NameCensus.

UK surname

Jew

A surname indicating Jewish ethnicity or religion.

In the 1881 census there were 127 people recorded with the Jew surname, ranking it #17,166 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 91, ranked #32,109, down from #17,166 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, Yardley and Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sandwell, Worcester and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jew is 164 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 28.3%.

1881 census count

127

Ranked #17,166

Modern count

91

2016, ranked #32,109

Peak year

1901

164 bearers

Map years

5

1851 to 2006

Key insights

  • Jew had 127 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,166 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 91 in 2016, ranked #32,109.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 164 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Jew surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jew surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jew 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 138 #13,745
1881 historical 127 #17,166
1891 historical 9 #33,451
1901 historical 164 #17,144
1997 modern 119 #24,302
1998 modern 114 #25,589
1999 modern 109 #26,439
2000 modern 110 #26,248
2001 modern 110 #25,900
2002 modern 111 #26,291
2003 modern 106 #26,775
2004 modern 105 #27,181
2005 modern 109 #26,583
2006 modern 111 #26,565
2007 modern 113 #26,641
2008 modern 114 #26,796
2009 modern 109 #28,145
2010 modern 113 #28,162
2011 modern 112 #28,117
2012 modern 101 #30,078
2013 modern 98 #31,078
2014 modern 100 #31,033
2015 modern 98 #31,342
2016 modern 91 #32,109

Geography

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Where Jews are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, Yardley, Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, Rowley Regis and Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sandwell, Worcester and Dudley. 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 Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, Gloucestershire
2 Yardley Warwickshire
3 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire
4 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
5 Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sandwell 033 Sandwell
2 Sandwell 029 Sandwell
3 Worcester 007 Worcester
4 Worcester 009 Worcester
5 Dudley 035 Dudley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jew

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jew

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Jew surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Jew household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Jew 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

Jew is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Jew

The surname "Jew" is of English origin, derived from the Middle English word "Jew," which was used to refer to a person of Jewish descent or faith. The name can be traced back to the 12th century in England, during a period when Jewish communities were established in various parts of the country.

One of the earliest recorded references to the surname "Jew" can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Bedfordshire from the year 1202, where a person named Samson Jew is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use as a descriptive term or identifier at the time.

The surname "Jew" may have originated as a way to distinguish individuals of Jewish faith or ancestry from the Christian majority population in medieval England. It was likely used as a descriptive nickname or byname before becoming an inherited surname.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, which mentions a person named Solomon le Jeu. The spelling variation "Jeu" reflects the evolution of the name over time.

During the Middle Ages, the surname "Jew" was also associated with certain occupations or professions that were commonly associated with Jewish communities, such as money lending, trade, and skilled crafts.

Notable historical figures with the surname "Jew" include:

1. Benedict Jew (c. 1300-1361), a wealthy Jewish financier and landlord in England during the reign of Edward III. 2. Isaac Jew (fl. 1290-1320), a prominent Jewish moneylender and landowner in London and Oxfordshire. 3. Moses Jew (c. 1350-1420), a Jewish scholar and physician who lived in York and was known for his medical expertise. 4. Aaron Jew (c. 1280-1345), a Jewish merchant and moneylender active in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire. 5. Solomon Jew (c. 1320-1390), a Jewish scholar and rabbi who was influential in the Jewish community of London.

It is important to note that the use of the surname "Jew" was often a reflection of the social and legal status of Jewish communities in medieval England, where they faced various forms of discrimination and persecution.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jew families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jew 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. Worcestershire leads with 24 Jews recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.72x.

County Total Index
Worcestershire 24 14.72x
Gloucestershire 21 8.58x
Nottinghamshire 15 8.91x
Middlesex 11 0.88x
Staffordshire 10 2.37x
Hampshire 9 3.52x
Wiltshire 8 7.25x
Devon 7 2.69x
Kent 6 1.41x
Warwickshire 5 1.59x
Northamptonshire 3 2.55x
Derbyshire 2 1.02x
Somerset 2 1.00x
Cornwall 1 0.71x
Dorset 1 1.22x
Lancashire 1 0.07x
Oxfordshire 1 1.30x
Royal Navy 1 6.72x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Arnold in Nottinghamshire leads with 14 Jews recorded in 1881 and an index of 569.11x.

Place Total Index
Arnold 14 569.11x
Rowley Regis 10 85.11x
Yardley 10 239.81x
Paddington London 8 17.43x
Portsea 8 15.95x
Swindon 8 93.35x
Cirencester 7 210.84x
Gloucester St Michael 7 1250.00x
Stoke Damerel 5 27.49x
Whistones 5 423.73x
Birmingham 4 3.81x
Greenwich 4 20.12x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 3 66.96x
Greens Norton 3 810.81x
South Hamlet 3 197.37x
Worcester St Peter 3 97.09x
Derby St Werburgh 2 17.71x
Hackney London 2 2.86x
Kilmington 2 952.38x
Minster In Sheppey 2 28.33x
Tutnall Cobley 2 952.38x
Alverstoke 1 10.80x
Aston 1 1.15x
Bromsgrove 1 18.21x
Charlbury 1 114.94x
Chelsea London 1 2.66x
Cheltenham 1 5.29x
Devonport 1 33.44x
East Stonehouse 1 19.53x
Evesham All Sts 1 131.58x
Kings Norton 1 6.84x
Liskeard 1 42.19x
Portland 1 22.68x
Redditch 1 30.21x
Royal Navy 1 7.86x
Salford 1 2.29x
Sutton In Ashfield 1 27.40x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Sarah 6
Elizabeth 4
Annie 3
Caroline 3
Maria 3
Alice 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Emma 2
Laura 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Anna 1
Beatrice 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Etty 1
Florence 1
Jane 1
Louie 1
Marian 1
Matilda 1
Polly 1
Priscilla 1
Susan 1
Susanna 1
Wreathia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 7
George 6
John 6
Frank 4
Joseph 4
Walter 4
William 4
Albert 3
Edward 3
Oliver 3
Thomas 3
Arthur 2
James 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Austin 1
Charles 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
Jason 1
Leslie 1
Percival 1
Percy 1
Robert 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
W. 1

FAQ

Jew surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jew surname in 1881?

In 1881, 127 people were recorded with the Jew surname. That placed it at #17,166 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jew surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 91 in 2016. That gives Jew a modern rank of #32,109.

What does the Jew surname mean?

A surname indicating Jewish ethnicity or religion.

What does the Jew map show?

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