NameCensus.

UK surname

Formby

An English locational surname originating from a place in Lancashire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 346 people recorded with the Formby surname, ranking it #8,826 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 441, ranked #10,971, down from #8,826 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to North Meols, Liverpool and West Derby. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sefton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Formby is 454 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.5%.

1881 census count

346

Ranked #8,826

Modern count

441

2016, ranked #10,971

Peak year

2002

454 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Formby had 346 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,826 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 441 in 2016, ranked #10,971.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 390 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Formby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Formby surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Formby 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 224 #9,534
1861 historical 261 #9,481
1881 historical 346 #8,826
1891 historical 390 #9,058
1901 historical 340 #10,647
1911 historical 354 #10,192
1997 modern 435 #10,351
1998 modern 430 #10,772
1999 modern 435 #10,754
2000 modern 444 #10,559
2001 modern 428 #10,653
2002 modern 454 #10,367
2003 modern 434 #10,588
2004 modern 438 #10,532
2005 modern 427 #10,633
2006 modern 434 #10,543
2007 modern 428 #10,766
2008 modern 426 #10,911
2009 modern 436 #10,965
2010 modern 450 #10,915
2011 modern 440 #10,977
2012 modern 434 #10,977
2013 modern 435 #11,131
2014 modern 433 #11,262
2015 modern 444 #10,935
2016 modern 441 #10,971

Geography

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Where Formbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around North Meols, Liverpool, West Derby, Sefton and Walton-on-the-Hill. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sefton. 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 North Meols Lancashire
2 Liverpool Lancashire
3 West Derby Lancashire
4 Sefton Lancashire
5 Walton-on-the-Hill Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sefton 013 Sefton
2 Sefton 015 Sefton
3 Sefton 014 Sefton
4 Sefton 010 Sefton
5 Sefton 016 Sefton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Formby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Formby

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Formby surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Formby 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Formby is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Formby 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

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

Meaning and origin of Formby

The surname Formby originates from the small village of Formby in Lancashire, England. The name is derived from the Old Norse words "formal" and "byr," meaning "old" and "village" respectively. It is believed that the name first appeared in the 11th century when the Norman conquerors settled in the area.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Formby can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled as "Formebi." This document was commissioned by William the Conqueror to record the land holdings and resources of England.

During the Middle Ages, the Formby family held land and property in the village of Formby. They were influential in the local community and played a role in the development of the area. In the 13th century, a member of the Formby family, John de Formby, was recorded as holding a manor in the village.

Over the centuries, variations in the spelling of the name emerged, such as Formbie, Formbee, and Formbey. These variations were likely due to the way the name was pronounced and recorded by scribes.

One of the most notable individuals with the surname Formby was George Formby (1904-1986), a famous English comedian, actor, and singer. He was particularly known for his cheeky humor and his performances with a banjo and ukulele. His popularity peaked in the 1930s and 1940s.

Another prominent figure with the Formby surname was Thomas Formby (1789-1835), an English clergyman and botanist. He was the author of several works on plant life and served as the vicar of St. Mary's Church in Formby.

In the 19th century, John Formby (1823-1910) was a notable English architect who designed numerous buildings in Liverpool and the surrounding area. His works included churches, schools, and private residences.

A more recent individual with the Formby surname was Eleanor Formby (1920-2016), an English actress who appeared in various television shows and films throughout the 20th century. She was known for her roles in classic British comedies.

Another noteworthy figure was Sir Arthur Formby (1875-1964), a British businessman and philanthropist. He made significant contributions to various charitable organizations and received a knighthood for his services to industry and philanthropy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Formby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Formby 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. Lancashire leads with 301 Formbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.56x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 301 7.56x
Cheshire 11 1.49x
Middlesex 7 0.21x
Essex 6 0.91x
Kent 5 0.44x
Monmouthshire 3 1.24x
Somerset 2 0.37x
Sussex 2 0.35x
Dorset 1 0.45x
Durham 1 0.10x
Glamorgan 1 0.17x
Hertfordshire 1 0.43x
Suffolk 1 0.24x
Surrey 1 0.06x
Warwickshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Formby in Lancashire leads with 69 Formbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1529.93x.

Place Total Index
Formby 69 1529.93x
Everton 54 42.55x
Liverpool 35 14.47x
Great Crosby 19 174.95x
Bootle Cum Linacre 16 50.60x
Birkdale 12 119.17x
Altcar 11 1746.03x
Parr 11 77.25x
Aughton 9 228.43x
Toxteth Park 9 6.68x
Kirkdale 8 11.94x
Accrington 7 19.34x
Little Crosby 5 781.25x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 5 58.69x
Windle 5 22.32x
Birkenhead 4 6.77x
Ince Blundell 4 655.74x
Kensington London 4 2.14x
Litherland 4 48.02x
Walton Le Dale 4 37.38x
Eccleston In Prescot 3 15.01x
Frindsbury 3 69.61x
Latchingdon Snoreham 3 476.19x
South Weald 3 52.91x
Blackburn 2 1.89x
Chelsea London 2 1.98x
Monmouth 2 31.10x
Shorne 2 198.02x
Walcot 2 6.95x
Wavertree 2 15.70x
Alston 1 54.05x
Barrow In Furness 1 1.85x
Battersea 1 0.81x
Bickerstaffe 1 38.31x
Birmingham 1 0.35x
Bradford 1 5.36x
Bramhall 1 32.57x
Brighton 1 0.88x
Briton Ferry 1 14.35x
Dawdon 1 8.14x
Felixstow 1 100.00x
Great Amwell 1 43.10x
Haslingden 1 6.06x
Little Woolton 1 86.96x
Lower Bebington 1 22.73x
Manchester 1 0.56x
North Meols 1 2.57x
Orell Ford 1 136.99x
Portskewett 1 178.57x
Radipole 1 65.79x
St George Bloomsbury 1 5.19x
Stretford 1 4.56x
West Derby 1 0.86x
Withington 1 7.79x
Withyam 1 41.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 31
Elizabeth 20
Margaret 18
Jane 13
Alice 11
Ann 9
Sarah 8
Anne 7
Ellen 7
Isabella 5
Agnes 4
Annie 4
Catherine 3
Emily 3
Ada 2
Caroline 2
Edith 2
Emma 2
Harriet 2
Martha 2
Rebecca 2
Alic 1
Anna 1
Beatrice 1
Betsey 1
Christina 1
Elenor 1
Elizth. 1
Emmeline 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Helen 1
Heneretta 1
Katherine 1
Lizzie 1
Madeleine 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Marjery 1
Maud 1
Phebe 1
Susan 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 26
Thomas 17
Robert 16
William 16
Joseph 15
Richard 15
James 13
Henry 8
Edward 6
George 6
Lawrence 4
Charles 3
Donald 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Elizabeth 1
Geoffrey 1
Infant 1
Jonathan 1
Laurance 1
Louis 1
Mathew 1
Matthias 1
Miles 1
Phillip 1
R. 1
Raph 1
Richd. 1

FAQ

Formby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Formby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 346 people were recorded with the Formby surname. That placed it at #8,826 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Formby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 441 in 2016. That gives Formby a modern rank of #10,971.

What does the Formby surname mean?

An English locational surname originating from a place in Lancashire, England.

What does the Formby map show?

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