NameCensus.

UK surname

Roxby

A surname derived from a place name, likely referring to someone from Roxby, England.

In the 1881 census there were 248 people recorded with the Roxby surname, ranking it #11,140 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 272, ranked #15,832, down from #11,140 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sunderland and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Roxby is 334 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.7%.

1881 census count

248

Ranked #11,140

Modern count

272

2016, ranked #15,832

Peak year

1901

334 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Roxby had 248 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,140 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 272 in 2016, ranked #15,832.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 334 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Roxby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Roxby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Roxby 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 216 #9,818
1861 historical 164 #14,188
1881 historical 248 #11,140
1891 historical 312 #10,744
1901 historical 334 #10,818
1911 historical 323 #10,842
1997 modern 315 #13,111
1998 modern 319 #13,330
1999 modern 315 #13,524
2000 modern 296 #14,044
2001 modern 284 #14,221
2002 modern 283 #14,559
2003 modern 289 #14,158
2004 modern 291 #14,138
2005 modern 294 #14,006
2006 modern 297 #14,004
2007 modern 295 #14,198
2008 modern 286 #14,618
2009 modern 284 #14,986
2010 modern 291 #15,050
2011 modern 282 #15,233
2012 modern 261 #16,041
2013 modern 273 #15,802
2014 modern 269 #16,059
2015 modern 267 #16,050
2016 modern 272 #15,832

Geography

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Where Roxbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Gateshead, Wakefield and Dalton-le-Dale. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sunderland 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 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Dalton-le-Dale Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sunderland 036 Sunderland
2 County Durham 044 County Durham
3 County Durham 025 County Durham
4 County Durham 035 County Durham
5 Sunderland 033 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Roxby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Roxby

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Roxby 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

Roxby is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Roxby 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 Roxby 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 Roxby, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Roxby

The surname Roxby originates from England and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "roc" and "by," meaning "rock" and "village" or "settlement," respectively. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived in a village or settlement near a rocky area or outcrop.

During the medieval period, the name was primarily concentrated in the East Riding of Yorkshire, particularly in the village of Roxby. The earliest recorded instance of the surname appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1166, where a certain Ricardus de Roxeby is mentioned.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, the village of Roxby is listed as "Rochesbi," which further supports the Old English origin of the name. The village itself is believed to have been established during the Anglo-Saxon period, potentially as early as the 7th or 8th century.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was William de Roxby, who was recorded as a landowner in Yorkshire in the late 13th century. Another notable individual was Sir Roger de Roxby, a knight who fought in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century.

In the 16th century, the name was occasionally spelled as "Roxeby" or "Roxbie," reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time.

During the 17th century, a branch of the Roxby family emigrated to the American colonies, with John Roxby (1620-1692) being among the earliest recorded settlers bearing the name in Virginia.

Other notable individuals with the surname Roxby include:

1. Thomas Roxby (1575-1633), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield. 2. William Roxby (1758-1832), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. 3. Elizabeth Roxby (1800-1865), an English author and poet who published several works, including "The Wreath of Friendship" and "The Flower-Basket." 4. Sir Percival Roxby (1856-1928), a British diplomat and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of British Guiana from 1912 to 1917. 5. Alfred Roxby (1879-1956), a British architect known for his work on several notable buildings in London, including the former Wembley Stadium.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Roxby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Roxby 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 99 Roxbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.65x.

County Total Index
Durham 99 13.65x
Yorkshire 33 1.37x
Middlesex 16 0.66x
Northumberland 13 3.58x
Warwickshire 10 1.63x
Norfolk 9 2.40x
Sussex 8 1.95x
Cheshire 6 1.11x
Huntingdonshire 6 12.39x
Leicestershire 6 2.22x
Lincolnshire 6 1.54x
Surrey 6 0.51x
Cumberland 4 1.91x
Essex 4 0.83x
Suffolk 4 1.35x
Dorset 3 1.87x
Hampshire 3 0.60x
Lancashire 3 0.10x
Staffordshire 3 0.36x
Kent 2 0.24x
Royal Navy 2 6.88x
Wiltshire 2 0.93x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.68x
Derbyshire 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chilton in Durham leads with 19 Roxbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 840.71x.

Place Total Index
Chilton 19 840.71x
Haswell 13 250.00x
Hetton Le Hole 12 130.58x
Seaham 11 416.67x
Wingate 9 181.09x
Aston 8 4.72x
Wakefield 8 43.13x
Heworth 7 48.95x
Buckden 6 689.66x
Disley Stanley 6 216.61x
Great Grimsby 6 24.24x
Hart 6 338.98x
Hove 6 33.26x
North Seaton 6 394.74x
Aldborough In Great 5 1162.79x
Islington London 5 2.12x
Middlesbrough 5 15.89x
Norwich St Gregory 5 757.58x
Shildon 5 85.76x
Wimbledon 5 37.48x
Norwich St George Colegate 4 294.12x
Shadforth 4 283.69x
Stoke Newington London 4 21.06x
Workington 4 33.28x
Hackney London 3 2.19x
Jesmond 3 58.71x
Leicester St Margaret 3 4.55x
Lexden 3 155.44x
Portsea 3 3.06x
Rotherham 3 22.03x
Thornford 3 882.35x
Waltham On The Wolds 3 600.00x
West Bromwich 3 6.37x
Whitworth 3 56.50x
Altofts 2 74.91x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.89x
Birmingham 2 0.98x
East Murton 2 147.06x
Framlingham 2 94.79x
Holy Trinity St Mary 2 54.35x
Hornsea 2 130.72x
Manchester 2 1.54x
Preston 2 150.38x
Royal Navy 2 8.05x
Stockton 2 1000.00x
Thornley 2 76.05x
Tynemouth 2 10.29x
Wickham Market 2 162.60x
Birstwith 1 243.90x
Brighton 1 1.21x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.74x
Colchester Holy Trinity 1 93.46x
Cornforth 1 46.73x
Coundon 1 34.01x
Gillingham 1 5.83x
Gravesend 1 14.20x
Kirkdale 1 2.05x
Lamesley 1 25.64x
Litchurch 1 6.51x
Longwood 1 25.71x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 5.32x
North Marston 1 181.82x
Seaford 1 71.43x
Southwark Christchurch 1 8.75x
Stockton On Tees 1 2.86x
Thorganby Cum West 1 294.12x
Trimdon 1 39.06x
Westminster St John 1 3.37x
Whitburn 1 59.17x
Woodhorn Hirst 1 500.00x
Yarm 1 80.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Jane 11
Elizabeth 9
Hannah 9
Ann 8
Sarah 6
Edith 3
Emily 3
Frances 3
Isabella 3
Rebecca 3
Alice 2
Annie 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Eleanor 2
Emma 2
Louisa 2
Margaret 2
Nellie 2
Ada 1
Barbara 1
Barbra 1
Caroline 1
Catherin 1
Dorothea 1
Elenor 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Genevive 1
Georgina 1
Hanah 1
Harriet 1
Herot 1
Julia 1
Kathleen 1
Margret 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Marthur 1
Muriel 1
Olive 1
Phillis 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 16
William 14
Robert 11
George 10
Henry 10
Joseph 8
Thomas 8
Charles 3
Edward 3
Herbert 3
James 3
Christopher 2
Cuthbert 2
Frank 2
Fredrick 2
Harry 2
Jno. 2
Walter 2
Wilfred 2
Albert 1
Antony 1
Arthur 1
Cyril 1
Daniel 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Harbcolm 1
Jonathan 1
Jonathon 1
Michael 1
Noel 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Septimus 1
W.C.A. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Roxby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Roxby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 248 people were recorded with the Roxby surname. That placed it at #11,140 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Roxby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 272 in 2016. That gives Roxby a modern rank of #15,832.

What does the Roxby surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name, likely referring to someone from Roxby, England.

What does the Roxby map show?

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