NameCensus.

UK surname

Noyce

A locative surname derived from a place name, likely referring to someone from a noisy or loud location.

In the 1881 census there were 673 people recorded with the Noyce surname, ranking it #5,361 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 957, ranked #6,003, down from #5,361 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to South Stoneham, London parishes and Southampton St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Southampton and Eastleigh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Noyce is 1,055 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.2%.

1881 census count

673

Ranked #5,361

Modern count

957

2016, ranked #6,003

Peak year

1999

1,055 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Noyce had 673 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,361 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 957 in 2016, ranked #6,003.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 996 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Noyce surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Noyce surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Noyce 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 388 #6,190
1861 historical 263 #9,423
1881 historical 673 #5,361
1891 historical 628 #6,158
1901 historical 902 #5,140
1911 historical 996 #4,556
1997 modern 989 #5,555
1998 modern 1,048 #5,450
1999 modern 1,055 #5,459
2000 modern 1,029 #5,561
2001 modern 987 #5,630
2002 modern 993 #5,725
2003 modern 997 #5,607
2004 modern 1,000 #5,598
2005 modern 1,016 #5,478
2006 modern 990 #5,606
2007 modern 974 #5,727
2008 modern 987 #5,710
2009 modern 1,022 #5,667
2010 modern 1,022 #5,780
2011 modern 1,012 #5,762
2012 modern 945 #6,008
2013 modern 961 #6,018
2014 modern 973 #5,997
2015 modern 965 #5,987
2016 modern 957 #6,003

Geography

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Where Noyces are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around South Stoneham, London parishes, Southampton St Mary, West Tytherley, East Tytherley, West Dean, East and West Buckholt (incl. Crown Farm), Broughton, Bos and Winterslow, Idmiston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Southampton and Eastleigh. 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 South Stoneham Hampshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Southampton St Mary Hampshire
4 West Tytherley, East Tytherley, West Dean, East and West Buckholt (incl. Crown Farm), Broughton, Bos Hampshire
5 Winterslow, Idmiston Wiltshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Southampton 007 Southampton
2 Southampton 012 Southampton
3 Eastleigh 009 Eastleigh
4 Southampton 002 Southampton
5 Eastleigh 006 Eastleigh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Noyce

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Noyce

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Noyce is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Noyce is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Noyce

The surname NOYCE is of English origin, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "noyce," which means "nut tree" or "walnut." This suggests that the name may have been originally given to someone who lived near a walnut tree or a grove of walnut trees.

The earliest known recording of the surname NOYCE can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195, where a person named William Noyce is mentioned. Another early record of the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327, listing a John Noyse.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, variations of the spelling became more common, such as Noyce, Noyes, and Noyse. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the way the name was pronounced.

One notable figure in history with the surname NOYCE was Reverend William Noyce (1617-1676), a Puritan minister and one of the founders of the town of Newbury, Massachusetts. He was born in Choulderton, Wiltshire, England, and immigrated to America in 1635.

Another prominent individual was Peter Noyce (1793-1872), a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. Michael and All Angels in Shoreditch.

In the 19th century, John Noyce (1802-1876) was a successful businessman and philanthropist from Yorkshire, England. He donated a significant sum of money to establish the Noyce Institute, a school for the education of the children of working-class families.

Alfred Noyce (1857-1923), an English artist and illustrator, is renowned for his paintings depicting rural life in the counties of Sussex and Kent. His works are displayed in several museums and galleries across the United Kingdom.

In more recent times, Robert Noyce (1927-1990) was a pioneering American inventor and co-founder of Fairchild Semiconductor and Intel Corporation. He is widely credited with the invention of the integrated circuit and has been dubbed the "Mayor of Silicon Valley" for his significant contributions to the semiconductor industry.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Noyce families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Noyce 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 305 Noyces recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.70x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 305 22.70x
Wiltshire 158 27.25x
Middlesex 67 1.02x
Surrey 57 1.78x
Sussex 23 2.08x
Kent 17 0.76x
Devon 11 0.81x
Berkshire 8 1.63x
Warwickshire 8 0.48x
Essex 6 0.46x
Lancashire 3 0.04x
Gloucestershire 2 0.16x
Northamptonshire 2 0.32x
Yorkshire 2 0.03x
Durham 1 0.05x
Glamorgan 1 0.09x
Monmouthshire 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Downton in Wiltshire leads with 41 Noyces recorded in 1881 and an index of 540.18x.

Place Total Index
Downton 41 540.18x
Southampton St Mary 38 44.98x
South Stoneham 34 116.64x
Islington London 21 3.31x
Romsey Extra 19 237.80x
West Wellow 19 1472.87x
Portsea 15 5.70x
Winterslow 14 717.95x
Battersea 13 5.39x
Southwark Christchurch 13 42.32x
Nether Wallop 12 677.97x
Barford St Martin 10 952.38x
Woodgreen 10 1515.15x
Amport 9 592.11x
Broughton Gifford 9 652.17x
Alderbury 8 294.12x
Aston 8 1.76x
Broughton 8 394.09x
Grovely Wood 8 7272.73x
Reading St Mary 8 20.30x
Southampton All Sts 8 34.71x
West Dean 8 1142.86x
Frenchmoor 7 8750.00x
Little Langford 7 3888.89x
Lockerley 7 522.39x
Northwood 7 36.59x
Over Wallop 7 573.77x
Poplar London 7 5.66x
Salisbury St Edmund 7 75.19x
West Tytherley 7 729.17x
Winterbourne Earls 7 1296.30x
Brighton 6 2.69x
Croydon 6 3.38x
Deptford St Paul 6 3.48x
Ibsley 6 1090.91x
Kings Somborne 6 212.77x
Millbrook 6 17.73x
St George In East 6 13.46x
St Pancras London 6 1.14x
Wimbledon 6 16.73x
Winterbourne Gunner 6 1578.95x
Wolborough 6 34.78x
Bishopstoke 5 144.93x
East Meon 5 142.45x
Isleworth 5 17.16x
Longstock 5 510.20x
Manningtree 5 238.10x
New Alresford 5 143.68x
Portsmouth 5 16.16x
Shoreditch London 5 1.76x
St Mary Kalendar 5 178.57x
Warblington 5 93.81x
Fisherton Anger 4 37.28x
Hackney London 4 1.09x
Hendon 4 16.96x
Kensington London 4 1.10x
Knights Enham 4 1081.08x
Shanklin 4 100.00x
Streatham 4 8.22x
Subdeanary 4 134.68x
Subdeanery 4 47.68x
Woolwich 4 4.84x
Alverstoke 3 6.17x
Bradford On Avon 3 16.16x
Canterbury St Mildred 3 56.50x
Droxford 3 58.48x
Fareham 3 18.58x
Hound 3 32.89x
Kingsteignton 3 79.16x
Lambeth 3 0.52x
Laverstock 3 294.12x
Richmond 3 6.70x
Rottingdean 3 79.37x
Salisbury St Martin 3 49.75x
St Bartholomew Hyde 3 93.46x
Tonbridge 3 3.72x
Brading 2 11.20x
Idsworth 2 224.72x
Paddington London 2 0.83x
Tormoham 2 3.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Jane 21
Sarah 21
Elizabeth 19
Ellen 17
Alice 16
Ann 11
Eliza 10
Emily 10
Emma 10
Harriet 10
Charlotte 9
Fanny 9
Louisa 8
Florence 7
Kate 7
Annie 6
Edith 5
Harriett 5
Martha 5
Agnes 4
Frances 4
Rose 4
Susan 4
Amelia 3
Flora 3
Lucy 3
Maria 3
Matilda 3
Ada 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Henrietta 2
Julia 2
Rachel 2
Rosa 2
Sophia 2
Barbara 1
Bessie 1
Bridget 1
Eleanor 1
Elizath.Jane 1
Elizth. 1
Ella 1
Georgina 1
Hannah 1
Hester 1
Isabelle 1
James 1
Jemima 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 47
George 44
James 24
Henry 20
Charles 19
Alfred 17
John 14
Frank 11
Albert 10
Frederick 8
Thomas 8
Harry 7
Joseph 7
Richard 6
Samuel 6
Ernest 5
Walter 5
Arthur 4
Chas. 4
Edward 4
Andrew 3
Elisha 3
Fred 3
Sidney 3
Wm. 3
Francis 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Jacob 2
Jesse 2
Robt. 2
Timothy 2
Tom 2
Ambrose 1
Basil 1
Bill 1
Dan 1
David 1
Enoch 1
Evelyne 1
F.J. 1
Fredk. 1
G.W. 1
Gale 1
Horace 1
Immanuel 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Lorder 1
Wm.Albert 1

FAQ

Noyce surname: questions and answers

How common was the Noyce surname in 1881?

In 1881, 673 people were recorded with the Noyce surname. That placed it at #5,361 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Noyce surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 957 in 2016. That gives Noyce a modern rank of #6,003.

What does the Noyce surname mean?

A locative surname derived from a place name, likely referring to someone from a noisy or loud location.

What does the Noyce map show?

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