Britain's Rarest Surname: Povey (1,064 People in 2011)

According to the 2011 UK Census, the least common surname in the United Kingdom is Povey, borne by just 1,064 individuals. It is of Welsh origin (from ap Hywel, "son of Hywel"), concentrated historically in Montgomeryshire and Shropshire.

By contrast, the most common surname is Smith (1,367,214). Other extremely rare surnames (under 2,000 bearers) include Miracle, Villin, Relish, Tumbler, and Sallow—many are corruptions of occupational or locational names that nearly died out.

Surname rarity reflects migration, anglicization, male-line extinction, and the demographic impact of wars and plagues. The 2021 Census data may shift rankings slightly.