NameCensus.

UK surname

Newbury

From the English place name, referring to a new fortified town or manor.

In the 1881 census there were 1,809 people recorded with the Newbury surname, ranking it #2,408 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,567, ranked #2,578, down from #2,408 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Maiden Bradley, London parishes and Childs Wickham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bedford, Newark and Sherwood and New Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Newbury is 2,726 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.9%.

1881 census count

1,809

Ranked #2,408

Modern count

2,567

2016, ranked #2,578

Peak year

1998

2,726 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Newbury had 1,809 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,408 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,567 in 2016, ranked #2,578.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,556 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Newbury surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Newbury surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Newbury 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 777 #3,438
1861 historical 1,445 #1,967
1881 historical 1,809 #2,408
1891 historical 2,154 #2,167
1901 historical 2,134 #2,526
1911 historical 2,556 #2,001
1997 modern 2,631 #2,421
1998 modern 2,726 #2,429
1999 modern 2,704 #2,463
2000 modern 2,657 #2,488
2001 modern 2,607 #2,481
2002 modern 2,687 #2,466
2003 modern 2,589 #2,487
2004 modern 2,589 #2,494
2005 modern 2,520 #2,526
2006 modern 2,489 #2,554
2007 modern 2,531 #2,538
2008 modern 2,520 #2,571
2009 modern 2,622 #2,538
2010 modern 2,659 #2,560
2011 modern 2,653 #2,535
2012 modern 2,568 #2,560
2013 modern 2,634 #2,552
2014 modern 2,628 #2,565
2015 modern 2,601 #2,562
2016 modern 2,567 #2,578

Geography

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Where Newburys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Maiden Bradley, London parishes, Childs Wickham 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 Bedford, Newark and Sherwood, New Forest, Swale 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 Maiden Bradley Wiltshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Childs Wickham Worcestershire
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bedford 019 Bedford
2 Newark and Sherwood 006 Newark and Sherwood
3 New Forest 016 New Forest
4 Swale 004 Swale
5 Wiltshire 040 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Newbury

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Newbury

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Newbury is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Newbury is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Newbury falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Newbury

The surname Newbury originated in England and has its roots in the Old English words "neowe" and "byrig," which together mean "new town" or "new borough." It is a locational surname, indicating that the earliest bearers of this name hailed from the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England.

The town of Newbury itself dates back to the 11th century and was first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Neuberie." This suggests that the surname Newbury likely emerged around this time or shortly thereafter, as it became common practice for people to adopt surnames based on the places they lived or originated from.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Newbury can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1197, where a William de Neubury is mentioned. This entry indicates that the name had evolved from its original Old English form by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various records with spellings such as Neubury, Newbery, and Newberie, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling common during that era.

Notable individuals with the surname Newbury include John Newbury, a 16th-century English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Berkshire in 1572. Another prominent figure was Walter Newbury, a 17th-century English clergyman and author, born in 1616 and known for his religious writings.

William Newbury, born in 1637, was a wealthy merchant and landowner in Boston, Massachusetts, during the colonial era. He played a significant role in the early development of the city and left a lasting legacy through his philanthropic endeavors.

In the 19th century, Thomas Newbury (1825-1891) was a distinguished English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the South Kensington Museum (now the Victoria and Albert Museum) in London.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Francis Newbury (1881-1958), a British Army officer who served in both World Wars and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his bravery during the Battle of the Somme in 1916.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Newbury families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Newbury 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 240 Newburys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.35x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 240 1.35x
Surrey 162 1.87x
Hampshire 122 3.35x
Devon 116 3.14x
Wiltshire 110 7.00x
Gloucestershire 85 2.44x
Lancashire 69 0.33x
Buckinghamshire 68 6.33x
Bedfordshire 63 6.85x
Derbyshire 62 2.23x
Somerset 61 2.13x
Hertfordshire 58 4.73x
Dorset 57 4.89x
Worcestershire 57 2.46x
Sussex 55 1.84x
Kent 47 0.78x
Monmouthshire 44 3.42x
Northamptonshire 39 2.33x
Nottinghamshire 33 1.38x
Leicestershire 31 1.57x
Warwickshire 29 0.65x
Yorkshire 29 0.16x
Berkshire 26 1.95x
Essex 24 0.68x
Staffordshire 16 0.27x
Oxfordshire 15 1.37x
Flintshire 14 2.93x
Glamorgan 14 0.45x
Channel Islands 13 2.47x
Cheshire 8 0.20x
Cornwall 8 0.40x
Durham 7 0.13x
Northumberland 6 0.23x
Stirlingshire 6 0.92x
Lincolnshire 5 0.18x
Norfolk 5 0.18x
Suffolk 5 0.23x
Westmorland 5 1.28x
Brecknockshire 2 0.56x
Lanarkshire 2 0.03x
Royal Navy 2 0.94x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.14x
Midlothian 1 0.04x

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 52 Newburys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.02x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 52 3.02x
Maiden Bradley 43 1184.57x
Childs Wyckham 39 1423.36x
Croydon 30 6.24x
Lambeth 24 1.55x
St Pancras London 24 1.68x
Hackney London 21 2.11x
Ickleford 21 612.24x
Newington 20 3.05x
Bishops Fonthill 19 1596.64x
Whitechapel London 18 10.27x
Emberton 17 433.67x
Horsham 17 29.20x
Bermondsey 15 2.83x
Brading 15 30.98x
Camberwell 15 1.32x
Curry Rivell 15 156.74x
West Teignmouth 15 53.00x
Arlesey 14 120.59x
Bristol St Augustine 14 24.89x
Clapham 14 6.30x
Derby St Werburgh 14 8.71x
Calverton 13 388.06x
Easton Neston 13 1756.76x
Hanslope 13 134.58x
Hillmarton 13 333.33x
Hornsey 13 5.78x
Openshaw 13 13.16x
Reading St Mary 13 12.17x
Battersea 12 1.83x
Broadway 12 120.24x
Christchurch 12 30.19x
Nottingham St Mary 12 1.94x
Pendleton In Salford 12 4.78x
Ryde 12 15.33x
St Peter Port 12 12.32x
Brighton 11 1.82x
Derby St Peter 11 12.41x
Kingston Deverill 11 650.89x
Mile End Old Town 11 3.92x
Southampton St Mary 11 4.80x
Titchfield 11 40.06x
Barton In Clay 10 154.80x
Hitchin 10 18.08x
Hove 10 7.61x
Kensington London 10 1.01x
Manchester 10 1.05x
Thorncombe 10 149.25x
West Ham 10 1.29x
Birmingham 9 0.60x
Bromsgrove 9 11.52x
Caversham 9 40.98x
Holy Trinity 9 115.98x
Parkstone 9 66.13x
Silsoe 9 217.39x
Upton Cum Chalvey 9 21.02x
Ventnor 9 25.97x
Aberystruth 8 7.06x
Aston 8 0.65x
Bexley 8 14.92x
Carisbrooke 8 15.82x
Forthampton 8 318.73x
Hammersmith London 8 1.83x
Leyton Low 8 11.22x
Loughton 8 406.09x
Minster In Sheppey 8 7.96x
Moss Side 8 7.21x
St George In East 8 6.62x
St Marylebone London 8 0.84x
Twickenham 8 10.50x
Wareham Lady St Mary 8 88.79x
Wheathampstead 8 56.50x
Winshill 8 45.10x
Wootton 8 100.63x
Chardstock 7 86.63x
Clifton 7 3.97x
East Stonehouse 7 9.60x
Mitcham 7 12.79x
Sidmouth 7 33.05x
Wombwell 7 13.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 101
Elizabeth 66
Sarah 61
Ann 44
Emma 37
Eliza 35
Alice 33
Ellen 24
Annie 23
Florence 22
Jane 21
Emily 19
Martha 18
Harriet 17
Caroline 15
Louisa 15
Ada 14
Susan 13
Charlotte 12
Kate 12
Edith 11
Fanny 11
Hannah 11
Maria 11
Clara 9
Jessie 9
Agnes 8
Anne 7
Catherine 7
Amelia 6
Harriett 6
Lucy 6
Lydia 6
Minnie 6
Rose 5
Elizth. 4
Henrietta 4
Isabella 4
Laura 4
Margaret 4
Nellie 4
Ruth 4
Anna 3
Eleanor 3
Esther 3
Lilian 3
Lillie 3
Matilda 3
Maud 3
Phoebe 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 130
John 82
James 71
George 68
Thomas 64
Henry 46
Charles 37
Alfred 28
Joseph 28
Frederick 21
Albert 19
Arthur 18
Walter 18
Robert 17
Edward 16
Frank 16
Samuel 15
Francis 12
Harry 11
Herbert 9
Richard 9
Edwin 7
Job 7
Daniel 6
David 5
Wm. 5
Fred 4
Fredk. 4
Isaac 4
Ernest 3
Fredrick 3
Jacob 3
Mark 3
Percy 3
Reuben 3
Tom 3
Alexander 2
Alfd. 2
Archibald 2
Edmund 2
Elijah 2
Fred. 2
Hubert 2
Josiah 2
Richd. 2
Sydney 2
Willie 2
C. 1
Eli 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Newbury surname: questions and answers

How common was the Newbury surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,809 people were recorded with the Newbury surname. That placed it at #2,408 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Newbury surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,567 in 2016. That gives Newbury a modern rank of #2,578.

What does the Newbury surname mean?

From the English place name, referring to a new fortified town or manor.

What does the Newbury map show?

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