NameCensus.

UK surname

Manby

An English locational surname derived from the parish of Manby in Lincolnshire.

In the 1881 census there were 324 people recorded with the Manby surname, ranking it #9,214 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 355, ranked #13,020, down from #9,214 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Walthamstow, Low Leyton and Skipton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Babergh, Harrogate and Hambleton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Manby is 591 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.6%.

1881 census count

324

Ranked #9,214

Modern count

355

2016, ranked #13,020

Peak year

1891

591 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Manby had 324 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,214 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 355 in 2016, ranked #13,020.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 591 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Manby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Manby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Manby 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 274 #8,176
1861 historical 498 #5,253
1881 historical 324 #9,214
1891 historical 591 #6,465
1901 historical 362 #10,173
1911 historical 383 #9,597
1997 modern 358 #11,977
1998 modern 398 #11,377
1999 modern 398 #11,486
2000 modern 403 #11,333
2001 modern 382 #11,606
2002 modern 393 #11,587
2003 modern 360 #12,152
2004 modern 365 #12,077
2005 modern 364 #12,008
2006 modern 353 #12,363
2007 modern 358 #12,383
2008 modern 348 #12,751
2009 modern 367 #12,501
2010 modern 366 #12,800
2011 modern 375 #12,438
2012 modern 363 #12,592
2013 modern 371 #12,597
2014 modern 366 #12,823
2015 modern 357 #12,979
2016 modern 355 #13,020

Geography

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Where Manbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Walthamstow, Low Leyton, Skipton, Paddington and Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Babergh, Harrogate and Hambleton. 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 Walthamstow, Low Leyton Essex
3 Skipton Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Paddington London (West Districts)
5 Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Babergh 007 Babergh
2 Harrogate 013 Harrogate
3 Hambleton 010 Hambleton
4 Harrogate 020 Harrogate
5 Harrogate 015 Harrogate

Forenames

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First names often paired with Manby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Manby

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Manby 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

Manby 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

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

Meaning and origin of Manby

The surname "MANBY" is of English origin, derived from the Old Norse personal name "Manni" or "Menni". It is believed to have originated in the late 11th century, shortly after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

The name was initially concentrated in the counties of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, where many Norse settlers established themselves during the Viking era. It is thought to have evolved from the Old Norse word "mannr", meaning "man" or "human being".

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Manby name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Manni" in the village of Manby, near Louth in Lincolnshire. This village likely took its name from the same source as the surname.

In the 13th century, the Manby family held land and property in the village of Manby, as well as in other parts of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. The spelling of the name varied during this period, with forms such as "Manebi", "Mannebi", and "Mannebye" appearing in historical records.

Notable individuals with the surname Manby include:

1. Sir George William Manby (1765-1854), a British military officer and inventor of the Manby Mortar, a device used for rescuing shipwrecked sailors.

2. Thomas Manby (1676-1751), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.

3. Reverend Peter Manby (1572-1624), an English clergyman and academic who served as the President of Corpus Christi College, Oxford.

4. Robert Manby (1808-1892), a British engineer and inventor who developed the first practical fire extinguisher.

5. William Manby (1807-1857), an English doctor and writer who published several works on medical topics.

The name Manby has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Manby in Lincolnshire, Manby Woodhouse in Yorkshire, and Manby Hall in Derbyshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Manby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Manby 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. Middlesex leads with 69 Manbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.18x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 69 2.18x
Yorkshire 60 1.91x
Suffolk 52 13.47x
Essex 33 5.27x
Lancashire 15 0.40x
Sussex 15 2.81x
Angus 11 3.75x
Kent 10 0.92x
Norfolk 7 1.44x
Lanarkshire 6 0.59x
Lincolnshire 6 1.18x
Staffordshire 6 0.56x
Surrey 6 0.39x
Nottinghamshire 5 1.17x
Worcestershire 5 1.21x
Leicestershire 3 0.85x
Northamptonshire 3 1.01x
Isle of Man 2 3.40x
Warwickshire 2 0.25x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.52x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.50x
Cheshire 1 0.14x
Cornwall 1 0.28x
Devon 1 0.15x
Dorset 1 0.48x
Gloucestershire 1 0.16x
Hertfordshire 1 0.46x
Northumberland 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bilton Cum Harrogate in Yorkshire leads with 28 Manbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 260.71x.

Place Total Index
Bilton Cum Harrogate 28 260.71x
Leyton Low 17 133.65x
Kensington London 12 6.81x
Skipton 10 101.11x
Hoo 9 5000.00x
Pettistree 9 3000.00x
Brighton 8 7.42x
Ipswich St Helen 8 174.67x
Sudbury St Peter 8 377.36x
West Derby 8 7.27x
Willesden 8 26.77x
East Rudham 7 813.95x
Paddington London 7 6.01x
Tenterden 7 183.73x
Barham 6 1176.47x
Ecclesall Bierlow 6 9.39x
Glasgow 6 3.30x
St Marylebone London 6 3.54x
Bromley London 5 7.17x
Hackney London 5 2.81x
Ore 5 125.63x
Walthamstow 5 22.20x
Ashford 4 160.00x
Droylsden 4 32.60x
Keighley 4 11.94x
Kidderminster Foreign 4 68.38x
Montrose 4 22.47x
Rayne 4 909.09x
St Luke London 4 7.87x
St Vigeans 4 25.24x
Wortley In Bramley 4 16.08x
Acton 3 16.14x
Arthington 3 612.24x
Beddington 3 50.25x
Brechin 3 26.00x
Gorleston 3 30.58x
Islington London 3 0.98x
Kettering 3 24.88x
Leyton 3 27.83x
Poplar London 3 5.01x
St George Hanover 3 7.25x
Tettenhall 3 45.87x
Writtle 3 117.19x
Birmingham 2 0.75x
Chelsea London 2 2.09x
Creeting St Mary 2 769.23x
Deptford St Paul 2 2.40x
Ipswich St Margaret 2 15.27x
Lambley 2 229.89x
Lezayre 2 75.76x
Northallerton 2 49.88x
Poulton Barre 2 46.73x
St Clement Danes 2 38.99x
Stoke Upon Trent 2 1.76x
Worksop 2 15.79x
Birkenhead 1 1.79x
Blandford Forum 1 24.33x
Bourn 1 24.45x
Bradshaw 1 121.95x
Bungay St Mary 1 52.36x
Camberwell 1 0.49x
Eastbourne 1 4.07x
Flintham 1 243.90x
Framlingham 1 36.50x
Hampstead London 1 2.03x
Hastings St Clement 1 19.88x
Honiton 1 27.40x
Houghton On The Hill 1 222.22x
Little Marlow 1 94.34x
Manthorpe Cum Little 1 25.77x
Pannal 1 33.22x
Scawby 1 59.52x
Scunthorpe 1 43.86x
Sewstern 1 454.55x
St Giles Cripplegate 1 23.75x
St Paul Lincoln 1 112.36x
Stoughton 1 625.00x
Stratton 1 133.33x
Totteridge 1 147.06x
Wanstead 1 9.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 16
William 13
John 11
Arthur 8
Henry 8
Thomas 8
Charles 7
Harry 7
Edward 5
James 5
Frederick 4
Joseph 4
Aaron 3
Albert 3
Alfred 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Walter 3
Borman 2
Chas. 2
Geo. 2
Lionel 2
Phillip 2
Samuel 2
Cordy 1
Cyril 1
David 1
Duke 1
Edwin 1
Eyvyan 1
Francis 1
Frd 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Geo.Fred. 1
Gerald 1
Harland 1
Hurburt 1
Hy. 1
Leonard 1
Maurice 1
Michael 1
Morris 1
Nicholas 1
Owen 1
Percy 1
Raymond 1
Richard 1
Robert 1

FAQ

Manby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Manby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 324 people were recorded with the Manby surname. That placed it at #9,214 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Manby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 355 in 2016. That gives Manby a modern rank of #13,020.

What does the Manby surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from the parish of Manby in Lincolnshire.

What does the Manby map show?

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