NameCensus.

UK surname

Philby

An English surname derived from a place name, possibly referring to someone from Philby in Derbyshire.

In the 1881 census there were 107 people recorded with the Philby surname, ranking it #18,982 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 98, ranked #31,470, down from #18,982 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Amberley, London parishes and Chigwell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Horsham, Gloucester and Lambeth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Philby is 140 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 8.4%.

1881 census count

107

Ranked #18,982

Modern count

98

2016, ranked #31,470

Peak year

1891

140 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 1998

Key insights

  • Philby had 107 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,982 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 98 in 2016, ranked #31,470.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 140 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Philby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Philby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Philby 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 106 #16,512
1861 historical 130 #17,164
1881 historical 107 #18,982
1891 historical 140 #19,193
1901 historical 104 #22,310
1911 historical 89 #23,922
1997 modern 95 #27,638
1998 modern 100 #27,619
1999 modern 102 #27,468
2000 modern 91 #28,952
2001 modern 89 #28,932
2002 modern 98 #28,243
2003 modern 89 #29,380
2004 modern 90 #29,481
2005 modern 90 #29,527
2006 modern 80 #31,149
2007 modern 83 #31,183
2008 modern 86 #31,114
2009 modern 88 #31,352
2010 modern 97 #30,697
2011 modern 90 #31,564
2012 modern 90 #31,790
2013 modern 95 #31,523
2014 modern 97 #31,518
2015 modern 95 #31,749
2016 modern 98 #31,470

Geography

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Where Philbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Amberley, London parishes, Chigwell and Missenden, Great. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Horsham, Gloucester, Lambeth and Herefordshire. 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 Amberley Sussex
2 London parishes London 1
3 Chigwell Essex
4 London parishes London 3
5 Missenden, Great Buckinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Horsham 013 Horsham
2 Gloucester 012 Gloucester
3 Lambeth 003 Lambeth
4 Horsham 012 Horsham
5 Herefordshire 020 Herefordshire, County of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Philby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Philby

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Philby 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

Philby is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Philby falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Philby

The surname Philby is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated from a place name, likely derived from the Old English words "phil" or "phyl," meaning a deep valley or ravine, and "by," meaning a farmstead or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Philby name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive record of landowners and their holdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name was already well-established in certain regions of England by the late 11th century.

Over the centuries, the name has undergone various spelling variations, including Philby, Philbie, Phillby, and Phillbie. These variations often reflected regional dialects and the preferences of individual record-keepers.

Notable individuals bearing the Philby surname include:

1. John Philby (1810-1892), a renowned English explorer and traveler who embarked on several expeditions to the Arabian Peninsula in the 19th century. 2. Harry St. John Bridger Philby (1885-1960), a British explorer, writer, and intelligence officer who played a significant role in the Middle East during the early 20th century. 3. Kim Philby (1912-1988), a Soviet double agent who worked as a high-ranking member of British intelligence during World War II and the Cold War. 4. Dora Philby (1889-1968), an English writer and wife of Harry St. John Bridger Philby, who documented her experiences in the Arabian Peninsula in her memoir "Philbys of Arabia." 5. Rufus Philby (1921-2002), the son of Harry St. John Bridger Philby, who followed in his father's footsteps as an explorer and author, writing about his travels in the Middle East and North Africa.

The Philby name has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Philby in Derbyshire and Philby in Lincolnshire, further reinforcing its connection to specific geographic locations.

While the Philby surname may not be among the most common in the English-speaking world, it carries a rich history and has been borne by notable figures whose contributions to exploration, literature, and espionage have left an indelible mark on their respective fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Philby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Philby 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. Middlesex leads with 39 Philbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.74x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 39 3.74x
Buckinghamshire 27 42.80x
Sussex 11 6.25x
Essex 6 2.91x
Surrey 5 0.98x
Kent 4 1.12x
Oxfordshire 4 6.21x
Yorkshire 3 0.29x
Berkshire 2 2.55x
Bedfordshire 1 1.85x
Cambridgeshire 1 1.51x
Durham 1 0.32x
Hertfordshire 1 1.39x
Huntingdonshire 1 4.83x
Pembrokeshire 1 3.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Missenden in Buckinghamshire leads with 16 Philbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2051.28x.

Place Total Index
Great Missenden 16 2051.28x
Fulham London 10 66.09x
Hackney London 8 13.68x
St George In East London 8 81.47x
Amberley 6 2307.69x
St Marylebone London 6 10.77x
Chigwell 4 206.19x
Hawridge 4 4444.44x
Oxford St Giles 4 130.29x
Brighton 3 8.45x
Deptford St Paul 3 10.93x
Kensington London 3 5.17x
Stanghow 3 714.29x
Clapham 2 15.33x
Eton 2 139.86x
Wendover 2 294.12x
Wycombe 2 42.55x
Camberwell 1 1.50x
Chelsea London 1 3.18x
Cookham 1 40.98x
Datchet 1 232.56x
Eastry 1 204.08x
Hampton London 1 58.14x
Hemel Hempstead 1 30.86x
Islington London 1 0.99x
Lambeth 1 1.10x
Leighton Buzzard 1 43.10x
Old Windsor 1 109.89x
Preston 1 32.57x
Ramsey 1 370.37x
Seaton Carew 1 161.29x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 4.76x
St Giles Cripplegate 1 71.94x
St Ives 1 93.46x
Stedham 1 526.32x
Tenby St Mary In 1 59.17x
Upwell 1 208.33x
Writtle 1 119.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 7
Elizabeth 6
Mary 5
Eliza 2
Florence 2
Louisa 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Hannah 1
Jennet 1
Jennett 1
Katherine 1
Kathleen 1
Laura 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
My. 1
Priscilla 1
Rose 1
Sophia 1
Susannah 1
Unice 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 8
George 7
Henry 7
Richard 4
John 3
Alfred 2
Charles 2
Edmund 2
Frederick 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
Robert 2
Willm. 2
Albert 1
E. 1
Fred 1
Herbert 1
Joseph 1
Phillip 1
Sydney 1
Tamer 1
William 1

FAQ

Philby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Philby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 107 people were recorded with the Philby surname. That placed it at #18,982 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Philby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 98 in 2016. That gives Philby a modern rank of #31,470.

What does the Philby surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name, possibly referring to someone from Philby in Derbyshire.

What does the Philby map show?

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