NameCensus.

UK surname

Nevill

An English surname derived from the French place name Neuville, meaning "new town".

In the 1881 census there were 1,096 people recorded with the Nevill surname, ranking it #3,627 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 836, ranked #6,670, down from #3,627 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Heckfield and Whittington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lichfield, Doncaster and Havering.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nevill is 1,140 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 23.7%.

1881 census count

1,096

Ranked #3,627

Modern count

836

2016, ranked #6,670

Peak year

1911

1,140 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nevill had 1,096 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,627 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 836 in 2016, ranked #6,670.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,140 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Nevill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nevill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nevill 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 993 #2,814
1861 historical 812 #3,388
1881 historical 1,096 #3,627
1891 historical 1,027 #4,057
1901 historical 1,048 #4,575
1911 historical 1,140 #4,094
1997 modern 888 #6,026
1998 modern 949 #5,907
1999 modern 955 #5,924
2000 modern 927 #6,045
2001 modern 899 #6,096
2002 modern 938 #5,997
2003 modern 887 #6,154
2004 modern 868 #6,256
2005 modern 859 #6,259
2006 modern 830 #6,426
2007 modern 831 #6,491
2008 modern 818 #6,614
2009 modern 847 #6,582
2010 modern 863 #6,613
2011 modern 867 #6,516
2012 modern 840 #6,586
2013 modern 865 #6,550
2014 modern 850 #6,655
2015 modern 845 #6,646
2016 modern 836 #6,670

Geography

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Where Nevills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Heckfield, Whittington 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 Lichfield, Doncaster, Havering, Dover and Tonbridge and Malling. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Heckfield Hampshire
4 Whittington Staffordshire
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lichfield 006 Lichfield
2 Doncaster 037 Doncaster
3 Havering 001 Havering
4 Dover 010 Dover
5 Tonbridge and Malling 014 Tonbridge and Malling

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nevill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nevill

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Nevill is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Nevill 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

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

Meaning and origin of Nevill

The Nevill surname is of Anglo-Norman origin, deriving from the old French word "neuf" meaning "new." It is believed to have originated in England during the Norman Conquest of 1066, when many Norman families settled in the country. The name likely referred to someone who lived in a new town or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Nevill surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which documents landowners in England at the time of the Norman Conquest. The name appears as "Nevile" and is listed in various counties, including Lincolnshire and Yorkshire.

During the Middle Ages, the Nevill family became prominent in Northern England, particularly in Yorkshire and Durham. Richard Neville (c. 1428-1471), known as the "Kingmaker," was a powerful English nobleman and one of the principal actors in the Wars of the Roses. He played a crucial role in deposing two kings and was eventually killed in the Battle of Barnet.

Another notable figure was Ralph Neville (c. 1364-1425), 1st Earl of Westmorland, who served as a military commander and diplomat under several English kings, including Richard II and Henry IV. He was also involved in the suppression of the Lollard heresy.

In the 16th century, Sir Henry Neville (1564-1615) was an English diplomat and politician who served as the ambassador to France and later became a member of the House of Commons. He was known for his opposition to the Spanish match between Prince Charles and the Spanish Infanta.

The Nevill surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Neville's Cross in County Durham, which commemorates the victory of the English over the Scots in the Battle of Neville's Cross in 1346.

Other notable individuals with the Nevill surname include George Neville (c. 1432-1476), Archbishop of York and Chancellor of England; Humphrey Neville (c. 1439-1469), who played a significant role in the Wars of the Roses; and Edward Neville (1550-1589), an English Catholic missionary and martyr.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nevill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nevill 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 280 Nevills recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.63x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 280 2.63x
Essex 134 6.37x
Surrey 107 2.06x
Staffordshire 87 2.42x
Kent 71 1.95x
Hampshire 67 3.07x
Lancashire 47 0.37x
Warwickshire 35 1.30x
Yorkshire 25 0.24x
Hertfordshire 20 2.72x
Berkshire 19 2.37x
Cheshire 18 0.76x
Sussex 18 1.00x
Carmarthenshire 17 3.78x
Nottinghamshire 16 1.11x
Buckinghamshire 13 2.02x
Leicestershire 13 1.10x
Oxfordshire 13 1.97x
Norfolk 11 0.67x
Somerset 11 0.64x
Derbyshire 10 0.60x
Worcestershire 10 0.72x
Lanarkshire 9 0.26x
Angus 6 0.61x
Devon 6 0.27x
Northamptonshire 6 0.60x
Gloucestershire 5 0.24x
Durham 3 0.09x
Lincolnshire 3 0.18x
Northumberland 3 0.19x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.89x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.30x
Bedfordshire 1 0.18x
Dorset 1 0.14x
Royal Navy 1 0.79x
Shropshire 1 0.11x
Suffolk 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. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 55 Nevills recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.32x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 55 5.32x
West Ham 39 8.39x
Bethnal Green London 28 6.05x
Battersea 20 5.10x
Shoreditch London 20 4.33x
Camberwell 19 2.79x
Cannock 19 30.25x
Newington 19 4.82x
Mattingley 18 967.74x
Aston 16 2.16x
Lewisham 16 8.25x
Mile End Old Town 16 9.51x
Kensington London 14 2.36x
Hackney London 13 2.17x
Hornsey 13 9.64x
St Luke London 13 7.60x
Norton Canes 12 91.46x
Birmingham 11 1.23x
Chigwell 11 55.36x
Colchester St Giles 11 52.88x
Colchester St Leonard 11 162.48x
Lambeth 11 1.18x
Gnosall 10 115.07x
Hugglescote 10 57.50x
Llanelly 10 9.88x
North Meols 10 8.07x
Norwich St Mary In Marsh 10 543.48x
Shenley 10 206.19x
St Pancras London 10 1.17x
Lichfield St Michael 9 79.65x
Ratcliffe London 9 15.29x
St Marylebone London 9 1.58x
Thaxted 9 128.76x
Woolwich 9 6.70x
Birling 8 247.68x
Blantyre 8 22.28x
Langenhoe 8 909.09x
Liverpool 8 1.04x
Odiham 8 83.42x
Pamber 8 316.21x
St George In East 8 11.03x
Tonbridge 8 6.10x
Audlem 7 126.13x
Carmarthen St Ishmael 7 147.68x
Clerkenwell London 7 2.78x
Colchester St James 7 82.06x
Deptford St Paul 7 2.49x
Dudley 7 4.14x
Manningtree 7 204.68x
Skelbrooke 7 1428.57x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 3.26x
St George Hanover 7 5.03x
Stoke Under Hambdon 7 124.33x
Dundee 6 1.63x
Epsom 6 23.70x
Greenwich 6 3.54x
Hammersmith London 6 2.28x
Handsworth 6 6.76x
Milton Under Wychwood 6 196.72x
Normanton 6 18.90x
Nottingham St Mary 6 1.61x
Reading St Giles 6 7.64x
Rotherwick 6 357.14x
Salford 6 1.61x
South Stoneham 6 12.66x
St Anne Soho London 6 9.85x
Whittington 6 81.52x
Burton Upon Trent 5 5.94x
Hammerwich 5 97.85x
Over Darwen 5 4.95x
South Hinksey 5 143.27x
Tranmere 5 5.78x
Wigan 5 2.83x
Wycombe 5 10.41x
Brighton 4 1.10x
Croydon 4 1.39x
Manchester 4 0.70x
Portsea 4 0.93x
Rickmansworth 4 19.77x
St Bartholomew Hyde 4 76.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 54
William 52
George 45
James 42
Charles 34
Henry 28
Thomas 28
Joseph 15
Robert 14
Walter 13
Edward 12
Arthur 10
Frederick 10
Samuel 10
Alfred 9
Frank 8
Richard 8
Francis 7
Harry 7
Herbert 6
Wm. 6
Albert 4
Chas. 4
Daniel 4
David 4
Ernest 4
Percy 4
Ralph 4
Benjamin 3
Christopher 3
Fredrick 3
Matthew 3
Michael 3
Nigel 3
Willm. 3
Edwd. 2
Edwin 2
Ephraim 2
Geo. 2
Hugh 2
Jesse 2
Jos. 2
Josh. 2
Leonard 2
Thos. 2
Bartholomew 1
Dennis 1
Dudley 1
Earnest 1
Edmund 1

FAQ

Nevill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nevill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,096 people were recorded with the Nevill surname. That placed it at #3,627 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nevill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 836 in 2016. That gives Nevill a modern rank of #6,670.

What does the Nevill surname mean?

An English surname derived from the French place name Neuville, meaning "new town".

What does the Nevill map show?

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