NameCensus.

UK surname

Yew

An English surname derived from the yew tree, a type of evergreen conifer.

In the 1881 census there were 16 people recorded with the Yew surname, ranking it #31,301 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 107, ranked #29,762, up from #31,301 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cardiff, Haringey and Cheshire West and Chester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Yew is 108 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 568.8%.

1881 census count

16

Ranked #31,301

Modern count

107

2016, ranked #29,762

Peak year

2010

108 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Yew had 16 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,301 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 107 in 2016, ranked #29,762.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 16 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Student Living and Professional Footholds.

Yew surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Yew surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Yew 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 9 #31,675
1881 historical 16 #31,301
1901 historical 9 #33,154
1997 modern 61 #31,526
1998 modern 56 #32,313
1999 modern 58 #32,268
2000 modern 59 #32,217
2001 modern 59 #32,080
2002 modern 60 #32,388
2003 modern 56 #32,797
2004 modern 64 #32,286
2005 modern 75 #31,400
2006 modern 81 #31,044
2007 modern 92 #29,929
2008 modern 96 #29,654
2009 modern 102 #29,286
2010 modern 108 #28,996
2011 modern 108 #28,811
2012 modern 104 #29,543
2013 modern 99 #30,934
2014 modern 105 #30,204
2015 modern 103 #30,444
2016 modern 107 #29,762

Geography

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Where Yews are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cardiff, Haringey, Cheshire West and Chester, Barnet and Tower Hamlets. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cardiff 024 Cardiff
2 Haringey 008 Haringey
3 Cheshire West and Chester 009 Cheshire West and Chester
4 Barnet 007 Barnet
5 Tower Hamlets 027 Tower Hamlets

Forenames

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First names often paired with Yew

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Yew

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Student Living and Professional Footholds

Nationally, the Yew surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Student Living and Professional Footholds, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Yew household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

The Group includes many students, some of whom reside in communal residences. Single-person households are the most prevalent and the modal age band is 25 to 44. There are few families with dependent children. A significant number of White residents were born in EU countries (although UK-born residents are more common than in the rest of the Group), and households reflect a diversity of ethnic groups. Residential turnover is exceptionally high and, communal properties aside, flats are the norm. Some properties, including those in the private rental sector, are over-crowded. Many residents are professionals and technicians educated to degree level, and the Group is particularly common near the campuses of established university towns and cities.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Yew is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Yew is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Yew falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Yew 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
Asian - Chinese

This describes the area pattern most associated with Yew, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Yew

The surname Yew has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is primarily associated with southern counties, such as Devon and Somerset. The name is derived from the Old English word "iw," meaning the yew tree, a tree of significant symbolic and practical importance in ancient Britain. The yew tree was often found in churchyards, as it was believed to ward off evil spirits and was a symbol of immortality.

Historical references to the surname Yew are scarce but notable. It appears sporadically in medieval documents, with variations in spelling such as Yewe, Yowe, and Ewe. One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset, dated 1327, where a Robert le Yewe is listed. This suggests that the surname was used to denote someone who lived near a notable yew tree or a grove of yew trees.

In terms of documented mentions, the Poll Tax records from Yorkshire in 1379 include a Peter de Yew, indicating that the surname was perhaps more widespread than initially thought. The presence of "de Yew" suggests a locational aspect, hinting that this individual's family originated from a place renowned for its yew trees.

One famous historical figure bearing this surname is Samuel Yew, a 17th-century herbalist born in 1625 in Devon, who was known for his extensive knowledge of the medicinal properties of plants, including the yew tree itself. Another notable person was Margaret Yew, born in 1750, a midwife in Somerset who played a significant role in the local community.

In the 19th century, a prominent individual was John Yew, an inventor born in 1832 in Gloucester, who developed several agricultural tools that significantly impacted farming practices of the time. His innovations earned him recognition and a degree of fame within agricultural circles.

In the arts, Emily Yew, born in 1895 in London, became a well-respected painter, known for her landscape works that often featured yew trees, symbolizing her connection to the natural heritage of her surname.

Overall, the surname Yew is steeped in ancient history, rooted in the natural landscape of England, and has been carried by individuals who have contributed to various fields across centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Yew families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Yew 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 7 Yews recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.56x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 7 3.56x
Middlesex 7 4.23x
Devon 1 2.90x
Lanarkshire 1 1.87x
Staffordshire 1 1.79x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 7 Yews recorded in 1881 and an index of 43.61x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 7 43.61x
Hawkshead Monk Coniston 5 7142.86x
North Meols 2 104.17x
Glasgow 1 10.52x
Moreton Hampstead 1 1111.11x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 16.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 2
Alice 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
John 1
Louise 1
Maria 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2
Wm. 2
Alfred 1
James 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Yew households.

FAQ

Yew surname: questions and answers

How common was the Yew surname in 1881?

In 1881, 16 people were recorded with the Yew surname. That placed it at #31,301 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Yew surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 107 in 2016. That gives Yew a modern rank of #29,762.

What does the Yew surname mean?

An English surname derived from the yew tree, a type of evergreen conifer.

What does the Yew map show?

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