NameCensus.

UK surname

Ovens

A place name from a location with a bakery or oven.

In the 1881 census there were 765 people recorded with the Ovens surname, ranking it #4,830 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 894, ranked #6,332, down from #4,830 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Melrose, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Swindon, Lyddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Breich Valley, Sauchie and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ovens is 1,034 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16.9%.

1881 census count

765

Ranked #4,830

Modern count

894

2016, ranked #6,332

Peak year

1901

1,034 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ovens had 765 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,830 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 894 in 2016, ranked #6,332.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,034 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Ovens surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ovens surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ovens 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 539 #4,676
1861 historical 626 #4,275
1881 historical 765 #4,830
1891 historical 956 #4,327
1901 historical 1,034 #4,625
1911 historical 807 #5,445
1997 modern 892 #6,001
1998 modern 924 #6,028
1999 modern 933 #6,035
2000 modern 902 #6,167
2001 modern 891 #6,125
2002 modern 904 #6,179
2003 modern 902 #6,074
2004 modern 884 #6,185
2005 modern 866 #6,215
2006 modern 846 #6,344
2007 modern 834 #6,479
2008 modern 855 #6,393
2009 modern 860 #6,513
2010 modern 902 #6,374
2011 modern 898 #6,333
2012 modern 887 #6,314
2013 modern 908 #6,310
2014 modern 913 #6,305
2015 modern 904 #6,309
2016 modern 894 #6,332

Geography

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Where Ovens' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Melrose, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Swindon, Lyddington, Melksham and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Breich Valley, Sauchie, Wiltshire, IZ09 and St Boswells and Newtown Area. 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 Melrose Roxburgh
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Swindon, Lyddington Wiltshire
4 Melksham Wiltshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Breich Valley West Lothian
2 Sauchie Clackmannanshire
3 Wiltshire 021 Wiltshire
4 IZ09 East Lothian
5 St Boswells and Newtown Area Scottish Borders

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ovens

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ovens

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ovens, 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 Ovens surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Ovens 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Ovens is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Ovens is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ovens falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Ovens

The surname Ovens originated in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "ofen," which means "oven," referring to someone who lived near an oven or worked as a baker.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ovens can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire from 1195, where a person named Robert de Ovene is mentioned. Another early reference is in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1292, which mentions a William del Oven.

The surname Ovens may also have originated from a place name, such as Oven in Buckinghamshire or Oven Hill in Gloucestershire. These place names were likely derived from the Old English word "ofen," suggesting that the surname could have been taken from the location where an individual or family lived.

Notable individuals with the surname Ovens include Sir John Ovens (1558-1623), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire. Another prominent figure was Robert Ovens (1609-1679), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.

In Scotland, the name Ovens has a long history as well. One of the earliest recorded instances is Alexander Ovens, who was a merchant in Glasgow in the late 16th century. Another notable Scottish bearer of the name was John Ovens (1640-1708), a Church of Scotland minister and theologian.

Other individuals with the surname Ovens include William Ovens (1786-1845), an English architect and surveyor known for his work in London, and John Ovens (1788-1825), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.

While the surname Ovens may have had multiple origins and variations in spelling, it has consistently been associated with occupations or locations related to ovens or baking throughout its history in England and Scotland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ovens families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ovens 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. Midlothian leads with 136 Ovens' recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.62x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 136 13.62x
Wiltshire 129 19.57x
Surrey 69 1.90x
Gloucestershire 52 3.56x
Middlesex 52 0.70x
Herefordshire 39 12.76x
Cheshire 28 1.70x
Roxburghshire 27 20.00x
Selkirkshire 24 35.59x
East Lothian 23 23.30x
Lancashire 23 0.26x
Lanarkshire 20 0.83x
Berwickshire 17 18.84x
Essex 13 0.88x
Somerset 12 1.00x
Kent 11 0.43x
Berkshire 10 1.79x
Durham 10 0.45x
Northumberland 10 0.90x
Warwickshire 9 0.48x
Renfrewshire 7 1.21x
Northamptonshire 6 0.86x
Staffordshire 6 0.24x
Hampshire 5 0.33x
Yorkshire 5 0.07x
Hertfordshire 4 0.78x
Kirkcudbrightshire 4 3.71x
Buteshire 2 4.43x
Glamorgan 2 0.15x
Shropshire 2 0.31x
Worcestershire 2 0.21x
Ayrshire 1 0.18x
Cumberland 1 0.16x
Kincardineshire 1 1.10x
Peeblesshire 1 2.85x
Perthshire 1 0.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 32 Ovens' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.72x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 32 6.72x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 27 6.72x
Hyde 23 47.38x
Melksham 20 174.83x
Lyneham 15 581.40x
Morebattle 14 542.64x
Melrose 13 76.61x
Newbattle 13 152.40x
Stow 13 253.41x
West Calder 13 66.06x
Chisledon 12 400.00x
West Ham 12 3.69x
Galashiels 11 44.12x
Tranent 11 82.46x
Bradford On Avon 10 47.39x
Henbury 10 140.25x
East Knoyle 9 401.79x
Holmer 9 163.64x
Liberton 9 58.40x
Newington 9 3.27x
Purton 9 153.58x
South Leith 9 8.01x
Swindon 9 17.61x
Edinburgh St Stephens 8 40.71x
Wroughton 8 140.11x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 7 5.09x
Bromyard 7 173.70x
Broughton In Salford 7 8.66x
Cookham 7 40.14x
Edinburgh St Johns 7 111.11x
Heworth 7 16.02x
Humbie 7 300.43x
Kirknewton 7 243.90x
Lambeth 7 1.08x
Lauder 7 140.28x
Longformacus 7 714.29x
Neilston 7 24.15x
Paddington London 7 2.55x
Rangeworthy 7 1093.75x
Shalford 7 174.13x
Toxteth Park 7 2.34x
Brinkworth 6 202.70x
Codford St Mary 6 681.82x
Edinburgh St Georges 6 28.96x
Islington London 6 0.83x
Kings Cliffe 6 183.49x
Bermondsey 5 2.25x
Birmingham 5 0.80x
Burslem 5 6.94x
Clerkenwell London 5 2.84x
Cockpen 5 42.84x
Cricklade St Sampson 5 162.87x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 5 21.17x
Ednam 5 316.46x
Hawick 5 16.55x
Lamyatt 5 781.25x
Leominster 5 39.53x
Murton 5 438.60x
New Monkland 5 7.02x
Newton 5 196.08x
Plumstead 5 5.90x
Westerleigh 5 152.44x
Battersea 4 1.46x
Biggar 4 73.39x
Bromley London 4 2.44x
Clifford 4 198.02x
Dover St James 4 35.91x
Edgbaston 4 6.86x
Haworth 4 22.79x
Libberton 4 250.00x
Nailsea 4 84.39x
Prestonpans 4 60.42x
Rerrick 4 86.39x
St Pancras London 4 0.67x
Ware 4 27.17x
Westgate 4 5.83x
Bow London 3 3.16x
Broad Hinton 3 214.29x
Liverpool 3 0.56x
North Leith 3 6.49x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 25
James 24
Thomas 22
John 21
George 17
Charles 15
Henry 13
Alfred 7
Arthur 7
David 6
Edwin 6
Joseph 6
Robert 5
Albert 4
Edward 4
Francis 4
Frank 4
Samuel 3
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Isaac 2
Jasper 2
Richard 2
Thos. 2
Achibald 1
Archer 1
Ebenezer 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Frances 1
Frederick 1
Herbert 1
Jas.B. 1
Joshua 1
Lewis 1
Louis 1
Luke 1
Manoal 1
Matthew 1
Meshach 1
Paul 1
Roland 1
Seymour 1
Shadrach 1
Tom 1
Uriah 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Ovens surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ovens surname in 1881?

In 1881, 765 people were recorded with the Ovens surname. That placed it at #4,830 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ovens surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 894 in 2016. That gives Ovens a modern rank of #6,332.

What does the Ovens surname mean?

A place name from a location with a bakery or oven.

What does the Ovens map show?

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