NameCensus.

UK surname

Raby

A locational surname derived from various places in northern England, likely referring to a boundary or settlement.

In the 1881 census there were 1,436 people recorded with the Raby surname, ranking it #2,900 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,458, ranked #4,222, down from #2,900 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lancaster Borough, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rossendale, Wyre and Kirklees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Raby is 1,759 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.5%.

1881 census count

1,436

Ranked #2,900

Modern count

1,458

2016, ranked #4,222

Peak year

1911

1,759 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Raby had 1,436 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,900 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,458 in 2016, ranked #4,222.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,759 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Raby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Raby surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Raby 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 900 #3,058
1861 historical 885 #3,138
1881 historical 1,436 #2,900
1891 historical 1,364 #3,183
1901 historical 1,635 #3,155
1911 historical 1,759 #2,794
1997 modern 1,481 #3,949
1998 modern 1,558 #3,922
1999 modern 1,607 #3,855
2000 modern 1,562 #3,930
2001 modern 1,514 #3,954
2002 modern 1,527 #4,008
2003 modern 1,488 #4,029
2004 modern 1,502 #3,991
2005 modern 1,498 #3,968
2006 modern 1,487 #3,985
2007 modern 1,487 #4,031
2008 modern 1,485 #4,072
2009 modern 1,513 #4,086
2010 modern 1,563 #4,044
2011 modern 1,526 #4,093
2012 modern 1,478 #4,139
2013 modern 1,473 #4,210
2014 modern 1,484 #4,203
2015 modern 1,473 #4,200
2016 modern 1,458 #4,222

Geography

Back to top

Where Rabys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lancaster Borough, London parishes, Manchester, Wakefield and Preston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rossendale, Wyre and Kirklees. 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 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Preston Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rossendale 003 Rossendale
2 Wyre 004 Wyre
3 Wyre 006 Wyre
4 Kirklees 054 Kirklees
5 Rossendale 010 Rossendale

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Raby

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Raby

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Raby 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

Raby is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Raby falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Raby

The surname Raby is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name derived from the village of Raby in County Durham, which was first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Rabi".

The name Raby is thought to come from the Old Norse word "ra", meaning a roebuck or small deer, and the Old English word "by", meaning a farm or settlement. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a settlement where deer were found or hunted.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Raby can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, which mention a landowner named Robert de Raby. This suggests that the surname was already in use by the 12th century.

The village of Raby was associated with the powerful Neville family, who held the manor of Raby from the 12th century onwards. The Nevilles built Raby Castle, which became one of their main residencies. This connection may have contributed to the spread and prominence of the Raby surname in the region.

In the 13th century, a knight named Sir Henry de Raby accompanied King Edward I on his campaigns in Scotland and was present at the Siege of Caerlaverock in 1300. He is mentioned in the contemporary poem "The Siege of Caerlaverock" for his bravery.

Another notable figure with the surname Raby was John Raby (c.1405-1475), who served as Bishop of Carlisle and was a diplomat for King Henry VI during the Wars of the Roses. He was involved in negotiations with Scotland and France during this turbulent period.

In the 16th century, a member of the Raby family named William Raby (c.1505-1578) served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. He was also a prominent merchant and landowner in the area.

The Raby surname has also been found in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Durham, Lincolnshire, and Suffolk, suggesting that it spread beyond its original locational origins over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Raby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Raby 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. Lancashire leads with 413 Rabys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.48x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 413 2.48x
Yorkshire 255 1.84x
Norfolk 119 5.52x
Middlesex 73 0.52x
Lincolnshire 70 3.12x
Staffordshire 64 1.35x
Cornwall 63 3.97x
Warwickshire 49 1.39x
Cheshire 39 1.26x
Surrey 36 0.53x
Cambridgeshire 35 3.94x
Worcestershire 25 1.37x
Durham 24 0.58x
Huntingdonshire 23 8.26x
Gloucestershire 14 0.51x
Shropshire 13 1.07x
Kent 11 0.23x
Sussex 11 0.47x
Hampshire 10 0.35x
Leicestershire 10 0.64x
Suffolk 10 0.59x
Essex 9 0.33x
Derbyshire 8 0.36x
Northamptonshire 8 0.61x
Lanarkshire 7 0.15x
Devon 6 0.21x
Carmarthenshire 4 0.68x
Cumberland 4 0.33x
Flintshire 4 1.06x
Midlothian 4 0.21x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.21x
Somerset 3 0.13x
Isle of Man 2 0.77x
Ayrshire 1 0.10x
Dorset 1 0.11x
Glamorgan 1 0.04x
Hertfordshire 1 0.10x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.49x
Monmouthshire 1 0.10x
Royal Navy 1 0.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lancaster in Lancashire leads with 24 Rabys recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.25x.

Place Total Index
Lancaster 24 24.25x
Leeds 23 2.93x
Preston 21 4.72x
Stoke Upon Trent 20 3.99x
Wolverhampton 20 5.50x
Little Bolton 19 8.88x
Over Wyresdale 19 772.36x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 19 29.44x
Bury 18 9.47x
Chorlton On Medlock 18 6.81x
Norwich St Martin At Oak 18 137.30x
Aston 16 1.64x
North South Killingholme 16 431.27x
Stockton On Tees 16 7.96x
Warboys 16 199.01x
Barrow In Furness 15 6.63x
Bradford 15 4.46x
Coventry St Michael 15 13.21x
Everton 15 2.83x
Skerton 15 109.81x
Stansfield 15 29.34x
Pendleton In Salford 14 7.06x
Newington 13 2.51x
Tottington Lower End 13 16.45x
Blackburn 12 2.71x
Great Eccleston 12 397.35x
Kimberworth 12 15.57x
Salford 12 2.45x
St George In East 12 12.59x
Cockersand Abbey 11 6470.59x
Coventry Holy Trinity 11 10.42x
Harborne 11 7.25x
Liskeard 11 41.43x
Whorlton 11 335.37x
Ashton Under Lyne 10 2.75x
Islington London 10 0.74x
Norwich St Julian 10 110.13x
Turton 10 36.71x
Walsall Foreign 10 4.09x
Worcester St Peter 10 28.86x
Brinton 9 1139.24x
Croydon 9 2.37x
Kirkdale 9 3.22x
Narborough 9 430.62x
Normanton 9 21.56x
Northowram 9 9.24x
Perranzabuloe 9 65.74x
Soham 9 47.10x
St Issey 9 276.92x
Tranmere 9 7.91x
Caistor 8 89.69x
Downham Market 8 54.02x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 8 20.66x
Leicester St Margaret 8 2.11x
March 8 26.91x
Portsea 8 1.42x
Stockport 8 5.02x
Withington 8 14.93x
Bothwell 7 5.69x
Castle Acre 7 109.20x
Elland Cum Greetland 7 11.19x
Geddington 7 165.09x
Goxhill 7 126.81x
Great Bolton 7 3.18x
Halliwell 7 11.56x
Norwich St George Colegate 7 89.29x
Poulton Barre 7 37.00x
Sheffield 7 1.58x
South Common Lincoln 7 603.45x
Tottenham 7 3.14x
Upton Cressett 7 476.19x
Upwell 7 69.79x
Whitwood 7 35.48x
Dalton In Huddersfield 6 19.28x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 6 9.27x
Menheniot 6 91.05x
Norwich St John Timberhill 6 103.45x
Padstow 6 56.87x
St Germans 6 54.20x
Worcester St Nicholas 6 69.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 104
William 100
Thomas 54
James 47
George 44
Robert 32
Henry 31
Richard 26
Edward 23
Charles 20
Joseph 19
Samuel 18
Alfred 15
Frederick 11
Arthur 10
Benjamin 10
Francis 10
Frank 8
Edwin 7
Harry 6
Albert 5
Herbert 5
Edmund 4
Geo. 4
Tom 4
Walter 4
Amos 3
Chas. 3
Ernest 3
Fred 3
Fredk. 3
Percy 3
Peter 3
Seth 3
Alexander 2
Andrew 2
Bengamin 2
Elijah 2
Frederic 2
Fredrick 2
Harold 2
Lewis 2
Matthew 2
Ralph 2
Robt.C. 2
Thos. 2
Ambrose 1
Enos. 1
Ezekiel 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Raby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Raby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,436 people were recorded with the Raby surname. That placed it at #2,900 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Raby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,458 in 2016. That gives Raby a modern rank of #4,222.

What does the Raby surname mean?

A locational surname derived from various places in northern England, likely referring to a boundary or settlement.

What does the Raby map show?

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