NameCensus.

UK surname

Humphrey

From the Old English words for "peaceful" and "power," likely referring to a gentle ruler or peaceful warrior.

In the 1881 census there were 7,968 people recorded with the Humphrey surname, ranking it #522 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 9,230, ranked #707, down from #522 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Tunbridge, Bidborough and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chichester, Wycombe and Tunbridge Wells.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Humphrey is 10,075 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.8%.

1881 census count

7,968

Ranked #522

Modern count

9,230

2016, ranked #707

Peak year

1911

10,075 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Humphrey had 7,968 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #522 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 9,230 in 2016, ranked #707.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 10,075 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Humphrey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Humphrey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Humphrey 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 5,389 #511
1861 historical 5,688 #481
1881 historical 7,968 #522
1891 historical 8,597 #510
1901 historical 9,013 #585
1911 historical 10,075 #487
1997 modern 9,662 #644
1998 modern 9,939 #652
1999 modern 10,000 #654
2000 modern 9,846 #660
2001 modern 9,624 #661
2002 modern 9,825 #665
2003 modern 9,542 #670
2004 modern 9,552 #664
2005 modern 9,291 #675
2006 modern 9,215 #678
2007 modern 9,243 #686
2008 modern 9,275 #688
2009 modern 9,535 #686
2010 modern 9,677 #689
2011 modern 9,573 #688
2012 modern 9,359 #689
2013 modern 9,549 #687
2014 modern 9,532 #690
2015 modern 9,375 #695
2016 modern 9,230 #707

Geography

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Where Humphreys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Tunbridge, Bidborough, St Pancras and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chichester, Wycombe, Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge and Malling. 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 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chichester 006 Chichester
2 Wycombe 006 Wycombe
3 Tunbridge Wells 001 Tunbridge Wells
4 Tunbridge Wells 004 Tunbridge Wells
5 Tonbridge and Malling 013 Tonbridge and Malling

Forenames

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First names often paired with Humphrey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Humphrey

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Humphrey is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Humphrey 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

Humphrey falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Humphrey 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 Humphrey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Humphrey

The surname HUMPHREY has its origins in medieval England, derived from the Germanic personal name Hunfrid, meaning "peace" and "peace voyage." It emerged as a distinct surname during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century.

The earliest known record of the HUMPHREY surname dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, which documented landowners in England after the Norman Conquest. It appears as "Humfridus" and "Hunfridus" in various entries, indicating the name's widespread use at the time.

In the 12th century, the name HUMPHREY gained prominence when Humphrey de Bohun (c. 1145-1181) served as a prominent nobleman and military leader during the reign of King Henry II. He was granted extensive lands and held the position of Lord High Constable of England.

Another notable figure was Humphrey de Bassingbourne (c. 1268-1344), an English landowner and military commander who fought in the Wars of Scottish Independence under King Edward I. He was granted estates in Cambridgeshire and held important administrative roles.

During the 14th century, Humphrey de Bohun (c. 1342-1373), the 7th Earl of Hereford, Essex, and Northampton, played a significant role in the Hundred Years' War against France. He was a renowned military leader and fought alongside the Black Prince at the Battle of Crécy in 1346.

The surname HUMPHREY also gained literary significance with the works of Humphrey Llwyd (c. 1527-1568), a Welsh poet, cartographer, and antiquarian. He wrote extensively about Welsh history, traditions, and folklore, contributing to the preservation of Welsh culture.

In the 17th century, Sir Humphrey Gilbert (c. 1539-1583) was an English explorer and navigator who led several expeditions to establish English colonies in North America. He was granted a royal patent by Queen Elizabeth I and is remembered for his failed attempt to establish a settlement in Newfoundland.

The HUMPHREY surname has been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Humphrey Head in Cumbria and Humphrey Farm in Oxfordshire, reflecting the family's historical presence and influence in different regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Humphrey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Humphrey 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 1,038 Humphreys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.33x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1,038 1.33x
Kent 868 3.27x
Surrey 818 2.16x
Sussex 789 6.01x
Yorkshire 598 0.78x
Norfolk 320 2.67x
Essex 316 2.06x
Lancashire 304 0.33x
Durham 302 1.30x
Northamptonshire 255 3.48x
Hertfordshire 171 3.19x
Glamorgan 160 1.18x
Buckinghamshire 118 2.51x
Suffolk 117 1.23x
Hampshire 116 0.73x
Lincolnshire 115 0.92x
Northumberland 110 0.95x
Nottinghamshire 108 1.03x
Caernarfonshire 92 2.92x
Cambridgeshire 79 1.60x
Warwickshire 77 0.39x
Leicestershire 72 0.83x
Bedfordshire 67 1.66x
Staffordshire 67 0.26x
Ayrshire 66 1.13x
Lanarkshire 52 0.21x
Somerset 50 0.40x
Worcestershire 50 0.49x
Merionethshire 49 3.44x
Montgomeryshire 48 2.69x
Gloucestershire 44 0.29x
Cheshire 40 0.23x
Huntingdonshire 40 2.59x
Shropshire 39 0.58x
Berkshire 38 0.65x
Midlothian 32 0.31x
Banffshire 25 1.55x
Cumberland 24 0.36x
Oxfordshire 22 0.46x
Anglesey 20 1.45x
Devon 20 0.12x
Renfrewshire 19 0.32x
Derbyshire 18 0.15x
Flintshire 18 0.86x
Aberdeenshire 16 0.22x
Cardiganshire 16 0.84x
Morayshire 16 1.32x
Dorset 13 0.25x
Wiltshire 13 0.19x
Angus 12 0.17x
Cornwall 12 0.14x
Isle of Man 12 0.83x
Monmouthshire 12 0.21x
Denbighshire 8 0.27x
Ross-shire 8 0.37x
Orkney 7 0.82x
Shetland 6 0.76x
Argyllshire 5 0.23x
Inverness-shire 5 0.22x
Rutland 5 0.88x
Brecknockshire 4 0.26x
Herefordshire 4 0.13x
Carmarthenshire 3 0.09x
Fife 2 0.04x
Royal Navy 2 0.22x
Selkirkshire 2 0.28x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.04x
Perthshire 1 0.03x
Wigtownshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brighton in Sussex leads with 137 Humphreys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.18x.

Place Total Index
Brighton 137 5.18x
St Pancras London 125 2.00x
Islington London 107 1.42x
Camberwell 99 1.99x
Tonbridge 86 8.98x
St Marylebone London 79 1.90x
Lambeth 77 1.13x
Hackney London 63 1.44x
Hadlow 53 80.49x
Newington 53 1.84x
Bishopwearmouth 50 2.52x
Bermondsey 49 2.12x
Wadhurst 49 56.88x
Maidstone 47 5.94x
Kensington London 46 1.06x
Shoreditch London 43 1.27x
West Ham 43 1.27x
Steeple Bumpstead 42 149.31x
Bromley 41 10.13x
Kilmarnock 41 5.92x
Reigate Foreign 41 9.99x
Chesham 40 23.07x
Horne 39 209.79x
Portsea 38 1.22x
Whitstable 38 29.18x
Croydon 37 1.76x
Great Yarmouth 36 3.63x
Clase 35 6.95x
Helmdon 33 233.71x
Mile End Old Town London 33 1.99x
Chelsea London 32 1.36x
Deptford St Paul 32 1.56x
Mayfield 32 41.24x
Poplar London 32 2.18x
Polstead 31 140.21x
Leeds 30 0.69x
Bassingbourn 29 40.04x
Battersea 29 1.01x
Bethnal Green London 29 0.86x
Birmingham 29 0.44x
Hampstead London 28 2.31x
Horsham 28 10.99x
Lewisham 28 1.98x
Liverpool 28 0.50x
Rickmansworth 28 18.96x
Kingston On Thames 27 2.96x
Luton 27 3.87x
Manchester 27 0.65x
Ridgwell 27 154.29x
St George Hanover Square 27 1.97x
Toxteth Park 27 0.86x
Wrotham 26 29.56x
Bromley London 25 1.46x
Nottingham St Mary 25 0.92x
Byker 24 4.19x
Littlehampton 24 22.92x
Lurgashall 24 123.08x
Seal 24 56.00x
Brenchley 23 24.21x
Brigstock 23 82.79x
Rotherhithe 23 2.39x
West Dean 23 117.83x
Westoe 23 1.75x
Minster In Sheppey 22 5.00x
Weedon Loys 22 183.18x
Brawby 21 453.56x
Chertsey 21 8.57x
Great Coggeshall 21 26.29x
Holy Trinity 21 1.13x
Paddington London 21 0.73x
Aston 20 0.37x
Cold Waltham 20 189.57x
Dartford 20 7.37x
Gateshead 20 1.15x
Govan 20 0.32x
Hunslet 20 1.66x
Limpsfield 20 55.17x
Linthorpe 20 4.35x
St Martin In Fields 20 4.29x
Stoke 19 10.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 455
Elizabeth 316
Sarah 277
Jane 158
Eliza 136
Ann 135
Emma 124
Alice 118
Ellen 112
Emily 112
Annie 102
Margaret 79
Hannah 71
Charlotte 69
Martha 58
Louisa 57
Edith 55
Caroline 51
Kate 50
Harriet 48
Catherine 45
Florence 45
Fanny 44
Ada 43
Clara 41
Frances 40
Maria 40
Harriett 37
Lucy 30
Anne 29
Susan 29
Rose 27
Agnes 24
Isabella 22
Minnie 21
Sophia 21
Jessie 20
Matilda 20
Rebecca 20
Esther 19
Amy 18
Eleanor 17
Amelia 15
Julia 15
Lydia 14
Ethel 13
Susannah 13
Beatrice 12
Laura 12
Lizzie 12

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 540
John 395
George 260
Thomas 246
James 227
Henry 175
Charles 132
Robert 106
Alfred 105
Edward 95
Richard 95
Joseph 93
Frederick 73
Arthur 71
Albert 63
Walter 58
Harry 48
Frank 44
Samuel 43
David 33
Herbert 33
Ernest 29
Francis 25
Edwin 23
Stephen 22
Wm. 22
Benjamin 20
Thos. 20
Sidney 16
Daniel 15
Owen 13
Isaac 11
Peter 11
Robt. 11
Fred 10
Horace 10
Humphrey 10
Jesse 10
Edgar 9
Griffith 9
Percy 9
Ralph 9
Edmund 8
Edwd. 8
Jas. 8
Chas. 7
Frederic 7
Fredk. 7
Harold 7
Michael 7

FAQ

Humphrey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Humphrey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,968 people were recorded with the Humphrey surname. That placed it at #522 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Humphrey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 9,230 in 2016. That gives Humphrey a modern rank of #707.

What does the Humphrey surname mean?

From the Old English words for "peaceful" and "power," likely referring to a gentle ruler or peaceful warrior.

What does the Humphrey map show?

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