NameCensus.

UK surname

Surrey

A regional surname derived from the county name for the region of Surrey in England.

In the 1881 census there were 274 people recorded with the Surrey surname, ranking it #10,362 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 366, ranked #12,690, down from #10,362 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Surrey is 394 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.6%.

1881 census count

274

Ranked #10,362

Modern count

366

2016, ranked #12,690

Peak year

2002

394 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Surrey had 274 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,362 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 366 in 2016, ranked #12,690.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 376 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Surrey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Surrey surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Surrey 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 176 #11,489
1861 historical 376 #6,792
1881 historical 274 #10,362
1891 historical 333 #10,223
1901 historical 331 #10,884
1911 historical 343 #10,416
1997 modern 352 #12,117
1998 modern 368 #12,096
1999 modern 375 #12,004
2000 modern 386 #11,718
2001 modern 385 #11,534
2002 modern 394 #11,561
2003 modern 365 #12,038
2004 modern 345 #12,571
2005 modern 333 #12,847
2006 modern 336 #12,842
2007 modern 338 #12,925
2008 modern 341 #12,958
2009 modern 355 #12,832
2010 modern 366 #12,800
2011 modern 348 #13,134
2012 modern 360 #12,673
2013 modern 365 #12,766
2014 modern 370 #12,712
2015 modern 369 #12,627
2016 modern 366 #12,690

Geography

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Where Surreys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Barking, London parishes, Ryton and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gateshead and North Tyneside. 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 Barking Essex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Ryton Durham
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gateshead 004 Gateshead
2 Gateshead 005 Gateshead
3 North Tyneside 013 North Tyneside
4 North Tyneside 022 North Tyneside
5 North Tyneside 015 North Tyneside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Surrey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Surrey

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

Baseline UK

Group

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

Nationally, the Surrey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Surrey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Surrey is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Surrey is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Surrey falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Surrey

The surname Surrey originated in England and can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon era, specifically the region of Surrey in the south of England. It is derived from the Old English words "sūþri" meaning "southern" and "rīce" meaning "kingdom" or "territory".

Surrey was one of the ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdoms that existed before the unification of England. The name likely referred to the region being south of the River Thames, which was an important boundary at the time. The earliest known record of the name Surrey appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled "Suthrige".

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Surrey was John de Surrey, who lived in the 13th century and held lands in the county of Surrey. Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Surrey, who was born around 1350 and served as a member of parliament for Surrey during the reign of King Edward III.

In the 15th century, the Surrey family rose to prominence with the birth of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, in 1517. He was a celebrated poet and courtier during the reign of King Henry VIII. His son, Thomas Howard, also held the title of Earl of Surrey and played a significant role in the English Civil War.

Other notable individuals with the surname Surrey include the English architect Sir John Soane (1753-1837), who designed many notable buildings in London, and the American politician and diplomat John Surry (1693-1764), who served as the Governor of Virginia from 1751 to 1758.

While the surname Surrey has its roots in the eponymous English county, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and surname variations. However, its origins can be traced back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, reflecting the rich history and cultural heritage of the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Surrey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Surrey 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. Essex leads with 69 Surreys recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.98x.

County Total Index
Essex 69 12.98x
Middlesex 69 2.56x
Surrey 33 2.52x
Kent 25 2.72x
Yorkshire 21 0.79x
Durham 11 1.37x
Cambridgeshire 8 4.69x
Suffolk 7 2.13x
Hampshire 6 1.09x
Dorset 5 2.83x
Lincolnshire 4 0.93x
Warwickshire 4 0.59x
Glamorgan 3 0.64x
Gloucestershire 3 0.57x
Royal Navy 2 6.23x
Rutland 2 10.12x
Sussex 2 0.44x
Berkshire 1 0.49x
Midlothian 1 0.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barking in Essex leads with 20 Surreys recorded in 1881 and an index of 128.62x.

Place Total Index
Barking 20 128.62x
Saffron Walden 18 320.28x
Kensington London 14 9.35x
Lambeth 12 5.11x
St Giles In Fields 10 107.64x
Winlaton 10 130.21x
St Andrewthe Less 7 35.93x
West Ham 7 5.97x
Battersea 6 6.06x
Erith 6 66.30x
Leeds 6 3.98x
Little Warley 6 810.81x
St George In East 6 32.77x
Westminster St John 6 18.30x
Fleet 5 3846.15x
Guildford St Nicholas 5 215.52x
Lewisham 5 10.21x
Bethnal Green London 4 3.42x
Friern Barnet 4 67.45x
Gainsborough 4 39.41x
Great Chesterford 4 476.19x
Ipswich St Peter 4 90.70x
Newington 4 54.42x
St Mary 4 224.72x
St Marylebone London 4 2.78x
Sunbury 4 123.84x
Aldershot 3 16.23x
Birmingham 3 1.33x
Camberwell 3 1.74x
Canterbury East Bridge 3 15000.00x
Greenwich 3 7.00x
Swansea St Thomas 3 63.69x
Bermondsey 2 2.50x
Bristol St James St Paul 2 11.36x
Broadwater 2 19.21x
Canterbury St Mildred 2 91.74x
Chelmsford 2 21.93x
Chelsea London 2 2.47x
East Ham 2 20.28x
Empingham 2 263.16x
Folkestone 2 11.22x
Holy Trinity St Mary 2 49.26x
Ipswich St Margaret 2 17.97x
Islington London 2 0.77x
Little Baddow 2 400.00x
Loughton 2 76.05x
Penge 2 11.63x
Poplar London 2 3.94x
Portsmouth 2 15.74x
Southcoates 2 13.50x
All Saints Cambridge 1 83.33x
Alverstoke 1 5.01x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 2.01x
Bromley London 1 1.69x
Childerditch 1 500.00x
Edinburgh Canongate 1 10.89x
Gildersome 1 31.15x
Guildford St Mary 1 62.11x
Hackney London 1 0.66x
Hampstead London 1 2.38x
Kippax 1 42.55x
Leamington Priors 1 5.98x
Leyton Low 1 9.26x
Little Thurrock 1 238.10x
Minster In Sheppey 1 6.57x
New Malton 1 31.35x
Newington 1 1.01x
Royal Navy 1 3.65x
Send Ripley 1 58.48x
Shoreditch London 1 0.86x
Southwick 1 13.18x
Spitalfields London 1 4.94x
St Dunstan In West 1 172.41x
St George Hanover 1 2.85x
St Lawrence 1 15.82x
Sudbury St Gregory 1 38.02x
Theydon Garnon 1 82.64x
Tottenham 1 2.33x
Willesden 1 3.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 20
Mary 20
Ann 10
Ellen 8
Emma 6
Sarah 6
Alice 5
Eliza 5
Edith 4
Emily 4
Harriet 4
Annie 3
Ada 2
Adelaide 2
Catherine 2
Hannah 2
Louisa 2
Louise 2
Minnie 2
Susan 2
Susanna 2
Caroline 1
Charlott 1
Clara 1
Deborah 1
Ellenor 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Harret 1
Harriett 1
Henrietta 1
Ida 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Lavinia 1
M. 1
Margaret 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Marianne 1
Marie 1
Marion 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Naomi 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 16
William 16
George 9
James 9
Thomas 6
Edward 5
Henry 5
Samuel 4
Alfred 3
Charles 3
Christopher 3
David 3
Richard 3
Robert 3
Arthur 2
Daniel 2
Edmund 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Fredrick 2
Isaac 2
Joseph 2
Michael 2
Cornelius 1
Edmond 1
Ernest 1
Geo.H. 1
Geo.Thos. 1
H. 1
Jno. 1
Josiah 1
Martin 1
Patrick 1
Sampson 1
Tom. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Surrey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Surrey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 274 people were recorded with the Surrey surname. That placed it at #10,362 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Surrey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 366 in 2016. That gives Surrey a modern rank of #12,690.

What does the Surrey surname mean?

A regional surname derived from the county name for the region of Surrey in England.

What does the Surrey map show?

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