NameCensus.

UK surname

Norquay

In the 1881 census there were 188 people recorded with the Norquay surname, ranking it #13,379 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 100, ranked #31,123, down from #13,379 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to South Ronaldsay and Burray, Edinburgh and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isles, West Kirkwall and West Mainland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Norquay is 188 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 46.8%.

1881 census count

188

Ranked #13,379

Modern count

100

2016, ranked #31,123

Peak year

1881

188 bearers

Map years

5

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Norquay had 188 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,379 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 100 in 2016, ranked #31,123.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 188 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Norquay surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Norquay surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Norquay 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 92 #18,050
1861 historical 157 #14,732
1881 historical 188 #13,379
1891 historical 174 #16,520
1901 historical 134 #19,288
1911 historical 9 #32,754
1997 modern 68 #30,810
1998 modern 78 #30,192
1999 modern 78 #30,327
2000 modern 81 #30,036
2001 modern 85 #29,396
2002 modern 93 #28,920
2003 modern 97 #28,217
2004 modern 87 #29,897
2005 modern 84 #30,359
2006 modern 89 #30,027
2007 modern 88 #30,515
2008 modern 83 #31,483
2009 modern 92 #30,820
2010 modern 94 #31,111
2011 modern 97 #30,552
2012 modern 91 #31,659
2013 modern 93 #31,785
2014 modern 99 #31,186
2015 modern 98 #31,342
2016 modern 100 #31,123

Geography

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Where Norquays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around South Ronaldsay and Burray, Edinburgh, Manchester, Glasgow and Cross and Burness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isles, West Kirkwall, West Mainland, East Kirkwall and East Mainland. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 South Ronaldsay and Burray Orkney
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Cross and Burness Orkney

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isles Orkney Islands
2 West Kirkwall Orkney Islands
3 West Mainland Orkney Islands
4 East Kirkwall Orkney Islands
5 East Mainland Orkney Islands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Norquay

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Norquay

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Norquay surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Norquay household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Norquay 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

Norquay is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Norquay falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Norquay families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Norquay 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. Orkney leads with 156 Norquays recorded in 1881 and an index of 777.28x.

County Total Index
Orkney 156 777.28x
Midlothian 13 5.32x
Lanarkshire 7 1.19x
Durham 5 0.92x
Middlesex 3 0.16x
Caithness 1 4.00x
Kent 1 0.16x
Roxburghshire 1 3.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. South Ronaldshay in Orkney leads with 134 Norquays recorded in 1881 and an index of 6442.31x.

Place Total Index
South Ronaldshay 134 6442.31x
Walls Flotta 19 2021.28x
North Leith 10 88.42x
Barony 7 4.69x
Westoe 5 16.25x
Mile End Old Town 3 10.42x
Kirkwall St Ola 2 66.45x
Canisbay 1 60.98x
Edinburgh Greenside 1 30.96x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 1.02x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 19.72x
Melrose 1 34.97x
St Andrews Deerness 1 94.34x
Swanscombe 1 35.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Margaret 2
Ann 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Hendry 1
John 1
Magnus 1
Samuel 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Norquay households.

FAQ

Norquay surname: questions and answers

How common was the Norquay surname in 1881?

In 1881, 188 people were recorded with the Norquay surname. That placed it at #13,379 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Norquay surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 100 in 2016. That gives Norquay a modern rank of #31,123.

What does the Norquay map show?

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