NameCensus.

UK surname

Newbery

A locational surname deriving from any of the places named Newbury in England.

In the 1881 census there were 858 people recorded with the Newbery surname, ranking it #4,411 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,276, ranked #4,687, down from #4,411 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Newchurch and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Devon, South Somerset and Exeter.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Newbery is 1,570 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 48.7%.

1881 census count

858

Ranked #4,411

Modern count

1,276

2016, ranked #4,687

Peak year

1911

1,570 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Newbery had 858 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,411 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,276 in 2016, ranked #4,687.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,570 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Newbery surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Newbery surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Newbery 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 876 #3,118
1861 historical 756 #3,617
1881 historical 858 #4,411
1891 historical 1,099 #3,847
1901 historical 1,240 #3,989
1911 historical 1,570 #3,092
1997 modern 1,229 #4,621
1998 modern 1,312 #4,529
1999 modern 1,324 #4,525
2000 modern 1,320 #4,504
2001 modern 1,295 #4,499
2002 modern 1,325 #4,495
2003 modern 1,239 #4,678
2004 modern 1,222 #4,739
2005 modern 1,192 #4,786
2006 modern 1,185 #4,822
2007 modern 1,224 #4,739
2008 modern 1,219 #4,785
2009 modern 1,242 #4,802
2010 modern 1,246 #4,890
2011 modern 1,249 #4,825
2012 modern 1,236 #4,796
2013 modern 1,272 #4,747
2014 modern 1,274 #4,764
2015 modern 1,271 #4,731
2016 modern 1,276 #4,687

Geography

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Where Newberys are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to East Devon, South Somerset and Exeter. 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 Newchurch Hampshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Stockland Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Devon 010 East Devon
2 East Devon 005 East Devon
3 East Devon 007 East Devon
4 South Somerset 023 South Somerset
5 Exeter 012 Exeter

Forenames

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First names often paired with Newbery

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Newbery

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

Newbery is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Newbery falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Newbery

The surname Newbery is of English origin, first appearing in the late 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "niwe" meaning new and "burg" meaning a fortified town or borough, essentially referring to someone who lived in or came from a newly established town or borough.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1190, where it appears as "Newberie". The name is also mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Oxfordshire in 1208, where it is spelled "Neubury".

The Newbery surname is closely associated with the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England. This town's name is derived from the same Old English roots as the surname, and it is likely that many early bearers of the Newbery name originated from or had connections to this area.

Notable individuals with the Newbery surname throughout history include John Newbery (1713-1767), a renowned English publisher and bookseller who is considered the father of children's literature. He was the first to produce books specifically intended for the enjoyment and education of children.

Another notable figure is Francis Newbery (1743-1818), an English artist and engraver who was a member of the Royal Academy and known for his landscape paintings and engravings.

In the literary world, there is John Newbery Medal, which is awarded annually to the author of the most distinguished American children's book. This prestigious award is named after the aforementioned John Newbery, further cementing his legacy in the field of children's literature.

Other historical figures with the Newbery surname include Sir John Newbery (1564-1628), an English politician and member of Parliament during the reign of King James I, and Thomas Newbery (1760-1811), an English poet and writer who published several works in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

The Newbery surname has also been found in various historical records, such as the Hearth Tax Rolls of Berkshire from the 17th century, where it appears as "Newberry" and "Newbery".

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Newbery families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Newbery 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. Devon leads with 174 Newberys recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.94x.

County Total Index
Devon 174 9.94x
Middlesex 125 1.49x
Hampshire 87 5.05x
Dorset 66 11.96x
Somerset 41 3.03x
Surrey 37 0.90x
Sussex 35 2.47x
Kent 33 1.15x
Hertfordshire 27 4.66x
Staffordshire 27 0.95x
Leicestershire 25 2.68x
Warwickshire 23 1.08x
Bedfordshire 21 4.82x
Northamptonshire 18 2.28x
Wiltshire 17 2.29x
Gloucestershire 16 0.97x
Glamorgan 14 0.96x
Berkshire 12 1.90x
Lancashire 11 0.11x
Yorkshire 11 0.13x
Essex 10 0.60x
Monmouthshire 7 1.15x
Cambridgeshire 6 1.13x
Suffolk 5 0.49x
Channel Islands 4 1.61x
Radnorshire 4 5.90x
Oxfordshire 3 0.58x
Denbighshire 2 0.63x
Ayrshire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Axminster in Devon leads with 32 Newberys recorded in 1881 and an index of 389.77x.

Place Total Index
Axminster 32 389.77x
Colyton 27 401.79x
Islington London 23 2.82x
St Pancras London 20 2.95x
Carisbrooke 16 66.86x
Thorncombe 15 473.19x
Arreton 12 217.00x
Battle 12 125.39x
Burton Upon Trent 12 18.07x
Lyme Regis 12 181.54x
Ventnor 12 73.22x
Bethnal Green London 11 3.01x
Broxbourne 11 95.74x
Exeter Alphington 11 342.68x
Bridgewater 10 27.22x
Exeter Heavitree 10 76.63x
Kensington London 10 2.14x
Preston 10 40.39x
Birmingham 9 1.27x
Camberwell 9 1.68x
Chipping Barnet 9 88.76x
Clist Honiton 9 1034.48x
Greenwich 9 6.72x
Hugglescote 9 65.60x
Kinson 9 83.49x
North Leigh 9 1267.61x
Walthamstow 9 15.07x
Barlestone 8 392.16x
Brighton 8 2.80x
Musbury 8 522.88x
Payhembury 8 634.92x
Salisbury St Martin 8 103.36x
Southampton St Mary 8 7.38x
Aberystruth 7 13.06x
Chard 7 42.71x
Freshwater 7 88.83x
Hammersmith London 7 3.38x
Harborne 7 7.69x
Heath Reach 7 226.54x
Hulme 7 3.36x
Luton 7 9.29x
Portsea 7 2.07x
Uplyme 7 267.18x
Wolverhampton 7 3.21x
Beaminster 6 97.88x
Bexley 6 23.66x
Bolehall Glascote 6 66.82x
Bradden 6 1621.62x
Brook 6 1071.43x
Croydon 6 2.64x
Dorchester Holy Trinity 6 134.23x
Hinton St George 6 306.12x
Holdenhurst 6 13.27x
Kilmington 6 416.67x
Kingston On Thames 6 6.10x
Lydney 6 70.51x
Mile End Old Town 6 4.52x
Salcombe Regis 6 365.85x
Shoreditch London 6 1.65x
Shute 6 359.28x
St Giles In Fields 6 20.69x
Stockland 6 237.15x
Totteridge 6 331.49x
Wombwell 6 24.69x
Aston 5 0.86x
Clase 5 9.18x
Deptford St Paul 5 2.26x
Edenbridge 5 88.81x
Exeter St Sidwell 5 12.47x
Hornsey 5 4.70x
Limehouse London 5 5.42x
Llandaff 5 10.26x
Netheravon 5 297.62x
Paddington London 5 1.62x
Reading St Lawrence 5 37.04x
Taunton St Mary 5 20.12x
Tyneham 5 632.91x
Ugborough 5 118.20x
Broadwinsor 4 110.50x
Milton Ernest 4 330.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 52
John 48
George 42
James 22
Thomas 18
Albert 16
Charles 15
Henry 14
Edward 13
Arthur 12
Robert 12
Walter 12
Alfred 11
Frederick 11
Joseph 11
Samuel 7
Ernest 6
Richard 6
Frank 4
Francis 3
Harry 3
Percy 3
Andrew 2
Edwin 2
Fred 2
Leonard 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Agness 1
Amos 1
Basil 1
Colin 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Edmond 1
F.W. 1
F.William 1
Felix 1
Frances 1
Fredk 1
Fredk.C. 1
Fredr.G.W. 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Jason 1
Nathan 1
Nathaniel 1
Noah 1
Peregrine 1
Wm.Fredr.H. 1

FAQ

Newbery surname: questions and answers

How common was the Newbery surname in 1881?

In 1881, 858 people were recorded with the Newbery surname. That placed it at #4,411 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Newbery surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,276 in 2016. That gives Newbery a modern rank of #4,687.

What does the Newbery surname mean?

A locational surname deriving from any of the places named Newbury in England.

What does the Newbery map show?

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