NameCensus.

UK surname

Govey

In the 1881 census there were 142 people recorded with the Govey surname, ranking it #16,012 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 164, ranked #22,314, down from #16,012 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Heston, Cheshunt St Mary and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Camden, Wellingborough and Chelmsford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Govey is 221 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.5%.

1881 census count

142

Ranked #16,012

Modern count

164

2016, ranked #22,314

Peak year

1911

221 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Govey had 142 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,012 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 164 in 2016, ranked #22,314.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 221 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Govey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Govey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Govey 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 100 #17,164
1861 historical 134 #16,754
1881 historical 142 #16,012
1891 historical 142 #18,995
1901 historical 166 #17,011
1911 historical 221 #14,044
1997 modern 184 #18,580
1998 modern 176 #19,584
1999 modern 178 #19,592
2000 modern 178 #19,570
2001 modern 172 #19,696
2002 modern 171 #20,177
2003 modern 163 #20,554
2004 modern 169 #20,206
2005 modern 165 #20,468
2006 modern 161 #20,972
2007 modern 165 #20,893
2008 modern 167 #20,901
2009 modern 169 #21,190
2010 modern 173 #21,327
2011 modern 180 #20,649
2012 modern 179 #20,679
2013 modern 176 #21,237
2014 modern 174 #21,561
2015 modern 165 #22,241
2016 modern 164 #22,314

Geography

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Where Goveys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Heston, Cheshunt St Mary, London parishes, St Pancras and St Leonard Bromley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Camden, Wellingborough, Chelmsford, Stevenage and Dover. 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 Cheshunt St Mary Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 London parishes London 1
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 St Leonard Bromley London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Camden 007 Camden
2 Wellingborough 005 Wellingborough
3 Chelmsford 019 Chelmsford
4 Stevenage 010 Stevenage
5 Dover 010 Dover

Forenames

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First names often paired with Govey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Govey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Govey, 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 Govey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Govey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Govey is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

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Group profile

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Govey is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Govey falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Govey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Govey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Govey 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 101 Goveys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.29x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 101 7.29x
Surrey 12 1.78x
Essex 6 2.19x
Gloucestershire 5 1.84x
Hertfordshire 4 4.19x
Sussex 4 1.71x
Lancashire 3 0.18x
Leicestershire 2 1.30x
Warwickshire 2 0.57x
Buckinghamshire 1 1.19x
Kent 1 0.21x
Suffolk 1 0.59x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 28 Goveys recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.86x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 28 20.86x
Bethnal Green London 15 24.93x
Hackney London 14 18.03x
Hammersmith London 10 29.31x
Battersea 9 17.66x
Kensington London 8 10.39x
Bromley London 7 22.97x
West Ham 6 9.94x
Clerkenwell London 5 15.30x
St Pancras London 5 4.48x
Cheshunt 4 119.76x
Clifton 4 29.13x
Hove 4 39.02x
Camberwell 2 2.26x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 7.66x
Leicester St Margaret 2 5.34x
Limehouse London 2 13.16x
St Martin In Fields 2 24.13x
Tottenham 2 9.07x
Admington 1 1428.57x
Carnforth 1 111.11x
Chevington 1 384.62x
Edgbaston 1 9.23x
Lambeth 1 0.83x
Paddington London 1 1.96x
Ramsgate 1 12.97x
Rugby 1 21.14x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 16.67x
St George Hanover Square 1 4.10x
Stoke Poges 1 98.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 8
Mary 8
Sarah 6
Eliza 3
Sophia 3
Clara 2
Ellen 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Josephine 2
Kate 2
Lizzie 2
Maria 2
May 2
A. 1
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
E. 1
Edith 1
Elizbth. 1
Emily 1
Evaline 1
Evelyn 1
Georgina 1
James 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Leydia 1
Lilian 1
Louisa 1
Mabel 1
Marie 1
Martha 1
Maryanne 1
Matilda 1
Milicent 1
Rose 1
S.A. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 11
William 9
George 6
Robert 4
Edward 3
Frederick 3
G. 3
John 3
Joseph 3
Alfred 2
Beckford 2
Benjamin 2
Hiram 2
Arthur 1
Cecil 1
Charles 1
Col 1
Edwin 1
F. 1
Henry 1
J. 1
Raymond 1
Richard 1
Thomas 1
Tom 1
Will 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Govey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Govey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 142 people were recorded with the Govey surname. That placed it at #16,012 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Govey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 164 in 2016. That gives Govey a modern rank of #22,314.

What does the Govey map show?

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