NameCensus.

UK surname

Filby

An occupational surname meaning "free farmer" or "farmer without rent".

In the 1881 census there were 657 people recorded with the Filby surname, ranking it #5,456 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 933, ranked #6,126, down from #5,456 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Downham Market, Stow Bardolph, Wimbotsham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Norfolk, Mid Suffolk and Ipswich.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Filby is 1,112 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.0%.

1881 census count

657

Ranked #5,456

Modern count

933

2016, ranked #6,126

Peak year

2002

1,112 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Filby had 657 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,456 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 933 in 2016, ranked #6,126.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 871 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Filby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Filby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Filby 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 409 #5,929
1861 historical 387 #6,620
1881 historical 657 #5,456
1891 historical 662 #5,873
1901 historical 808 #5,583
1911 historical 871 #5,105
1997 modern 1,067 #5,207
1998 modern 1,088 #5,307
1999 modern 1,086 #5,342
2000 modern 1,094 #5,289
2001 modern 1,087 #5,220
2002 modern 1,112 #5,231
2003 modern 1,054 #5,363
2004 modern 1,045 #5,416
2005 modern 1,031 #5,411
2006 modern 998 #5,576
2007 modern 973 #5,735
2008 modern 986 #5,715
2009 modern 998 #5,773
2010 modern 999 #5,889
2011 modern 969 #5,965
2012 modern 944 #6,013
2013 modern 958 #6,031
2014 modern 961 #6,073
2015 modern 940 #6,123
2016 modern 933 #6,126

Geography

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Where Filbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Downham Market, Stow Bardolph, Wimbotsham and Beckenham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Norfolk, Mid Suffolk, Ipswich and Horsham. 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 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Downham Market, Stow Bardolph, Wimbotsham Norfolk
5 Beckenham Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Norfolk 005 North Norfolk
2 North Norfolk 006 North Norfolk
3 Mid Suffolk 008 Mid Suffolk
4 Ipswich 010 Ipswich
5 Horsham 005 Horsham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Filby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Filby

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Filby 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

Filby is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Filby

The surname Filby originated in England, with records dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "fil" meaning "deep" and "by" meaning "farm" or "settlement," suggesting that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a deep area or body of water.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Filby can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where a person named Willelmus de Fileby is mentioned. This spelling variation indicates that the name was likely associated with a place called Fileby or Filby in Lincolnshire.

In the 13th century, the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were a survey of landowners in England. A person named Roger de Fileby is listed as holding lands in Nottinghamshire.

The Filby surname can also be traced to the village of Filby in Norfolk, which is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Filebei." This suggests that the name may have originated as a locational surname, referring to people who came from or lived in the village of Filby.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Filby. One example is William Filby (c. 1555-1636), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Sternfield in Suffolk.

Another notable figure was John Filby (1719-1794), a British naval officer who served during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. He was commended for his actions in the Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759.

In the 19th century, George Filby (1822-1894) was a prominent English farmer and landowner in Lincolnshire. He was known for his innovative agricultural practices and served as a local magistrate.

Reverend Henry Filby (1842-1922) was an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Bredfield in Suffolk. He wrote several books on religious and historical topics.

More recently, Peter Filby (1926-2008) was a British historian and author who specialized in the study of British family names and their origins. His work contributed significantly to the understanding of surname etymology and distribution.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Filby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Filby 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 141 Filbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.22x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 141 2.22x
Norfolk 137 14.03x
Surrey 76 2.46x
Suffolk 69 8.92x
Essex 68 5.42x
Kent 41 1.89x
Yorkshire 30 0.48x
Cambridgeshire 17 4.23x
Durham 14 0.74x
Buckinghamshire 9 2.34x
Glamorgan 8 0.72x
Warwickshire 8 0.50x
Wiltshire 6 1.07x
Berkshire 5 1.05x
Lancashire 5 0.07x
Devon 3 0.23x
Sussex 3 0.28x
Angus 2 0.34x
Gloucestershire 2 0.16x
Lincolnshire 2 0.20x
Anglesey 1 0.89x
Hertfordshire 1 0.23x
Leicestershire 1 0.14x
Midlothian 1 0.12x
Staffordshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 41 Filbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.02x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 41 8.02x
Camberwell 19 4.68x
Lambeth 19 3.43x
Purleigh 18 962.57x
Islington London 17 2.76x
Hackney London 16 4.49x
Clifton In Halifax 15 398.94x
Bromley 14 42.40x
Stranton 13 20.44x
Battersea 11 4.71x
East Harling 11 474.14x
Rotherhithe 11 14.02x
Hardingham 10 884.96x
Ipswich St Peter 10 96.06x
Latchingdon Snoreham 10 840.34x
Lewisham 10 8.66x
Stoke Newington London 10 20.22x
Wingfield 10 990.10x
Exning 9 230.77x
Methwold 9 284.81x
Aston 8 1.81x
Croydon 8 4.66x
Heigham 8 15.26x
Ipswich St Helen 8 87.24x
Market Weston 8 1250.00x
Southburgh 8 1142.86x
Stow Bardolph 8 275.86x
Swansea Town 8 8.83x
Wimbotsham 8 645.16x
Chelmsford 7 32.54x
Horstead With Stanninghall 7 569.11x
St Clement Danes London 7 53.27x
West Ham 7 2.53x
Chelsea London 6 3.14x
Downham Market 6 89.42x
Finningham 6 659.34x
Fisherton Anger 6 57.75x
Heybridge 6 164.38x
Kentford 6 1395.35x
Letheringsett 6 967.74x
Maldon St Peter 6 93.90x
Runhall 6 1428.57x
St Andrewthe Less 6 13.06x
Westminster St John 6 7.76x
Charlton Next Woolwich 5 22.12x
Hambleden 5 152.44x
Mile End New Town London 5 39.84x
Norwich St Swithin 5 295.86x
Palgrave 5 306.75x
Rochester St Margaret 5 21.88x
South Weald 5 46.55x
St Giles Cambridge 5 96.15x
Earsham 4 300.75x
Holy Trinity 4 2.64x
Kensington London 4 1.13x
Little Ellingham 4 579.71x
Mountnessing 4 210.53x
Norwood 4 27.55x
Skelton In Guisbrough 4 23.50x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 3.13x
St Marylebone London 4 1.18x
Beverley St Mary 3 32.64x
Canterbury St Mary 3 20.63x
Gorleston 3 15.27x
Great Yarmouth 3 3.71x
Hammersmith London 3 1.92x
Norwich St Paul 3 51.28x
Oldham 3 1.23x
Thetford St Mary 3 112.78x
Upwell 3 65.93x
Wereham 3 223.88x
Wisbech St Peter 3 14.87x
Coupar Angus 2 35.91x
Crowland 2 31.40x
East Bedfont 2 63.49x
Greenwich 2 1.98x
Hepworth 2 173.91x
Ingatestone 2 99.50x
Lakenham 2 14.42x
Lyng 2 181.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 44
George 29
John 25
James 22
Edward 20
Henry 16
Thomas 14
Charles 12
Alfred 11
Frederick 11
Albert 10
Walter 10
Robert 8
Harry 7
Herbert 7
Joseph 7
Arthur 6
Richard 6
Bertie 3
Edmund 3
Ernest 3
Boswell 2
David 2
Frank 2
Fredrick 2
Isaac 2
Jacob 2
Chas. 1
Christmas 1
Cornelious 1
Daniel 1
Ebenezer 1
Edwd. 1
Elmer 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.G. 1
J.A. 1
Jam 1
Jeremiah 1
Jno. 1
Johnathan 1
Lee 1
Osborne 1
Oswald 1
Reuben 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
Ted 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Filby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Filby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 657 people were recorded with the Filby surname. That placed it at #5,456 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Filby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 933 in 2016. That gives Filby a modern rank of #6,126.

What does the Filby surname mean?

An occupational surname meaning "free farmer" or "farmer without rent".

What does the Filby map show?

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