NameCensus.

UK surname

Kay

An English surname derived from the Old Norse word "ká," meaning jackdaw, a type of bird.

In the 1881 census there were 12,865 people recorded with the Kay surname, ranking it #319 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 17,993, ranked #335, down from #319 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Bury and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolton, Rochdale and St. Helens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kay is 18,535 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.9%.

1881 census count

12,865

Ranked #319

Modern count

17,993

2016, ranked #335

Peak year

1999

18,535 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kay had 12,865 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #319 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 17,993 in 2016, ranked #335.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 18,366 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Kay surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kay surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kay 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 9,955 #257
1861 historical 4 #33,628
1881 historical 12,865 #319
1891 historical 2,854 #1,664
1901 historical 18,366 #275
1911 historical 1 #34,332
1997 modern 17,912 #327
1998 modern 18,235 #333
1999 modern 18,535 #330
2000 modern 18,409 #329
2001 modern 18,057 #328
2002 modern 18,313 #331
2003 modern 17,880 #331
2004 modern 17,713 #333
2005 modern 17,519 #331
2006 modern 17,532 #330
2007 modern 17,699 #329
2008 modern 17,638 #335
2009 modern 18,032 #335
2010 modern 18,392 #334
2011 modern 18,002 #337
2012 modern 17,719 #335
2013 modern 18,115 #338
2014 modern 18,210 #336
2015 modern 18,023 #336
2016 modern 17,993 #335

Geography

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Where Kays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Bury, Edinburgh, Manchester and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolton, Rochdale, St. Helens and Blackburn with Darwen. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Bury Lancashire
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolton 006 Bolton
2 Rochdale 018 Rochdale
3 Bolton 019 Bolton
4 St. Helens 019 St. Helens
5 Blackburn with Darwen 017 Blackburn with Darwen

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kay

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kay

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Kay surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Kay household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Kay 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

Kay 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

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

Meaning and origin of Kay

The surname Kay originated in England and Scotland, derived from the Norman French word 'caye' meaning a causeway or wharf. It emerged as an occupational surname for someone who lived or worked near a quay or dock area.

The name can be traced back to the 12th century, with early records showing variations like Key, Kaye, and Keye. One of the earliest known references is found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, which mentions a Ralph de Kaye.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, the name is absent, suggesting it emerged later as a surname during the Norman period. However, there are mentions of places like Kaye in Yorkshire, which may have influenced the name's development.

The Kay surname has strong ties to Lancashire and Yorkshire, particularly in areas like Rochdale, Oldham, and Halifax. Place names like Kayingham and Kayeworth were likely associated with the surname's origins.

Notable historical figures with the surname include Sir John Kay (1616-1676), a British merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London. Another prominent figure was Joseph Kay (1775-1847), a noted inventor who revolutionized the textile industry with his flying shuttle.

Robert Kay (1638-1716) was a renowned English botanist and naturalist, while John Kay (1742-1826) was a celebrated English caricaturist and engraver known for his satirical prints.

John Phillips Kay (1827-1886) was a British surgeon and medical writer who made significant contributions to the field of obstetrics and gynecology.

The Kay surname has a rich history rooted in England's medieval past, with connections to occupations, places, and notable individuals who have left their mark across various fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kay families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kay 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. Lancashire leads with 7,249 Kays recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.02x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 7,249 4.02x
Yorkshire 2,515 1.67x
Lanarkshire 775 1.58x
Durham 507 1.12x
Cheshire 483 1.44x
Midlothian 472 2.32x
Middlesex 456 0.30x
Derbyshire 358 1.51x
Fife 329 3.66x
Ayrshire 230 2.02x
Northumberland 168 0.74x
Surrey 158 0.21x
Stirlingshire 154 2.75x
Perthshire 143 2.10x
Staffordshire 128 0.25x
Kent 127 0.25x
Angus 119 0.85x
Renfrewshire 90 0.77x
Warwickshire 78 0.20x
Nottinghamshire 76 0.37x
Aberdeenshire 58 0.41x
Isle of Man 52 1.84x
Cumberland 46 0.35x
Dunbartonshire 42 1.03x
Worcestershire 39 0.20x
Hampshire 38 0.12x
Essex 35 0.12x
Sussex 32 0.13x
Gloucestershire 31 0.10x
Lincolnshire 31 0.13x
Buteshire 30 3.26x
Devon 26 0.08x
West Lothian 24 1.05x
Dumfriesshire 23 0.69x
Morayshire 23 0.98x
Cambridgeshire 22 0.23x
East Lothian 22 1.09x
Shropshire 22 0.17x
Oxfordshire 21 0.22x
Roxburghshire 20 0.73x
Bedfordshire 17 0.22x
Clackmannanshire 17 1.36x
Shetland 17 1.10x
Monmouthshire 16 0.15x
Peeblesshire 16 2.24x
Kinross-shire 15 3.91x
Leicestershire 15 0.09x
Northamptonshire 15 0.11x
Hertfordshire 14 0.13x
Westmorland 12 0.36x
Argyllshire 11 0.26x
Cornwall 11 0.06x
Kirkcudbrightshire 10 0.46x
Norfolk 10 0.04x
Berkshire 9 0.08x
Glamorgan 9 0.03x
Huntingdonshire 9 0.30x
Kincardineshire 9 0.49x
Herefordshire 8 0.13x
Ross-shire 8 0.19x
Denbighshire 7 0.12x
Berwickshire 6 0.33x
Flintshire 6 0.15x
Montgomeryshire 6 0.17x
Royal Navy 6 0.33x
Pembrokeshire 5 0.10x
Caernarfonshire 4 0.07x
Banffshire 3 0.10x
Inverness-shire 3 0.07x
Wigtownshire 3 0.15x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.02x
Nairnshire 2 0.43x
Selkirkshire 2 0.15x
Orkney 1 0.06x
Rutland 1 0.09x
Somerset 1 0.00x
Wiltshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bury in Lancashire leads with 421 Kays recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.46x.

Place Total Index
Bury 421 20.46x
Over Darwen 393 27.32x
Little Bolton 273 11.79x
Oldham 259 4.46x
Great Bolton 225 9.43x
Leeds 215 2.53x
Tottington Lower End 206 24.07x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 204 2.49x
Preston 199 4.13x
Turton 194 65.79x
Radcliffe 193 22.23x
Barony 172 1.38x
Manchester 171 2.11x
Blackburn 147 3.07x
Govan 146 1.20x
Halliwell 144 21.97x
Heap 144 15.07x
Sheffield 141 2.94x
Spotland 137 6.84x
Glasgow 133 1.53x
Salford 133 2.51x
Ashton Under Lyne 129 3.28x
Pendleton In Salford 105 4.89x
Chorlton On Medlock 97 3.39x
Hulme 91 2.42x
Castleton 89 4.95x
Walmersley Cum 86 29.89x
Ecclesall Bierlow 85 2.78x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 85 16.40x
Pilkington 84 12.28x
Westhoughton 80 16.64x
Brightside Bierlow 79 2.68x
Broughton In Salford 78 4.74x
Farnworth 75 6.95x
Middleton In Oldham 74 13.70x
Tottington Higher End 71 34.63x
Burnley 70 4.62x
Prestwich 70 15.58x
Toxteth Park 70 1.15x
Wigan 70 2.78x
Holy Trinity 69 1.91x
Parr 64 9.93x
Newton 62 4.47x
Haslingden 60 8.05x
Hunslet 60 2.56x
Nether Hallam 59 2.90x
Dundee 58 1.10x
Liverpool 55 0.50x
Barnsley 54 3.48x
Birmingham 54 0.42x
Crompton 54 10.53x
Dukinfield 54 3.49x
Islington London 54 0.37x
Sculcoates 54 2.26x
Accrington 53 3.24x
Barton Upon Irwell 53 3.91x
Ecclesfield 53 4.81x
Tranmere 53 4.30x
Elton 50 8.04x
South Leith 50 2.19x
Everton 48 0.84x
Holbeck 48 4.82x
Wardleworth 48 4.66x
Dunfermline 47 3.40x
Worsbrough 47 10.67x
Atherton 46 7.02x
Bishopwearmouth 46 1.19x
Lambeth 45 0.34x
Hamilton 44 3.21x
Keighley 44 2.74x
North Meols 44 2.50x
Old Cumnock 44 17.40x
York St Mary 44 7.06x
Newchurch 42 2.85x
Warrington 42 1.97x
Little Lever 41 17.80x
Lanark 40 10.13x
Norton 40 20.43x
West Derby 40 0.76x
Cheetham 39 2.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,041
Sarah 524
Elizabeth 505
Alice 323
Ann 301
Jane 276
Ellen 248
Margaret 226
Hannah 199
Annie 182
Martha 179
Eliza 153
Emma 142
Emily 93
Harriet 76
Ada 65
Betty 65
Maria 63
Isabella 59
Nancy 56
Betsy 55
Edith 55
Charlotte 51
Catherine 50
Florence 48
Fanny 45
Agnes 44
Esther 43
Frances 43
Clara 40
Susannah 40
Lucy 38
Louisa 37
Caroline 35
Rachel 33
Elizth. 31
Amelia 30
Anne 27
Matilda 26
Ruth 25
Jessie 24
Minnie 23
Rebecca 23
Grace 22
Ethel 21
Harriett 19
Lydia 19
Eleanor 18
Rose 17
Sophia 17

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 910
William 808
James 569
Thomas 469
George 278
Joseph 269
Robert 225
Henry 178
Samuel 164
Richard 138
Arthur 135
Charles 130
Alfred 101
Edward 100
Walter 74
Albert 70
Harry 66
Frederick 63
Peter 49
David 48
Herbert 44
Fred 41
Wm. 41
Edwin 39
Benjamin 38
Frank 31
Andrew 30
Ernest 29
Abraham 28
Tom 26
Thos. 21
Jonathan 18
Isaac 17
Daniel 16
Francis 16
Alexander 15
Jno. 15
Robt. 15
Adam 14
Edmund 13
Matthew 13
Saml. 12
Geo. 11
Willie 11
Christopher 10
Moses 10
Percy 10
Jesse 9
Ralph 9
Squire 9

FAQ

Kay surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kay surname in 1881?

In 1881, 12,865 people were recorded with the Kay surname. That placed it at #319 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kay surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 17,993 in 2016. That gives Kay a modern rank of #335.

What does the Kay surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old Norse word "ká," meaning jackdaw, a type of bird.

What does the Kay map show?

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