NameCensus.

UK surname

Newnham

A locational surname referring to a new homestead or settlement.

In the 1881 census there were 1,283 people recorded with the Newnham surname, ranking it #3,182 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,636, ranked #3,804, down from #3,182 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Fletching, London parishes and Newchurch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Wight.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Newnham is 1,778 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.5%.

1881 census count

1,283

Ranked #3,182

Modern count

1,636

2016, ranked #3,804

Peak year

1999

1,778 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Newnham had 1,283 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,182 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,636 in 2016, ranked #3,804.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,754 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Newnham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Newnham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Newnham 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 753 #3,529
1861 historical 682 #3,946
1881 historical 1,283 #3,182
1891 historical 1,367 #3,175
1901 historical 1,643 #3,138
1911 historical 1,754 #2,801
1997 modern 1,652 #3,593
1998 modern 1,731 #3,578
1999 modern 1,778 #3,514
2000 modern 1,748 #3,555
2001 modern 1,739 #3,494
2002 modern 1,743 #3,577
2003 modern 1,690 #3,597
2004 modern 1,683 #3,615
2005 modern 1,634 #3,668
2006 modern 1,621 #3,701
2007 modern 1,627 #3,716
2008 modern 1,619 #3,752
2009 modern 1,650 #3,781
2010 modern 1,661 #3,838
2011 modern 1,652 #3,815
2012 modern 1,621 #3,800
2013 modern 1,690 #3,726
2014 modern 1,680 #3,758
2015 modern 1,643 #3,801
2016 modern 1,636 #3,804

Geography

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Where Newnhams are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Wight. 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 Fletching Sussex
2 London parishes London 1
3 Newchurch Hampshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Wight 006 Isle of Wight
2 Isle of Wight 008 Isle of Wight
3 Isle of Wight 011 Isle of Wight
4 Isle of Wight 007 Isle of Wight
5 Isle of Wight 013 Isle of Wight

Forenames

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First names often paired with Newnham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Newnham

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Newnham 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

Newnham is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Newnham

The surname Newnham is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "niwe" meaning new and "ham" referring to a homestead or village. It was originally a locational name given to those who hailed from any of the numerous places called Newnham across England.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Newnham can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Newenham" in reference to various settlements across the country. These included places like Newnham in Hertfordshire, Newnham in Kent, and Newnham in Gloucestershire.

During the Middle Ages, the name was often spelled in various ways, such as Neuneham, Newenham, and Newenham, reflecting the inconsistencies in spelling at the time. One notable bearer of the name was Sir John de Newnham, a 14th-century knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War against France.

In the 16th century, the name Newnham was associated with the renowned scholar and clergyman Thomas Newnham (c.1528-1590), who served as a chaplain to Queen Elizabeth I and was known for his translations of ancient Greek texts.

The 17th century saw the rise of William Newnham (1590-1676), an English landowner and Member of Parliament who played a role in the English Civil War, initially supporting the Parliamentarian cause but later switching allegiance to the Royalists.

Another notable figure was Nathaniel Newnham (1663-1737), a successful merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of education in his hometown of Bedford, England.

In the 19th century, one of the most prominent bearers of the name was William Newnham (1790-1865), a British engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of early steam engines and railways.

Throughout history, the name Newnham has also been associated with various place names, such as Newnham-on-Severn in Gloucestershire, Newnham in Hertfordshire, and Newnham College at the University of Cambridge, founded in 1871 and named after the nearby village of Newnham.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Newnham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Newnham 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. Hampshire leads with 357 Newnhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.94x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 357 13.94x
Sussex 341 16.19x
Kent 181 4.25x
Surrey 113 1.86x
Middlesex 112 0.90x
Somerset 37 1.84x
Bedfordshire 23 3.55x
Staffordshire 23 0.55x
Warwickshire 19 0.60x
Worcestershire 13 0.80x
Gloucestershire 12 0.49x
Lancashire 12 0.08x
Devon 8 0.31x
Wiltshire 7 0.63x
Essex 6 0.24x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.25x
Cornwall 2 0.14x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.12x
Royal Navy 2 1.34x
Angus 1 0.09x
Berkshire 1 0.11x
Derbyshire 1 0.05x
Hertfordshire 1 0.12x
Midlothian 1 0.06x
Monmouthshire 1 0.11x
Northamptonshire 1 0.09x
Westmorland 1 0.36x
Yorkshire 1 0.01x

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 74 Newnhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.74x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 74 14.74x
Fletching 62 657.48x
Brading 40 117.51x
Brighton 38 8.94x
Lewisham 35 15.39x
Chatham 33 28.14x
Cuckfield 32 150.38x
Ventnor 31 127.26x
Wivelsfield 26 315.92x
Camberwell 23 2.88x
Goldington 23 927.42x
Lambeth 23 2.11x
St Marylebone London 23 3.45x
Ryde 22 39.99x
St Helens 22 118.15x
Plumstead 21 14.78x
Shanklin 20 262.12x
Titchfield 19 98.45x
Rochester St Margaret 17 37.81x
Eastbourne 16 16.50x
Southampton St Mary 16 9.93x
Aston 15 1.73x
Binsted 14 143.30x
Croydon 13 3.85x
Horsted Keynes 13 264.77x
Carisbrooke 12 33.75x
Gillingham 12 13.65x
Ringmer 12 202.02x
Arreton 10 121.80x
Bathwick 10 44.92x
Battersea 10 2.17x
Kensington London 10 1.44x
Darlaston 9 15.44x
Deptford St Paul 9 2.74x
Herstmonceaux 9 142.18x
Stoke Newington London 9 9.25x
Ardingly 8 119.40x
Shipley 8 167.71x
Slaugham 8 117.47x
South Stoneham 8 14.40x
St George Hanover 8 4.90x
Walcot 8 7.47x
West Hoathly 8 120.85x
Buxted 7 84.85x
Chelsea London 7 1.86x
Cliffe 7 98.31x
East Chiltington 7 395.48x
Farlington 7 133.84x
Hagley 7 132.58x
Holdenhurst 7 10.42x
Newington 7 1.52x
St Bartholomew Hyde 7 114.19x
Streatham 7 7.55x
Toxteth Park 7 1.39x
Waldron 7 121.95x
Acton 6 8.19x
Deptford St Nicholas 6 17.74x
Falmer 6 242.92x
Folkestone 6 7.26x
Freshwater 6 51.28x
Horsham 6 14.66x
Leatherhead 6 39.34x
Lee 6 9.69x
Maresfield 6 67.57x
Westminster St 6 13.02x
Bonchurch 5 173.01x
Buckland Dinham 5 257.73x
Clifton 5 4.04x
Cowfold 5 112.11x
Epsom 5 16.85x
Farnborough 5 18.59x
Great Bookham 5 106.84x
Hackney London 5 0.71x
Hastings St Mary 5 9.54x
Niton 5 145.77x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 1.99x
St Pancras London 5 0.50x
Tonbridge 5 3.25x
Upper Beeding 5 191.57x
Balcombe 4 106.38x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 72
Elizabeth 51
Emily 40
Sarah 32
Ellen 25
Alice 22
Emma 21
Jane 21
Eliza 20
Annie 18
Caroline 17
Louisa 16
Ada 15
Ann 15
Hannah 15
Florence 14
Kate 13
Harriet 11
Harriett 10
Fanny 9
Frances 9
Margaret 8
Edith 7
Martha 7
Amy 6
Lucy 6
Anne 5
Charlotte 5
Henrietta 5
Maria 5
Minnie 5
Rose 5
Rosina 5
Clara 4
Selina 4
Agnes 3
Anna 3
Catherine 3
Jessie 3
Laura 3
Lizzie 3
Matilda 3
Susan 3
Esther 2
Eva 2
Letitia 2
Philadelphia 2
Priscilla 2
Rebecca 2
Rhoda 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 71
John 61
George 47
James 39
Charles 34
Henry 32
Thomas 27
Alfred 26
Frederick 24
Joseph 23
Edward 15
Arthur 12
Benjamin 11
Robert 11
Walter 10
Albert 9
Harry 9
Frank 7
Richard 7
Samuel 7
Ernest 5
Amos 4
Edwin 4
Francis 4
Fredk. 4
Herbert 4
Percy 4
Stephen 3
Benjn. 2
Caleb 2
David 2
Ellen 2
Fredk.J. 2
Fredrick 2
Geo. 2
Jesse 2
Jno. 2
Leathem 2
Nicholas 2
Oliver 2
Richd. 2
Sidney 2
Sydney 2
Austin 1
Barnabas 1
Chas.B. 1
Christopher 1
Claude 1
Cyril 1
Daniel 1

FAQ

Newnham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Newnham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,283 people were recorded with the Newnham surname. That placed it at #3,182 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Newnham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,636 in 2016. That gives Newnham a modern rank of #3,804.

What does the Newnham surname mean?

A locational surname referring to a new homestead or settlement.

What does the Newnham map show?

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