NameCensus.

UK surname

Verney

A surname derived from a place name of French origin, possibly referring to someone from Vernai or Vernay.

In the 1881 census there were 420 people recorded with the Verney surname, ranking it #7,694 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 455, ranked #10,716, down from #7,694 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Winslow, Kingsclere and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Devon, Basingstoke and Deane and Aylesbury Vale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Verney is 555 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8.3%.

1881 census count

420

Ranked #7,694

Modern count

455

2016, ranked #10,716

Peak year

1911

555 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Verney had 420 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,694 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 455 in 2016, ranked #10,716.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 555 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Verney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Verney surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Verney 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 293 #7,783
1861 historical 265 #9,355
1881 historical 420 #7,694
1891 historical 451 #8,062
1901 historical 544 #7,583
1911 historical 555 #7,231
1997 modern 491 #9,425
1998 modern 501 #9,578
1999 modern 514 #9,466
2000 modern 529 #9,233
2001 modern 507 #9,364
2002 modern 515 #9,443
2003 modern 524 #9,181
2004 modern 505 #9,453
2005 modern 493 #9,536
2006 modern 458 #10,109
2007 modern 467 #10,053
2008 modern 459 #10,265
2009 modern 471 #10,304
2010 modern 471 #10,510
2011 modern 454 #10,707
2012 modern 441 #10,828
2013 modern 447 #10,885
2014 modern 462 #10,676
2015 modern 452 #10,785
2016 modern 455 #10,716

Geography

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Where Verneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Winslow, Kingsclere, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes and Silverstone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Devon, Basingstoke and Deane and Aylesbury Vale. 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 Winslow Buckinghamshire
2 Kingsclere Hampshire
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Silverstone Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Devon 014 North Devon
2 North Devon 004 North Devon
3 Basingstoke and Deane 004 Basingstoke and Deane
4 North Devon 003 North Devon
5 Aylesbury Vale 004 Aylesbury Vale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Verney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Verney

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Verney 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

Verney is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Verney falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Verney

The surname Verney is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "vernei" or "vernier," which means "alder tree" or "alder grove." The name likely originated in Normandy, France, sometime around the 11th or 12th century.

The earliest known record of the Verney surname dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de Vernai" or "de Vernee." This suggests that the name was originally associated with a particular place or estate in Normandy.

During the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, many Norman families, including those bearing the Verney surname, accompanied William the Conqueror and settled in various parts of the country. Some of these families established estates and manors, leading to the formation of place names incorporating the Verney name.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Verney surname in England is that of Ralph de Verney, who lived during the reign of King Stephen (1135-1154). Another notable figure was Sir Richard Verney (c. 1390-1450), a member of the Verney family of Compton Verney in Warwickshire.

The Verney family was particularly prominent in Buckinghamshire, where they owned extensive lands and properties. Sir Edmund Verney (1590-1642) was a prominent Royalist during the English Civil War and was killed at the Battle of Edgehill. His son, Sir Ralph Verney (1613-1696), was a noted diarist and Member of Parliament.

Other notable individuals bearing the Verney surname include John Verney (c. 1699-1741), a British politician and Member of Parliament, and Harry Calvert Verney (1801-1894), a British Army officer and author.

The Verney surname has also been found in various spellings throughout history, such as Vernay, Verny, and Vernai, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and regional dialects.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Verney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Verney 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 67 Verneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.64x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 67 1.64x
Buckinghamshire 47 18.98x
Devon 47 5.51x
Warwickshire 37 3.58x
Surrey 33 1.65x
Lancashire 24 0.49x
Oxfordshire 21 8.30x
Lincolnshire 20 3.05x
Gloucestershire 13 1.62x
Hampshire 12 1.43x
Herefordshire 10 5.95x
Nottinghamshire 10 1.81x
Yorkshire 10 0.25x
Dorset 9 3.35x
Wiltshire 8 2.21x
Leicestershire 7 1.54x
Northamptonshire 6 1.56x
Anglesey 5 6.89x
Bedfordshire 5 2.36x
Cambridgeshire 4 1.54x
East Lothian 4 7.37x
Hertfordshire 4 1.42x
Midlothian 3 0.55x
Suffolk 3 0.60x
Berkshire 2 0.65x
Durham 2 0.16x
Monmouthshire 2 0.68x
Derbyshire 1 0.16x
Essex 1 0.12x
Kent 1 0.07x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.77x
Sussex 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Witney in Oxfordshire leads with 16 Verneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 378.25x.

Place Total Index
Witney 16 378.25x
Kensington London 15 6.59x
Harbury 14 833.33x
Winslow 14 600.86x
West Down 13 1733.33x
Camberwell 12 4.59x
Islington London 11 2.77x
Adstock 10 2040.82x
Bristol St George 9 24.22x
Ilfracombe 9 102.51x
Stratford On Avon 9 157.07x
Hereford St Owen 8 144.14x
Kingsclere 8 208.33x
Mile End Old Town 8 12.37x
Salford 8 5.60x
Great Grimsby 7 16.84x
Lenton 7 53.80x
St John Lincoln 7 1000.00x
Wing 7 304.35x
Braunton 6 207.61x
Clee With Weelsby 6 41.84x
Holy Trinity 6 6.14x
Kingston On Thames 6 12.51x
Lambeth 6 1.68x
Marlborough St Mary Virgin 6 235.29x
Melton Mowbray 6 73.44x
Stoke Damerel 6 10.05x
Bethnal Green London 5 2.81x
Bradpole 5 227.27x
Compton Verney 5 4166.67x
Llandegfan 5 337.84x
Luton 5 13.62x
Paddington London 5 3.32x
Pendleton In Salford 5 8.63x
Wolverton 5 97.47x
Allington 4 166.67x
Beddington 4 51.81x
Berkhampstead 4 62.99x
Bromley London 4 4.44x
Chelsea London 4 3.24x
Chorlton On Medlock 4 5.18x
Dunbar 4 52.56x
Landkey 4 476.19x
Ludgershall 4 677.97x
Whittlebury 4 579.71x
Whittlesey St Mary St 4 44.15x
Wolverton 4 1818.18x
Aylesbury 3 27.32x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 1.36x
Great Crosby 3 22.64x
Leamington Priors 3 11.80x
Newmarket St Mary 3 78.33x
Oxford St Giles 3 24.86x
St George Hanover 3 5.61x
Aldershot 2 7.11x
Barnes 2 23.70x
Chalcombe 2 317.46x
Chiswick 2 8.93x
Esher 2 71.68x
Halifax 2 3.36x
Kington 2 48.08x
Lighthorne 2 400.00x
Mixbury 2 526.32x
Ruislip 2 98.04x
Snenton 2 9.22x
St Bartholomew Hyde 2 99.50x
St Marylebone London 2 0.91x
St Swithin London 2 2000.00x
Stow On The Wold 2 111.73x
Usk 2 81.63x
Barnstaple 1 7.47x
Chittlehampton 1 47.62x
Eston 1 11.31x
Headingley Cum Burley 1 3.83x
Leicester St Margaret 1 0.90x
Marlborough St Peter St 1 53.76x
North Meols 1 2.10x
Rodbourne Cheney 1 35.71x
Tawstock 1 66.23x
Tenby St Mary In 1 15.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 26
Elizabeth 20
Sarah 13
Emma 8
Alice 7
Ann 5
Annie 5
Clara 5
Florence 5
Ellen 4
Jane 4
Kate 4
Sophia 4
Eliza 3
Emily 3
Hannah 3
Lucy 3
Margaret 3
Rose 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Anna 2
Blanche 2
Caroline 2
Louisa 2
Lydia 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Nellie 2
Pirscilla 2
Susan 2
Charlotte 1
Elenor 1
Elizth. 1
Ellin 1
Esther 1
F. 1
Helena 1
Henrietta 1
Isabella 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Katherine 1
Kathleen 1
Laura 1
Lettice 1
Winniefred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 30
John 23
George 20
Charles 12
Henry 11
James 11
Richard 9
Joseph 8
Albert 7
Frederick 7
Thomas 7
Edward 6
Harry 6
Alfred 5
Arthur 4
Frank 3
Ernest 2
Geo. 2
Robert 2
Sidney 2
Walter 2
Willm. 2
Wm. 2
Amos 1
C.William 1
Charley 1
Christness 1
Christopher 1
Dan 1
David 1
Davy 1
Earnest 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Eugene 1
Herbert 1
Jno. 1
Leonard 1
Leopold 1
Philip 1
Ralph 1
Samuel 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Willoughby 1

FAQ

Verney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Verney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 420 people were recorded with the Verney surname. That placed it at #7,694 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Verney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 455 in 2016. That gives Verney a modern rank of #10,716.

What does the Verney surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name of French origin, possibly referring to someone from Vernai or Vernay.

What does the Verney map show?

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