NameCensus.

UK surname

Severs

A surname referring to someone who performed duties related to serving or waiting.

In the 1881 census there were 396 people recorded with the Severs surname, ranking it #8,024 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 421, ranked #11,388, down from #8,024 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Kirkby Fleetham and Catterick (Hudswell, Hipswell), St Martin. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Hambleton and Ceredigion.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Severs is 481 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6.3%.

1881 census count

396

Ranked #8,024

Modern count

421

2016, ranked #11,388

Peak year

1901

481 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Severs had 396 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,024 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 421 in 2016, ranked #11,388.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 481 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Severs surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Severs surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Severs 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 227 #10,749
1881 historical 396 #8,024
1891 historical 437 #8,251
1901 historical 481 #8,291
1911 historical 479 #8,088
1997 modern 425 #10,510
1998 modern 430 #10,772
1999 modern 432 #10,827
2000 modern 419 #11,028
2001 modern 407 #11,079
2002 modern 413 #11,170
2003 modern 416 #10,941
2004 modern 428 #10,737
2005 modern 431 #10,558
2006 modern 410 #11,015
2007 modern 414 #11,072
2008 modern 415 #11,145
2009 modern 440 #10,888
2010 modern 444 #11,017
2011 modern 439 #10,995
2012 modern 413 #11,451
2013 modern 435 #11,131
2014 modern 437 #11,176
2015 modern 431 #11,206
2016 modern 421 #11,388

Geography

Back to top

Where Severs' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Kirkby Fleetham, Catterick (Hudswell, Hipswell), St Martin, Warsill, Ripon (Newby-with-Mulwith, Ripon) and St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Hambleton, Ceredigion, Redcar and Cleveland and Bury. 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 Kirkby Fleetham Yorkshire, North Riding
3 Catterick (Hudswell, Hipswell), St Martin Yorkshire, North Riding
4 Warsill, Ripon (Newby-with-Mulwith, Ripon) Yorkshire, West Riding
5 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 003 County Durham
2 Hambleton 004 Hambleton
3 Ceredigion 005 Ceredigion
4 Redcar and Cleveland 010 Redcar and Cleveland
5 Bury 018 Bury

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Severs

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Severs

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Severs surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Severs 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Severs 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

Severs is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Severs falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Severs

The surname Severs has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "sæfre," meaning "rush" or "reed," suggesting that the name's earliest bearers may have lived near areas abundant with these plants.

One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296, where a certain William Sefre was listed. This spelling variation highlights the fluidity of surnames during that era, as they were often adapted based on local dialects and scribes' interpretations.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, mentioning a John Sefre in 1273. This record indicates that the name had already spread across different regions of the country by this time.

The Severs surname is also linked to the place name "Seavers," a hamlet in the parish of Crowmarsh Gifford, Oxfordshire. It is likely that some individuals adopted the name based on their association with this location, further contributing to the name's diversity in spelling and pronunciation.

One notable bearer of the Severs name was Thomas Severs, a wealthy merchant from London who lived in the 16th century. His will, dated 1558, provides insights into his business dealings and estates.

Another historical figure was Edward Severs, a renowned architect born in 1826 in Buckinghamshire. He was responsible for designing several prominent buildings in London, including the Grosvenor Hotel and the Lyceum Theatre.

In the literary realm, the name is associated with Emily Severs, a 19th-century writer and poet from Yorkshire. Her works, though lesser-known today, were well-received during her lifetime, particularly her collection of sonnets published in 1864.

Richard Severs, born in 1789 in Gloucestershire, was a respected military officer who served in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. He was present at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 and later received commendations for his bravery.

Lastly, John Severs, a farmer from Dorset, gained notoriety in the late 18th century for his innovative agricultural practices. He introduced new crop rotation methods and was recognized for his contributions to improving farming techniques in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Severs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Severs 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. Yorkshire leads with 260 Severs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.86x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 260 6.86x
Lancashire 29 0.64x
Durham 21 1.85x
Middlesex 17 0.44x
Surrey 17 0.91x
Westmorland 16 19.04x
Lincolnshire 7 1.14x
Nottinghamshire 6 1.16x
Essex 4 0.53x
Somerset 4 0.65x
Leicestershire 3 0.71x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.83x
Kent 2 0.15x
Cumberland 1 0.30x
Derbyshire 1 0.17x
Sussex 1 0.16x
Warwickshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Easington In Guisbrough in Yorkshire leads with 17 Severs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2023.81x.

Place Total Index
Easington In Guisbrough 17 2023.81x
Kendal 16 104.03x
Kirby Fleetham 16 2191.78x
York St Mary 14 89.23x
Sculcoates 12 19.98x
Sledmere Cum Croom 12 1818.18x
Tanfield 10 73.91x
Dewsbury 9 23.16x
Hulme 9 9.50x
Leavening 9 1764.71x
Salford 9 6.74x
Beverley St Mary 8 144.67x
Croydon 8 7.74x
Bridlington 7 80.65x
Cleasby 7 3043.48x
Headingley Cum Burley 7 28.70x
Hunslet 7 11.85x
Kingston On Thames 7 15.64x
Norton 7 167.46x
Ripon 7 79.64x
York St Margaret 7 297.87x
Bingley 6 24.87x
Carthorpe 6 1395.35x
Greasley 6 51.59x
Kirkburn Battleburn 6 3000.00x
Richmond 6 101.35x
Settrington 6 821.92x
Whitby 6 46.99x
Ainderby Myers With 5 5000.00x
Danby Wiske 5 1315.79x
Friskney 5 257.73x
Linthorpe 5 22.11x
Manchester 5 2.45x
Old Malton 5 210.08x
Paddington London 5 3.56x
Islington London 4 1.08x
Walcot 4 12.20x
York St Lawrence 4 101.27x
York St Mary Castlegate 4 360.36x
Gomersal 3 16.96x
Grimstn Krby Wharf N 3 909.09x
Hipswell 3 857.14x
Little Langton 3 2307.69x
Maunby 3 1111.11x
Newton 3 8.58x
Rillington 3 260.87x
Sheepshed 3 51.64x
St George Hanover 3 6.01x
West Ham 3 1.80x
York St Cuthbert 3 86.46x
York St Giles In 3 84.03x
York St Maurice 3 42.08x
Brompton On Swale 2 425.53x
Farlington 2 909.09x
Gedney Hill 2 465.12x
Hetton Le Hole 2 13.87x
Margate St John Baptist 2 8.37x
Middlesbrough 2 4.05x
Scagglethorpe 2 606.06x
Skipton 2 16.78x
St Marythe Great 2 253.16x
Stockton On Tees 2 3.65x
Toxteth Park 2 1.30x
York Holy Trinity 2 61.16x
Aston 1 0.38x
Barking 1 4.53x
Caterham 1 12.14x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.11x
Eastbourne 1 3.37x
Fulham London 1 1.80x
Great Habton Little 1 344.83x
Halifax 1 1.80x
Kensington London 1 0.47x
Leeds 1 0.47x
Marske In Guisbrough 1 14.86x
Normanby In 1 9.87x
North Dalton 1 156.25x
Norton In Malton 1 21.79x
St Dunstan In West 1 121.95x
Wold Newton 1 243.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 30
George 20
Thomas 20
William 15
Joseph 10
Robert 9
Henry 8
James 7
Richard 7
Anthony 4
Arthur 4
Charles 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Christopher 3
Fred 3
Benjamin 2
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Samuel 2
Alfred 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Francis 1
Fredck. 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Jessie 1
Jonathan 1
Leonard 1
Marshall 1
Martin 1
Mathew 1
Matthew 1
Smith 1
Vernon 1
Vickerman 1
Watson 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Severs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Severs surname in 1881?

In 1881, 396 people were recorded with the Severs surname. That placed it at #8,024 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Severs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 421 in 2016. That gives Severs a modern rank of #11,388.

What does the Severs surname mean?

A surname referring to someone who performed duties related to serving or waiting.

What does the Severs map show?

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