NameCensus.

UK surname

Newby

A surname referring to someone who was new to a town or village, deriving from Old English "neowe" and "by".

In the 1881 census there were 3,002 people recorded with the Newby surname, ranking it #1,493 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,275, ranked #1,587, down from #1,493 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkby Ireleth, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sunderland, Harrogate and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Newby is 4,421 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.4%.

1881 census count

3,002

Ranked #1,493

Modern count

4,275

2016, ranked #1,587

Peak year

1999

4,421 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Newby had 3,002 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,493 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,275 in 2016, ranked #1,587.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,085 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Newby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Newby surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Newby 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 2,051 #1,415
1861 historical 2,024 #1,436
1881 historical 3,002 #1,493
1891 historical 3,271 #1,451
1901 historical 3,728 #1,506
1911 historical 4,085 #1,256
1997 modern 4,300 #1,518
1998 modern 4,409 #1,530
1999 modern 4,421 #1,537
2000 modern 4,390 #1,540
2001 modern 4,283 #1,544
2002 modern 4,378 #1,541
2003 modern 4,241 #1,556
2004 modern 4,222 #1,563
2005 modern 4,129 #1,579
2006 modern 4,136 #1,580
2007 modern 4,109 #1,596
2008 modern 4,154 #1,595
2009 modern 4,264 #1,597
2010 modern 4,321 #1,608
2011 modern 4,326 #1,583
2012 modern 4,233 #1,588
2013 modern 4,341 #1,582
2014 modern 4,399 #1,572
2015 modern 4,324 #1,579
2016 modern 4,275 #1,587

Geography

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Where Newbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkby Ireleth, London parishes, Gateshead, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Dalton-in-Furness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sunderland, Harrogate, Wakefield and Barrow-in-Furness. 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 Kirkby Ireleth Lancashire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sunderland 003 Sunderland
2 Harrogate 014 Harrogate
3 Wakefield 027 Wakefield
4 Harrogate 009 Harrogate
5 Barrow-in-Furness 007 Barrow-in-Furness

Forenames

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First names often paired with Newby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Newby

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Newby, 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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Newby surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Newby household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Newby is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Newby is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Newby falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Newby

The surname Newby is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "niwe" meaning "new" and "by" meaning "town" or "village." The name would have been given to someone who had moved to a newly established settlement or town.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Newby can be found in various historical records from the 13th century onwards. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, there is a mention of a Richard de Neweby in Yorkshire. The Hearth Tax Rolls of 1674 also list several Newby families in various counties across England.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Newby, who was born in 1520 in Wensleydale, Yorkshire. He was a prominent landowner and businessman in the area. Another notable individual was Robert Newby (1597-1676), a Puritan clergyman and one of the founders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in North America.

The name Newby is also linked to several place names in England, such as Newby in Yorkshire, Newby in Cumbria, and Newby Wiske in North Yorkshire. These locations likely took their names from the Old English words "niwe" and "by" as well, indicating a new settlement or village.

In the 17th century, Sir Edward Newby (1624-1701) was a prominent English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1677. Another notable bearer of the name was John Newby (1766-1814), an English painter and engraver known for his landscapes and portraits.

Other historical figures with the surname Newby include John Newby (1808-1871), an English businessman and philanthropist who founded the Newby Trust for the benefit of the poor in his hometown of Ripon, Yorkshire. William Newby (1825-1898) was a British engineer and inventor who contributed to the development of the early bicycles and tricycles.

The surname Newby has been present throughout English history, with its origins rooted in the establishment of new towns and villages during the medieval period. It has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, clergymen, merchants, artists, and inventors, leaving its mark on the cultural and historical landscape of England and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Newby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Newby 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. Lancashire leads with 694 Newbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.00x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 694 2.00x
Yorkshire 613 2.12x
Durham 291 3.35x
Middlesex 232 0.79x
Norfolk 153 3.41x
Leicestershire 136 4.20x
Surrey 131 0.92x
Suffolk 101 2.84x
Kent 86 0.86x
Cumberland 81 3.22x
Staffordshire 61 0.62x
Westmorland 57 8.88x
Essex 54 0.94x
Lincolnshire 38 0.81x
Warwickshire 37 0.50x
Worcestershire 29 0.76x
Northumberland 28 0.64x
Cheshire 22 0.34x
Hampshire 19 0.32x
Denbighshire 13 1.18x
Sussex 13 0.26x
Cambridgeshire 10 0.54x
Bedfordshire 7 0.46x
Buckinghamshire 7 0.40x
Devon 7 0.12x
Dorset 7 0.37x
Cardiganshire 6 0.84x
Carmarthenshire 6 0.49x
Somerset 6 0.13x
Derbyshire 5 0.11x
Lanarkshire 5 0.05x
Midlothian 5 0.13x
Glamorgan 4 0.08x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.10x
Channel Islands 3 0.35x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 0.71x
Oxfordshire 3 0.17x
Rutland 3 1.40x
Flintshire 2 0.25x
Gloucestershire 2 0.03x
Hertfordshire 2 0.10x
Perthshire 2 0.15x
Stirlingshire 2 0.19x
Berkshire 1 0.05x
Brecknockshire 1 0.17x
Northamptonshire 1 0.04x
Royal Navy 1 0.29x
Wiltshire 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. Dalton In Furness in Lancashire leads with 66 Newbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 49.32x.

Place Total Index
Dalton In Furness 66 49.32x
Barrow In Furness 63 13.36x
Oldham 52 4.65x
Leeds 51 3.12x
Bishopwearmouth 46 6.17x
Westoe 39 7.92x
Leicester St Margaret 36 4.56x
Ulverston 32 31.69x
Hackney London 31 1.89x
Great Yarmouth 30 8.06x
Kendal 30 25.52x
Everton 29 2.62x
Islington London 28 0.99x
Church Coniston 27 277.78x
Birmingham 26 1.06x
Edmonton 24 10.20x
Great Grimsby 24 8.09x
South Milford 24 227.27x
West Ham 24 1.88x
Lambeth 22 0.86x
Scarborough 22 8.36x
Blackburn 21 2.28x
Holy Trinity 20 2.87x
Millom 20 25.94x
Camberwell 19 1.02x
Ramsgate 19 11.68x
Welburn In Malton 19 338.68x
Bradford 18 2.57x
Heigham 18 7.47x
Liverpool 18 0.85x
Harborne 17 5.38x
Kensington London 17 1.05x
Middlesbrough 17 4.51x
St Pancras London 17 0.72x
West Derby 17 1.68x
Darlington 16 4.77x
Halstead 16 23.78x
Hasketon 16 330.58x
Kirkdale 16 2.74x
Minster In Sheppey 16 9.69x
Morley 16 10.63x
Sileby 16 78.32x
South Mimms 16 39.94x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 16 11.90x
York St Mary Castlegate 15 176.26x
Aldingham 14 120.90x
Cassop 14 233.72x
Toxteth Park 14 1.19x
Urswick 14 108.78x
West Broughton 14 119.56x
Castleton 13 3.75x
Cleckheaton 13 12.19x
Kirkby Ireleth 13 75.19x
Monkwearmouth 13 15.63x
West Bromwich 13 2.30x
Barnes 12 19.93x
Battersea 12 1.12x
Benhall 12 192.62x
Deal 12 14.11x
Horton In Bradford 12 2.65x
Norwich St James 12 34.05x
Barrow Upon Soar 11 41.12x
Hunslet 11 2.44x
Lancaster 11 5.33x
Over Darwen 11 3.97x
Pollington 11 284.24x
Pontefract 11 17.64x
Wallsend 11 7.98x
Walsall Foreign 11 2.16x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 10 14.97x
Clapham 10 2.74x
Headingley Cum Burley 10 5.37x
Keighley 10 3.24x
Kellington 10 323.62x
Middleton In Lancaster 10 636.94x
Monkwearmouth Shore 10 5.89x
Paddington London 10 0.93x
Rushford 10 588.24x
Shipton In Pocklington 10 233.64x
Wortley In Bramley 10 4.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 210
Elizabeth 124
Sarah 103
Jane 79
Ann 73
Margaret 62
Eliza 46
Hannah 46
Ellen 41
Alice 39
Emma 33
Annie 32
Agnes 30
Emily 27
Martha 25
Florence 24
Isabella 22
Charlotte 21
Harriet 19
Ada 14
Edith 14
Clara 12
Harriett 12
Catherine 11
Esther 11
Louisa 11
Susan 10
Anne 9
Eleanor 9
Fanny 9
Frances 9
Laura 9
Maria 9
Caroline 8
Kate 8
Minnie 8
Dorothy 7
Lydia 7
Dora 6
Rebecca 6
Rhoda 6
Rose 6
Ruth 6
Betsy 5
Ethel 5
Gertrude 5
Grace 5
Maryann 5
Matilda 5
Maud 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 202
William 186
James 129
Thomas 107
George 106
Charles 54
Robert 48
Joseph 43
Henry 41
Edward 29
Alfred 27
Arthur 25
Richard 22
Albert 19
Frederick 19
Samuel 18
Harry 15
Ernest 14
Walter 13
Herbert 11
Fred 9
Matthew 9
Tom 9
Benjamin 8
Daniel 8
David 8
Edwin 8
Frank 8
Moses 8
Nathan 8
Wm. 8
Francis 7
Nicholas 7
Jonathan 6
Edgar 5
Geo. 5
Myles 5
Thos. 5
Isaac 4
Jabez 4
Leonard 4
Ralph 4
Stephen 4
Abraham 3
Christopher 3
Edmund 3
Fredk. 3
Hudson 3
Jno. 3
Mathew 3

FAQ

Newby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Newby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,002 people were recorded with the Newby surname. That placed it at #1,493 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Newby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,275 in 2016. That gives Newby a modern rank of #1,587.

What does the Newby surname mean?

A surname referring to someone who was new to a town or village, deriving from Old English "neowe" and "by".

What does the Newby map show?

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