NameCensus.

UK surname

Ovington

A habitational name derived from a location called Ovington, Northamptonshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 217 people recorded with the Ovington surname, ranking it #12,188 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 463, ranked #10,586, up from #12,188 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead and Newcastle All Saints. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Redcar and Cleveland, Gateshead and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ovington is 474 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 113.4%.

1881 census count

217

Ranked #12,188

Modern count

463

2016, ranked #10,586

Peak year

1998

474 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ovington had 217 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,188 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 463 in 2016, ranked #10,586.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 307 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Ovington surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ovington surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ovington 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 187 #10,978
1861 historical 152 #15,126
1881 historical 217 #12,188
1891 historical 277 #11,784
1901 historical 247 #13,238
1911 historical 307 #11,257
1997 modern 462 #9,869
1998 modern 474 #10,004
1999 modern 474 #10,055
2000 modern 450 #10,433
2001 modern 443 #10,371
2002 modern 442 #10,605
2003 modern 450 #10,293
2004 modern 455 #10,208
2005 modern 445 #10,295
2006 modern 440 #10,435
2007 modern 430 #10,729
2008 modern 451 #10,394
2009 modern 471 #10,304
2010 modern 467 #10,570
2011 modern 454 #10,707
2012 modern 441 #10,828
2013 modern 460 #10,661
2014 modern 465 #10,628
2015 modern 464 #10,586
2016 modern 463 #10,586

Geography

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Where Ovingtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead, Newcastle All Saints, Monkwearmouth and Brotton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Redcar and Cleveland, Gateshead and County Durham. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
4 Monkwearmouth Durham
5 Brotton Yorkshire, North Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Redcar and Cleveland 010 Redcar and Cleveland
2 Redcar and Cleveland 013 Redcar and Cleveland
3 Gateshead 024 Gateshead
4 County Durham 019 County Durham
5 County Durham 048 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ovington

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ovington

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ovington, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Ovington surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Ovington household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Ovington 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

Ovington 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

Ovington falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ovington is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Ovington, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ovington

The surname Ovington has its origins in England, tracing back to the 13th century. It is a locational name derived from the village of Ovington, situated in Northamptonshire. The name is believed to have evolved from the Old English words "ofer" meaning bank or ridge, and "tun" meaning a farm or settlement, suggesting that the name refers to a settlement located on a ridge or hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ovington can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from the year 1230, where a person named William de Ovington is mentioned. This indicates that the surname was already in use during that period and was likely associated with individuals residing in or originating from the village of Ovington.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, there is a reference to a John de Ovington, further solidifying the connection between the surname and the Northamptonshire village. Additionally, the Feet of Fines for Norfolk in 1303 mentions a William de Ovington, suggesting that the name had spread to other regions of England by that time.

One notable individual bearing the surname Ovington was John Ovington, an English traveler and writer who lived from 1639 to 1708. He is remembered for his work "A Voyage to Suratt in the Year 1689," which provided a detailed account of his travels to India and the Middle East.

Another significant figure was John Henry Ovington, born in 1835 and died in 1896, who was an English clergyman and author. He wrote several works on religious subjects, including "The English Church in the Nineteenth Century" and "The Church of England, Its Doctrine and Discipline."

In the 16th century, the surname Ovington appeared in various records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1545, where a John Ovington is mentioned, and the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1593, which list a Thomas Ovington.

Moving forward to the 17th century, the parish registers of St. James Clerkenwell in London recorded the marriage of Richard Ovington and Ann Browne in 1678, showcasing the spread of the surname to urban areas.

Additionally, the Ovington surname has been associated with place names derived from the village of Ovington, such as Ovington Down in Wiltshire and Ovington Manor in Northamptonshire.

While the surname Ovington may not be among the most common in contemporary times, its roots can be traced back to medieval England, with a strong connection to the village of Ovington and the surrounding areas of Northamptonshire. The name has endured through various historical records, spanning multiple centuries and regions of England, with notable individuals bearing the surname making contributions in fields such as travel writing and religious literature.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ovington families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ovington 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. Durham leads with 104 Ovingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.59x.

County Total Index
Durham 104 16.59x
Yorkshire 52 2.49x
Northumberland 19 6.06x
Lancashire 13 0.52x
Devon 7 1.60x
Middlesex 7 0.33x
Norfolk 5 1.54x
Surrey 3 0.29x
Cheshire 2 0.43x
Midlothian 1 0.35x
Staffordshire 1 0.14x
Sussex 1 0.28x
Warwickshire 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brotton in Yorkshire leads with 10 Ovingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 367.65x.

Place Total Index
Brotton 10 367.65x
Langcliffe 10 2000.00x
Newfield 9 1084.34x
Thornley 9 396.48x
Byker 8 51.61x
Everton 8 10.04x
Framwellgate 8 215.63x
Helmington Row 8 273.97x
Crook Billy Row 7 87.17x
Monkwearmouth Shore 7 57.19x
West Herrington 7 318.18x
Bishopwearmouth 6 11.15x
Dunnington In York 6 1111.11x
Lofthouse 6 192.31x
Willington 6 165.75x
Bridgham 5 2500.00x
Seaham 5 219.30x
Stoke Damerel 5 16.29x
Stoke Newington London 5 30.47x
Sutton 5 210.08x
Bury 4 14.01x
Houghton Le Spring 4 92.38x
Idle 4 41.32x
Middlesbrough 4 14.71x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 4 21.37x
Trimdon 4 180.18x
Wylam 4 579.71x
Brandon Byshottles 3 38.22x
Great Lumley 3 280.37x
Iveston 3 103.81x
Kirkby Moorside 3 225.56x
St Giles 3 76.73x
Birkenhead 2 5.40x
Calverley Cum Farsley 2 33.73x
Camberwell 2 1.49x
East Teignmouth 2 111.73x
Hartlepool 2 22.45x
Kensington London 2 1.71x
Sherburn 2 104.71x
Wallsend 2 20.12x
Aston 1 0.68x
Chester Le Street 1 20.79x
Conside Knitsley 1 20.53x
Eastbourne 1 6.12x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.88x
Elswick 1 4.00x
Eston 1 21.98x
Gateshead 1 2.13x
Lambeth 1 0.54x
Linthorpe 1 8.03x
Monkwearmouth 1 16.67x
Newcastle Under Lyme 1 7.95x
Ryhope 1 22.99x
Stockley 1 126.58x
Sunderland 1 9.03x
Washington 1 38.02x
Withington 1 12.42x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 26
Elizabeth 13
Jane 11
Sarah 11
Ann 7
Margaret 7
Caroline 3
Isabella 3
Eleanor 2
Emily 2
Rachel 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Anne 1
Barbera 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Dorothy 1
Elen 1
Elleanor 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Hariett 1
Isabel 1
Louisa 1
Magt. 1
Maria 1
Marie 1
Marjery 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Millicent 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 17
Thomas 11
William 11
James 8
George 7
Charles 3
Joseph 3
Matthew 3
Matthias 3
Ralph 3
Richard 3
Wm. 3
Arthur 2
Geo. 2
Robert 2
Anthony 1
Benjamin 1
Christopher 1
David 1
Edward 1
Elijah 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Jno. 1
Joshua 1
Mathew 1
Miles 1
Philip 1
Rich. 1
Stephen 1
Thomason 1
Tristram 1

FAQ

Ovington surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ovington surname in 1881?

In 1881, 217 people were recorded with the Ovington surname. That placed it at #12,188 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ovington surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 463 in 2016. That gives Ovington a modern rank of #10,586.

What does the Ovington surname mean?

A habitational name derived from a location called Ovington, Northamptonshire, England.

What does the Ovington map show?

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