NameCensus.

UK surname

Humphrys

A patronymic surname derived from the given name Humphrey, meaning "peaceful warrior".

In the 1881 census there were 553 people recorded with the Humphrys surname, ranking it #6,244 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 581, ranked #8,925, down from #6,244 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Ynys-Cynhaiarn and Paul. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Thanet and Thurrock.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Humphrys is 732 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5.1%.

1881 census count

553

Ranked #6,244

Modern count

581

2016, ranked #8,925

Peak year

1901

732 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Humphrys had 553 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,244 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 581 in 2016, ranked #8,925.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 732 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Humphrys surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Humphrys surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Humphrys 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 621 #4,162
1861 historical 475 #5,480
1881 historical 553 #6,244
1891 historical 583 #6,554
1901 historical 732 #6,045
1911 historical 520 #7,607
1997 modern 614 #8,019
1998 modern 625 #8,153
1999 modern 621 #8,253
2000 modern 635 #8,074
2001 modern 623 #8,048
2002 modern 632 #8,145
2003 modern 613 #8,191
2004 modern 593 #8,419
2005 modern 584 #8,431
2006 modern 566 #8,646
2007 modern 573 #8,644
2008 modern 572 #8,711
2009 modern 589 #8,713
2010 modern 614 #8,638
2011 modern 608 #8,597
2012 modern 601 #8,595
2013 modern 606 #8,678
2014 modern 601 #8,792
2015 modern 601 #8,723
2016 modern 581 #8,925

Geography

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Where Humphrys' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Ynys-Cynhaiarn, Paul and St Giles Camberwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Thanet and Thurrock. 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 Ynys-Cynhaiarn Merionethshire
4 Paul Cornwall
5 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Thanet 013 Thanet
2 Thanet 011 Thanet
3 Thanet 012 Thanet
4 Thanet 016 Thanet
5 Thurrock 012 Thurrock

Forenames

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First names often paired with Humphrys

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Humphrys

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Humphrys is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Humphrys is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Humphrys falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Humphrys

The surname Humphrys originates from England and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is a patronymic surname derived from the personal name 'Humphrey', which comes from the Old German words 'hun' meaning 'bear' and 'frid' meaning 'peace'. The earliest recorded spelling of the surname is believed to be 'Humfray' in the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholders commissioned by William the Conqueror.

The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Devon in the south-west of England. Variations in spelling include Humfreys, Humphris, Humphryes, and Humphryes. The surname is also found in parts of Wales, likely due to migration from England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is Henry Humfrey, born in 1516, who was an English composer and musician. Another notable bearer of the name was Laurence Humphrey (1527-1590), an English Protestant religious writer and Puritan theologian.

In the 17th century, Jonas Humphreys (1618-1662) was a British soldier and a supporter of Oliver Cromwell during the English Civil War. He later became a member of the Parliament of England. Another historical figure was Ozias Humphry (1742-1810), an English painter known for his portrait miniatures.

In the 19th century, Sir Henry Noel Humphrys (1810-1879) was a British civil servant and diplomat who served as the British Minister to the Kingdom of Bavaria. He was also a writer and published works on art and archaeology.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the surname Humphrys throughout history, reflecting its long-standing presence in England and its variants.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Humphrys families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Humphrys 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. Cornwall leads with 70 Humphrys' recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.46x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 70 11.46x
Surrey 70 2.66x
Middlesex 67 1.24x
Caernarfonshire 60 27.51x
Lancashire 35 0.55x
Gloucestershire 22 2.08x
Denbighshire 18 8.83x
Kent 18 0.98x
Devon 14 1.25x
Cardiganshire 13 9.88x
Hampshire 13 1.18x
Shropshire 12 2.57x
Suffolk 12 1.83x
Essex 11 1.03x
Somerset 11 1.27x
Worcestershire 11 1.56x
Renfrewshire 10 2.39x
Warwickshire 9 0.66x
Montgomeryshire 8 6.47x
Norfolk 7 0.84x
Glamorgan 6 0.64x
Staffordshire 6 0.33x
Channel Islands 5 3.13x
Cheshire 5 0.42x
Leicestershire 5 0.84x
Merionethshire 5 5.07x
Monmouthshire 5 1.28x
Herefordshire 4 1.81x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.92x
Northamptonshire 3 0.59x
Wiltshire 3 0.63x
Hertfordshire 2 0.54x
Oxfordshire 2 0.60x
Royal Navy 2 3.11x
Anglesey 1 1.05x
Bedfordshire 1 0.36x
Berkshire 1 0.25x
Flintshire 1 0.69x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.14x
Sussex 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ynyscynhaiarn in Caernarfonshire leads with 51 Humphrys' recorded in 1881 and an index of 501.97x.

Place Total Index
Ynyscynhaiarn 51 501.97x
Paul 26 234.23x
Camberwell 22 6.38x
St Ives 18 150.63x
Bermondsey 14 8.72x
Blaenpenal 11 1067.96x
Middle Greenock 10 87.64x
Barrow In Furness 9 10.34x
Deptford St Nicholas 9 61.60x
Hemley 9 5000.00x
Sancreed 9 520.23x
St Pancras London 9 2.07x
Bootle Cum Linacre 8 15.74x
Chelsea London 8 4.92x
Fulham London 8 10.23x
Lambeth 8 1.70x
Newington 8 4.01x
Northfield 7 52.40x
Southwark Christchurch 7 27.69x
Tormoham 7 14.73x
Aberdare 6 9.31x
Broughton 6 74.91x
Islington London 6 1.15x
Llanbedrog 6 600.00x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 5.53x
St Just In Penwith 6 50.63x
Bethnal Green London 5 2.13x
Glascoed 5 1219.51x
Greenwich 5 5.82x
Llanwrin 5 396.83x
Sennen 5 370.37x
St Anne Soho London 5 16.23x
St Buryan 5 198.41x
St Helier 5 9.61x
Upton St Leonards 5 185.87x
Birmingham 4 0.88x
Bristol St James St Paul 4 11.34x
Cheltenham 4 4.90x
Heigham 4 8.98x
Hereford St Owen 4 54.79x
Hillingdon 4 23.26x
Laindon 4 677.97x
Midsomer Norton 4 48.90x
Southampton All Sts 4 21.09x
Walthamstow 4 10.44x
Westminster St Margaret 4 15.37x
Windle 4 11.10x
Wolstanton 4 7.23x
Wrexham Regis 4 26.44x
Ashton Under Lyne 3 2.14x
Aston 3 0.80x
Aylesbury 3 20.76x
Bangor 3 14.26x
Bradford On Avon 3 19.65x
Charterhouse Hinton 3 294.12x
Feckenham 3 37.22x
Mereworth 3 202.70x
Mile End Old Town London 3 2.61x
Paddington London 3 1.51x
Ruabon 3 10.71x
Shoreditch London 3 1.28x
Shrewsbury St Julian 3 26.02x
South Stoneham 3 12.51x
St Marylebone London 3 1.04x
Stoke Damerel 3 3.82x
Stratton St Mary 3 260.87x
Sutton 3 15.77x
Talyllyn 3 77.72x
Ventnor 3 28.52x
Wellington 3 11.45x
West Derby 3 1.60x
Westbury On Trym 3 8.37x
Wymeswold 3 173.41x
Bath St Michael 2 45.56x
Battersea 2 1.01x
Kirkdale 2 1.86x
Llandyssil 2 150.38x
Northampton All Sts 2 11.61x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 2.31x
Shrewsbury St Chad 2 12.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 34
Elizabeth 22
Sarah 16
Ann 13
Jane 10
Annie 8
Eliza 8
Emma 7
Louisa 7
Margaret 7
Anne 6
Ellen 6
Florence 6
Hannah 6
Alice 5
Ada 4
Fanny 4
Harriet 4
Catherine 3
Emily 3
Martha 3
Matilda 3
Minnie 3
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Dora 2
Edith 2
Ethel 2
Helen 2
Janet 2
Laura 2
Margret 2
Marry 2
Mercy 2
Winifred 2
Angela 1
Bessie 1
Cathrine 1
Elize 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizer 1
Ellin 1
Grace 1
Gwen 1
Henrietta 1
Isabella 1
Janes 1
Jessie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 46
John 23
George 18
Thomas 18
Richard 13
Henry 12
James 11
Robert 11
David 10
Charles 7
Wm. 6
Edward 5
Humphry 5
Joseph 5
Arthur 4
Thos. 4
Alfred 3
Christopher 3
Evan 3
Francis 3
Frederick 3
Harold 2
Harry 2
Lewis 2
Maurice 2
Nicholas 2
Owen 2
Roland 2
Samuel 2
Walter 2
Clarn 1
Elis 1
Ellis 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
Geo. 1
Griffith 1
Henery 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Hugh 1
Humphrey 1
L.P. 1
Laurence 1
Leonard 1
Louis 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Noel 1
Parker 1

FAQ

Humphrys surname: questions and answers

How common was the Humphrys surname in 1881?

In 1881, 553 people were recorded with the Humphrys surname. That placed it at #6,244 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Humphrys surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 581 in 2016. That gives Humphrys a modern rank of #8,925.

What does the Humphrys surname mean?

A patronymic surname derived from the given name Humphrey, meaning "peaceful warrior".

What does the Humphrys map show?

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