NameCensus.

UK surname

Neve

A variant spelling of the topographical surname derived from the French word "neuve" meaning new, referring to someone living in a new settlement.

In the 1881 census there were 788 people recorded with the Neve surname, ranking it #4,717 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,288, ranked #4,650, up from #4,717 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, Tunbridge, Bidborough and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tunbridge Wells, Rother and Mid Suffolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Neve is 1,385 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.5%.

1881 census count

788

Ranked #4,717

Modern count

1,288

2016, ranked #4,650

Peak year

1999

1,385 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Neve had 788 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,717 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,288 in 2016, ranked #4,650.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,191 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Neve surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Neve surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Neve 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 453 #5,441
1861 historical 405 #6,337
1881 historical 788 #4,717
1891 historical 799 #5,033
1901 historical 1,010 #4,724
1911 historical 1,191 #3,939
1997 modern 1,341 #4,290
1998 modern 1,360 #4,381
1999 modern 1,385 #4,345
2000 modern 1,347 #4,433
2001 modern 1,317 #4,442
2002 modern 1,346 #4,446
2003 modern 1,301 #4,483
2004 modern 1,294 #4,502
2005 modern 1,234 #4,650
2006 modern 1,258 #4,572
2007 modern 1,262 #4,603
2008 modern 1,257 #4,654
2009 modern 1,276 #4,694
2010 modern 1,308 #4,680
2011 modern 1,296 #4,658
2012 modern 1,283 #4,626
2013 modern 1,314 #4,612
2014 modern 1,332 #4,577
2015 modern 1,316 #4,580
2016 modern 1,288 #4,650

Geography

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Where Neves are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes, Withyham and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tunbridge Wells, Rother, Mid Suffolk, Carlisle and Kingston upon Hull. 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 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
2 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
3 London parishes London 3
4 Withyham Sussex
5 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tunbridge Wells 014 Tunbridge Wells
2 Rother 001 Rother
3 Mid Suffolk 002 Mid Suffolk
4 Carlisle 002 Carlisle
5 Kingston upon Hull 008 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Neve

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Neve

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Neve 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

Neve is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Neve falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Neve

The surname Neve is an English locational name derived from various locations such as Neve in Suffolk, England. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "nafu" or "nefa," meaning "nave" or "navel," referring to a hill-shaped or protruding landform.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the 13th century, with mentions in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk in 1273 and the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327. The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086 by William the Conqueror, does not contain any direct references to the surname Neve, but it does mention several place names that may have contributed to its formation.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Simon de Neve, who was recorded in the Essex Feet of Fines in 1295. John Neve, a prominent English historian and antiquarian, was born in 1677 and is known for his work "Monumenta Anglicana," which documented the history and architecture of various churches and cathedrals in England.

In the 16th century, the Neve family held lands in Suffolk and Norfolk, and several members were notable figures. Thomas Neve (1496-1563) was a clergyman and a president of Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, while Richard Neve (1590-1676) was a prominent landowner and Sheriff of Norfolk in 1643.

The Neve surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Neve's Cross in Cambridgeshire and Neve's Farm in Suffolk. The variant spelling "Neave" is found in some regions, and there are records of individuals with this spelling in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire as early as the 14th century.

Other notable individuals with the surname Neve include: 1. Jephtha Neve (1758-1832), an English engraver and portrait painter. 2. Frederick Neve (1792-1867), an English architect and surveyor. 3. Arthur Neve (1859-1919), a British missionary and explorer in Kashmir. 4. Ernest Neve (1864-1919), a British surgeon and medical missionary in Kashmir. 5. Ernest Wilson Neve (1892-1965), a British ethnographer and explorer in the Himalayas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Neve families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Neve 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. Kent leads with 205 Neves recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.83x.

County Total Index
Kent 205 7.83x
Norfolk 178 15.08x
Sussex 134 10.35x
Middlesex 48 0.63x
Surrey 38 1.02x
Lincolnshire 25 2.04x
Yorkshire 22 0.29x
Lancashire 21 0.23x
Northumberland 20 1.75x
Staffordshire 16 0.62x
Cambridgeshire 11 2.26x
Bedfordshire 8 2.01x
Durham 8 0.35x
Suffolk 8 0.86x
Hertfordshire 7 1.32x
Berkshire 6 1.04x
Gloucestershire 6 0.40x
Hampshire 4 0.25x
Oxfordshire 4 0.84x
Cumberland 3 0.45x
Northamptonshire 3 0.42x
Warwickshire 3 0.15x
Midlothian 2 0.19x
Buteshire 1 2.15x
Channel Islands 1 0.44x
Cheshire 1 0.06x
Essex 1 0.07x
Leicestershire 1 0.12x
Royal Navy 1 1.09x
Somerset 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tonbridge in Kent leads with 34 Neves recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.99x.

Place Total Index
Tonbridge 34 35.99x
Cranbrook 25 225.43x
Hastings St Mary 23 71.41x
Withyam 21 379.06x
Middleton 17 735.93x
Rotherfield 16 140.35x
Tenterden 16 173.16x
Brighton 15 5.74x
Bermondsey 13 5.69x
Catfield 13 783.13x
Ringland 13 1511.63x
Hawkhurst 12 147.42x
Heigham 12 18.94x
Bethnal Green London 11 3.30x
Wittersham 11 470.09x
Walsoken 10 140.85x
Faversham 9 36.03x
Hastings St Andrew 9 193.97x
West Derby 9 3.38x
Benenden 8 963.86x
Brandon Parva 8 1860.47x
Great Grimsby 8 10.27x
Great Yarmouth 8 8.18x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 8.09x
Margate St John Baptist 8 16.68x
Ore 8 83.07x
Panxworth 8 2222.22x
Warbleton 8 207.25x
Appledore 7 409.36x
Elswick 7 7.68x
Lenham 7 133.84x
Lewisham 7 5.01x
Linton 7 304.35x
Lowestoft 7 15.85x
Luton 7 10.17x
Norwich St Martin At Oak 7 97.49x
Richmond 7 13.35x
Sutton Stoneferry 7 32.15x
Wavertree 7 24.01x
Ashford 6 23.52x
Burlingham St Peter 6 3529.41x
Chipping Campden 6 122.45x
Corsenside 6 335.20x
East Tuddenham 6 504.20x
Gedney 6 119.76x
Hollington 6 130.15x
Lutton 6 295.57x
Rockland All Sts 6 833.33x
Southcoates 6 14.21x
Woolwich 6 6.20x
Camberwell 5 1.02x
Codsall 5 135.87x
Fakenham 5 86.06x
Hackney London 5 1.16x
Hurst 5 66.31x
Islington London 5 0.67x
Lambeth 5 0.75x
Norwich St John Sepulchre 5 65.27x
Rye 5 40.65x
Snettisham 5 152.91x
South Lynn 5 37.54x
Stone In Tenterden 5 495.05x
Tydd St Mary 5 204.92x
Watford 5 12.19x
Wolverhampton 5 2.51x
Beckley 4 123.84x
Beddington 4 27.64x
Burton Agnes 4 439.56x
Dover St Mary Virgin 4 15.78x
Minster In Sheppey 4 9.22x
Norwich St Gregory 4 193.24x
Norwich St Stephen 4 36.93x
Oxford St John 4 1111.11x
Plumstead 4 4.58x
St Marylebone London 4 0.98x
Tettenhall 4 25.25x
Walpole St Peter 4 133.78x
Welborne 4 769.23x
Westminster St John 4 4.28x
Wisbech St Peter 4 16.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 42
William 34
Charles 32
John 27
James 21
Frederick 15
Henry 15
Robert 15
Walter 15
Thomas 14
Arthur 12
Edward 12
Albert 9
Alfred 9
David 9
Joseph 8
Richard 8
Herbert 6
Harry 5
Ernest 4
Samuel 4
Stephen 4
Amos 3
Elias 3
Francis 3
Henery 3
Frank 2
Jeremiah 2
Julius 2
Oliver 2
Percy 2
Peter 2
Ruben 2
Benjamin 1
Chas.J. 1
Clement 1
E. 1
Ebenezer 1
Fedrick 1
Frederic 1
Fredk.J. 1
Gerald 1
H. 1
Harold 1
Jessie 1
Job 1
Jonathan 1
Montague 1
Owen 1
Wm.Howard 1

FAQ

Neve surname: questions and answers

How common was the Neve surname in 1881?

In 1881, 788 people were recorded with the Neve surname. That placed it at #4,717 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Neve surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,288 in 2016. That gives Neve a modern rank of #4,650.

What does the Neve surname mean?

A variant spelling of the topographical surname derived from the French word "neuve" meaning new, referring to someone living in a new settlement.

What does the Neve map show?

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