UK surname
A surname derived from a placename referring to a person from a location with many foxes.
In the 1881 census there were 81 people recorded with the Foxworthy surname, ranking it #22,082 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 89, ranked #32,297, down from #22,082 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Paignton, Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin and Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Foxworthy is 115 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.9%.
1881 census count
81
Ranked #22,082
Modern count
89
2016, ranked #32,297
Peak year
1901
115 bearers
Map years
3
1891 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Foxworthy surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Foxworthy surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 39 | #26,319 |
| 1861 | historical | 63 | #25,901 |
| 1881 | historical | 81 | #22,082 |
| 1891 | historical | 112 | #22,291 |
| 1901 | historical | 115 | #21,050 |
| 1911 | historical | 111 | #21,392 |
| 1997 | modern | 76 | #29,997 |
| 1998 | modern | 79 | #30,080 |
| 1999 | modern | 81 | #30,037 |
| 2000 | modern | 82 | #29,922 |
| 2001 | modern | 81 | #29,828 |
| 2002 | modern | 77 | #30,709 |
| 2003 | modern | 72 | #31,281 |
| 2004 | modern | 77 | #31,024 |
| 2005 | modern | 77 | #31,156 |
| 2006 | modern | 82 | #30,933 |
| 2007 | modern | 82 | #31,295 |
| 2008 | modern | 83 | #31,483 |
| 2009 | modern | 88 | #31,352 |
| 2010 | modern | 90 | #31,621 |
| 2011 | modern | 94 | #31,016 |
| 2012 | modern | 96 | #30,949 |
| 2013 | modern | 95 | #31,523 |
| 2014 | modern | 93 | #32,025 |
| 2015 | modern | 89 | #32,325 |
| 2016 | modern | 89 | #32,297 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Paignton, Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Tormoham with Torquay and Allington, East. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paignton | Devon |
| 2 | Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin | Devon |
| 3 | Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff | Gloucestershire |
| 4 | Tormoham with Torquay | Devon |
| 5 | Allington, East | Devon |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Foxworthy surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Foxworthy, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Foxworthy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Foxworthy household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Foxworthy is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Foxworthy is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Foxworthy, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Foxworthy is an English name with origins dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational surname derived from an Old English place name, with the first part "fox" referring to the animal and the second part "worth" meaning an enclosure or homestead. This suggests the name may have originated from a place where foxes were common or where a homestead was located near a fox den.
The earliest recorded instances of the Foxworthy name can be found in various historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. One of the earliest examples is found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, which mentions a John de Foxworth. In the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327, a Thomas Foxworth is listed.
The Foxworthy name also appears in the Feet of Fines for Essex from 1390, which record a land transaction involving a John Foxworthy. These early records indicate the name was initially concentrated in the southeastern regions of England.
Variations in the spelling of the name can be found in historical documents, including Foxworth, Foxwurth, and Foxeworth. Some of these variations may have been influenced by local dialects or scribal errors in recording the name.
One notable individual bearing the Foxworthy name was Sir John Foxworthy, who lived in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. He served as a Member of Parliament for Middlesex in 1497 and was knighted by King Henry VII. Another prominent figure was Robert Foxworthy, a wealthy merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire during the 17th century.
In the 18th century, Edward Foxworthy (1736-1810) was a successful businessman and philanthropist from Bristol, known for his charitable contributions to various causes. Thomas Foxworthy (1786-1864) was a notable clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Nottingham in the Church of England.
One of the earliest known emigrants to the American colonies was William Foxworthy, who arrived in Virginia from England in the mid-17th century. His descendants eventually settled in various parts of the United States, contributing to the spread of the Foxworthy name across the country.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Foxworthy surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Devon leads with 66 Foxworthys recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.14x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Paignton in Devon leads with 15 Foxworthys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1200.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Paignton | 15 | 1200.00x |
| Dartmouth St Saviour | 8 | 1702.13x |
| Slapton | 7 | 4117.65x |
| East Allington | 6 | 4285.71x |
| Plymouth Charles The | 6 | 82.87x |
| Tormoham | 6 | 86.21x |
| Blackawton | 5 | 1724.14x |
| Brixham | 5 | 261.78x |
| Plymouth St Andrew | 5 | 39.46x |
| Tranmere | 5 | 78.00x |
| Brighton | 2 | 7.44x |
| Broadwater | 2 | 65.57x |
| Dartmouth Townstall | 2 | 298.51x |
| Islington London | 2 | 2.61x |
| Wanstead | 2 | 73.26x |
| Ealing | 1 | 14.16x |
| Halwell | 1 | 555.56x |
| Madron Penzance | 1 | 30.77x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Foxworthy surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Foxworthy surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Foxworthy households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 19 |
| Carpenter | 5 |
| Dressmaker | 5 |
| General Labourer | 4 |
| Laundress | 2 |
| Mason | 2 |
| Pupil Teacher (Schl) | 2 |
| Tailor | 2 |
| Brush & Bellows Maker | 1 |
| Cook (D S) | 1 |
| Domestic Servant | 1 |
| Drapers Apprentice | 1 |
| Errand Boy | 1 |
| Farmer Servant (Indoor) | 1 |
| General Servant | 1 |
| Greenwich Pensioner (Army) | 1 |
| House Joiner | 1 |
| Housemaid | 1 |
| Managers Assistant | 1 |
| Mason Wife | 1 |
| Millers Servant (Indoor) | 1 |
| Painter | 1 |
| Plumber | 1 |
| Seamen | 1 |
| Serv (Indoor) | 1 |
| Servant (Domestic) | 1 |
| Stone Mason | 1 |
| Taylor Employing 2 Men & 1 Boy | 1 |
| Wheelwright | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 81 people were recorded with the Foxworthy surname. That placed it at #22,082 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 89 in 2016. That gives Foxworthy a modern rank of #32,297.
A surname derived from a placename referring to a person from a location with many foxes.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Foxworthy bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.