NameCensus.

UK surname

Jex

A variant spelling of the English occupational surname Jacks, denoting a maker of leather jackets.

In the 1881 census there were 340 people recorded with the Jex surname, ranking it #8,934 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 473, ranked #10,409, down from #8,934 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Leverington, London parishes and King's Lynn St Margaret. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Broadland, Newark and Sherwood and Blackburn with Darwen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jex is 511 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.1%.

1881 census count

340

Ranked #8,934

Modern count

473

2016, ranked #10,409

Peak year

1998

511 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jex had 340 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,934 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 473 in 2016, ranked #10,409.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 362 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Jex surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jex surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Jex 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 199 #10,441
1881 historical 340 #8,934
1901 historical 362 #10,173
1997 modern 495 #9,370
1998 modern 511 #9,431
1999 modern 509 #9,527
2000 modern 495 #9,707
2001 modern 480 #9,760
2002 modern 485 #9,846
2003 modern 481 #9,770
2004 modern 489 #9,652
2005 modern 476 #9,783
2006 modern 474 #9,855
2007 modern 471 #9,992
2008 modern 470 #10,102
2009 modern 493 #9,968
2010 modern 505 #9,985
2011 modern 476 #10,333
2012 modern 461 #10,482
2013 modern 474 #10,421
2014 modern 482 #10,371
2015 modern 470 #10,480
2016 modern 473 #10,409

Geography

Back to top

Where Jex' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Leverington, London parishes, King's Lynn St Margaret, Gorleston and St Paul, St Saviour, St Edmund, St Simon and Jude, St Peter Hungate, St Michael at Plea, St Martin a. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Broadland, Newark and Sherwood, Blackburn with Darwen and North Dorset. 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 Leverington Cambridgeshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 King's Lynn St Margaret Norfolk
4 Gorleston Suffolk
5 St Paul, St Saviour, St Edmund, St Simon and Jude, St Peter Hungate, St Michael at Plea, St Martin a Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Broadland 001 Broadland
2 Newark and Sherwood 010 Newark and Sherwood
3 Blackburn with Darwen 008 Blackburn with Darwen
4 Newark and Sherwood 011 Newark and Sherwood
5 North Dorset 004 North Dorset

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Jex

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Jex

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

Jex 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

Jex falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Jex

The surname Jex originated in England during the late medieval period, deriving from the Old English personal name "Gegga" or "Gegge." This name was a diminutive form of the Old English name "Geg," which itself derived from the Germanic root "gag," meaning "to go." The earliest known bearer of the name was Roger Jex, recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Essex in 1198.

The surname Jex is believed to have its roots in the county of Essex, where many early bearers of the name resided. In the 13th century, the name appeared as "Gagge" and "Geg" in various records from the region. As time passed, the spelling evolved to "Gege," "Gegg," and eventually "Jex" by the 16th century.

One notable early reference to the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which recorded a William Gege in Norfolk. The earliest documented use of the spelling "Jex" dates back to 1524, when a John Jex was mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Warwickshire.

Several notable individuals bearing the surname Jex have left their mark throughout history. William Jex (1592-1659) was an English clergyman and academic who served as the rector of St. Michael's Church in Coventry. Thomas Jex (1646-1719) was a distinguished English divine and author who served as the rector of Petworth in Sussex.

In the 18th century, John Jex (1756-1824) was a prominent English clergyman and author, best known for his work "The Reasonableness of the Christian Religion." William Jex-Blake (1813-1901) was a distinguished English barrister and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Durham from 1857 to 1859.

One of the most famous bearers of the surname was Sophia Jex-Blake (1840-1912), a pioneering English physician and teacher who campaigned for women's rights to enter the medical profession. She was one of the first women to be admitted to study medicine in Britain and played a crucial role in opening up the field of medicine to women.

The surname Jex has a rich history rooted in medieval England, evolving from an Old English personal name and spreading throughout various regions of the country over the centuries. While relatively uncommon today, the name has been borne by several notable individuals who have left a lasting impact in various fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Jex families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jex 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. Norfolk leads with 172 Jex' recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.63x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 172 33.63x
Suffolk 31 7.65x
Middlesex 30 0.90x
Lancashire 20 0.51x
Essex 18 2.74x
Lincolnshire 16 3.01x
Surrey 16 0.99x
Yorkshire 10 0.30x
Cambridgeshire 8 3.80x
Kent 7 0.62x
Warwickshire 7 0.83x
Durham 5 0.51x
Nairnshire 1 9.85x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Yarmouth in Norfolk leads with 18 Jex' recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.48x.

Place Total Index
Great Yarmouth 18 42.48x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 15 97.72x
West Ham 15 10.35x
Everton 13 10.33x
Thorpe Next Norwich 10 184.50x
Fleet 9 592.11x
Heigham 9 32.79x
North Wootton 9 2432.43x
Aylsham 8 263.16x
Bromley London 8 10.93x
Leiston 8 287.77x
Swanton Morley 8 1012.66x
Aston 7 3.03x
Beccles 7 107.36x
East Dereham 7 108.36x
Gorleston 7 68.03x
Greenwich 7 13.22x
Norwich St James 7 174.56x
St George Hanover Square 7 11.94x
Skinningrove 6 297.03x
Stibbard 6 1111.11x
Wisbech St Peter 6 56.76x
Battersea 5 4.09x
Clapham 5 12.03x
Norwich St Michael At 5 168.35x
South Creake 5 431.03x
South Lynn 5 86.66x
Wolsingham 5 55.43x
Bethnal Green London 4 2.77x
Grantham 4 57.72x
Islington London 4 1.24x
Lowestoft 4 20.90x
Skelton In Guisbrough 4 44.84x
South Wootton 4 2000.00x
Walsoken 4 129.87x
Winstanley 4 645.16x
Aldeby 3 410.96x
Burnham Overy 3 428.57x
Camberwell 3 1.41x
Flixton 3 1111.11x
Holt 3 171.43x
Bawdeswell 2 392.16x
Billingford In Mitford 2 555.56x
Burgh St Peter 2 487.80x
Fulmodestone Cum Croxton 2 487.80x
Great Ryburgh 2 253.16x
Hampstead London 2 3.86x
Hunstanton 2 115.61x
Lambeth 2 0.69x
Loddon 2 151.52x
Martham 2 160.00x
Norwich St George Colegate 2 107.53x
South Weald 2 35.59x
Sprowston 2 88.50x
Tetford 2 294.12x
Watton 2 124.22x
West Derby 2 1.73x
Westleton 2 210.53x
Wiggenhall St Mary 2 253.16x
All Hallows Lombard 1 526.32x
Ardclach 1 78.74x
Bintree 1 192.31x
Bow London 1 2.36x
Bramerton 1 357.14x
Briston 1 103.09x
Docking 1 62.11x
Downham Market 1 28.49x
Honingham 1 256.41x
Lingwood 1 222.22x
Newington 1 0.81x
Norwich All Sts 1 232.56x
Pulham St Mary Magdalen 1 78.13x
Runton 1 172.41x
Scarning 1 131.58x
Spalding 1 9.48x
Walthamstow 1 4.23x
Walton On Hill 1 4.68x
Westminster St John 1 2.47x
Westminster St Margaret 1 6.23x
Wiggenhall St German 1 166.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 19
Henry 17
John 16
George 13
Robert 12
Charles 8
Thomas 6
Alfred 5
Arthur 5
Frederick 5
James 5
Edward 4
Harry 4
Herbert 4
Joseph 3
Richard 3
Benjamin 2
Obadiah 2
Samuel 2
Walter 2
Abraham 1
Albert 1
Bertie 1
Brandon 1
David 1
Eanora 1
Edmund 1
Edwd.C. 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.J. 1
G. 1
Herman 1
Horatio 1
Hugh 1
Isaac 1
Moses 1
Reeve 1
Robt. 1
Robt.K. 1
Scarlet 1
Sidney 1
Starling 1
Timothy 1
Wallace 1
Wm. 1
Wm.T. 1

FAQ

Jex surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jex surname in 1881?

In 1881, 340 people were recorded with the Jex surname. That placed it at #8,934 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jex surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 473 in 2016. That gives Jex a modern rank of #10,409.

What does the Jex surname mean?

A variant spelling of the English occupational surname Jacks, denoting a maker of leather jackets.

What does the Jex map show?

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