NameCensus.

UK surname

Noye

A surname possibly derived from the Old French word "noye", meaning a drowned person.

In the 1881 census there were 94 people recorded with the Noye surname, ranking it #20,467 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 103, ranked #30,515, down from #20,467 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Philip and Jacob and Morvah. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Suffolk Coastal and Bassetlaw.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Noye is 148 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.6%.

1881 census count

94

Ranked #20,467

Modern count

103

2016, ranked #30,515

Peak year

1999

148 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Noye had 94 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,467 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016, ranked #30,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 128 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Noye surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Noye surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Noye 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 59 #22,756
1861 historical 80 #23,566
1881 historical 94 #20,467
1891 historical 76 #27,290
1901 historical 105 #22,179
1911 historical 128 #19,664
1997 modern 137 #22,301
1998 modern 140 #22,615
1999 modern 148 #22,020
2000 modern 134 #23,358
2001 modern 131 #23,343
2002 modern 134 #23,492
2003 modern 131 #23,553
2004 modern 128 #24,117
2005 modern 127 #24,178
2006 modern 131 #23,942
2007 modern 131 #24,282
2008 modern 132 #24,476
2009 modern 137 #24,371
2010 modern 134 #25,263
2011 modern 125 #26,220
2012 modern 114 #27,868
2013 modern 112 #28,675
2014 modern 114 #28,608
2015 modern 110 #29,157
2016 modern 103 #30,515

Geography

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Where Noyes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Philip and Jacob, Morvah, Camborne and Whitstone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Suffolk Coastal, Bassetlaw, Chichester and Bournemouth. 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 3
2 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire
3 Morvah Cornwall
4 Camborne Cornwall
5 Whitstone Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 049 Cornwall
2 Suffolk Coastal 009 Suffolk Coastal
3 Bassetlaw 005 Bassetlaw
4 Chichester 002 Chichester
5 Bournemouth 001 Bournemouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Noye

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Noye

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Noye is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Noye 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

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

Meaning and origin of Noye

The surname Noye is of Old English origin, derived from the Middle English word 'noy', meaning 'annoyance' or 'nuisance'. It is thought to have originated as a nickname for someone who was considered a troublemaker or a source of irritation.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to the 13th century, where it appears in the Hertfordshire Pipe Rolls of 1275 as 'Noyus'. The Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1279 also mention a 'William le Noye', suggesting the name was in use as a surname by this time.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various records across England, including the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which lists a 'Johannes Noye'. The Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1332 also mention a 'Richard le Noye', indicating the spread of the name across different regions.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Noye was Sir Humphrey Noye (c. 1456-1536), a prominent lawyer and judge during the reign of King Henry VIII. He served as the Attorney General of England and Wales from 1516 to 1518.

Another notable figure was William Noye (1570-1634), an English lawyer and politician who served as the Attorney General of England and Wales from 1631 to 1634. He was involved in the prosecution of several high-profile cases, including the trial of Sir Walter Raleigh.

In the 17th century, the surname Noye is found in various parish records across England, such as the baptismal record of Robert Noye in St. Margaret's, Westminster, in 1616, and the marriage record of Edward Noye and Jane Winkfield in Ringwood, Hampshire, in 1654.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in the American colonies is that of Nathaniel Noye, who was born in Newbury, Massachusetts, in 1639. He later settled in Hampstead, New Hampshire, where he became a prominent landowner and community leader.

During the 18th century, the spelling variations 'Noy' and 'Noy' became more common, likely due to regional pronunciation differences. One notable individual from this period was John Noy (1765-1833), an English explorer and surveyor who was involved in mapping the Australian coastline.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Noye families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Noye 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. Cornwall leads with 40 Noyes recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.17x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 40 44.17x
Surrey 20 5.13x
Sussex 7 5.19x
Middlesex 4 0.50x
Norfolk 3 2.44x
Yorkshire 3 0.38x
Devon 2 1.20x
Isle of Man 1 6.73x
Somerset 1 0.78x
Suffolk 1 1.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camborne in Cornwall leads with 9 Noyes recorded in 1881 and an index of 241.29x.

Place Total Index
Camborne 9 241.29x
Sithney 9 978.26x
Morvah 8 16000.00x
Rotherhithe 8 80.97x
Hove 7 118.24x
Bermondsey 4 16.80x
Newington 4 13.54x
St Martin In Meneage 4 3636.36x
Budock 3 441.18x
Heigham 3 45.45x
Ecclesfield 2 34.42x
Gwinear 2 465.12x
Islington London 2 2.58x
Lambeth 2 2.87x
Poplar London 2 13.25x
Towednack 2 1111.11x
Clapham 1 10.00x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 6.20x
Egg Buckland 1 357.14x
Falmouth 1 31.15x
Onchan 1 23.36x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 7.79x
St Gluvias Penryn 1 136.99x
Stringston 1 3333.33x
Theberton 1 625.00x
Whitstone 1 909.09x
Wimbledon 1 22.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emily 4
Elizabeth 3
Grace 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Annie 2
Bessie 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Mary 2
Charlotte 1
Christain 1
Eliza 1
Jane 1
Jenifer 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lavinia 1
Louisa 1
Mabel 1
Martha 1
Mira 1
Orene 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Sarah 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 8
William 8
Charles 4
Thomas 3
Francis 2
George 2
Richard 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Ephraim 1
Ernest 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Isaac 1
James 1
Jas. 1
Richd.James 1
Vernon 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Noye surname: questions and answers

How common was the Noye surname in 1881?

In 1881, 94 people were recorded with the Noye surname. That placed it at #20,467 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Noye surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016. That gives Noye a modern rank of #30,515.

What does the Noye surname mean?

A surname possibly derived from the Old French word "noye", meaning a drowned person.

What does the Noye map show?

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