NameCensus.

UK surname

Josey

Derived from the given name Joseph or an Old French word meaning "joy," originally indicating the son of Joseph.

In the 1881 census there were 175 people recorded with the Josey surname, ranking it #13,982 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 311, ranked #14,376, down from #13,982 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Upton with Chalvey and Aldworth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ08, Summerston North and Test Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Josey is 347 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 77.7%.

1881 census count

175

Ranked #13,982

Modern count

311

2016, ranked #14,376

Peak year

1998

347 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Josey had 175 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,982 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 311 in 2016, ranked #14,376.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 328 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Josey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Josey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Josey 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 103 #16,835
1861 historical 112 #19,279
1881 historical 175 #13,982
1891 historical 195 #15,211
1901 historical 263 #12,717
1911 historical 328 #10,714
1997 modern 336 #12,549
1998 modern 347 #12,607
1999 modern 342 #12,829
2000 modern 342 #12,771
2001 modern 331 #12,869
2002 modern 323 #13,325
2003 modern 317 #13,328
2004 modern 326 #13,122
2005 modern 326 #13,045
2006 modern 337 #12,810
2007 modern 333 #13,062
2008 modern 329 #13,286
2009 modern 327 #13,599
2010 modern 336 #13,613
2011 modern 326 #13,775
2012 modern 309 #14,236
2013 modern 321 #14,073
2014 modern 319 #14,216
2015 modern 314 #14,275
2016 modern 311 #14,376

Geography

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Where Joseys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Upton with Chalvey, Aldworth and Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early),. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to IZ08, Summerston North, Test Valley, Reading and Pembrokeshire. 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 1
2 Upton with Chalvey Buckinghamshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Aldworth Berkshire
5 Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early), Berkshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ08 West Dunbartonshire
2 Summerston North Glasgow City
3 Test Valley 012 Test Valley
4 Reading 017 Reading
5 Pembrokeshire 011 Pembrokeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Josey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Josey

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Josey is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Josey is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Josey 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 Josey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Josey

The surname Josey is of English origin, emerging in the late medieval period around the 13th century. It is believed to be a diminutive or pet form of the personal name Joseph, derived from the Hebrew name Yosef, meaning "he will add" or "he will increase." The surname was likely an occupational name for someone who played the role of Joseph in medieval religious plays.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Josey can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where it appears as Joce. Over time, various spellings emerged, including Joscey, Jocie, Joscy, and Josey. These variations reflect the influence of regional dialects and scribal interpretations.

In the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1279, the name is recorded as Josce, potentially indicating a connection to the place name Joscelin, a town in Normandy, France. This suggests that the name may have been introduced to England by Norman settlers following the Norman Conquest of 1066.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Josey was John Josey, born around 1450 in Warwickshire, England. He was a yeoman farmer and landowner in the village of Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare.

Another notable figure was William Josey, born in 1602 in Gloucestershire, England. He was a member of the English gentry and served as a Justice of the Peace in his local community.

In the 17th century, Richard Josey, born in 1638 in Somerset, England, was a prominent merchant and trader who established business connections with the American colonies, particularly in Virginia.

During the English Civil War (1642-1651), Captain Thomas Josey, born in 1620 in Oxfordshire, was a Parliamentarian officer who fought against the Royalist forces of King Charles I.

In the late 18th century, Mary Josey, born in 1776 in Kent, England, gained recognition as a talented landscape painter and was elected a member of the Royal Academy of Arts in London.

While the surname Josey is not as common as some other English surnames, it has a rich history dating back to the medieval period and has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, from farmers and merchants to military officers and artists.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Josey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Josey 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. Berkshire leads with 79 Joseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 61.66x.

County Total Index
Berkshire 79 61.66x
Middlesex 30 1.76x
Buckinghamshire 22 21.32x
Surrey 16 1.92x
Lanarkshire 8 1.45x
Lincolnshire 7 2.56x
Rutland 7 55.87x
Oxfordshire 3 2.85x
Dorset 1 0.89x
Hampshire 1 0.29x
Yorkshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Reading St Mary in Berkshire leads with 19 Joseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 185.19x.

Place Total Index
Reading St Mary 19 185.19x
Reading St Giles 18 143.20x
Hammersmith London 11 26.16x
Great Marlow 10 358.42x
Battersea 9 14.33x
Govan 8 5.86x
Inkpen 7 1750.00x
Oakham Lordshold 7 534.35x
Spittlegate 7 185.19x
Tilehurst 7 270.27x
Upton Cum Chalvey 7 170.32x
Purley 6 5454.55x
Reading St Lawrence 6 218.98x
Bethnal Green London 5 6.74x
Aldworth 4 2500.00x
Brimpton 4 1600.00x
Harlington 4 444.44x
Lambeth 4 2.69x
Langley Marish 4 314.96x
Basildon 3 769.23x
Hillingdon 3 55.15x
Mapledurham 3 1200.00x
St George Bloomsbury 3 30.64x
Letcombe Regis 2 800.00x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 5.82x
Bishops Waltham 1 68.49x
Chelsea London 1 1.94x
Cholsey 1 99.01x
Earley 1 46.95x
Hanwell 1 33.00x
Harrow 1 38.31x
Islington London 1 0.60x
Lewknor Up Hill 1 833.33x
Newington 1 1.59x
Portland 1 16.61x
Ripon 1 25.51x
Thatcham 1 50.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 11
Mary 8
Ann 5
Elizabeth 5
Amelia 4
Anne 4
Emily 4
Alice 3
Edith 3
Eliza 3
Hannah 3
Ellen 2
Esther 2
Jane 2
Martha 2
Annie 1
Berteris 1
Caroline 1
Clar 1
Dorothea 1
E.A. 1
Elizth. 1
Elsie 1
Emma 1
Flora 1
Gisela 1
Harriet 1
Lizzie 1
Maria 1
Nerisse 1
Phobe 1
Phoebe 1
Ruth 1
Tilella 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Josey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Josey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 175 people were recorded with the Josey surname. That placed it at #13,982 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Josey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 311 in 2016. That gives Josey a modern rank of #14,376.

What does the Josey surname mean?

Derived from the given name Joseph or an Old French word meaning "joy," originally indicating the son of Joseph.

What does the Josey map show?

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