NameCensus.

UK surname

Worby

A habitational name originally denoting someone from a minor place named Worby or Worboys.

In the 1881 census there were 233 people recorded with the Worby surname, ranking it #11,648 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 474, ranked #10,385, up from #11,648 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Livermere, Parva, London parishes and Baldock, Willian, Weston, Clothall, Bygrave, Norton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Breckland, Ipswich and East Hertfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Worby is 540 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 103.4%.

1881 census count

233

Ranked #11,648

Modern count

474

2016, ranked #10,385

Peak year

2000

540 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Worby had 233 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,648 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 474 in 2016, ranked #10,385.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 432 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Worby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Worby surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Worby 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 97 #17,484
1861 historical 184 #12,856
1881 historical 233 #11,648
1891 historical 318 #10,583
1901 historical 361 #10,196
1911 historical 432 #8,779
1997 modern 502 #9,273
1998 modern 513 #9,404
1999 modern 520 #9,379
2000 modern 540 #9,084
2001 modern 515 #9,254
2002 modern 500 #9,625
2003 modern 476 #9,830
2004 modern 464 #10,060
2005 modern 465 #9,958
2006 modern 481 #9,750
2007 modern 465 #10,096
2008 modern 454 #10,334
2009 modern 464 #10,407
2010 modern 475 #10,445
2011 modern 473 #10,376
2012 modern 463 #10,457
2013 modern 486 #10,250
2014 modern 480 #10,405
2015 modern 470 #10,480
2016 modern 474 #10,385

Geography

Back to top

Where Worbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Livermere, Parva, London parishes, Baldock, Willian, Weston, Clothall, Bygrave, Norton, St John Hackney and Ipswich St Clement and Warren House. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Breckland, Ipswich, East Hertfordshire and Bradford. 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 Livermere, Parva Suffolk
2 London parishes London 3
3 Baldock, Willian, Weston, Clothall, Bygrave, Norton Hertfordshire
4 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
5 Ipswich St Clement and Warren House Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Breckland 014 Breckland
2 Ipswich 016 Ipswich
3 East Hertfordshire 006 East Hertfordshire
4 Bradford 027 Bradford
5 Breckland 007 Breckland

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Worby

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Worby

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Worby is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Worby 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

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

Meaning and origin of Worby

The surname Worby has its origins in England, primarily dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be rooted in the East Anglian region, specifically Norfolk and Suffolk. The name likely derives from a place and follows the tradition of locational surnames, which were often given to individuals based on the location they hailed from or resided in.

Etymologically, Worby could stem from the Old English elements "wor" meaning winding or winding river and "by," a common suffix in Norse-origin English place names, which means farmstead or village. This suggests that the original bearers of the name may have lived near a farmstead or village by a winding river.

Historical records of the surname Worby appear intermittently. One of the earliest instances can be traced to the Domesday Book of 1086, which although did not list the surname Worby exactly, it recorded the presence of several places with names that could have phonetic similarities to Worby, especially in Norfolk and Suffolk, indicating the geographical root.

By the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, records of the Worby name begin to appear more frequently in written documents. An early recorded example is John de Worby in the Hundred Rolls of Suffolk in 1273. Another notable historical reference is in the Subsidy Rolls for the county of Norfolk in 1327, showing Henry de Worby as a taxpayer.

One of the key figures to bear the surname was Nathaniel Worby, born in 1630, who was a notable yeoman in Suffolk, England. His family played a significant role in the local governance and economy, reflecting the surname's association with influential regional families.

The Worby surname continued to be prominent in Suffolk, with records in the early eighteenth century listing Thomas Worby (1702-1783) as an influential landowner and local politician. He was known for his significant contributions to agricultural reforms in his community.

In the nineteenth century, William Worby, born in 1820, gained prominence as a religious figure in Norfolk. He was noted for spearheading a local religious revival and contributing to community development. Another notable individual was Emily Worby (1845-1912), a suffragette and advocate for women’s rights from Essex.

The development of the surname Worby reflects the historical and social transformation of English society from the medieval period through to the modern era, with family members engaging in various occupations and leading social change within their communities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Worby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Worby 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 76 Worbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.45x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 76 27.45x
Middlesex 29 1.28x
Hertfordshire 26 16.60x
Surrey 14 1.26x
Norfolk 13 3.72x
Lincolnshire 12 3.30x
Cambridgeshire 10 6.95x
Kent 9 1.16x
Yorkshire 8 0.36x
Bedfordshire 7 5.95x
Durham 7 1.04x
Lancashire 6 0.22x
Essex 5 1.11x
Northamptonshire 4 1.87x
Cheshire 2 0.40x
Hampshire 2 0.43x
Cornwall 1 0.39x
Leicestershire 1 0.40x
Staffordshire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Little Livermere in Suffolk leads with 20 Worbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 15384.62x.

Place Total Index
Little Livermere 20 15384.62x
Westerfield 11 4074.07x
Ipswich St Clement 10 142.05x
Ipswich St Stephen 10 2083.33x
Spalding 10 138.70x
St Albans 9 280.37x
Bethnal Green London 8 8.10x
Deptford St Paul 8 13.38x
Battersea 7 8.37x
Bedford St Paul 7 86.74x
East Thickley 7 510.95x
East Wretham 6 4615.38x
Bury St Edmunds St James 5 67.66x
Chelsea London 5 7.30x
Hemel Hempstead 5 70.82x
Ipswich St Margaret 5 53.25x
March 5 103.73x
West Ham 5 5.05x
Acton 4 30.03x
Barnack 4 869.57x
Bradford 4 7.34x
Brightside Bierlow 4 9.06x
Godalming 4 57.39x
Mile End Old Town 4 11.15x
Wardleworth 4 25.96x
Watford 4 32.92x
Weston 4 533.33x
Grundisburgh 3 468.75x
Norwich St Stephen 3 93.46x
Baston 2 333.33x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 2 38.46x
Chesterton 2 45.05x
Great Boughton 2 115.61x
Islington London 2 0.91x
Little Munden 2 555.56x
Little Stanmore 2 298.51x
Little Wymondley 2 645.16x
Penge 2 13.77x
Playford 2 1052.63x
Shire Hall Yard 2 833.33x
Stetchworth 2 425.53x
Thetford St Peter 2 217.39x
Westminster St John 2 7.23x
Wickham Market 2 175.44x
Ampton 1 1250.00x
Andover 1 22.73x
Dullingham 1 153.85x
Evington 1 285.71x
Ipswich St Mathew 1 12.89x
Lackford 1 714.29x
Lambeth 1 0.50x
Levenshulme 1 35.97x
Openshaw 1 7.92x
Plumstead 1 3.87x
Saltash 1 50.00x
South Lopham 1 238.10x
St Martin In Fields 1 7.35x
St Marylebone London 1 0.82x
Stanton 1 151.52x
Tatenhill 1 192.31x
Tottington 1 454.55x
Yateley 1 113.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Eliza 9
Elizabeth 9
Ann 8
Emma 8
Emily 5
Alice 4
Annie 4
Sarah 4
Caroline 3
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Jane 3
Susan 3
Anne 2
David 2
Ellen 2
Esther 2
Florence 2
Harriett 2
Louisa 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Minnie 2
Ada 1
Allace 1
Carry 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Elizh.E. 1
Fanny 1
Helen 1
Ida 1
Isabella 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Lily 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Mildred 1
Nellie 1
Pricilla 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1
Sussanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 15
John 12
Charles 9
Henry 9
William 9
James 7
Robert 5
Richard 4
Alfred 3
Edgar 3
Edward 3
Thomas 3
Walter 3
David 2
Fred 2
Joseph 2
Samuel 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Dennis 1
Edwin 1
Ephraim 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Frederick 1
Fredk.Arthur 1
Harry 1
Joshua 1
Noress 1
Percy 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Worby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Worby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 233 people were recorded with the Worby surname. That placed it at #11,648 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Worby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 474 in 2016. That gives Worby a modern rank of #10,385.

What does the Worby surname mean?

A habitational name originally denoting someone from a minor place named Worby or Worboys.

What does the Worby map show?

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