NameCensus.

UK surname

Spinney

A surname referring to a small grove or thicket of trees.

In the 1881 census there were 150 people recorded with the Spinney surname, ranking it #15,489 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 166, ranked #22,140, down from #15,489 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Poole St James, London parishes and Tarrant Hinton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, Chiltern and Huntingdonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Spinney is 205 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 10.7%.

1881 census count

150

Ranked #15,489

Modern count

166

2016, ranked #22,140

Peak year

1901

205 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Spinney had 150 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,489 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 166 in 2016, ranked #22,140.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 205 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Spinney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Spinney surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Spinney 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 102 #16,933
1861 historical 112 #19,279
1881 historical 150 #15,489
1891 historical 186 #15,740
1901 historical 205 #14,884
1911 historical 202 #14,871
1997 modern 204 #17,409
1998 modern 201 #18,047
1999 modern 185 #19,127
2000 modern 192 #18,683
2001 modern 195 #18,215
2002 modern 188 #19,012
2003 modern 190 #18,683
2004 modern 184 #19,183
2005 modern 172 #19,908
2006 modern 162 #20,886
2007 modern 161 #21,201
2008 modern 150 #22,429
2009 modern 161 #21,879
2010 modern 160 #22,487
2011 modern 164 #21,900
2012 modern 166 #21,683
2013 modern 181 #20,879
2014 modern 178 #21,259
2015 modern 170 #21,800
2016 modern 166 #22,140

Geography

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Where Spinneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Poole St James, London parishes, Tarrant Hinton, Lytchett Matravers and Canford Magna. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, Chiltern, Huntingdonshire and Poole. 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 Poole St James Dorset
2 London parishes London 3
3 Tarrant Hinton Dorset
4 Lytchett Matravers Dorset
5 Canford Magna Dorset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 061 Wiltshire
2 Chiltern 006 Chiltern
3 Huntingdonshire 016 Huntingdonshire
4 Poole 012 Poole
5 Poole 015 Poole

Forenames

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First names often paired with Spinney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Spinney

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

Spinney is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Spinney

The surname Spinney is believed to have originated in England, with the earliest known records dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old French word 'espinei', which means a small thicket or a dense patch of bushes or trees.

In medieval times, the name was used as a topographic surname, given to individuals who lived near or resided in an area with a dense growth of thorny bushes or shrubs. This type of surname was common during that era, as people were often identified by their proximity to a prominent geographical feature or landmark.

One of the earliest known references to the surname Spinney can be found in the Huntingdonshire Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a John de la Spiney is mentioned. This record suggests that the name was already in use by the late 13th century and may have had a slightly different spelling at the time.

In the 14th century, the Spinney surname appears in the court records of Oxfordshire, where a William atte Spinney was recorded in 1327. The use of the preposition 'atte' in this spelling further reinforces the topographic nature of the surname, indicating that William lived near a spinney or a thicket.

Over the centuries, the Spinney surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest recorded bearers of this name was Sir Thomas Spinney (c. 1420-1480), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire during the reign of King Edward IV.

Another historical figure with the Spinney surname was John Spinney (c. 1570-1640), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Rector of Wennington in Essex. He was known for his work on translating and annotating biblical texts.

In the 18th century, William Spinney (1738-1818) was a renowned English clockmaker and inventor. He is credited with several innovations in clock design and is considered a pioneer in the field of precision timekeeping.

During the 19th century, Charles Spinney (1824-1903) was a prominent English businessman and philanthropist. He founded the Spinney's department store chain, which became a household name in the United Kingdom and played a significant role in the development of modern retail practices.

Lastly, Sir Arthur Spinney (1870-1944) was a British military officer and diplomat who served as the Governor of the Bahamas from 1932 to 1937. He was knighted for his distinguished service and contributions to the British Empire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Spinney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Spinney 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. Dorset leads with 47 Spinneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 48.62x.

County Total Index
Dorset 47 48.62x
Hampshire 19 6.29x
Middlesex 19 1.29x
Sussex 13 5.23x
Norfolk 8 3.53x
Surrey 8 1.11x
Devon 7 2.28x
Gloucestershire 6 2.08x
Yorkshire 6 0.41x
Buckinghamshire 5 5.61x
Warwickshire 5 1.35x
Wiltshire 4 3.07x
Leicestershire 2 1.22x
Royal Navy 1 5.70x
Worcestershire 1 0.52x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brighton in Sussex leads with 13 Spinneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.95x.

Place Total Index
Brighton 13 25.95x
Holdenhurst 13 164.14x
Paddington London 9 16.62x
Camberwell 8 8.50x
Great Yarmouth 8 42.64x
Motcombe 7 985.92x
Poole St James 7 192.84x
Stourpaine 7 2500.00x
Lytchett Matravers 6 1714.29x
Andover 5 175.44x
Great Marlow 5 208.33x
Leamington Priors 5 54.70x
Shoreditch London 5 7.83x
Cann 4 1428.57x
Cheltenham 4 17.95x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 16.93x
Doncaster 3 28.14x
Holy Trinity 3 8.54x
Longfleet 3 267.86x
Parkstone 3 265.49x
Salisbury St Edmund 3 143.54x
Tarrant Hinton 3 3000.00x
Charlton Kings 2 100.00x
Melbury Abbas 2 1176.47x
Tarrant Gunville 2 1111.11x
Withcote 2 10000.00x
Aveton Gifford 1 227.27x
Child Okeford 1 232.56x
Finchley 1 17.70x
Fontmell Magna 1 270.27x
Kensington London 1 1.22x
Mile End Old Town 1 4.30x
Osmington 1 526.32x
Owslebury 1 232.56x
Royal Navy 1 6.67x
St Marylebone London 1 1.27x
St Pancras London 1 0.84x
Stoke Damerel 1 4.66x
Stoke Prior 1 84.03x
Tavistock 1 28.65x
Warminster 1 35.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ellen 7
Mary 7
Jane 5
Alice 4
Elizabeth 4
Martha 4
Sarah 4
Edith 3
Amy 2
Eliza 2
Ethel 2
Fanny 2
Laura 2
Louisa 2
Mabel 2
Rose 2
Susan 2
Susanna 2
Ada 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Bessie 1
Betsey 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Cilla 1
Dora 1
Dorothy 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Eva 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Jannet 1
Jennet 1
Julia 1
Kitty 1
Lilian 1
Lydia 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Pheobe 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 6
George 4
John 4
William 4
Frank 3
Harry 3
Henry 3
James 3
Robert 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Edward 2
Frederick 2
Samuel 2
Absalom 1
Andrew 1
Augustus 1
Caleb 1
Charlie 1
Daniel 1
Edwin 1
Elijah 1
Ernest 1
Eugene 1
Fred 1
Fred.Thompson 1
Fredk.W. 1
Harold 1
Jas. 1
Joseph 1
Lionel 1
Ralph 1
Reginald 1
Sampson 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Spinney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Spinney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 150 people were recorded with the Spinney surname. That placed it at #15,489 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Spinney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 166 in 2016. That gives Spinney a modern rank of #22,140.

What does the Spinney surname mean?

A surname referring to a small grove or thicket of trees.

What does the Spinney map show?

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