NameCensus.

UK surname

Jessey

A variant spelling of the surname Jesse, derived from a pet form of the personal name Jesus.

In the 1881 census there were 52 people recorded with the Jessey surname, ranking it #26,281 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 102, ranked #30,722, down from #26,281 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to South Stoneham, St James Westminster and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leeds, Powys and Fareham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jessey is 138 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 96.2%.

1881 census count

52

Ranked #26,281

Modern count

102

2016, ranked #30,722

Peak year

1861

138 bearers

Map years

2

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jessey had 52 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,281 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016, ranked #30,722.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 138 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Jessey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jessey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jessey 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 91 #18,187
1861 historical 138 #16,365
1881 historical 52 #26,281
1891 historical 82 #26,494
1901 historical 79 #25,363
1911 historical 96 #23,193
1997 modern 91 #28,215
1998 modern 91 #28,806
1999 modern 100 #27,757
2000 modern 108 #26,549
2001 modern 107 #26,328
2002 modern 105 #27,123
2003 modern 105 #26,940
2004 modern 103 #27,503
2005 modern 96 #28,671
2006 modern 93 #29,411
2007 modern 94 #29,650
2008 modern 104 #28,341
2009 modern 107 #28,483
2010 modern 114 #28,017
2011 modern 114 #27,784
2012 modern 109 #28,689
2013 modern 111 #28,856
2014 modern 110 #29,294
2015 modern 106 #29,895
2016 modern 102 #30,722

Geography

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Where Jesseys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around South Stoneham, St James Westminster, London parishes, Upper and Lower Boddington and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leeds, Powys, Fareham, Windsor and Maidenhead and East Hertfordshire. 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 South Stoneham Hampshire
2 St James Westminster London (West Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Upper and Lower Boddington Oxfordshire
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leeds 083 Leeds
2 Powys 020 Powys
3 Fareham 014 Fareham
4 Windsor and Maidenhead 012 Windsor and Maidenhead
5 East Hertfordshire 008 East Hertfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jessey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jessey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Jessey, 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

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

Nationally, the Jessey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Jessey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Jessey is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Jessey 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

Jessey 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 Jessey 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 Jessey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Jessey

The surname Jessey originates from England, with roots dating back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English personal name "Jesse," which was initially brought to Britain by the Normans after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Jesse is rooted in the Hebrew name "Yishai," meaning "gift" or "to be."

Historical records indicate that the Jessey surname first appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population conducted by order of William the Conqueror. The earliest known bearer of the name was Roger Jessey, who resided in Norfolk during the late 11th century.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the Jessey surname was predominantly found in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex in East Anglia. Various spellings of the name were also recorded, such as Jessye, Jessy, and Jessi, reflecting the lack of standardized spelling during that era.

One of the earliest notable figures bearing the Jessey surname was Henry Jessey (1601-1663), an English Puritan minister and scholar. He played a significant role in the formation of the Baptist church in England and was a prominent figure during the Puritan Revolution.

Another historical figure was Edward Jessey (1670-1723), an English mathematician and surveyor. He was renowned for his contributions to the development of cartography and surveying techniques.

In the 18th century, John Jessey (1720-1788) was a respected English botanist and horticulturist. He made significant contributions to the study of plants and their cultivation, becoming a prominent figure in the field of botany.

During the 19th century, the Jessey surname gained recognition through the works of William Jessey (1825-1898), an English painter and illustrator. His paintings and illustrations, often depicting rural scenes and landscapes, were highly acclaimed during his lifetime.

Another notable bearer of the Jessey surname was Margaret Jessey (1870-1942), a British suffragette and activist. She played a crucial role in the women's suffrage movement, advocating for women's rights and equal voting rights.

The Jessey surname has a rich history, originating from England and spanning several centuries. Its roots can be traced back to the Old English and Norman influences, with notable individuals bearing the name contributing to various fields, including religion, mathematics, botany, art, and activism.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jessey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jessey 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. Hampshire leads with 26 Jesseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.54x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 26 24.54x
Sussex 7 8.03x
Middlesex 6 1.16x
Kent 4 2.27x
Devon 3 2.79x
Nottinghamshire 3 4.31x
Lancashire 2 0.33x
Royal Navy 1 16.23x
Surrey 1 0.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Titchfield in Hampshire leads with 11 Jesseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1375.00x.

Place Total Index
Titchfield 11 1375.00x
Friston 7 35000.00x
Portsea 7 33.72x
Southampton St Mary 5 75.08x
Westminster St James 4 75.33x
Chatham 3 61.86x
Kingston 3 3750.00x
Nottingham St Mary 3 16.65x
Everton 2 10.24x
Alverstoke 1 26.11x
Fareham 1 78.74x
Finchley 1 50.51x
Kensington London 1 3.48x
Lewisham 1 10.64x
Merton 1 227.27x
Portsmouth 1 40.98x
Royal Navy 1 19.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Charlotte 2
Emma 2
Frances 2
Alic 1
Alice 1
Annie 1
Beatrice 1
Blanch 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Gertrude 1
Harriett 1
Jane 1
Lavina 1
Lavinia 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Maud 1
Rosa 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Top occupations

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 Jessey households.

FAQ

Jessey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jessey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 52 people were recorded with the Jessey surname. That placed it at #26,281 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jessey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016. That gives Jessey a modern rank of #30,722.

What does the Jessey surname mean?

A variant spelling of the surname Jesse, derived from a pet form of the personal name Jesus.

What does the Jessey map show?

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