NameCensus.

UK surname

Neville

From a place name derived from the Norman French for "new town," or from a French surname meaning "son of Nevel."

In the 1881 census there were 3,546 people recorded with the Neville surname, ranking it #1,277 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,383, ranked #1,244, up from #1,277 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lambeth and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derbyshire Dales, Shropshire and East Northamptonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Neville is 5,766 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.8%.

1881 census count

3,546

Ranked #1,277

Modern count

5,383

2016, ranked #1,244

Peak year

1999

5,766 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Neville had 3,546 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,277 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,383 in 2016, ranked #1,244.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,121 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Neville surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Neville surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Neville 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 1,456 #1,973
1861 historical 1,578 #1,809
1881 historical 3,546 #1,277
1891 historical 3,849 #1,245
1901 historical 4,842 #1,166
1911 historical 5,121 #1,028
1997 modern 5,566 #1,170
1998 modern 5,741 #1,184
1999 modern 5,766 #1,186
2000 modern 5,649 #1,207
2001 modern 5,501 #1,212
2002 modern 5,736 #1,181
2003 modern 5,605 #1,173
2004 modern 5,554 #1,184
2005 modern 5,423 #1,198
2006 modern 5,402 #1,202
2007 modern 5,452 #1,199
2008 modern 5,427 #1,209
2009 modern 5,553 #1,213
2010 modern 5,645 #1,222
2011 modern 5,588 #1,218
2012 modern 5,422 #1,235
2013 modern 5,493 #1,241
2014 modern 5,480 #1,245
2015 modern 5,425 #1,243
2016 modern 5,383 #1,244

Geography

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Where Nevilles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lambeth, Liverpool and Irthlingborough. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Derbyshire Dales, Shropshire, East Northamptonshire, Sheffield and Cherwell. 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 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Irthlingborough Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derbyshire Dales 005 Derbyshire Dales
2 Shropshire 005 Shropshire
3 East Northamptonshire 008 East Northamptonshire
4 Sheffield 039 Sheffield
5 Cherwell 001 Cherwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Neville

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Neville

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Neville is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Neville is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Neville falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Neville

The surname Neville originated in Normandy, France, and was derived from the Old French words "nouvel" meaning "new" and "ville" meaning "town." It was initially a place name referring to someone who lived in a new town or settlement. The name was introduced to England by Norman settlers after the conquest of 1066.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Neville can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Nevill" and "Nevilla." This indicates that the name was already well-established in England by the late 11th century.

The Neville family played a prominent role in English history, particularly during the Wars of the Roses in the 15th century. Richard Neville, known as the "Kingmaker" (1428-1471), was a powerful English nobleman and military commander who played a pivotal role in the conflicts between the Houses of York and Lancaster.

Another notable figure with the surname Neville was Geoffrey de Neville (c. 1200-1285), a medieval English nobleman and baron who served as a prominent military commander and statesman during the reigns of Henry III and Edward I.

In the 16th century, Sir Henry Neville (1562-1615) was an English diplomat and writer who served as ambassador to France and played a significant role in the Renaissance period.

Moving forward to the 18th century, Nathaniel Neville (1655-1721) was an English author and satirist known for his work "The Isle of Pines," which is considered one of the earliest works of utopian fiction.

In the 19th century, John Neville (1825-1886) was a British actor and theatre manager who was instrumental in reviving the works of William Shakespeare and establishing the prestigious Sadler's Wells Theatre in London.

These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have carried the surname Neville. The name's origins can be traced back to Normandy, France, and it has been a part of English history for over nine centuries, with many prominent figures bearing this surname in various fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Neville families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Neville 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 514 Nevilles recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.48x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 514 1.48x
Lancashire 425 1.03x
Staffordshire 245 2.09x
Surrey 229 1.35x
Yorkshire 224 0.65x
Essex 204 2.98x
Warwickshire 165 1.88x
Kent 150 1.27x
Hampshire 149 2.09x
Oxfordshire 145 6.76x
Northamptonshire 121 3.71x
Gloucestershire 97 1.42x
Berkshire 88 3.38x
Lanarkshire 76 0.68x
Durham 66 0.64x
Buckinghamshire 64 3.05x
Somerset 64 1.15x
Cambridgeshire 39 1.77x
Sussex 39 0.67x
Norfolk 35 0.66x
Worcestershire 29 0.64x
Nottinghamshire 28 0.60x
Hertfordshire 27 1.13x
Wiltshire 27 0.88x
Lincolnshire 25 0.45x
Cheshire 24 0.31x
Derbyshire 24 0.44x
Bedfordshire 22 1.22x
Devon 19 0.26x
Leicestershire 19 0.49x
Northumberland 19 0.37x
Cumberland 16 0.54x
Dunbartonshire 16 1.72x
Dorset 15 0.66x
Suffolk 15 0.35x
Monmouthshire 13 0.52x
Renfrewshire 12 0.45x
Channel Islands 11 1.07x
Herefordshire 11 0.77x
Glamorgan 10 0.17x
Shropshire 9 0.30x
Perthshire 7 0.45x
Stirlingshire 7 0.55x
Royal Navy 4 0.97x
Huntingdonshire 3 0.44x
Angus 2 0.06x
Cornwall 2 0.05x
Midlothian 2 0.04x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.07x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.07x

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 63 Nevilles recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.87x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 63 1.87x
Blackburn 62 5.66x
Lambeth 62 2.05x
Irthlingborough 58 181.14x
Shoreditch London 42 2.79x
Birmingham 41 1.41x
Liverpool 40 1.60x
Walsall Foreign 40 6.61x
St Pancras London 39 1.40x
Greenwich 34 6.15x
Newington 34 2.65x
East Coker 33 269.83x
Reading St Giles 32 12.52x
Aston 30 1.24x
Camberwell 30 1.35x
Over Darwen 29 8.81x
Barony 26 0.92x
Govan 26 0.94x
Wolverhampton 26 2.89x
Kensington London 25 1.30x
Walthamstow 25 10.14x
West Ham 25 1.65x
Wistow 24 262.58x
Leeds 23 1.18x
Mile End Old Town 23 4.20x
Whittington 23 95.95x
Hartley Wintney 22 102.85x
Henham 22 225.87x
Manchester 22 1.19x
St George Hanover 22 4.85x
Livesey 21 29.05x
Chelsea London 20 1.91x
Hindley 20 11.39x
South Hanningfield 20 719.42x
Todenham 20 524.93x
Chalfont St Giles 19 126.41x
Chorlton On Medlock 19 2.90x
Odiham 19 60.84x
Battersea 18 1.41x
Everton 18 1.37x
Hackney London 18 0.92x
Wellingborough 18 10.96x
West Bromwich 18 2.68x
Ealing 17 5.48x
Portsea 17 1.22x
St Marylebone London 17 0.92x
Swindon 17 7.14x
Old Monkland 16 3.59x
Shipdham 16 88.30x
Toxteth Park 16 1.15x
Wombwell 16 15.95x
Wroxton 16 203.30x
Bethnal Green London 15 0.99x
Lewisham 15 2.37x
Asthall 14 313.90x
Bromley London 14 1.83x
Coventry St Michael 14 4.98x
East Bergholt 14 99.08x
Farnham Royal 14 112.63x
Southwark St George Martyr 14 2.00x
Gainsborough 13 9.93x
Isleworth 13 8.42x
Lower Darwen 13 24.04x
Sheffield 13 1.19x
St Giles In Fields 13 10.86x
Bloxham 12 57.09x
Bramley 12 224.72x
Cannock 12 5.87x
Crosscanonby 12 12.14x
Fulham London 12 2.38x
Kingscote 12 371.52x
Paddington London 12 0.94x
Plumstead 12 3.04x
Shenstone 12 40.28x
Southampton St Mary 12 2.68x
Spitalfields London 12 4.60x
Loughton 11 32.47x
Luton 11 3.53x
Tanfield 11 8.96x
Windle 11 4.75x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 221
Elizabeth 137
Sarah 115
Jane 71
Ellen 66
Emma 66
Ann 63
Alice 54
Annie 52
Eliza 49
Emily 40
Margaret 36
Louisa 30
Charlotte 28
Hannah 26
Martha 26
Catherine 25
Ada 24
Florence 24
Edith 23
Fanny 21
Maria 21
Harriet 19
Kate 19
Clara 16
Rose 15
Agnes 14
Caroline 14
Lucy 13
Amelia 12
Anne 12
Amy 11
Susan 11
Isabella 10
Esther 9
Harriett 9
Sophia 9
Frances 8
Minnie 8
Rebecca 8
Eleanor 7
Julia 7
Matilda 7
Maude 7
Elizth. 6
Beatrice 5
Bertha 5
Betsy 5
Gertrude 5
Grace 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 189
John 175
James 149
George 129
Thomas 102
Henry 88
Charles 87
Joseph 43
Alfred 41
Edward 41
Arthur 35
Frederick 33
Harry 30
Richard 28
Robert 27
Walter 24
Albert 22
David 19
Samuel 17
Daniel 14
Frank 14
Fred 11
Michael 11
Ralph 11
Edwin 10
Francis 10
Benjamin 9
Herbert 9
Thos. 9
Ernest 8
Geo. 8
Moses 8
Percy 8
Patrick 7
Peter 7
Fredrick 6
Jas. 6
Wm. 6
Abraham 5
Chas. 5
Fredk. 5
Isaac 5
Nathaniel 4
Nigel 4
Hy. 3
Jno. 3
Job 3
Josiah 3
Mark 3
Matthew 3

FAQ

Neville surname: questions and answers

How common was the Neville surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,546 people were recorded with the Neville surname. That placed it at #1,277 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Neville surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,383 in 2016. That gives Neville a modern rank of #1,244.

What does the Neville surname mean?

From a place name derived from the Norman French for "new town," or from a French surname meaning "son of Nevel."

What does the Neville map show?

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