NameCensus.

UK surname

Timney

A toponymic surname referring to someone from the town of Timny or Tymny.

In the 1881 census there were 70 people recorded with the Timney surname, ranking it #23,670 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 348, ranked #13,233, up from #23,670 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newcastle St Andrew, Cross Cannonby and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gateshead, Allerdale and Middlesbrough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Timney is 356 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 397.1%.

1881 census count

70

Ranked #23,670

Modern count

348

2016, ranked #13,233

Peak year

2014

356 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Timney had 70 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,670 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 348 in 2016, ranked #13,233.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 140 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Timney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Timney surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Timney 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 21 #29,550
1861 historical 41 #28,839
1881 historical 70 #23,670
1891 historical 114 #22,006
1901 historical 140 #18,795
1911 historical 110 #21,519
1997 modern 305 #13,377
1998 modern 312 #13,532
1999 modern 322 #13,335
2000 modern 312 #13,561
2001 modern 311 #13,423
2002 modern 323 #13,325
2003 modern 310 #13,522
2004 modern 307 #13,685
2005 modern 302 #13,788
2006 modern 311 #13,577
2007 modern 313 #13,648
2008 modern 319 #13,581
2009 modern 333 #13,434
2010 modern 345 #13,370
2011 modern 354 #12,982
2012 modern 350 #12,965
2013 modern 349 #13,215
2014 modern 356 #13,098
2015 modern 355 #13,033
2016 modern 348 #13,233

Geography

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Where Timneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newcastle St Andrew, Cross Cannonby, Govan Combination, Gateshead and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gateshead, Allerdale and Middlesbrough. 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 Newcastle St Andrew Northumberland
2 Cross Cannonby Cumberland
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gateshead 026 Gateshead
2 Allerdale 005 Allerdale
3 Allerdale 004 Allerdale
4 Middlesbrough 010 Middlesbrough
5 Middlesbrough 001 Middlesbrough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Timney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Timney

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Timney, 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 Timney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Timney 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, Timney 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

Timney is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Timney

The surname Timney is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Old English word "timan," meaning "to build" or "to construct," suggesting that the name may have been an occupational surname for a builder or carpenter.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Timney can be found in the parish records of Gloucestershire, where a John Timney was mentioned in 1587. This indicates that the name was already established in that region during the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the Timney surname appeared in various historical records, such as the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1662, which listed several Timney households in Gloucestershire and Somerset. This suggests that the name had spread to neighboring counties by that time.

A notable figure bearing the Timney surname was Robert Timney, a merchant and landowner who lived in Gloucestershire in the late 17th century. Records indicate that he owned significant property and was involved in local affairs.

Moving into the 18th century, the Timney name can be found in various parish registers and census records across England, particularly in the counties of Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Wiltshire. This indicates that the name had established roots in these areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Timney surname in the United States can be traced back to the late 18th century, when a William Timney is documented as having settled in Virginia around 1790.

Another individual of note was John Timney, a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 19th century. He participated in several major battles and was commended for his bravery and leadership.

In the 19th century, the Timney surname continued to be found in various records across England, with some notable individuals including Charles Timney, a prominent businessman and philanthropist in Bristol, and Thomas Timney, a respected educator and headmaster in Lancashire.

As the centuries progressed, the Timney name spread further across the United Kingdom and beyond, with some variations in spelling, such as Timney, Tymney, and Tymny, emerging over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Timney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Timney 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 21 Timneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.34x.

County Total Index
Durham 21 10.34x
Lanarkshire 21 9.51x
Lancashire 9 1.11x
Cumberland 7 11.91x
Staffordshire 7 3.04x
Northumberland 2 1.97x
Dorset 1 2.23x
Dunbartonshire 1 5.45x
Yorkshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 16 Timneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.81x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 16 40.81x
Chorlton On Medlock 7 54.39x
Wolstanton Oldcott 7 843.37x
Crosscanonby 6 309.28x
Heworth 6 150.00x
Usworth 6 555.56x
Govan 5 9.16x
Birtley 4 481.93x
Conside Knitsley 4 253.16x
Toxteth Park 2 7.29x
Adel Cum Eccup 1 357.14x
Charmouth 1 666.67x
Cummersdale 1 500.00x
Elvet 1 68.03x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 18.98x
North Shields 1 49.26x
Row 1 42.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Alice 2
Ellen 2
Bridget 1
Catherine 1
Cathrine 1
Elizabeth 1
Florence 1
Jane 1
Kathn. 1
Margaret 1
Margarett 1
Matilda 1
Susanna 1
Susannah 1
Sussanah 1

Top male names

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

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Timney households.

FAQ

Timney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Timney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 70 people were recorded with the Timney surname. That placed it at #23,670 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Timney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 348 in 2016. That gives Timney a modern rank of #13,233.

What does the Timney surname mean?

A toponymic surname referring to someone from the town of Timny or Tymny.

What does the Timney map show?

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