NameCensus.

UK surname

Rew

A variant spelling of the surname Rowe, derived from a Norman-French place name referring to a small river.

In the 1881 census there were 435 people recorded with the Rew surname, ranking it #7,500 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 552, ranked #9,254, down from #7,500 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) and Wolverley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Teignbridge, Wealden and Malvern Hills.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rew is 769 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.9%.

1881 census count

435

Ranked #7,500

Modern count

552

2016, ranked #9,254

Peak year

1901

769 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rew had 435 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,500 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 552 in 2016, ranked #9,254.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 769 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Rew surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rew surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rew 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 451 #5,469
1881 historical 435 #7,500
1891 historical 111 #22,421
1901 historical 769 #5,824
1997 modern 566 #8,486
1998 modern 581 #8,566
1999 modern 577 #8,662
2000 modern 567 #8,733
2001 modern 553 #8,772
2002 modern 572 #8,723
2003 modern 564 #8,679
2004 modern 571 #8,629
2005 modern 550 #8,784
2006 modern 553 #8,775
2007 modern 543 #8,983
2008 modern 556 #8,892
2009 modern 563 #8,999
2010 modern 569 #9,124
2011 modern 569 #9,030
2012 modern 541 #9,294
2013 modern 560 #9,196
2014 modern 555 #9,316
2015 modern 546 #9,370
2016 modern 552 #9,254

Geography

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Where Rews are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Wolverley 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 Teignbridge, Wealden, Malvern Hills and Watford. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
3 Wolverley Worcestershire
4 London parishes London 1
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Teignbridge 006 Teignbridge
2 Wealden 018 Wealden
3 Teignbridge 015 Teignbridge
4 Malvern Hills 001 Malvern Hills
5 Watford 001 Watford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rew

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rew

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

Rew 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

Rew falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rew is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Rew

REW is an English surname with origins that can be traced back to the early medieval period in England. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English word "hreaw," which meant "raw" or "uncooked." This suggests that the original bearers of the name may have been involved in occupations related to the processing or preparation of raw materials.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname REW can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Reu" and "Rewe," in several counties across the country, indicating its widespread distribution.

In the 13th century, records show the name in the form "Rewe" in various parts of England, including Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire. This suggests that the name may have originated in the West Midlands region before spreading to other areas.

Historically, the REW surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest recorded instances is William Rewe, a prominent merchant and landowner in Somerset during the 14th century. Another notable bearer of the name was John Rewe, who served as the Mayor of Bristol in 1472.

In the 16th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as "Rew" and "Rowe," in places like Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire. During this period, the name was also found in the parish records of several villages in Wiltshire, indicating its continued presence in the West Country region.

A notable figure from this era was Sir Thomas Rew, a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in the late 16th century. His family was influential in the county and owned several manors and estates.

In the 17th century, the surname continued to be prevalent in the West Midlands and West Country regions of England. One notable bearer of the name was John Rew, a prominent London merchant and member of the East India Company in the early part of the century.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the surname REW was found in various parts of England, with concentrations in counties like Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. Notable individuals from this period include William Rew, a successful businessman and philanthropist in Bristol in the late 18th century, and Edward Rew, a renowned architect and surveyor who designed several churches and public buildings in the West Country in the early 19th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rew families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rew 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. Devon leads with 153 Rews recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.19x.

County Total Index
Devon 153 14.19x
Middlesex 76 1.47x
Somerset 46 5.52x
Lanarkshire 39 2.33x
Worcestershire 37 5.47x
Surrey 30 1.19x
Gloucestershire 21 2.07x
Angus 16 3.33x
Glamorgan 15 1.66x
Yorkshire 15 0.29x
Kincardineshire 13 20.61x
Stirlingshire 9 4.71x
Bedfordshire 8 2.98x
Hampshire 7 0.66x
Lancashire 7 0.11x
Roxburghshire 7 7.46x
West Lothian 7 8.97x
Essex 5 0.49x
Wiltshire 4 0.87x
Dunbartonshire 3 2.16x
Kent 3 0.17x
Perthshire 2 0.86x
Staffordshire 2 0.11x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.21x
Cumberland 1 0.22x
Northamptonshire 1 0.21x
Selkirkshire 1 2.13x
Warwickshire 1 0.08x
Wigtownshire 1 1.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 23 Rews recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.22x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 23 10.22x
Broad Clist 19 510.75x
Barony 17 4.01x
Kidderminster Borough 17 42.94x
Cullompton 12 254.78x
Luccombe 12 1818.18x
Lympston 12 621.76x
Bow London 11 16.68x
Dalziel 11 61.04x
Lambeth 11 2.44x
Wolverley 11 185.19x
Wraxall 11 691.82x
Bermondsey 10 6.49x
Swansea Town 10 13.52x
Silverton 9 401.79x
Barnstaple 8 47.28x
Exeter Heavitree 8 99.50x
Boness 7 65.12x
Southampton St Mary 7 10.49x
St Ninians 7 36.96x
St Pancras London 7 1.68x
Teviothead 7 804.60x
Woodbury 7 218.75x
Batheaston 6 210.53x
Bedford St Paul 6 32.63x
Brightside Bierlow 6 5.96x
Glasgow 6 2.02x
Newton St Cyres 6 397.35x
Northmolton 6 923.08x
Plymouth St Andrew 6 7.22x
Taunton St Mary 6 39.22x
Westbury On Trym 6 17.43x
Arbroath 5 31.45x
Cheltenham 5 6.38x
Exeter St David 5 54.29x
Fetteresso 5 50.61x
Fordoun 5 141.64x
Forfar 5 19.25x
Govan 5 1.21x
Great Torrington 5 81.83x
Halifax 5 6.64x
Hornsey 5 7.63x
Kidderminster Foreign 5 52.30x
Kingskerswell 5 279.33x
Portbury 5 359.71x
St George Hanover 5 7.40x
Tiverton 5 26.93x
Toxteth Park 5 2.40x
Ystradyfodwg 5 6.32x
Battersea 4 2.10x
Bishops Nympton 4 195.12x
Chittlehampton 4 150.38x
Cranham 4 540.54x
Finchley 4 20.14x
Limehouse London 4 7.03x
Montrose 4 13.76x
Plymouth Charles The 4 8.42x
Swimbridge 4 183.49x
Dumbarton 3 15.49x
Exeter St Paul 3 140.85x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 3 16.14x
Landkey 3 283.02x
Mile End Old Town 3 3.67x
Pilton 3 84.27x
Rotherhithe 3 4.69x
Staines 3 36.59x
Thornaby 3 15.64x
Thorverton 3 182.93x
Wollaston 3 69.93x
Yeovil 3 17.71x
Auchtergaven 2 51.28x
Bervie 2 53.48x
Bitton 2 22.62x
Bristol St James In 2 13.39x
Clerkenwell London 2 1.64x
Cricklade St Sampson 2 93.90x
Enfield 2 5.89x
Gloucester Barton St 2 33.61x
Luton 2 4.31x
Topsham 2 39.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 40
John 30
George 20
Thomas 13
Charles 11
Henry 11
Robert 10
James 8
Richard 5
Frederick 4
Lewis 4
Samuel 4
Albert 3
Alexander 3
David 3
Edward 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Alfred 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Herbert 2
Joseph 2
Sidney 2
Archibald 1
Benjamin 1
Chas.Edward 1
Fred 1
Geo. 1
Georgie 1
Harry 1
Isaac 1
Quincey 1
Reginald 1
Russell 1
Sydney 1
Tom 1
Wm.G. 1

FAQ

Rew surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rew surname in 1881?

In 1881, 435 people were recorded with the Rew surname. That placed it at #7,500 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rew surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 552 in 2016. That gives Rew a modern rank of #9,254.

What does the Rew surname mean?

A variant spelling of the surname Rowe, derived from a Norman-French place name referring to a small river.

What does the Rew map show?

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