NameCensus.

UK surname

Versey

An occupational surname derived from the Middle English "verser", meaning a poet or versifier.

In the 1881 census there were 96 people recorded with the Versey surname, ranking it #20,248 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 136, ranked #25,377, down from #20,248 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Harwich Dovercourt, Louth and Walton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Suffolk Coastal and New Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Versey is 149 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.7%.

1881 census count

96

Ranked #20,248

Modern count

136

2016, ranked #25,377

Peak year

1911

149 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Versey had 96 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,248 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 136 in 2016, ranked #25,377.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 149 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Versey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Versey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Versey 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 69 #21,148
1861 historical 61 #26,170
1881 historical 96 #20,248
1891 historical 133 #19,870
1901 historical 142 #18,633
1911 historical 149 #17,937
1997 modern 139 #22,132
1998 modern 135 #23,118
1999 modern 143 #22,521
2000 modern 143 #22,457
2001 modern 138 #22,647
2002 modern 137 #23,198
2003 modern 126 #24,146
2004 modern 130 #23,902
2005 modern 133 #23,502
2006 modern 136 #23,378
2007 modern 136 #23,708
2008 modern 139 #23,635
2009 modern 138 #24,276
2010 modern 138 #24,801
2011 modern 137 #24,716
2012 modern 137 #24,731
2013 modern 136 #25,252
2014 modern 141 #24,855
2015 modern 135 #25,481
2016 modern 136 #25,377

Geography

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Where Verseys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Harwich Dovercourt, Louth, Walton, Felixstow and Trimley St Martin, Trimley St Mary, Stratton Hall Farm. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Suffolk Coastal and New Forest. 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 Harwich Dovercourt Essex
2 Louth Lincolnshire
3 Walton Suffolk
4 Felixstow Suffolk
5 Trimley St Martin, Trimley St Mary, Stratton Hall Farm Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Suffolk Coastal 014 Suffolk Coastal
2 Suffolk Coastal 015 Suffolk Coastal
3 Suffolk Coastal 012 Suffolk Coastal
4 Suffolk Coastal 013 Suffolk Coastal
5 New Forest 017 New Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Versey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Versey

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Versey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Versey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Versey is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Versey is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Versey

The surname Versey is of French origin, derived from the Old French word 'vers', meaning 'green' or 'verdant'. It is believed to have originated in the region of Normandy during the Middle Ages, possibly as a descriptive nickname for someone who lived near a lush, green area or worked in a vineyard or orchard.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Versey can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Virsei' or 'Virsai'. This suggests that the name was already well-established in parts of England following the Norman Conquest in 1066.

During the 13th century, the name Versey was primarily concentrated in the counties of Wiltshire and Somerset, where variations such as 'Versy', 'Vercie', and 'Vyrsy' were common. Some of the earliest recorded bearers of the name include Robert de Versey, who lived in Wiltshire in 1273, and John Versey, a landowner in Somerset in 1327.

In the 14th and 15th centuries, the Versey family became prominent in the city of Bristol, with several members serving as mayors and sheriffs. Notable individuals from this period include William Versey (c. 1380-1450), a wealthy merchant and alderman in Bristol, and John Versey (c. 1420-1480), who served as the city's mayor in 1465.

The name Versey also has ties to the village of Verseys in Wiltshire, which likely derived its name from an early Versey landowner or resident. In the 16th century, Sir Ralph Versey (c. 1510-1581) was a prominent figure in the area, serving as a Member of Parliament and High Sheriff of Wiltshire.

Other notable bearers of the Versey surname throughout history include Sir John Versey (c. 1660-1717), a British naval officer and politician, and Reverend John Versey (1712-1787), an English clergyman and author who wrote extensively on religious and philosophical topics.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Versey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Versey 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. Suffolk leads with 57 Verseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 49.98x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 57 49.98x
Lincolnshire 18 12.02x
Middlesex 9 0.96x
Lancashire 4 0.36x
Gloucestershire 3 1.63x
Surrey 3 0.66x
Worcestershire 2 1.64x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Felixstow in Suffolk leads with 14 Verseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5000.00x.

Place Total Index
Felixstow 14 5000.00x
Walton 13 3170.73x
Trimley St Martin 10 5000.00x
Great Carlton 8 10000.00x
Louth 7 204.08x
Trimley St Mary 7 5384.62x
Kirkley 5 526.32x
Habergham Eaves 4 39.37x
St Marylebone London 4 8.00x
Cheltenham 3 21.17x
Ipswich St Mathew 3 93.75x
Lowestoft 3 55.66x
Paddington London 3 8.71x
Ipswich St Margaret 2 51.68x
Kensington London 2 3.84x
Newington 2 5.78x
Worcester St Martin 2 121.21x
Authorpe 1 2000.00x
Camberwell 1 1.67x
Clee With Weelsby 1 30.49x
North Cockerington 1 1250.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emma 5
Ann 4
Eliza 4
Hannah 4
Mary 4
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Charlotte 2
Eleanor 2
Harriett 2
Susan 2
Caroline 1
Celia 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Georgiana 1
Margrett 1
Maryann 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Sarah 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 10
William 8
George 7
Alfred 4
Charles 4
Joseph 3
Harry 2
James 2
Walter 2
Ernest 1
Jno. 1
Mark 1
Olliver 1
Richard 1
Simon 1
Wm.Benjn. 1

FAQ

Versey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Versey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 96 people were recorded with the Versey surname. That placed it at #20,248 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Versey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 136 in 2016. That gives Versey a modern rank of #25,377.

What does the Versey surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the Middle English "verser", meaning a poet or versifier.

What does the Versey map show?

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