NameCensus.

UK surname

Voyce

A variant of the surname Voice, from the Anglo-Norman French word vois meaning voice or spokesman.

In the 1881 census there were 275 people recorded with the Voyce surname, ranking it #10,330 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 481, ranked #10,275, up from #10,330 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, Willesden and Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forest of Dean, Neath Port Talbot and Telford and Wrekin.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Voyce is 499 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 74.9%.

1881 census count

275

Ranked #10,330

Modern count

481

2016, ranked #10,275

Peak year

2014

499 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Voyce had 275 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,330 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 481 in 2016, ranked #10,275.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 438 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Voyce surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Voyce surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Voyce 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 94 #17,837
1861 historical 62 #26,041
1881 historical 275 #10,330
1891 historical 328 #10,348
1901 historical 377 #9,876
1911 historical 438 #8,684
1997 modern 481 #9,584
1998 modern 490 #9,749
1999 modern 496 #9,713
2000 modern 481 #9,916
2001 modern 470 #9,906
2002 modern 482 #9,906
2003 modern 464 #10,003
2004 modern 472 #9,926
2005 modern 452 #10,173
2006 modern 445 #10,319
2007 modern 459 #10,177
2008 modern 469 #10,119
2009 modern 470 #10,324
2010 modern 472 #10,488
2011 modern 478 #10,299
2012 modern 474 #10,254
2013 modern 490 #10,176
2014 modern 499 #10,090
2015 modern 486 #10,216
2016 modern 481 #10,275

Geography

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Where Voyces are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, Willesden, Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean, London parishes and East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Forest of Dean, Neath Port Talbot, Telford and Wrekin and Malvern Hills. 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 Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, Gloucestershire
2 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 Newland (Bream, Clearwell, Newland, Coleford), West Dean Monmouthshire
4 London parishes London 1
5 East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forest of Dean 010 Forest of Dean
2 Forest of Dean 001 Forest of Dean
3 Neath Port Talbot 016 Neath Port Talbot
4 Telford and Wrekin 017 Telford and Wrekin
5 Malvern Hills 011 Malvern Hills

Forenames

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First names often paired with Voyce

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Voyce

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Voyce, 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 Voyce surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Voyce 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Voyce is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Voyce 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

Voyce falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Voyce

The surname Voyce is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "voix" meaning "voice." It is believed to have emerged as an occupational surname during the medieval period, referring to individuals who worked as town criers or heralds, whose primary duty was to make public announcements using their powerful voices.

The name can be traced back to the 13th century, with early records showing variations in spelling such as Vois, Voise, and Voyce. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where a person named Richard le Voyce is mentioned.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various historical records, including the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379, which lists a John Voys. The Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk from 1327 also mention a William Voys, indicating the name's presence in different regions of England during that time.

The Voyce surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure is Robert Voyce, a 16th-century English composer and organist who served as the organist at Durham Cathedral from 1569 until his death in 1598.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Sir Nathaniel Voyce (1608-1681), an English merchant and politician who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1670-1671. He was also a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers, one of the oldest livery companies in the City of London.

In the 18th century, the Voyce surname can be found in the records of the parish of Stoke St. Gregory in Somerset, where a family of that name resided for several generations. One notable member was John Voyce (1718-1793), a landowner and farmer in the area.

The name also has connections to various place names in England, such as Voyce's Hill in Somerset and Voyce's Lane in Gloucestershire, which may have derived from individuals bearing the surname who lived or owned property in those locations.

Other notable individuals with the surname Voyce include William Voyce (1853-1927), an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, and Charles Voyce (1876-1944), a British actor and film director who appeared in several silent films during the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Voyce families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Voyce 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. Gloucestershire leads with 102 Voyces recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.39x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 102 19.39x
Middlesex 30 1.12x
Lancashire 29 0.91x
Herefordshire 25 22.73x
Worcestershire 24 6.85x
Staffordshire 20 2.21x
Warwickshire 10 1.48x
Sussex 8 1.77x
Yorkshire 8 0.30x
Durham 4 0.50x
Kent 4 0.44x
Surrey 3 0.23x
Glamorgan 2 0.43x
Monmouthshire 2 1.03x
Norfolk 2 0.48x
Essex 1 0.19x
Lincolnshire 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newland in Gloucestershire leads with 19 Voyces recorded in 1881 and an index of 429.86x.

Place Total Index
Newland 19 429.86x
Gloucester St Nicholas 11 450.82x
Gloucester Kingsholm St 10 510.20x
Staunton 10 2631.58x
Wolverhampton 10 14.36x
Ashleworth 9 1956.52x
Bridstow 9 1428.57x
Hanley Castle 8 380.95x
Walsall Foreign 8 17.11x
West Dean 8 93.57x
Abinghall 7 2800.00x
Aston 7 3.76x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 7 72.69x
St George Bloomsbury 7 45.48x
Westbury On Severn East 7 58.87x
Albourne 6 2142.86x
Colwall 6 441.18x
Gloucester Barton St 6 194.81x
Gloucester St Mary Lode 6 487.80x
Westminster St John 6 18.37x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 9.89x
Redcar 5 236.97x
Sellack 5 1562.50x
St Marylebone London 5 3.49x
Ardwick 4 13.93x
Broughton In Salford 4 13.75x
Cheetham 4 16.85x
Chelsea London 4 4.95x
Crumpsall 4 53.33x
Paddington London 4 4.06x
West Derby 4 4.30x
Westoe 4 8.84x
Frittenden 3 352.94x
Huddersfield 3 7.75x
Birmingham 2 0.89x
Bristol St James St Paul 2 11.40x
Codsall 2 155.04x
Croome D Abitot 2 1176.47x
Gloucester St Catherine 2 135.14x
Great Yarmouth 2 5.85x
Hasfield 2 869.57x
Kensington London 2 1.34x
Mitcheldean 2 307.69x
Moss Side 2 11.94x
Tretire With 2 1428.57x
Barnes 1 18.08x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 3.96x
Bredicot 1 1666.67x
Brighton 1 1.10x
Broadwater 1 9.64x
Byfleet 1 86.21x
Cardiff St John 1 6.55x
Churchdown 1 95.24x
Cranham 1 277.78x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.42x
Godalming 1 12.15x
Grantham 1 17.89x
Holmer 1 50.51x
Llangibby 1 222.22x
Lydney 1 36.76x
Merthyr Tydfil 1 2.23x
Minsterworth 1 263.16x
Monmouth 1 19.46x
Pencoyd 1 555.56x
Pendleton In Salford 1 2.64x
Pirton 1 588.24x
Polesworth 1 31.15x
Ross 1 22.83x
Shenfield 1 72.99x
St George Hanover 1 2.86x
St Luke London 1 2.32x
Upton On Severn 1 43.67x
Worcester St Peter 1 15.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Sarah 7
Ann 6
Charlotte 6
Emma 6
Jane 6
Annie 5
Caroline 5
Eliza 5
Maria 5
Clara 4
Elizabeth 4
Fanny 4
Agnes 3
Gertrude 3
Louisa 3
Rhoda 3
Alice 2
Anne 2
Constance 2
Edith 2
Ellen 2
Esther 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Minnie 2
Rebecca 2
Robina 2
Amy 1
Beatrice 1
Catherine 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Eva 1
Flora 1
Francis 1
Hannah 1
Helen 1
Henney 1
Jesse 1
Kate 1
Lanora 1
Lillian 1
Lora 1
Lousia 1
Lydia 1
Mercy 1
Miriam 1
Olan 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 21
John 18
Thomas 15
Charles 12
James 12
George 9
Alfred 6
Samuel 4
Henry 3
Edward 2
Fredrick 2
Harry 2
Richard 2
Sidney 2
Abram 1
Arthur 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Eldred 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Hannibal 1
Harold 1
Hugh 1
Jepson 1
Jeremiah 1
Maurice 1
Noah 1
Philip 1
Ralph 1
Raymond 1
Robert 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
Wallace 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Voyce surname: questions and answers

How common was the Voyce surname in 1881?

In 1881, 275 people were recorded with the Voyce surname. That placed it at #10,330 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Voyce surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 481 in 2016. That gives Voyce a modern rank of #10,275.

What does the Voyce surname mean?

A variant of the surname Voice, from the Anglo-Norman French word vois meaning voice or spokesman.

What does the Voyce map show?

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