NameCensus.

UK surname

Westby

A locational surname referring to any of several places named Westby in England, derived from Old Norse for "western settlement."

In the 1881 census there were 334 people recorded with the Westby surname, ranking it #9,025 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 478, ranked #10,329, down from #9,025 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham St Mary and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolsover, Nottingham and Chorley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Westby is 536 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.1%.

1881 census count

334

Ranked #9,025

Modern count

478

2016, ranked #10,329

Peak year

1999

536 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Westby had 334 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,025 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 478 in 2016, ranked #10,329.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 408 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Westby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Westby surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Westby 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 207 #10,148
1861 historical 226 #10,797
1881 historical 334 #9,025
1891 historical 338 #10,113
1901 historical 399 #9,495
1911 historical 408 #9,161
1997 modern 527 #8,948
1998 modern 534 #9,131
1999 modern 536 #9,159
2000 modern 530 #9,211
2001 modern 515 #9,254
2002 modern 526 #9,300
2003 modern 500 #9,481
2004 modern 501 #9,511
2005 modern 485 #9,647
2006 modern 487 #9,664
2007 modern 493 #9,662
2008 modern 481 #9,930
2009 modern 477 #10,206
2010 modern 490 #10,211
2011 modern 481 #10,244
2012 modern 471 #10,313
2013 modern 491 #10,158
2014 modern 496 #10,124
2015 modern 478 #10,343
2016 modern 478 #10,329

Geography

Back to top

Where Westbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham St Mary, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Preston and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolsover, Nottingham, Chorley, Sheffield and Lancaster. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolsover 007 Bolsover
2 Nottingham 035 Nottingham
3 Chorley 009 Chorley
4 Sheffield 001 Sheffield
5 Lancaster 016 Lancaster

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Westby

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Westby

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

Westby is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Westby falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Westby

The surname Westby originated in England, specifically in the northern region of Yorkshire. It derives from the Old Norse words "vestr" meaning west and "by" meaning a town or village, indicating that the name likely referred to someone who lived in a western settlement or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Westby appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and resources ordered by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a place called "Westoby" in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

During the medieval period, the name was often spelled in various ways, such as Westeby, Westoby, and Westeby, reflecting regional variations and scribal inconsistencies in record-keeping. The name was also associated with certain place names, such as Westby-with-Plumptons in Lancashire and Westby in Yorkshire.

One notable early bearer of the name was John de Westby, who lived in the 13th century and held lands in Lancashire. Another was William Westby, a prominent merchant and landowner from Yorkshire, who lived in the late 14th century.

In the 16th century, a branch of the Westby family settled in Ireland, where they became prominent landowners and politicians. One member of this branch was Ralph Westby, who served as a Member of Parliament for County Meath in the early 17th century.

Another notable figure was Thomas Westby, a Jesuit priest born in Lancashire in 1674. He played a significant role in the Catholic community during the turbulent times of the English Reformation.

In the 18th century, John Westby, born in 1737 in Yorkshire, was a prominent mathematician and astronomer who made contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.

Moving into the 19th century, George Westby, born in 1807 in Northumberland, was a renowned landscape painter and etcher, known for his depictions of rural English scenes.

While the surname Westby is relatively uncommon, it has a rich history rooted in the northern regions of England, with branches spreading to other parts of the British Isles over the centuries. The name's origin reflects the settlement patterns and linguistic influences of the Anglo-Saxon and Norse populations that shaped the landscapes and communities of medieval England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Westby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Westby 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. Lancashire leads with 141 Westbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.65x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 141 3.65x
Nottinghamshire 54 12.30x
Yorkshire 39 1.21x
Middlesex 37 1.14x
Leicestershire 26 7.20x
Derbyshire 11 2.16x
Surrey 6 0.38x
Kent 5 0.45x
Cheshire 3 0.42x
Lincolnshire 3 0.58x
Durham 2 0.21x
Pembrokeshire 2 1.93x
Warwickshire 2 0.24x
Bedfordshire 1 0.59x
Shropshire 1 0.36x
Staffordshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nottingham St Mary in Nottinghamshire leads with 29 Westbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.53x.

Place Total Index
Nottingham St Mary 29 25.53x
Preston 29 28.04x
Leicester St Margaret 22 24.97x
Chorley 21 96.82x
Great Bolton 17 33.20x
Aughton 11 287.21x
Sheffield 10 9.73x
Accrington 9 25.60x
Nottingham St Peter 9 183.67x
Skerton 9 283.91x
Barlborough 8 423.28x
Rotherham 7 38.46x
Thurlstone 7 220.13x
Westminster St 7 58.28x
Lenton 6 58.03x
Nether Hallam 6 13.74x
St Luke London 6 11.48x
Fulham London 5 10.58x
Milton In Gravesend 5 29.99x
Wigan 5 9.26x
Aylestone 4 140.35x
Bury 4 9.06x
Ecclesall Bierlow 4 6.09x
Edgeworth 4 192.31x
Hackney London 4 2.19x
Leeds 4 2.19x
Nottingham St Nicholas 4 66.89x
Stoke Newington London 4 15.76x
Walton Le Dale 4 38.50x
Barthomley 3 731.71x
Basford 3 14.82x
Blackrod 3 62.50x
Gorton 3 8.26x
Great Grimsby 3 9.07x
Great Harwood 3 42.92x
Whitwell 3 147.78x
Aspull 2 22.00x
Burtonwood 2 140.85x
Camberwell 2 0.96x
Carleton 2 476.19x
Chiswick 2 11.24x
Coventry St Michael 2 7.58x
Lambeth 2 0.70x
Ollerton 2 219.78x
St George Hanover 2 4.70x
St Pancras London 2 0.76x
Stoke 2 26.70x
Tenby St Mary In 2 37.95x
Toxteth Park 2 1.53x
Westhoughton 2 19.38x
Whalley 2 35.52x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.71x
Bishopwearmouth 1 1.20x
Cleobury Mortimer 1 56.50x
Hammersmith London 1 1.25x
Hampstead London 1 1.97x
Holy Trinity 1 1.29x
Horwich 1 23.70x
Kempston 1 26.11x
Lancaster 1 4.35x
Little Bolton 1 2.01x
Manchester 1 0.58x
Newark Upon Trent 1 6.34x
Norwood 1 13.42x
Penwortham 1 54.64x
St George In East 1 4.51x
Stockton On Tees 1 2.14x
Tamworth 1 17.01x
Tottington Lower End 1 5.44x
Windle 1 4.60x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Elizabeth 15
Ellen 12
Sarah 12
Alice 9
Ann 9
Hannah 7
Emma 6
Margaret 6
Catherine 5
Eliza 5
Agnes 4
Annie 4
Jane 4
Edith 3
Florence 3
Anne 2
Charlotte 2
Elizth. 2
Helena 2
Isabella 2
Kate 2
Martha 2
Selina 2
Susan 2
Teresa 2
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Cecily 1
Clara 1
Dinah 1
Eleanor 1
Eliz. 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Julia 1
Katherine 1
Lena 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Matilda 1
My.Alice 1
My.Ann 1
Rose 1
Sharlot 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 21
John 20
George 18
Thomas 16
Henry 11
James 10
Robert 6
Arthur 5
Edward 5
Joseph 5
Ernest 4
Peter 4
Ashley 3
Charles 2
Edmund 2
Fredk. 2
Jno. 2
Paul 2
Albert 1
Aloysius 1
Archibald 1
Benjamin 1
Benjm. 1
Clifton 1
Daniel 1
Edwin 1
Elijah 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Jas. 1
Jessie 1
Jocelyn 1
Joe 1
Josh. 1
Richard 1
Tom 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Hubert 1

FAQ

Westby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Westby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 334 people were recorded with the Westby surname. That placed it at #9,025 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Westby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 478 in 2016. That gives Westby a modern rank of #10,329.

What does the Westby surname mean?

A locational surname referring to any of several places named Westby in England, derived from Old Norse for "western settlement."

What does the Westby map show?

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