NameCensus.

UK surname

Morby

A locational surname originating from a place in Yorkshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 370 people recorded with the Morby surname, ranking it #8,434 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 394, ranked #12,012, down from #8,434 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Tadmarton and King's Sutton, Newbottle. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gosport, Coventry and Middlesbrough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Morby is 448 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6.5%.

1881 census count

370

Ranked #8,434

Modern count

394

2016, ranked #12,012

Peak year

1911

448 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Morby had 370 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,434 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 394 in 2016, ranked #12,012.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 448 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Morby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Morby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Morby 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 206 #10,183
1861 historical 369 #6,919
1881 historical 370 #8,434
1891 historical 438 #8,234
1901 historical 380 #9,823
1911 historical 448 #8,538
1997 modern 378 #11,474
1998 modern 410 #11,143
1999 modern 416 #11,110
2000 modern 399 #11,422
2001 modern 392 #11,384
2002 modern 400 #11,443
2003 modern 387 #11,523
2004 modern 402 #11,244
2005 modern 387 #11,463
2006 modern 385 #11,556
2007 modern 379 #11,854
2008 modern 375 #12,059
2009 modern 388 #12,000
2010 modern 419 #11,550
2011 modern 411 #11,617
2012 modern 400 #11,726
2013 modern 408 #11,740
2014 modern 406 #11,865
2015 modern 391 #12,113
2016 modern 394 #12,012

Geography

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Where Morbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Tadmarton, King's Sutton, Newbottle, Kidderminster and Banbury. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gosport, Coventry, Middlesbrough, Halton and Telford and Wrekin. 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 3
2 Tadmarton Oxfordshire
3 King's Sutton, Newbottle Northamptonshire
4 Kidderminster Worcestershire
5 Banbury Oxfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gosport 002 Gosport
2 Coventry 025 Coventry
3 Middlesbrough 010 Middlesbrough
4 Halton 001 Halton
5 Telford and Wrekin 018 Telford and Wrekin

Forenames

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First names often paired with Morby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Morby

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Morby surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Morby household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Morby is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Morby 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

Morby falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Morby 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 Morby, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Morby

The surname Morby is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the late 12th century. It is likely derived from Old English words such as "mor" meaning "marsh" or "moor" and "by" meaning a "town" or "village". This suggests that the name may have originated from a place name referring to a settlement located near a marshy or moorland area.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Morby can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1190, where it appears as "Morebi". This indicates that the name was already in use in northern England during this time period.

In the 13th century, the Morby surname appears in various historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which mention a William de Morebi from Cambridgeshire. This suggests that the name had spread beyond its northern English origins by this point.

During the 14th century, the name continued to be documented in various records, such as the Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which list a John Morby from Norfolk. This indicates that the name had become more widely dispersed across different regions of England.

Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname Morby. One example is Robert Morby, a prominent English merchant who lived in the late 16th century and was involved in the wool trade. Another is William Morby (1599-1679), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious texts.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various parish records and documents, such as the marriage register of St. Michael's Church in Coventry, which records the marriage of Richard Morby in 1642. This further solidifies the presence of the name in various parts of England during this time.

As the centuries progressed, the Morby surname continued to be documented in various historical records and documents, reflecting its enduring presence in English society. Notable examples include Thomas Morby (1718-1796), an English clockmaker and inventor, and John Morby (1785-1857), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.

While the Morby surname may have evolved over time and taken on different spellings or variations, its origins can be traced back to the late 12th century in England, where it likely originated as a place name derived from Old English words related to marshy or moorland areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Morby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Morby 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. Oxfordshire leads with 90 Morbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.38x.

County Total Index
Oxfordshire 90 40.38x
Warwickshire 45 4.94x
Northamptonshire 33 9.72x
Middlesex 25 0.69x
Surrey 22 1.25x
Worcestershire 21 4.46x
Staffordshire 19 1.56x
Bedfordshire 16 8.56x
Yorkshire 16 0.45x
Huntingdonshire 12 16.75x
Kent 12 0.97x
Leicestershire 12 3.00x
Lincolnshire 11 1.91x
Norfolk 10 1.80x
Nottinghamshire 10 2.06x
Cheshire 3 0.38x
Derbyshire 3 0.53x
Lancashire 3 0.07x
Roxburghshire 2 3.06x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.46x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.44x
Essex 1 0.14x
Montgomeryshire 1 1.21x
Sussex 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Neithrop in Oxfordshire leads with 33 Morbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 440.59x.

Place Total Index
Neithrop 33 440.59x
Stanton St John 26 3823.53x
Newington 19 14.25x
Newbottle 17 2656.25x
Broughton 15 2083.33x
Kidderminster Borough 13 47.14x
Leamington 11 182.42x
Eynesbury 10 602.41x
Burton Upon Trent 9 31.58x
Crosby Gunness West 9 3000.00x
Luton 9 27.82x
Plumstead 9 21.92x
Stoke 9 502.79x
Wellingborough 9 52.72x
Birmingham 7 2.31x
Dudley 7 12.22x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 6 36.01x
Leeds 6 2.97x
Nottingham St Mary 6 4.77x
St Bride London 6 285.71x
Tadmarton 6 1363.64x
Bicester Market End 5 122.25x
Colmworth 5 1041.67x
Hackney London 5 2.47x
Harborne 5 12.81x
Thornaby 5 37.43x
Tottenham 5 8.70x
Burbage 4 191.39x
Leamington Priors 4 17.86x
Leicester St Margaret 4 4.10x
Chelsea London 3 2.76x
Minster In Sheppey 3 14.71x
Northampton St Giles 3 23.20x
Nutfield 3 225.56x
Oxford St Thomas 3 28.85x
Snenton 3 15.70x
Aston 2 0.80x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 2 6.00x
Chesterton 2 833.33x
Coleshill 2 68.49x
Coventry Holy Trinity 2 7.36x
Derby St Werburgh 2 6.13x
Dishley Cum Thorpacre 2 769.23x
Dukinfield 2 5.43x
Earls Barton 2 68.97x
Flixborough 2 689.66x
Hawick 2 13.67x
Horninglow 2 34.84x
Manningham 2 4.54x
North Wootton 2 500.00x
Nuneaton 2 18.98x
Offord Cluny 2 555.56x
Sandy 2 60.79x
Westminster St James 2 5.39x
Armley 1 6.34x
Belgrave 1 11.07x
Burslem 1 2.87x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.17x
Congleton 1 7.27x
Coventry St Michael 1 3.42x
Downham Market 1 26.25x
East Grinstead 1 11.61x
Glossop Dale 1 3.78x
Graveley 1 384.62x
Islington London 1 0.29x
Kings Norton 1 2.37x
Leicester St Mary 1 3.09x
Mucking 1 322.58x
Northampton St Peter 1 48.54x
Over Darwen 1 2.92x
Pool 1 16.03x
Preston 1 0.87x
Ruddington 1 30.67x
St George Hanover 1 2.12x
St Pancras London 1 0.34x
Stoke Lyne 1 144.93x
Sutton Coldfield 1 10.45x
Swalcliffe 1 129.87x
Upton Cum Chalvey 1 11.51x
West Bromwich 1 1.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 18
Mary 13
Sarah 12
Ann 8
Eliza 8
Annie 7
Emily 7
Emma 7
Hannah 7
Harriet 7
Fanny 6
Alice 4
Amelia 4
Caroline 4
Kate 4
Susan 4
Charlotte 3
Clara 3
Edith 3
Ellen 3
Amy 2
Anne 2
Betsy 2
Harriett 2
Isabel 2
Jane 2
Lilly 2
Louisa 2
Maria 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Ruth 2
Susanna 2
Ada 1
B. 1
Barbara 1
Eleanor 1
Ethel 1
Eugenie 1
F. 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Jessie 1
Lizey 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
M.A. 1
Marey 1
Margaret 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 23
John 21
Thomas 16
George 13
James 13
Joseph 11
Henry 7
Charles 6
Samuel 5
Edward 4
Robert 4
Alfred 3
Frederick 3
Richard 3
Albert 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Harry 2
Walter 2
A. 1
Aaron 1
Abraham 1
Anthony 1
Arthe 1
Arthur 1
Baker 1
Ben 1
Benjamin 1
Cyril 1
Edmond 1
Ernest 1
Ernie 1
F. 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Freddy 1
Geo.E. 1
Horace 1
J. 1
Joshua 1
Lewis 1
Linery 1
Michael 1
T. 1
Thos.J. 1
Tom 1
W. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Morby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Morby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 370 people were recorded with the Morby surname. That placed it at #8,434 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Morby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 394 in 2016. That gives Morby a modern rank of #12,012.

What does the Morby surname mean?

A locational surname originating from a place in Yorkshire, England.

What does the Morby map show?

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