NameCensus.

UK surname

Jewsbury

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "town of the Jews".

In the 1881 census there were 193 people recorded with the Jewsbury surname, ranking it #13,144 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 241, ranked #17,233, down from #13,144 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Measham and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stratford-on-Avon, Stockport and South Lakeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jewsbury is 309 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.9%.

1881 census count

193

Ranked #13,144

Modern count

241

2016, ranked #17,233

Peak year

1911

309 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jewsbury had 193 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,144 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 241 in 2016, ranked #17,233.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 309 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Jewsbury surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jewsbury surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Jewsbury 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 107 #16,402
1861 historical 117 #18,635
1881 historical 193 #13,144
1891 historical 229 #13,539
1901 historical 263 #12,717
1911 historical 309 #11,203
1997 modern 283 #14,037
1998 modern 291 #14,155
1999 modern 295 #14,108
2000 modern 290 #14,237
2001 modern 287 #14,131
2002 modern 287 #14,402
2003 modern 280 #14,472
2004 modern 272 #14,843
2005 modern 258 #15,323
2006 modern 256 #15,496
2007 modern 259 #15,519
2008 modern 258 #15,732
2009 modern 283 #15,020
2010 modern 274 #15,705
2011 modern 267 #15,892
2012 modern 253 #16,377
2013 modern 251 #16,734
2014 modern 252 #16,822
2015 modern 252 #16,705
2016 modern 241 #17,233

Geography

Back to top

Where Jewsburys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Measham, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Kirby-in-Ashfield and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stratford-on-Avon, Stockport, South Lakeland and Mansfield. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 Measham Leicestershire
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 Kirby-in-Ashfield Nottinghamshire
5 Manchester Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stratford-on-Avon 001 Stratford-on-Avon
2 Stockport 003 Stockport
3 South Lakeland 001 South Lakeland
4 Mansfield 005 Mansfield
5 Stockport 006 Stockport

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Jewsbury

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Jewsbury

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Jewsbury is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Jewsbury 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

Jewsbury falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Jewsbury

The surname Jewsbury is of Anglo-Saxon origin, tracing its roots back to the historic county of Derbyshire, England, during the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English words "iū" meaning "yew tree" and "burh" meaning "fortified place" or "borough." This suggests that the name initially referred to individuals living near a fortified settlement or borough with a significant presence of yew trees.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "Iuuesberie," a variant spelling reflecting the linguistic evolution of the time.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various historical records as "Iuuesburi" and "Iwesburi," highlighting the fluidity of spelling conventions during that era. One notable individual from this period was Robert de Iuuesburi, a landowner mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Derbyshire in 1208.

By the 14th century, the surname had evolved closer to its modern spelling, with records showing variations like "Yuesbury" and "Yewsbury." In 1327, a certain Thomas Yuesbury was listed as a resident of Derbyshire in the Lay Subsidy Rolls.

As the surname spread across England, it underwent further changes in spelling and pronunciation. In the 15th century, the variant "Jewsbury" began to emerge, as evidenced by the birth of John Jewsbury in 1472 in the village of Hartington, Derbyshire.

Notable individuals with the Jewsbury surname include Maria Jane Jewsbury (1800-1833), an English novelist and literary critic, and Geraldine Endsor Jewsbury (1812-1880), a novelist and close friend of the Brontë sisters. Additionally, Thomas Jewsbury (1779-1849) was a prominent English watchmaker and inventor, while Thomas Smyth Jewsbury (1844-1927) was a respected English architect.

Throughout its history, the surname Jewsbury has maintained a strong connection to its Anglo-Saxon roots, reflecting the influence of geography and linguistic evolution on the development of surnames in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Jewsbury families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jewsbury 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. Derbyshire leads with 42 Jewsburys recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.25x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 42 14.25x
Lancashire 36 1.61x
Leicestershire 35 16.77x
Warwickshire 29 6.11x
Staffordshire 20 3.15x
Yorkshire 11 0.59x
Kent 9 1.40x
Gloucestershire 6 1.63x
Nottinghamshire 3 1.18x
Dorset 1 0.81x
Middlesex 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Measham in Derbyshire leads with 20 Jewsburys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1851.85x.

Place Total Index
Measham 20 1851.85x
Birmingham 16 10.11x
Leicester St Margaret 14 27.50x
Heaton Norris 13 102.28x
Bradford 9 19.93x
Canterbury St Peter 8 1111.11x
Litchurch 8 67.45x
Moss Side 8 68.09x
Aston 7 5.35x
Linton 7 897.44x
Nether Seal 7 1891.89x
Salford 7 10.65x
Edgbaston 6 40.76x
Fazeley 6 517.24x
Harborne 6 29.46x
North Wingfield 6 454.55x
Ashby De La Zouch 5 103.31x
Gloucester Longford St 5 1000.00x
Burton Upon Trent 4 26.90x
Hulme 4 8.58x
Leicester St Mary 4 23.72x
Packington 4 540.54x
West Bromwich 4 11.00x
Rusholme 3 50.34x
Nottingham St Mary 2 3.05x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 1 15.67x
Canterbury St George 1 129.87x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 2.82x
Gloucester Kingsholm St 1 72.46x
Holy Trinity 1 2.23x
Leicester Newarke 1 91.74x
Nottingham St Peter 1 35.34x
Portland 1 15.06x
St Pancras London 1 0.66x
Stapenhill 1 22.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Elizabeth 7
Sarah 7
Louisa 6
Ann 5
Catherine 4
Clara 4
Florence 3
Harriett 3
Anne 2
Annie 2
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Lucy 2
Mabel 2
Margaret 2
Agnes 1
Agney 1
Anna 1
Bessie 1
Catharine 1
Cecilia 1
Elizh.Jane 1
Ellen 1
Ellinor 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Florance 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Laura 1
Lily 1
M.M. 1
Maria 1
Maud 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
S.J. 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 13
Joseph 12
John 9
Richard 9
Samuel 9
William 9
Henry 7
George 4
Arthur 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Harry 2
James 2
Seth 2
Walter 2
Charles 1
Chas.Arthur 1
Frances 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Philip 1
Reginald 1
Rewben 1
Richd.Joseph 1
Sidney 1
Willm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Jewsbury surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jewsbury surname in 1881?

In 1881, 193 people were recorded with the Jewsbury surname. That placed it at #13,144 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jewsbury surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 241 in 2016. That gives Jewsbury a modern rank of #17,233.

What does the Jewsbury surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "town of the Jews".

What does the Jewsbury map show?

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