NameCensus.

UK surname

Newey

A variant of the surname "Newe", meaning new or recent arrival.

In the 1881 census there were 1,220 people recorded with the Newey surname, ranking it #3,314 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,525, ranked #4,061, down from #3,314 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Harborne, Dudley and Oldswinford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rotherham, Lichfield and Warwick.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Newey is 1,709 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.0%.

1881 census count

1,220

Ranked #3,314

Modern count

1,525

2016, ranked #4,061

Peak year

1911

1,709 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Newey had 1,220 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,314 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,525 in 2016, ranked #4,061.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,709 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Newey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Newey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Newey 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 778 #3,430
1861 historical 677 #3,966
1881 historical 1,220 #3,314
1891 historical 1,280 #3,377
1901 historical 1,503 #3,412
1911 historical 1,709 #2,872
1997 modern 1,608 #3,685
1998 modern 1,676 #3,677
1999 modern 1,664 #3,734
2000 modern 1,675 #3,690
2001 modern 1,631 #3,706
2002 modern 1,630 #3,778
2003 modern 1,594 #3,775
2004 modern 1,596 #3,794
2005 modern 1,569 #3,799
2006 modern 1,532 #3,886
2007 modern 1,524 #3,935
2008 modern 1,525 #3,952
2009 modern 1,583 #3,915
2010 modern 1,613 #3,932
2011 modern 1,590 #3,928
2012 modern 1,539 #3,991
2013 modern 1,573 #3,973
2014 modern 1,577 #3,989
2015 modern 1,544 #4,016
2016 modern 1,525 #4,061

Geography

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Where Neweys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Harborne, Dudley, Oldswinford, Kenilworth and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rotherham, Lichfield and Warwick. 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 Harborne Worcestershire
2 Dudley Staffordshire
3 Oldswinford Worcestershire
4 Kenilworth Warwickshire
5 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rotherham 019 Rotherham
2 Rotherham 010 Rotherham
3 Lichfield 011 Lichfield
4 Rotherham 013 Rotherham
5 Warwick 011 Warwick

Forenames

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First names often paired with Newey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Newey

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Newey is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Newey is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Newey 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 Newey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Newey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Newey

The surname Newey has its origins in England, dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "niwe" and "ey," which together translate to "new island" or "new land." This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who settled on newly acquired or reclaimed land.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. One such example is the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1230, which mentions a person named Robert de Neuueye. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296 reference a John de Neweye.

The Newey surname appears to have been particularly prevalent in certain regions of England, including Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Sussex. This is evidenced by the numerous place names and villages that incorporate variations of the name, such as Newey Green in Oxfordshire and Newey's Farm in Berkshire.

Over the centuries, the name has undergone various spellings, including Neweye, Newee, Newey, and Nuweye, reflecting the evolution of language and regional dialects.

Notable individuals bearing the Newey surname include:

1. William Newey (c. 1510-1590), an English churchman and academic who served as the President of Corpus Christi College, Oxford. 2. John Newey (1677-1743), a British architect and surveyor responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. George-in-the-East. 3. Thomas Newey (1825-1891), a British railway engineer and surveyor who worked on the construction of several major railway lines in England and Scotland. 4. Adrian Newey OBE (born 1958), a renowned British motorsport engineer and designer, best known for his work with Formula One teams such as Williams, McLaren, and Red Bull Racing. 5. Gemma Newey (born 1992), a British Paralympic swimmer who has won multiple medals at the Paralympic Games and World Championships.

While the Newey surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora, adapting to local languages and cultures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Newey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Newey 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. Warwickshire leads with 576 Neweys recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.18x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 576 19.18x
Worcestershire 227 14.59x
Staffordshire 206 5.12x
Lancashire 41 0.29x
Yorkshire 37 0.31x
Surrey 35 0.60x
Middlesex 25 0.21x
Derbyshire 11 0.59x
Kent 11 0.27x
Leicestershire 9 0.68x
Hampshire 8 0.33x
Lincolnshire 7 0.37x
Wiltshire 7 0.66x
Rutland 5 5.72x
Somerset 4 0.21x
Gloucestershire 3 0.13x
Northamptonshire 3 0.27x
Cheshire 2 0.08x
Essex 2 0.09x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.13x
Northumberland 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 242 Neweys recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.17x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 242 24.17x
Aston 198 23.94x
Dudley 70 37.02x
Harborne 54 41.91x
Kenilworth 43 253.99x
Lye 34 131.32x
Wolverhampton 30 9.70x
Kings Norton 25 17.93x
Coventry Holy Trinity 24 26.76x
Handsworth 24 24.22x
West Bromwich 24 10.43x
Oldbury 19 24.83x
Sedgley 17 11.38x
Walsall Foreign 17 8.19x
Camberwell 13 1.71x
Edgbaston 11 11.81x
Cannock 10 14.26x
Clapham 10 6.72x
Cradley 10 71.07x
Ombersley 10 115.47x
Rushock 10 1333.33x
Solihull 10 46.32x
Tipton 10 8.12x
Wollescote 10 79.81x
York St Lawrence 10 81.23x
Deptford St Paul 9 2.87x
Hackney London 9 1.35x
Kidderminster Borough 9 9.89x
Leamington 8 40.20x
Millbrook 8 13.01x
Oldham 8 1.75x
Warwick St Mary 8 30.67x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 7 6.37x
Hulme 7 2.37x
Landford 7 654.21x
Middleton 7 368.42x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 7 17.20x
Belgrave 6 20.13x
Claines 6 14.05x
Kidderminster Foreign 6 27.29x
Purston Jaglin 6 208.33x
Ratcliffe London 6 9.12x
Shirland 6 43.01x
Tanworth 6 75.57x
Burton Upon Trent 5 5.32x
Coventry St Michael 5 5.18x
Walton On Hill 5 6.53x
Yardley 5 12.56x
Armley 4 7.68x
Cheetham 4 3.79x
Clifton 4 37.74x
Dewsbury 4 3.30x
Exton 4 150.38x
Foleshill 4 12.66x
Great Barr 4 86.96x
Hartlebury 4 43.20x
Lichfield St Mary 4 34.48x
Northfield 4 13.55x
Penge 4 5.26x
Pilsley 4 64.94x
St Pancras London 4 0.42x
St Swithin Lincoln 4 13.36x
Weston Super Mare 4 8.26x
Berkswell 3 50.51x
Ecclesfield 3 3.47x
Leamington Priors 3 4.06x
Leicester St Margaret 3 0.93x
Battersea 2 0.46x
Brightside Bierlow 2 0.86x
Kingswinford 2 1.37x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 0.83x
Spittlegate 2 7.59x
St George Hanover 2 1.29x
Stamford Baron St Martin 2 33.33x
Sutton Coldfield 2 6.34x
Woking 2 5.72x
Worcester St Andrew 2 38.02x
Shenstone 1 9.78x
West Ham 1 0.19x
Worsley 1 1.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 81
John 66
Thomas 47
George 39
James 38
Charles 29
Joseph 27
Henry 23
Samuel 17
Albert 16
Alfred 14
Arthur 14
Frederick 13
Richard 10
Walter 9
Edwin 8
Edward 7
Ernest 7
Harry 7
Benjamin 5
David 5
Francis 4
Frank 4
Herbert 4
Howard 4
Oliver 4
Robert 4
Adam 3
Elijah 3
Joshua 3
Sidney 3
Aron 2
Bernard 2
Caleb 2
Chas. 2
Clement 2
Ebenezer 2
Isaac 2
Levi 2
Roland 2
Alphonso 1
Auther 1
Baby 1
Benj. 1
Collin 1
Daniel 1
Dasia 1
Edmund 1
Horace 1
Wilton 1

FAQ

Newey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Newey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,220 people were recorded with the Newey surname. That placed it at #3,314 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Newey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,525 in 2016. That gives Newey a modern rank of #4,061.

What does the Newey surname mean?

A variant of the surname "Newe", meaning new or recent arrival.

What does the Newey map show?

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