NameCensus.

UK surname

Narey

Of Irish and Norman origin, a variant spelling of the locational surname derived from French place names.

In the 1881 census there were 170 people recorded with the Narey surname, ranking it #14,265 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 338, ranked #13,533, up from #14,265 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newcastle All Saints, Bingley and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford and Middlesbrough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Narey is 340 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 98.8%.

1881 census count

170

Ranked #14,265

Modern count

338

2016, ranked #13,533

Peak year

2015

340 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Narey had 170 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,265 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 338 in 2016, ranked #13,533.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 204 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Narey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Narey surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Narey 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 53 #23,739
1861 historical 128 #17,375
1881 historical 170 #14,265
1891 historical 157 #17,778
1901 historical 189 #15,684
1911 historical 204 #14,784
1997 modern 297 #13,623
1998 modern 307 #13,690
1999 modern 311 #13,642
2000 modern 300 #13,904
2001 modern 295 #13,867
2002 modern 298 #14,048
2003 modern 290 #14,134
2004 modern 294 #14,055
2005 modern 285 #14,273
2006 modern 285 #14,361
2007 modern 293 #14,272
2008 modern 295 #14,303
2009 modern 302 #14,353
2010 modern 313 #14,289
2011 modern 329 #13,694
2012 modern 315 #14,031
2013 modern 335 #13,604
2014 modern 337 #13,659
2015 modern 340 #13,455
2016 modern 338 #13,533

Geography

Back to top

Where Nareys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newcastle All Saints, Bingley, Manchester, Bradford and Keighley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford and Middlesbrough. 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 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
2 Bingley Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Keighley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 009 Bradford
2 Bradford 012 Bradford
3 Middlesbrough 001 Middlesbrough
4 Bradford 011 Bradford
5 Bradford 008 Bradford

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Narey

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Narey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Narey, 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 Narey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Narey 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Narey is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Narey is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Narey

The surname Narey originated in England during the medieval period, derived from the Old English words "naerra" meaning "narrow" and "eg" meaning "island" or "dry ground in a fen or marsh." It was likely a topographic name given to someone who lived on a narrow piece of land between marshes or wetlands.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century, with references found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it was spelled "Nareye." This spelling variation suggests the name may have originated in or around Cambridgeshire.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there is no direct mention of the Narey surname. However, the book does contain references to various places with names that could be related, such as "Naresburgh" and "Naresford."

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Narey was John Narey, who was mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1420. Another early bearer of the name was William Narey, listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1524.

Notable individuals with the Narey surname throughout history include:

1. Sir William Narey (c. 1510-1578), an English courtier and diplomat who served under Queen Elizabeth I. 2. Robert Narey (1630-1695), an English scholar and clergyman who served as the Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. 3. Elizabeth Narey (1720-1794), a British philanthropist and advocate for the poor, known for her work in establishing schools and charities in London. 4. John Narey (1792-1868), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later became an admiral. 5. Margaret Narey (1840-1918), a Scottish educator and suffragette who campaigned for women's rights and founded several schools in Glasgow.

The surname Narey has been historically concentrated in various parts of England, particularly in counties such as Cambridgeshire, Essex, and Suffolk, where the earliest records of the name can be found. It has also been present in Scotland, though to a lesser extent.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Narey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Narey 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 93 Nareys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.66x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 93 5.66x
Lancashire 23 1.17x
Northumberland 14 5.67x
Durham 12 2.43x
Angus 10 6.51x
Staffordshire 9 1.61x
Middlesex 6 0.36x
Cheshire 1 0.27x
Derbyshire 1 0.39x
Warwickshire 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Keighley in Yorkshire leads with 29 Nareys recorded in 1881 and an index of 165.62x.

Place Total Index
Keighley 29 165.62x
Esh 11 306.41x
Horton In Bradford 11 42.87x
Bingley 10 95.60x
Byker 10 81.97x
Liff Benvie 10 42.88x
Leeds 8 8.62x
Walsall Foreign 8 27.67x
Heaton Norris 7 62.50x
Acomb 6 697.67x
Ashton Under Lyne 5 11.63x
Heckmondwike 5 94.70x
Ripon 5 131.23x
York St Helen On Walls 5 1851.85x
Bowling 3 18.44x
Hackney London 3 3.23x
Holy Trinity 3 7.59x
Manchester 3 3.39x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 3 20.37x
Middlesbrough 2 9.35x
Oldham 2 3.15x
Spitalfields London 2 16.04x
Spotland 2 9.14x
Birmingham 1 0.72x
Chorley 1 9.06x
Dronfield 1 30.03x
Halliwell 1 13.97x
Hammersmith London 1 2.45x
Ledstone 1 769.23x
Little Bolton 1 3.95x
Longbenton 1 9.57x
Macclesfield 1 6.15x
Newcastle Under Lyme 1 10.10x
Otley 1 25.06x
Preston 1 1.90x
Skipton 1 19.34x
Skircoat 1 15.43x
Sunderland 1 11.48x
Thrybergh 1 833.33x
York St George 1 77.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Ann 8
Ellen 8
Bridget 7
Margaret 6
Annie 4
Hannah 4
Rose 4
Alice 3
Elizabeth 3
Catherine 2
Kate 2
Maria 2
Ada 1
Anne 1
Arabella 1
Catharine 1
Catriney 1
Dora 1
Emily 1
Hannorah 1
Henrietta 1
Jane 1
Lillie 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Maggie 1
Margret 1
Martin 1
Phoebe 1
Rebecca 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Narey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Narey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 170 people were recorded with the Narey surname. That placed it at #14,265 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Narey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 338 in 2016. That gives Narey a modern rank of #13,533.

What does the Narey surname mean?

Of Irish and Norman origin, a variant spelling of the locational surname derived from French place names.

What does the Narey map show?

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