NameCensus.

UK surname

Newstead

A surname derived from a place name, referring to a new homestead or settlement.

In the 1881 census there were 1,038 people recorded with the Newstead surname, ranking it #3,783 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,417, ranked #4,303, down from #3,783 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Nottingham St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Norfolk, Broadland and King's Lynn and West Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Newstead is 1,767 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.5%.

1881 census count

1,038

Ranked #3,783

Modern count

1,417

2016, ranked #4,303

Peak year

1911

1,767 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Newstead had 1,038 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,783 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,417 in 2016, ranked #4,303.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,767 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Newstead surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Newstead surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Newstead 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 637 #4,076
1861 historical 663 #4,039
1881 historical 1,038 #3,783
1891 historical 1,346 #3,233
1901 historical 1,590 #3,249
1911 historical 1,767 #2,778
1997 modern 1,544 #3,815
1998 modern 1,589 #3,863
1999 modern 1,559 #3,954
2000 modern 1,527 #4,001
2001 modern 1,491 #4,005
2002 modern 1,509 #4,050
2003 modern 1,462 #4,083
2004 modern 1,484 #4,044
2005 modern 1,467 #4,031
2006 modern 1,499 #3,965
2007 modern 1,486 #4,034
2008 modern 1,463 #4,108
2009 modern 1,511 #4,091
2010 modern 1,486 #4,216
2011 modern 1,462 #4,217
2012 modern 1,409 #4,283
2013 modern 1,446 #4,262
2014 modern 1,445 #4,291
2015 modern 1,444 #4,254
2016 modern 1,417 #4,303

Geography

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Where Newsteads are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham St Mary and Wickmere. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Norfolk, Broadland, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and East Lindsey. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
5 Wickmere Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Norfolk 003 North Norfolk
2 North Norfolk 009 North Norfolk
3 Broadland 001 Broadland
4 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 002 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
5 East Lindsey 018 East Lindsey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Newstead

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Newstead

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Newstead is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Newstead 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

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

Meaning and origin of Newstead

The surname Newstead originated in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the late 12th century. It is a locational name, derived from the Old English words "niwe" meaning new and "stede" meaning place or farm. This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who resided at a newly established settlement or farmstead.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1202, which mentions a William de Neusted. The Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from 1230 also record a Robert de Newstede. These early spellings, such as Neusted and Newstede, reflect the evolving nature of the name over time.

The Newstead surname is closely tied to several place names in England, including Newstead Abbey in Nottinghamshire, which was once a Cistercian monastery founded in the late 12th century. This connection is evident in the historical figure of Henry Newstead, who served as the Abbot of Newstead Abbey from 1491 to 1515.

Another notable individual with this surname was Sir Roger Newstead (1456-1524), a prominent English landowner and courtier during the reign of King Henry VIII. He was knighted in 1513 and served as the Sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

In the literary world, one of the most famous bearers of the Newstead name was Lord Byron (1788-1824), the renowned English poet and leading figure of the Romantic movement. His ancestral home was Newstead Abbey, which he inherited in 1798 and later sold due to financial difficulties.

Other historical figures with the Newstead surname include John Newstead (1587-1663), an English Puritan clergyman and member of the Westminster Assembly, and Thomas Newstead (1762-1830), a British entomologist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of insects.

Throughout its history, the Newstead surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as Newsted, Newstede, and Newsteed, reflecting the regional dialects and linguistic changes over time. However, the core meaning of the name, rooted in the concept of a new place or settlement, has remained a consistent thread throughout its evolution.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Newstead families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Newstead 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. Norfolk leads with 261 Newsteads recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.73x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 261 16.73x
Middlesex 157 1.55x
Nottinghamshire 134 9.80x
Yorkshire 104 1.03x
Kent 71 2.05x
Suffolk 51 4.13x
Surrey 48 0.97x
Durham 37 1.23x
Lincolnshire 32 1.97x
Essex 26 1.30x
Lancashire 20 0.17x
Northumberland 19 1.26x
Cambridgeshire 17 2.65x
Gloucestershire 16 0.80x
Hertfordshire 12 1.72x
Hampshire 6 0.29x
Angus 5 0.53x
Berkshire 5 0.66x
Lanarkshire 4 0.12x
Cheshire 2 0.09x
Warwickshire 2 0.08x
Channel Islands 1 0.33x
Cumberland 1 0.11x
Denbighshire 1 0.26x
Derbyshire 1 0.06x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.45x
Leicestershire 1 0.09x
Northamptonshire 1 0.10x
Royal Navy 1 0.83x
Staffordshire 1 0.03x
Wiltshire 1 0.11x
Worcestershire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nottingham St Mary in Nottinghamshire leads with 31 Newsteads recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.77x.

Place Total Index
Nottingham St Mary 31 8.77x
Shoreditch London 26 5.91x
Bexley 23 75.16x
Calthorpe 22 3098.59x
Newark Upon Trent 21 42.73x
Greenwich 19 11.76x
Lambeth 18 2.03x
Gateshead 15 6.64x
Heigham 15 17.92x
Plumbstead 15 2238.81x
Blofield 14 352.64x
Erpingham 14 1111.11x
Islington London 14 1.42x
Winfarthing 14 666.67x
Fulham London 12 8.16x
Hackney London 12 2.11x
Bow London 11 8.52x
Otley 11 45.06x
Paddington London 11 2.95x
St George In East 11 15.94x
Thorpe Next Norwich 11 66.55x
Aylsham 10 107.64x
Elswick 10 8.30x
Horsforth 10 45.37x
Leeds 10 1.76x
Matlask 10 1754.39x
Whitcombe Magna 10 1818.18x
Beckingham 9 750.00x
Binham 9 542.17x
Camberwell 9 1.39x
Cawston 9 235.60x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 9 32.12x
Great Yarmouth 9 6.97x
Kirby Bedon 9 967.74x
Morley 9 17.22x
Newmarket St Mary 9 94.94x
St Pancras London 9 1.10x
Thurgarton 9 1111.11x
Tuxford 9 267.86x
Witton Gilbert 9 75.57x
Balderton 8 213.90x
Crayford 8 52.91x
Ingworth 8 1600.00x
Mile End Old Town 8 5.00x
Chipping Barnet 7 57.24x
Freston 7 736.84x
Hibaldstow 7 251.80x
Ipswich St Mathew 7 20.21x
Kensington London 7 1.24x
Newington 7 1.87x
Penshaw 7 77.18x
Ridlington 7 1029.41x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 3.43x
Woodbastwick 7 958.90x
Arnold 6 30.06x
Baconsthorpe 6 588.24x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.36x
Blyth 6 279.07x
Bradford 6 2.47x
Clifford Cum Boston 6 66.37x
Greasley 6 19.45x
Leiston 6 70.67x
March 6 27.88x
Norwich St John Sepulchre 6 59.29x
Peasenhall 6 200.00x
Snenton 6 11.17x
Theberton 6 287.08x
Wallsend 6 12.53x
West Ham 6 1.36x
Bathley 5 847.46x
Bromley London 5 2.24x
Doddington 5 925.93x
Erith 5 14.66x
Frodingham 5 86.51x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 5 3.83x
Holy Trinity 5 2.07x
Ingatestone 5 155.28x
Northallerton 5 38.97x
Plumstead 5 4.33x
Radford 5 7.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 47
Mary 43
Elizabeth 33
Alice 27
Ann 22
Emma 18
Louisa 17
Eliza 16
Charlotte 14
Emily 13
Hannah 12
Jane 11
Annie 10
Harriet 10
Edith 8
Rebecca 8
Ada 7
Ellen 7
Amelia 6
Florence 6
Harriett 6
Laura 6
Lydia 6
Lucy 5
Rose 5
Caroline 4
Fanny 4
Julia 4
Maria 4
Rachel 4
Sophia 4
Susan 4
Anna 3
Anne 3
Elizth. 3
Frances 3
Kate 3
Katherine 3
Martha 3
Agnes 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Ethel 2
Margt. 2
Marian 2
Maud 2
Norah 2
Olive 2
Rachael 2
Rosa 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 63
George 54
William 50
Thomas 32
Henry 26
James 23
Arthur 22
Charles 22
Robert 22
Benjamin 15
Frederick 13
Alfred 12
Herbert 12
Joseph 12
Walter 12
Albert 11
Edward 7
Francis 7
Frank 7
Samuel 7
Ernest 5
Harry 5
Abraham 3
Edmund 3
Fredrick 3
Christopher 2
David 2
Edgar 2
Horace 2
Jas. 2
Philip 2
Richard 2
Wm. 2
Alber 1
Andrew 1
Arnold 1
Charlie 1
Chas. 1
Chris. 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Elden 1
Elijah 1
Elisha 1
Eliza 1
Eoli 1
Hugh 1
Hy. 1
Jerey 1
Zaccheus 1

FAQ

Newstead surname: questions and answers

How common was the Newstead surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,038 people were recorded with the Newstead surname. That placed it at #3,783 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Newstead surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,417 in 2016. That gives Newstead a modern rank of #4,303.

What does the Newstead surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name, referring to a new homestead or settlement.

What does the Newstead map show?

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