NameCensus.

UK surname

Tibbs

Derived from a nickname for a person with a cheerful, pleasant disposition or a fine singing voice.

In the 1881 census there were 664 people recorded with the Tibbs surname, ranking it #5,418 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,020, ranked #5,714, down from #5,418 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and St John Hackney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fenland, Blaenau Gwent and Teignbridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tibbs is 1,037 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.6%.

1881 census count

664

Ranked #5,418

Modern count

1,020

2016, ranked #5,714

Peak year

2014

1,037 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tibbs had 664 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,418 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,020 in 2016, ranked #5,714.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 807 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tibbs surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tibbs surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tibbs 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 476 #5,228
1861 historical 495 #5,279
1881 historical 664 #5,418
1891 historical 691 #5,669
1901 historical 803 #5,624
1911 historical 807 #5,445
1997 modern 1,014 #5,436
1998 modern 1,025 #5,567
1999 modern 1,019 #5,625
2000 modern 1,015 #5,611
2001 modern 973 #5,701
2002 modern 994 #5,720
2003 modern 975 #5,710
2004 modern 984 #5,669
2005 modern 957 #5,747
2006 modern 956 #5,760
2007 modern 956 #5,823
2008 modern 975 #5,759
2009 modern 980 #5,857
2010 modern 1,019 #5,795
2011 modern 998 #5,839
2012 modern 1,013 #5,682
2013 modern 1,031 #5,694
2014 modern 1,037 #5,693
2015 modern 1,025 #5,698
2016 modern 1,020 #5,714

Geography

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Where Tibbs' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, St John Hackney, Bedwelty and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fenland, Blaenau Gwent, Teignbridge and South Holland. 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 London parishes London 3
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
4 Bedwelty Monmouthshire
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fenland 004 Fenland
2 Blaenau Gwent 005 Blaenau Gwent
3 Teignbridge 010 Teignbridge
4 South Holland 010 South Holland
5 Teignbridge 004 Teignbridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tibbs

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tibbs

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Tibbs surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Tibbs 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Tibbs is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tibbs 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

Tibbs 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 Tibbs is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Tibbs

The surname Tibbs is of English origin, derived from the medieval given name Theobald, which itself comes from the Germanic elements "theud" meaning "people" and "bald" meaning "bold" or "brave." The name first emerged in the 12th century in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Tibbs surname can be found in the Feet of Fines for Norfolk, dated 1195, which mentions a Robert Tybbs. The name also appears in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, listing a John Tebbe in Oxfordshire. Over time, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as Tibb, Tybbe, Tybbes, and Tibbes, before settling on the modern form of Tibbs.

The Tibbs surname has its roots in several place names across England, including Tibshelf in Derbyshire, which was once known as Tibdeshelf, derived from the Old English words "tibb" meaning "a strip of ground" and "scelfe" meaning "ledge" or "shelf." Additionally, the name may have originated from the lost village of Tibbs, which was located near the town of Newmarket in Suffolk.

Historically, the Tibbs surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Richard Tibbs, a member of the English Parliament who represented the borough of Wallingford in Berkshire in 1335. Another prominent figure was Sir Robert Tibbs, a 16th-century merchant and alderman of the City of London, who served as Lord Mayor in 1568.

In the literary realm, the name Tibbs is perhaps most famously associated with the character of Beau Tibbs, a character in Oliver Goldsmith's 1773 novel "The Vicar of Wakefield." Beau Tibbs was a charming but impoverished man who made up for his lack of wealth with his wit and charm.

Other notable individuals bearing the surname Tibbs include:

1. Thomas Tibbs (1692-1760), an English engraver and portrait painter. 2. Henry Tibbs (1770-1847), an English architect and surveyor, known for his work on the Tivoli Gardens in London. 3. Samuel Tibbs (1826-1891), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire. 4. Mary Tibbs (1873-1952), an English suffragette and activist for women's rights. 5. Sammy Tibbs (1920-2002), an American jazz drummer and bandleader, active in the swing and bebop eras.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tibbs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tibbs 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. Middlesex leads with 145 Tibbs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.24x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 145 2.24x
Somerset 48 4.60x
Northamptonshire 44 7.22x
Surrey 43 1.36x
Lancashire 39 0.51x
Devon 38 2.82x
Staffordshire 28 1.28x
Warwickshire 28 1.71x
Hampshire 22 1.66x
Huntingdonshire 19 14.77x
Hertfordshire 17 3.81x
Kent 17 0.77x
Monmouthshire 17 3.63x
Cambridgeshire 16 3.90x
Essex 15 1.17x
Yorkshire 15 0.23x
Dorset 14 3.29x
Durham 13 0.67x
Gloucestershire 12 0.94x
Glamorgan 10 0.89x
Lincolnshire 10 0.97x
Cardiganshire 8 5.06x
Lanarkshire 7 0.33x
Norfolk 7 0.70x
Worcestershire 7 0.83x
Northumberland 6 0.62x
Derbyshire 3 0.30x
Herefordshire 3 1.13x
Leicestershire 3 0.42x
Royal Navy 2 2.59x
Rutland 2 4.21x
Sussex 2 0.18x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.26x
Midlothian 1 0.12x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.11x
Oxfordshire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 26 Tibbs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.14x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 26 4.14x
Bugbrooke 25 1256.28x
St Pancras London 24 4.60x
Chew Magna 19 520.55x
Hackney London 15 4.13x
Aston 14 3.11x
Shoreditch London 14 4.99x
Tipton 14 20.91x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 12 14.38x
Wardleworth 12 27.32x
Bethnal Green London 11 3.91x
Kensington London 11 3.05x
Newington 11 4.60x
Blackburn 10 4.89x
Camberwell 10 2.42x
Cerne Abbas 10 485.44x
Glatton 10 806.45x
Wisbech St Mary 10 212.31x
Churchill 9 542.17x
Over Darwen 9 14.66x
Plymouth St Andrew 9 8.67x
Trevethin 9 20.35x
West Teignmouth 9 87.29x
Lichfield St Chad 8 162.60x
Rhyndwyclydach 8 102.30x
Troedyraur 8 432.43x
West Ham 8 2.83x
Barony 7 1.32x
Kings Somborne 7 251.80x
Lower Llanvrechva 7 152.17x
Nuneaton 7 37.00x
Chelsea London 6 3.07x
Daventry 6 69.61x
Harpenden 6 88.11x
Kingsteignton 6 160.00x
St Martin Lincoln 6 62.44x
Weybridge 6 88.63x
Abbots Kerswell 5 515.46x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 5 8.36x
Byker 5 10.50x
Hunslet 5 5.00x
Lambeth 5 0.89x
Leamington Priors 5 12.44x
Maugersbury 5 409.84x
Meare 5 159.74x
Redbourn 5 102.46x
Watford 5 14.45x
Bedminster 4 4.08x
Bow London 4 4.85x
Bridport 4 45.71x
Eaton St Andrew 4 144.93x
Fleet 4 135.59x
Horninglow 4 38.84x
Paddington London 4 1.68x
Southwark St Saviour 4 12.02x
Spotland 4 4.68x
St Anne Soho London 4 10.81x
Swanscombe 4 40.28x
Tonbridge 4 5.02x
Wanstead 4 17.87x
Warley Wigorn 4 148.15x
Bluntisham 3 124.48x
Bristol St James St Paul 3 7.08x
Eltham 3 23.17x
Fletton 3 72.99x
Hardingstone 3 51.55x
Hornsey 3 3.66x
Lewisham 3 2.55x
Mile End Old Town 3 2.93x
Newton Abbot St Mary 3 26.53x
Norton 3 333.33x
South Petherton 3 55.76x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 2.30x
St Giles In Fields 3 13.43x
St Mary Extra 3 28.09x
Tibshelf 3 60.24x
Wisbech St Peter 3 14.58x
St Marylebone London 2 0.58x
West Somerton 2 384.62x
Woodford 2 13.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 39
Sarah 31
Elizabeth 27
Eliza 14
Jane 14
Ann 13
Alice 11
Emily 9
Martha 9
Ellen 7
Emma 7
Harriet 7
Annie 6
Caroline 6
Hannah 6
Clara 5
Maria 5
Amelia 4
Louisa 4
Lucy 4
Anne 3
Betsey 3
Florence 3
Harriett 3
Mabel 3
Margaret 3
Selina 3
Sophia 3
Susan 3
Agnes 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Clarissa 2
Edith 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Francis 2
Infant 2
Jessie 2
Julia 2
Maud 2
Sara 2
Susanna 2
Catharine 1
Efey 1
Elenora 1
Elizth. 1
Hebewa 1
Isabella 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 52
John 36
James 27
George 25
Henry 17
Thomas 16
Frederick 12
Charles 9
Edward 9
Joseph 8
Richard 8
Arthur 7
Samuel 7
Walter 6
Albert 5
Alfred 5
Edwin 4
Ernest 4
Herbert 4
Frank 3
Josiah 3
Abraham 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
Hugh 2
Isaac 2
Percy 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Beaver 1
Chas.J.B. 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edd. 1
Fredk.Wm.B. 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Jacob 1
Jas. 1
Jeremiah 1
Job 1
L. 1
Morriss 1
Olver 1
P.W. 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Ralph 1

FAQ

Tibbs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tibbs surname in 1881?

In 1881, 664 people were recorded with the Tibbs surname. That placed it at #5,418 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tibbs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,020 in 2016. That gives Tibbs a modern rank of #5,714.

What does the Tibbs surname mean?

Derived from a nickname for a person with a cheerful, pleasant disposition or a fine singing voice.

What does the Tibbs map show?

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