NameCensus.

UK surname

Overs

An English surname derived from someone who lived across or over a landscape feature.

In the 1881 census there were 94 people recorded with the Overs surname, ranking it #20,467 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 146, ranked #24,173, down from #20,467 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken and Walsall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stroud, Eden and Maidstone.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Overs is 165 in 2007. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 55.3%.

1881 census count

94

Ranked #20,467

Modern count

146

2016, ranked #24,173

Peak year

2007

165 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Overs had 94 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,467 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 146 in 2016, ranked #24,173.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 161 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Overs surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Overs surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Overs 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 46 #24,985
1861 historical 65 #25,618
1881 historical 94 #20,467
1891 historical 137 #19,501
1901 historical 161 #17,324
1911 historical 156 #17,421
1997 modern 150 #21,119
1998 modern 161 #20,754
1999 modern 156 #21,290
2000 modern 157 #21,146
2001 modern 155 #21,047
2002 modern 151 #21,809
2003 modern 149 #21,766
2004 modern 143 #22,471
2005 modern 153 #21,490
2006 modern 158 #21,229
2007 modern 165 #20,893
2008 modern 156 #21,862
2009 modern 156 #22,351
2010 modern 154 #23,082
2011 modern 155 #22,790
2012 modern 154 #22,870
2013 modern 154 #23,210
2014 modern 149 #23,969
2015 modern 148 #23,934
2016 modern 146 #24,173

Geography

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Where Overs' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken, Walsall and Harbury. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stroud, Eden, Maidstone, Gateshead and Birmingham. 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 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire
3 Walsall Staffordshire
4 Harbury Warwickshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stroud 002 Stroud
2 Eden 006 Eden
3 Maidstone 011 Maidstone
4 Gateshead 002 Gateshead
5 Birmingham 076 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Overs

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Overs

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Overs 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

Overs is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Overs falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Overs

The surname Overs originated in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "ofer," meaning "bank" or "ridge," indicating that the name was likely given to someone who lived near a riverbank or a ridge.

One of the earliest known references to the name Overs can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a John Overs. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 also record a William Overs, suggesting that the name was already established in different parts of England by that time.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various forms, such as Overes, Overes, and Overs, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common during that period. The Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1334 list a John Overes from Buckinghamshire, while the Poll Tax Returns of 1379 record a Thomas Overs from Oxfordshire.

During the 16th century, the name Overs became more widespread across England. The Parish Registers of St. Mary's in Beverley, Yorkshire, contain entries for the christening of Robert Overs in 1563 and the burial of Jane Overs in 1592.

One notable individual with the surname Overs was John Overs, a prominent English merchant and politician who lived from 1600 to 1671. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1659 and was involved in various commercial ventures, including the East India Company.

Another notable figure was William Overs, born in 1670 in Gloucestershire, who became a successful architect and designed several notable buildings, including the Church of St. George in Birmingham.

In the 18th century, the name Overs continued to be found across England. The Oxfordshire Parish Registers from 1720 record the marriage of Thomas Overs and Mary Smith, while the Parish Registers of St. Mary's in Beverley list the baptism of John Overs in 1785.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Overs was Robert Overs, a British naval officer born in 1783. He served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded the Naval General Service Medal for his distinguished service.

As the centuries passed, the surname Overs spread to other parts of the world, carried by English settlers and immigrants. While its origins can be traced back to the rural villages and towns of England, the name Overs has become a part of the diverse tapestry of surnames found across many countries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Overs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Overs 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. Warwickshire leads with 42 Overs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.17x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 42 18.17x
Middlesex 16 1.75x
Surrey 14 3.13x
Berkshire 7 10.17x
Lancashire 5 0.46x
Oxfordshire 5 8.83x
Worcestershire 2 1.67x
Essex 1 0.55x
Northamptonshire 1 1.16x
Roxburghshire 1 6.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 13 Overs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.87x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 13 16.87x
Harbury 13 3421.05x
Kintbury 7 1320.75x
Spitalfields London 6 86.96x
Charlbury 5 781.25x
Edgbaston 5 69.74x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 27.10x
Clerkenwell London 4 18.48x
Eatington 4 1818.18x
Everton 4 11.54x
Lambeth 4 5.00x
Southwark Christchurch 4 93.02x
Solihull 3 180.72x
Shipston On Stour 2 370.37x
St Andrew Holborn 2 64.31x
Barrow In Furness 1 6.76x
Chelsea London 1 3.62x
Coventry Holy Trinity 1 14.49x
Croydon 1 4.03x
East Farndon 1 1428.57x
Friern Barnet 1 49.51x
Fulham London 1 7.52x
Great Wolford 1 1428.57x
Old Stratford 1 76.34x
St Boswells 1 333.33x
Stratford On Avon 1 78.13x
Tottenham 1 6.85x
West Ham 1 2.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 8
Mary 7
Ann 5
Alice 3
Jane 3
Amelia 2
Edith 2
Elizabeth 2
Ellen 2
Susan 2
Agnes 1
Anne 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Charlott 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Evangelina 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Matilda 1
Mercy 1
Minnie 1
Rebeca 1
Teresa 1
Tresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 5
John 5
William 5
Thomas 4
Charles 3
Alfred 2
David 2
Henry 2
Walter 2
Iseca 1
James 1
Jesse 1
Jno.Wm. 1
Joseph 1
Mark 1
Richd 1
Thos.Wm. 1

FAQ

Overs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Overs surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Overs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 146 in 2016. That gives Overs a modern rank of #24,173.

What does the Overs surname mean?

An English surname derived from someone who lived across or over a landscape feature.

What does the Overs map show?

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