NameCensus.

UK surname

New

A surname referring to someone who was a newcomer to a village or town.

In the 1881 census there were 2,593 people recorded with the New surname, ranking it #1,719 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,757, ranked #1,806, down from #1,719 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tewkesbury, Cotswold and Vale of White Horse.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for New is 3,891 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 44.9%.

1881 census count

2,593

Ranked #1,719

Modern count

3,757

2016, ranked #1,806

Peak year

1999

3,891 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • New had 2,593 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,719 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,757 in 2016, ranked #1,806.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,392 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

New surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

New surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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New 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 1,922 #1,505
1881 historical 2,593 #1,719
1891 historical 22 #32,449
1901 historical 3,392 #1,641
1997 modern 3,741 #1,734
1998 modern 3,866 #1,744
1999 modern 3,891 #1,751
2000 modern 3,814 #1,772
2001 modern 3,705 #1,783
2002 modern 3,802 #1,784
2003 modern 3,724 #1,777
2004 modern 3,677 #1,799
2005 modern 3,566 #1,834
2006 modern 3,571 #1,827
2007 modern 3,631 #1,811
2008 modern 3,626 #1,827
2009 modern 3,715 #1,825
2010 modern 3,816 #1,823
2011 modern 3,779 #1,820
2012 modern 3,694 #1,824
2013 modern 3,749 #1,828
2014 modern 3,751 #1,842
2015 modern 3,713 #1,839
2016 modern 3,757 #1,806

Geography

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Where News are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Tewkesbury, Cotswold, Vale of White Horse, Swindon and Wiltshire. 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 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tewkesbury 005 Tewkesbury
2 Cotswold 009 Cotswold
3 Vale of White Horse 016 Vale of White Horse
4 Swindon 012 Swindon
5 Wiltshire 003 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with New

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for New

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

New 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

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

Meaning and origin of New

The surname "New" originates from England and is an ancient Anglo-Saxon name that dates back to the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "niwe," which means "new" or "fresh." This name was likely given to someone who had recently arrived in a particular area or settlement, or to someone who had taken up a new occupation or residence.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "New" can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as "le Newe" and "de Novo," reflecting its Norman-French influence during that time.

In the 13th century, records show the name "New" associated with various place names, such as Newbiggin, Newbold, and Newbury, indicating that some individuals bearing this surname may have originated from or resided in these locations.

Notable individuals with the surname "New" throughout history include:

1. John New (c. 1520 - c. 1590), an English composer and organist during the Tudor period. 2. Sir John New (1594 - 1670), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the English Civil War. 3. William New (1786 - 1853), an English engraver and painter known for his landscape etchings. 4. Reuben New (1819 - 1898), an American Baptist minister and educator who served as the President of Central Baptist College in Arkansas. 5. Harry S. New (1858 - 1937), an American lawyer and politician who served as the United States Postmaster General under President Woodrow Wilson.

The surname "New" has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, including artists, politicians, religious leaders, and scholars, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those bearing this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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New families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the New 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 399 News recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.56x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 399 1.56x
Hampshire 386 7.36x
Surrey 271 2.17x
Berkshire 238 12.39x
Wiltshire 233 10.30x
Dorset 157 9.35x
Worcestershire 112 3.35x
Gloucestershire 102 2.03x
Staffordshire 99 1.15x
Sussex 78 1.81x
Kent 63 0.72x
Lancashire 57 0.19x
Warwickshire 54 0.84x
Oxfordshire 44 2.78x
Yorkshire 40 0.16x
Essex 35 0.69x
Somerset 33 0.80x
Durham 23 0.30x
Devon 21 0.39x
Ayrshire 19 0.99x
Lincolnshire 17 0.42x
Buckinghamshire 16 1.03x
Cumberland 13 0.59x
Monmouthshire 10 0.54x
Derbyshire 9 0.22x
Angus 8 0.34x
Denbighshire 8 0.83x
Shropshire 8 0.36x
Brecknockshire 7 1.37x
Lanarkshire 6 0.07x
Channel Islands 5 0.66x
Cheshire 5 0.09x
Leicestershire 5 0.18x
Norfolk 5 0.13x
Northamptonshire 5 0.21x
Royal Navy 5 1.64x
Cornwall 4 0.14x
Herefordshire 3 0.29x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.09x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.08x
Anglesey 2 0.44x
Cardiganshire 2 0.32x
Glamorgan 2 0.04x
Hertfordshire 2 0.11x
Northumberland 2 0.05x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.10x
Midlothian 1 0.03x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.17x
Radnorshire 1 0.48x
Rutland 1 0.53x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 153 News recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.89x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 153 14.89x
Lambeth 56 2.51x
Kensington London 40 2.81x
Newbury 33 53.64x
Stratton St Margaret 32 92.19x
Battersea 31 3.29x
Burbage 30 259.97x
Birmingham 29 1.35x
St Pancras London 29 1.41x
Swindon 29 16.52x
Wolverhampton 29 4.37x
Fulham London 28 7.55x
Croydon 26 3.76x
Mappowder 24 1212.12x
Islington London 22 0.89x
Sandhurst 22 59.14x
West Bromwich 22 4.45x
Evesham All Sts 21 134.87x
Heston 21 24.71x
Bengeworth 19 165.22x
Harting 19 169.49x
Chelsea London 18 2.33x
Chilton Foliat 18 365.11x
Hackney London 18 1.25x
Paddington London 18 1.91x
Sonning 18 84.91x
Isleworth 17 14.94x
Kidderminster Borough 17 8.69x
Wandsworth 17 6.90x
Normanton 16 21.00x
Poole St James 16 25.36x
Westminster St James 16 6.08x
Eling 15 28.24x
Hungerford 15 57.74x
Auckinleck 14 23.62x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 14 2.96x
Brixton 14 323.33x
Hillingdon 14 17.16x
Manthorpe Cum Little 14 44.76x
St George Hanover 14 4.19x
St Marylebone London 14 1.02x
Sulhamstead Banister 14 625.00x
Ashbury 13 217.03x
Bradford On Avon 13 17.95x
Camberwell 13 0.80x
Liddington 13 357.14x
Purton 13 64.55x
Sixpenny Handley 13 158.15x
Staines 13 32.08x
Winterbourne Monkton 13 677.08x
Aldbourn 12 91.12x
Alton Pancras 12 533.33x
Evesham St Lawrence 12 67.61x
Farlington 12 112.04x
Kingswinford 12 3.83x
Newchurch 12 100.93x
Christchurch 11 9.67x
Great Bedwin 11 68.45x
Reading St Mary 11 7.15x
Stourpaine 11 223.12x
Charlton Next Woolwich 10 10.98x
Chieveley 10 98.04x
Lewes All Sts 10 58.21x
Mitcham 10 12.69x
Nursling 10 119.33x
Oxford St Thomas 10 13.56x
Southampton St Mary 10 3.03x
West Ham 10 0.90x
Blithfield 9 343.51x
Buckland Newton 9 119.84x
Crossgate 9 27.04x
Edgbaston 9 4.50x
Hampstead London 9 2.26x
Aston 8 0.45x
Broadwater 8 8.08x
Egham 8 10.45x
Hammersmith London 8 1.27x
Melcombe Regis 8 11.49x
South Hamlet 8 25.76x
Uffculme 8 50.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 143
Elizabeth 121
Sarah 89
Ann 53
Jane 47
Alice 46
Ellen 43
Eliza 42
Annie 41
Emily 39
Emma 36
Louisa 28
Edith 21
Caroline 20
Charlotte 20
Hannah 20
Florence 19
Lucy 19
Fanny 18
Martha 18
Maria 17
Anne 16
Kate 16
Harriet 15
Ada 14
Catherine 14
Margaret 14
Harriett 12
Rose 12
Amelia 11
Agnes 10
Susan 10
Sophia 9
Clara 7
Elizth. 7
Amy 6
Anna 6
Beatrice 6
Ethel 6
Frances 6
Julia 6
Mabel 6
Matilda 6
Rebecca 6
Ruth 6
Bessie 5
Esther 5
Jessie 5
Laura 5
Lilian 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 148
George 114
John 110
Henry 78
James 77
Charles 75
Thomas 70
Joseph 44
Alfred 36
Arthur 33
Frederick 27
Walter 25
Edward 21
Harry 21
Richard 21
Albert 19
Frank 16
Daniel 14
Francis 14
Edwin 12
Ernest 11
Herbert 11
Robert 11
Samuel 11
Chas. 6
Fred 6
Fredrick 6
Isaac 6
Stephen 6
Benjamin 5
Jeremiah 5
Cornelius 4
David 4
Edmund 4
Jesse 4
Mark 4
Sidney 4
Tom 4
Wm. 4
Alexander 3
Andrew 3
Anthony 3
Fredk. 3
Geo. 3
Lot 3
Peter 3
Thos. 3
Young 3
Londen 2
Nehemiah 2

FAQ

New surname: questions and answers

How common was the New surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,593 people were recorded with the New surname. That placed it at #1,719 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the New surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,757 in 2016. That gives New a modern rank of #1,806.

What does the New surname mean?

A surname referring to someone who was a newcomer to a village or town.

What does the New map show?

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