxbridge 4 350.88x
Greenford 3 1666.67x
Hillingdon 3 94.64x
Huddersfield 3 20.89x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 3 65.36x
St Pancras London 3 3.75x
West Ham 3 6.92x
Hammersmith London 2 8.16x
Heston 2 60.61x
Shenfield 2 392.16x
St George Martyr London 2 99.50x
Wendover 2 307.69x
Caldewgate 1 21.32x
Downham Market 1 95.24x
Escrick 1 500.00x
Fen Ditton 1 434.78x
Great Missenden 1 135.14x
Llangyfelach 1 153.85x
Norwood 1 44.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Ann 4
Elizabeth 4
Ellen 3
Emily 3
Emma 3
Jane 3
Maria 3
Beatrice 2
Betsy 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Ade 1
Agnes 1
Alen 1
Alice 1
Clara 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Emilia 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Kate 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Maude 1
Rosa 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Filbey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Filbey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 102 people were recorded with the Filbey surname. That placed it at #19,518 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Filbey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 100 in 2016. That gives Filbey a modern rank of #31,123.

What does the Filbey surname mean?

An English locational surname originating from a place in Norfolk, possibly referring to someone from Philby.

What does the Filbey map show?

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