NameCensus.

UK surname

Jays

In the 1881 census there were 118 people recorded with the Jays surname, ranking it #17,935 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 128, ranked #26,401, down from #17,935 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Bowden, Little (incl. Little Oxenden) and Tangmere. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Hampshire, Central Bedfordshire and Arun.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jays is 139 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8.5%.

1881 census count

118

Ranked #17,935

Modern count

128

2016, ranked #26,401

Peak year

1901

139 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jays had 118 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,935 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 128 in 2016, ranked #26,401.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 139 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Jays surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jays surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jays 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 56 #23,235
1861 historical 101 #20,955
1881 historical 118 #17,935
1891 historical 110 #22,557
1901 historical 139 #18,876
1911 historical 120 #20,447
1997 modern 117 #24,553
1998 modern 127 #23,940
1999 modern 128 #24,017
2000 modern 136 #23,155
2001 modern 133 #23,132
2002 modern 137 #23,198
2003 modern 118 #25,146
2004 modern 118 #25,317
2005 modern 121 #24,947
2006 modern 119 #25,413
2007 modern 110 #27,087
2008 modern 112 #27,061
2009 modern 119 #26,637
2010 modern 112 #28,336
2011 modern 117 #27,334
2012 modern 115 #27,717
2013 modern 123 #26,974
2014 modern 123 #27,206
2015 modern 128 #26,356
2016 modern 128 #26,401

Geography

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Where Jays' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Bowden, Little (incl. Little Oxenden), Tangmere, Battersea and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Hampshire, Central Bedfordshire, Arun and Malvern Hills. 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 3
2 Bowden, Little (incl. Little Oxenden) Leicestershire
3 Tangmere Sussex
4 Battersea London (South Districts)
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Hampshire 012 East Hampshire
2 Central Bedfordshire 015 Central Bedfordshire
3 Arun 016 Arun
4 Malvern Hills 002 Malvern Hills
5 Arun 012 Arun

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jays

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jays

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Jays is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Jays is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Jays falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Jays is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Jays families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jays 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. Leicestershire leads with 32 Jays' recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.96x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 32 25.96x
Northamptonshire 20 19.12x
Surrey 16 2.95x
Warwickshire 11 3.92x
Staffordshire 9 2.40x
Sussex 9 4.80x
Bedfordshire 7 12.16x
Middlesex 4 0.36x
Oxfordshire 2 2.91x
Cheshire 1 0.41x
Essex 1 0.46x
Hampshire 1 0.44x
Lancashire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 23 Jays' recorded in 1881 and an index of 76.51x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 23 76.51x
Birmingham 11 11.77x
Belgrave 8 287.77x
Little Bowden 8 2162.16x
Lambeth 7 7.22x
Shefford 7 1707.32x
Willenhall 7 99.57x
Tangmere 6 8571.43x
Kingston On Thames 5 38.43x
Northampton St Giles 5 125.63x
Welford 5 1428.57x
Battersea 4 9.78x
Oving 3 476.19x
Sandford 2 1111.11x
Sibbertoft 2 1818.18x
Ashton On Mersey 1 78.74x
Great Glenn 1 303.03x
Hampton London 1 54.64x
Newborough 1 400.00x
Paddington London 1 2.45x
Poulton Barre 1 66.67x
Ryde 1 20.41x
St George Hanover Square 1 5.10x
St Pancras London 1 1.12x
Walsall Foreign 1 5.16x
Walthamstow 1 12.66x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Jays surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jays surname in 1881?

In 1881, 118 people were recorded with the Jays surname. That placed it at #17,935 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jays surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 128 in 2016. That gives Jays a modern rank of #26,401.

What does the Jays map show?

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