NameCensus.

UK surname

Novis

A surname derived from Latin "novus" meaning new or recent.

In the 1881 census there were 197 people recorded with the Novis surname, ranking it #12,955 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 322, ranked #14,033, down from #12,955 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newhaven, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew and Tunbridge, Bidborough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lewes, Kingston upon Hull and Eastbourne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Novis is 340 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.5%.

1881 census count

197

Ranked #12,955

Modern count

322

2016, ranked #14,033

Peak year

1997

340 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Novis had 197 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,955 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 322 in 2016, ranked #14,033.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 282 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Novis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Novis surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Novis 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 188 #10,939
1861 historical 154 #14,963
1881 historical 197 #12,955
1891 historical 282 #11,597
1901 historical 156 #17,638
1911 historical 247 #13,016
1997 modern 340 #12,428
1998 modern 331 #13,018
1999 modern 333 #13,049
2000 modern 326 #13,188
2001 modern 320 #13,143
2002 modern 326 #13,241
2003 modern 318 #13,291
2004 modern 324 #13,197
2005 modern 315 #13,375
2006 modern 311 #13,577
2007 modern 308 #13,791
2008 modern 308 #13,882
2009 modern 326 #13,630
2010 modern 323 #14,005
2011 modern 322 #13,907
2012 modern 318 #13,926
2013 modern 329 #13,810
2014 modern 331 #13,851
2015 modern 327 #13,871
2016 modern 322 #14,033

Geography

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Where Novis' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newhaven, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, Tunbridge, Bidborough, Hove and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lewes, Kingston upon Hull, Eastbourne and Rother. 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 Newhaven Sussex
2 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
3 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
4 Hove Sussex
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lewes 009 Lewes
2 Kingston upon Hull 020 Kingston upon Hull, City of
3 Eastbourne 002 Eastbourne
4 Eastbourne 003 Eastbourne
5 Rother 006 Rother

Forenames

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First names often paired with Novis

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Novis

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Novis, 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 Novis surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Novis 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Novis is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Novis is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Novis falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Novis

The surname NOVIS is believed to have originated in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "novys," which meant "novice" or "newcomer." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who had recently arrived in a particular area or who was new to a certain occupation or trade.

The name NOVIS can be found in various historical records, including parish registers and court documents. One of the earliest known references is in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1572, where a certain John Novis is listed as a taxpayer. Another early mention is in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1665, which records a Thomas Novis as a householder in the village of Painswick.

In the 17th century, the NOVIS surname appears to have been concentrated in the counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Herefordshire in the West Midlands region of England. It is possible that the name may have originated from a place name or a location that has since been lost or renamed.

One notable bearer of the NOVIS surname was William Novis (c. 1570-1622), an English clergyman who served as the Rector of Stratton in Gloucestershire during the early 17th century. Another individual of historical significance was John Novis (1661-1717), a mathematician and astronomer who made contributions to the study of comets and celestial phenomena.

In the 18th century, the NOVIS surname spread to other parts of England, with records showing families bearing this name in counties such as Somerset, Devon, and Wiltshire. One individual of note from this period was James Novis (1737-1809), a successful merchant and landowner from Bristol who was involved in the city's thriving trade with the West Indies.

As the 19th century dawned, the NOVIS surname continued to be found across various regions of England, with notable individuals including Thomas Novis (1802-1878), a prominent lawyer and magistrate in London, and Mary Novis (1842-1912), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's education in Oxford.

Throughout its history, the NOVIS surname has been subject to various spellings and variations, such as Novis, Novys, Noveis, and Novice, reflecting the regional dialects and local pronunciations of different areas. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained consistent, tracing back to the concept of a "newcomer" or "novice."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Novis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Novis 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. Sussex leads with 136 Novis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.98x.

County Total Index
Sussex 136 41.98x
Kent 17 2.59x
Middlesex 14 0.73x
Surrey 13 1.39x
Lancashire 7 0.31x
Glamorgan 5 1.49x
Suffolk 2 0.85x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.86x
Cornwall 1 0.46x
Hampshire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newhaven in Sussex leads with 21 Novis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 798.48x.

Place Total Index
Newhaven 21 798.48x
Eastbourne 20 134.14x
Hove 17 119.55x
Brighton 16 24.48x
Tonbridge 14 59.20x
Hastings St Leonards 13 273.11x
Framfield 12 1200.00x
Battersea 9 12.73x
East Hoathly 9 1607.14x
Islington London 9 4.83x
Bexhill 5 310.56x
Hastings Holy Trinity 5 209.21x
Piddinghoe 5 3333.33x
Swansea Town 5 18.23x
Toxteth Park 5 6.48x
Camberwell 3 2.44x
Hastings St Mary In The 3 43.42x
Lewisham 3 8.58x
Limehouse London 3 14.22x
Upper Beeding 3 750.00x
East Grinstead 2 43.57x
Everton 2 2.75x
Hastings St Mary 2 24.81x
Lewes St John Southover 2 91.74x
Lowestoft 2 18.08x
Bonchurch 1 227.27x
Chalfont St Giles 1 120.48x
Chelsea London 1 1.73x
Clerkenwell London 1 2.20x
Falmouth 1 12.99x
Keymer 1 43.67x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 2.59x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Elizabeth 7
Edith 6
Annie 5
Ellen 5
Jane 5
Alice 4
Martha 4
Ann 3
Caroline 3
Emily 3
Emma 3
Maria 3
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Lucy 2
Sarah 2
Sophia 2
Ada 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Augusta 1
Betsey 1
Calerer 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Elizth. 1
Ester 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Florance 1
Harriett 1
Jessica 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Kitty 1
Louisa 1
M. 1
Margaret 1
Matilda 1
May 1
Miriam 1
Rebecca 1
Rosa 1
Rosanna 1
Selina 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
Thomas 10
John 8
Henry 6
George 5
Albert 4
Frederick 4
Samuel 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
James 3
Richard 3
Walter 3
Willm. 3
Amos 2
Joseph 2
Stephen 2
Adrian 1
Alfred 1
Aubry 1
Benjamin 1
Benjiman 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
Littleton 1
Nicholas 1
Norman 1
Patrick 1
Percival 1
Thoms. 1
Trayton 1
Wm.F. 1

FAQ

Novis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Novis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 197 people were recorded with the Novis surname. That placed it at #12,955 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Novis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 322 in 2016. That gives Novis a modern rank of #14,033.

What does the Novis surname mean?

A surname derived from Latin "novus" meaning new or recent.

What does the Novis map show?

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