NameCensus.

UK surname

Kaye

A variant of Kay, derived from Old English or Welsh, meaning "rejoice" or "keeper of the keys."

In the 1881 census there were 4,398 people recorded with the Kaye surname, ranking it #1,018 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,471, ranked #1,042, down from #1,018 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkheaton, Huddersfield and Kirkburton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kaye is 6,847 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.1%.

1881 census count

4,398

Ranked #1,018

Modern count

6,471

2016, ranked #1,042

Peak year

1999

6,847 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kaye had 4,398 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,018 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,471 in 2016, ranked #1,042.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,652 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Kaye surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kaye surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kaye 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 2,525 #1,178
1861 historical 2,117 #1,373
1881 historical 4,398 #1,018
1891 historical 4,274 #1,118
1901 historical 5,295 #1,064
1911 historical 5,652 #929
1997 modern 6,608 #984
1998 modern 6,783 #995
1999 modern 6,847 #994
2000 modern 6,777 #997
2001 modern 6,591 #1,000
2002 modern 6,710 #1,004
2003 modern 6,566 #1,009
2004 modern 6,495 #1,023
2005 modern 6,270 #1,052
2006 modern 6,208 #1,053
2007 modern 6,266 #1,054
2008 modern 6,286 #1,055
2009 modern 6,425 #1,060
2010 modern 6,625 #1,041
2011 modern 6,552 #1,040
2012 modern 6,493 #1,032
2013 modern 6,592 #1,033
2014 modern 6,612 #1,036
2015 modern 6,542 #1,039
2016 modern 6,471 #1,042

Geography

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Where Kayes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkheaton, Huddersfield, Kirkburton and Almondbury. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees. 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 Kirkheaton Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Huddersfield Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Kirkburton Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Almondbury Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 059 Kirklees
2 Kirklees 055 Kirklees
3 Kirklees 053 Kirklees
4 Kirklees 051 Kirklees
5 Kirklees 018 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kaye

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kaye

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Professional Periphery

Within London, Kaye is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Kaye is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kaye 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 Kaye is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Kaye

The surname Kaye originated in the region of Normandy in France. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "caye," which referred to a small quay or landing place along a river or coast. This suggests that the name may have been occupational in origin, likely referring to someone who worked at or lived near a quay.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Kaye can be traced back to the 11th century in Normandy. The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, contains several entries with variations of the name, such as "de la Caye" and "de Kaye."

As the Normans expanded their influence across Europe, the name Kaye spread to various regions, including England and Scotland. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir John de Kaye, a Norman knight who accompanied William the Conqueror during the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

The name Kaye has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. Sir John Kaye (1783-1858) was a British military historian and author who wrote extensively on the British Empire in India. Sir Joseph Kaye (1815-1886) was an English lawyer and Conservative politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1871.

Another prominent figure was John William Kaye (1814-1876), a British historian and author best known for his works on the British Indian Empire. He served as a professor of history at the East India Company College and later became the secretary of the Political and Secret Department of the India Office.

In the realm of literature, Sir John Kaye-Lethbridge (1847-1930) was an English writer and journalist who published several novels and short stories under the pen name "Walter Herries Pollock."

The name Kaye has also been associated with various place names, such as Kaye's Cottage in Gloucestershire, England, and the village of Kaye in Newfoundland, Canada.

While the name Kaye originated in Normandy, it has since spread across various regions and cultures, with bearers of the name making significant contributions in fields such as military, politics, literature, and academia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kaye families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kaye 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. Yorkshire leads with 3,360 Kayes recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.74x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 3,360 7.74x
Lancashire 370 0.71x
Middlesex 100 0.23x
Isle of Man 89 10.95x
Cheshire 64 0.66x
Surrey 58 0.27x
Durham 42 0.32x
Perthshire 41 2.09x
Nottinghamshire 35 0.59x
Lanarkshire 33 0.23x
Kent 30 0.20x
Staffordshire 30 0.20x
Derbyshire 22 0.32x
Lincolnshire 22 0.31x
Midlothian 22 0.38x
Warwickshire 20 0.18x
Oxfordshire 16 0.59x
Sussex 16 0.22x
Essex 14 0.16x
Cambridgeshire 8 0.29x
Hampshire 8 0.09x
Leicestershire 8 0.16x
Devon 7 0.08x
Aberdeenshire 6 0.15x
Cumberland 6 0.16x
Fife 6 0.23x
Hertfordshire 6 0.20x
Huntingdonshire 4 0.46x
Nairnshire 4 2.99x
Norfolk 4 0.06x
Northumberland 4 0.06x
Suffolk 4 0.08x
Gloucestershire 3 0.03x
Montgomeryshire 3 0.30x
Westmorland 3 0.31x
Flintshire 2 0.17x
Ross-shire 2 0.17x
Wiltshire 2 0.05x
Angus 1 0.02x
Bedfordshire 1 0.04x
Berkshire 1 0.03x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.06x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.05x
Channel Islands 1 0.08x
Clackmannanshire 1 0.28x
East Lothian 1 0.17x
Herefordshire 1 0.06x
Inverness-shire 1 0.08x
Northamptonshire 1 0.02x
Royal Navy 1 0.19x
Rutland 1 0.31x
Sutherland 1 0.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Huddersfield in Yorkshire leads with 276 Kayes recorded in 1881 and an index of 43.67x.

Place Total Index
Huddersfield 276 43.67x
Almondbury 232 110.59x
Lockwood 142 90.98x
Dalton In Huddersfield 132 135.83x
Fulstone 120 378.07x
Kirkburton 112 218.96x
Leeds 111 4.53x
Elland Cum Greetland 85 43.49x
Batley 74 17.95x
Hepworth 72 410.96x
Barnsley 63 14.08x
Horton In Bradford 57 8.41x
Wooldale 56 76.11x
Honley 54 71.12x
Lepton 51 112.53x
South Crosland 50 109.46x
Kirkheaton 49 69.64x
Meltham 49 72.62x
Thornhill 48 37.92x
Dewsbury 47 10.56x
Flockton 42 237.29x
Saddleworth 40 11.95x
Shipley 39 17.32x
Linthwaite 38 41.68x
Emley 37 190.82x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 37 33.81x
Bradfield 35 20.93x
Onchan 35 14.95x
Mirfield 34 14.27x
Toxteth Park 33 1.88x
Rastrick 32 26.56x
Farnley Tyas 31 336.23x
Bramley In Bramley 29 17.46x
Bowling 28 6.52x
Manchester 28 1.20x
Skelmanthorpe 28 59.79x
Shelley 27 106.42x
Heckmondwike 26 18.63x
Hunslet 25 3.70x
Liverpool 24 0.76x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 24 11.91x
Thurstonland 24 159.79x
West Derby 24 1.58x
Bradford 23 2.19x
Everton 23 1.39x
Liversedge 23 11.91x
Methley 23 37.66x
Shitlington 23 51.25x
Ashton Under Lyne 22 1.94x
Cartworth 22 61.32x
Hoyland Nether 22 20.68x
Morley 22 9.75x
Sheffield 22 1.59x
Brightside Bierlow 20 2.35x
Golcar 20 17.44x
Nottingham St Mary 20 1.31x
Oldham 20 1.19x
Halifax 19 2.98x
Patrick 19 47.96x
Tankersley 19 58.75x
Armley 18 9.41x
Camberwell 18 0.64x
North Bierley 18 7.68x
Ardsley 17 34.01x
Wolverhampton 17 1.50x
Headingley Cum Burley 16 5.73x
Longwood 16 22.88x
Worsbrough 16 12.59x
Bury 15 2.53x
German Peel 15 32.04x
Horsforth 15 15.77x
Kirkdale 15 1.72x
Shepley 15 62.71x
Whitley Upper 15 240.00x
Govan 14 0.40x
Much Woolton 14 19.86x
Perth East Church 14 7.56x
Radcliffe 14 5.59x
Stockport 14 2.82x
West Clayton 13 60.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 305
Sarah 213
Elizabeth 145
Ann 111
Annie 94
Hannah 93
Emma 77
Jane 77
Eliza 71
Ellen 65
Martha 64
Alice 51
Emily 48
Harriet 40
Clara 36
Margaret 30
Edith 29
Ada 28
Anne 24
Maria 23
Frances 20
Ruth 20
Florence 18
Lucy 18
Amelia 16
Catherine 15
Charlotte 15
Eleanor 14
Fanny 14
Caroline 13
Louisa 13
Agnes 11
Lydia 11
Rebecca 11
Esther 10
Amy 9
Beatrice 9
Isabella 9
Nancy 9
Selina 9
Betsy 8
Ethel 8
Matilda 7
Susannah 7
Betty 6
Rose 6
Sophia 6
Bertha 5
Harriett 5
Polly 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 257
William 191
George 147
Joseph 108
James 105
Charles 81
Thomas 75
Henry 71
Fred 56
Arthur 55
Albert 44
Harry 40
Alfred 34
Joe 34
Walter 34
Herbert 33
Robert 30
Richard 28
David 25
Tom 23
Benjamin 22
Frederick 22
Frank 20
Samuel 20
Sam 19
Edward 17
Willie 17
Allen 16
Ben 15
Ernest 13
Edwin 9
Wm. 9
Geo. 8
Jonas 8
Joshua 8
Lister 8
Chas. 7
Isaac 7
Edgar 6
Jesse 6
Lewis 6
Paul 6
Percy 6
Peter 6
Ralph 6
Wilson 6
Jonathan 5
Matthew 5
Nathan 5
Sidney 5

FAQ

Kaye surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kaye surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,398 people were recorded with the Kaye surname. That placed it at #1,018 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kaye surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,471 in 2016. That gives Kaye a modern rank of #1,042.

What does the Kaye surname mean?

A variant of Kay, derived from Old English or Welsh, meaning "rejoice" or "keeper of the keys."

What does the Kaye map show?

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