NameCensus.

UK surname

Morbey

In the 1881 census there were 129 people recorded with the Morbey surname, ranking it #17,013 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 398, ranked #11,924, up from #17,013 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Willesden and Coppenhall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cherwell, East Cambridgeshire and Birmingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Morbey is 437 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 208.5%.

1881 census count

129

Ranked #17,013

Modern count

398

2016, ranked #11,924

Peak year

1998

437 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Morbey had 129 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,013 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 398 in 2016, ranked #11,924.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 372 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Morbey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Morbey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Morbey 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 69 #21,148
1861 historical 68 #25,196
1881 historical 129 #17,013
1891 historical 247 #12,880
1901 historical 248 #13,204
1911 historical 372 #9,807
1997 modern 370 #11,666
1998 modern 437 #10,637
1999 modern 424 #10,969
2000 modern 426 #10,878
2001 modern 420 #10,811
2002 modern 416 #11,120
2003 modern 410 #11,061
2004 modern 398 #11,321
2005 modern 404 #11,100
2006 modern 406 #11,108
2007 modern 407 #11,228
2008 modern 411 #11,232
2009 modern 415 #11,386
2010 modern 428 #11,352
2011 modern 424 #11,314
2012 modern 414 #11,431
2013 modern 418 #11,533
2014 modern 418 #11,614
2015 modern 398 #11,949
2016 modern 398 #11,924

Geography

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Where Morbeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Willesden, Coppenhall, Stanton St John and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cherwell, East Cambridgeshire, Birmingham, East Lindsey and Ryedale. 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 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 Coppenhall Cheshire
4 Stanton St John Oxfordshire
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cherwell 009 Cherwell
2 East Cambridgeshire 004 East Cambridgeshire
3 Birmingham 062 Birmingham
4 East Lindsey 018 East Lindsey
5 Ryedale 001 Ryedale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Morbey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Morbey

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Morbey is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Morbey 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

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

1881 census detail

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Morbey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Morbey 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 27 Morbeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.16x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 27 2.16x
Warwickshire 25 7.94x
Northamptonshire 15 12.77x
Lancashire 11 0.74x
Oxfordshire 11 14.27x
Berkshire 7 7.47x
Yorkshire 5 0.40x
Bedfordshire 4 6.19x
Cambridgeshire 4 5.06x
Devon 4 1.54x
Leicestershire 4 2.89x
Surrey 4 0.66x
Buckinghamshire 2 2.65x
Worcestershire 2 1.23x
Cumberland 1 0.93x
Hampshire 1 0.39x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.59x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 11 Morbeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.48x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 11 10.48x
Northampton Priory St 10 141.84x
Islington London 9 7.44x
Clewer 7 182.29x
Aston 6 6.92x
Banbury 6 389.61x
Manchester 6 9.01x
Shoreditch London 6 11.08x
Southam 6 779.22x
Wellingborough 5 84.75x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 4 89.09x
Eaton Socon 4 396.04x
Exeter St David 4 180.18x
Leicester St Margaret 4 11.85x
Openshaw 4 57.64x
St Pancras London 4 3.98x
Ashtead 3 750.00x
St Andrewthe Less 3 33.19x
St George Hanover 3 18.40x
Beckley 2 1333.33x
Kidderminster Borough 2 20.96x
Newport Pagnell 2 126.58x
Warwick St Mary 2 73.26x
Barrow In Furness 1 4.96x
Beverley St Martin 1 48.31x
Culham 1 434.78x
Dorking 1 24.45x
Hackney London 1 1.43x
Hammersmith London 1 3.25x
Neithrop 1 38.61x
Nottingham St Mary 1 2.30x
Pinner 1 91.74x
Plumbland 1 357.14x
Portsmouth 1 16.98x
Soham 1 58.82x
St Marylebone London 1 1.50x
Tackley 1 434.78x
Westminster St James 1 7.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 9
Florence 5
Emma 4
Jane 4
Mary 4
Sarah 4
Ann 3
Alice 2
Annie 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Hannah 2
Harriett 2
Isabella 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Martha 2
Susan 2
Amy 1
Edith 1
Ester 1
Fanny 1
Lilian 1
Mar 1
Matilda 1
Phillis 1
Rebecca 1
Sopha 1
Sophia 1
Susannah 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 12
George 6
James 6
William 5
Henry 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Alfred 2
Samuel 2
Thomas 2
Benjamin 1
Chas. 1
Douglas 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
Fredck. 1
Jno. 1
Jones 1
Joseph 1
Lewin 1
Paul 1
Reuben 1
Richard 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Morbey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Morbey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 129 people were recorded with the Morbey surname. That placed it at #17,013 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Morbey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 398 in 2016. That gives Morbey a modern rank of #11,924.

What does the Morbey map show?

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