NameCensus.

UK surname

Allwood

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "all wood" or "old wood".

In the 1881 census there were 1,217 people recorded with the Allwood surname, ranking it #3,324 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,577, ranked #3,936, down from #3,324 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mansfield, Gedling and Chesterfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Allwood is 1,621 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.6%.

1881 census count

1,217

Ranked #3,324

Modern count

1,577

2016, ranked #3,936

Peak year

2010

1,621 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Allwood had 1,217 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,324 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,577 in 2016, ranked #3,936.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,553 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Allwood surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Allwood surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Allwood 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 812 #3,308
1861 historical 995 #2,801
1881 historical 1,217 #3,324
1891 historical 1,481 #2,971
1901 historical 1,474 #3,468
1911 historical 1,553 #3,120
1997 modern 1,528 #3,850
1998 modern 1,566 #3,899
1999 modern 1,576 #3,915
2000 modern 1,598 #3,865
2001 modern 1,566 #3,859
2002 modern 1,609 #3,831
2003 modern 1,563 #3,853
2004 modern 1,569 #3,845
2005 modern 1,545 #3,855
2006 modern 1,546 #3,843
2007 modern 1,554 #3,862
2008 modern 1,542 #3,919
2009 modern 1,602 #3,875
2010 modern 1,621 #3,913
2011 modern 1,580 #3,954
2012 modern 1,556 #3,942
2013 modern 1,605 #3,903
2014 modern 1,607 #3,924
2015 modern 1,580 #3,941
2016 modern 1,577 #3,936

Geography

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Where Allwoods are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes, Manchester and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mansfield, Gedling, Chesterfield, Cheshire East and Newark and Sherwood. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mansfield 010 Mansfield
2 Gedling 002 Gedling
3 Chesterfield 013 Chesterfield
4 Cheshire East 049 Cheshire East
5 Newark and Sherwood 004 Newark and Sherwood

Forenames

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First names often paired with Allwood

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Allwood

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Allwood is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Allwood is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Allwood falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Allwood

The surname ALLWOOD is of English origin, originating in the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words 'ald' meaning old and 'wudu' meaning wood, referring to someone who lived near an old wooded area.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Aldewude' in Essex. This suggests the name was already established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records as 'Aldeword', 'Aldeworde', and 'Aldwode', reflecting the different spellings used at the time. The modern spelling of 'ALLWOOD' emerged in the 16th century.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was John Allwood, who was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1275. Another notable early bearer was William Allwood, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.

Over the centuries, the ALLWOOD surname has been associated with several notable individuals. Sir Thomas Allwood (1564-1639) was a prominent English lawyer and Member of Parliament during the reign of King Charles I. Robert Allwood (1593-1676) was an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Rector of Houghton-le-Spring in County Durham.

In the 18th century, Isaac Allwood (1730-1797) was a renowned English clockmaker based in London, known for his exceptional craftsmanship. John Allwood (1765-1833) was a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.

In more recent times, the ALLWOOD surname has been carried by notable figures such as Arthur Allwood (1893-1975), an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, and John Allwood (1912-2009), a British soldier and author who served in World War II and wrote several books on military history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Allwood families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Allwood 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 217 Allwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.55x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 217 13.55x
Warwickshire 130 4.34x
Derbyshire 92 4.95x
Lancashire 89 0.63x
Middlesex 89 0.75x
Yorkshire 63 0.54x
Berkshire 60 6.73x
Staffordshire 56 1.40x
Lincolnshire 55 2.90x
Cheshire 52 1.98x
Surrey 52 0.90x
Somerset 28 1.46x
Kent 24 0.59x
Gloucestershire 22 0.94x
Leicestershire 20 1.52x
Sussex 20 1.00x
Shropshire 18 1.75x
Norfolk 16 0.88x
Worcestershire 15 0.97x
Hertfordshire 14 1.71x
Bedfordshire 13 2.11x
Lanarkshire 11 0.29x
Hampshire 8 0.33x
Wiltshire 7 0.67x
Cumberland 6 0.59x
Monmouthshire 5 0.58x
Essex 4 0.17x
Flintshire 4 1.25x
Suffolk 4 0.28x
Perthshire 3 0.56x
Westmorland 3 1.15x
Ayrshire 2 0.22x
Cornwall 2 0.15x
Devon 2 0.08x
Dunbartonshire 2 0.63x
Glamorgan 2 0.10x
Oxfordshire 2 0.27x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.20x
Dorset 1 0.13x
Durham 1 0.03x
Northamptonshire 1 0.09x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.26x
Wigtownshire 1 0.63x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 41 Allwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.11x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 41 4.11x
Reading St Mary 36 50.40x
Matlock 26 104.08x
Nottingham St Mary 24 5.79x
Mansfield 23 41.50x
Aston 21 2.55x
Manchester 21 3.31x
Newington 21 4.78x
Basford 20 27.10x
Darley 16 212.77x
Wandsworth 16 13.99x
Ecclesall Bierlow 15 6.26x
Langham 14 1068.70x
Burland 13 486.89x
Islington London 13 1.13x
Leamington Priors 13 17.63x
Reading St Giles 13 14.86x
Holy Trinity 12 4.24x
Lenton 12 31.81x
Ollerton 12 360.36x
Shoreditch London 12 2.33x
Alcester 11 111.34x
Balsall 11 235.04x
Frome 11 24.05x
Hale 11 121.55x
Houghton Regis 11 112.13x
Buckland Dinham 10 540.54x
Gorton 9 6.79x
Hucknall Torkard 9 22.16x
Tamworth 9 41.96x
Wellingore 9 280.37x
Whitchurch Tilstock 9 354.33x
Brightside Bierlow 8 3.46x
Denby 8 140.85x
Earley 8 53.84x
Eaton 8 1538.46x
Fazeley 8 109.74x
Guiseley 8 53.05x
Hodnet 8 99.75x
Letchworth 8 1818.18x
Loughborough 8 13.38x
Ludford Magna 8 496.89x
Packington 8 170.58x
Saighton 8 540.54x
Tottenham 8 4.23x
Bromley London 7 2.68x
Chorlton On Medlock 7 3.13x
Crich 7 57.66x
Epperstone 7 395.48x
Gedling 7 265.15x
Harborne 7 5.45x
Mansfield Woodhouse 7 65.67x
Oxton 7 333.33x
Salford 7 1.69x
Warrington 7 4.19x
Warsop 7 165.09x
Belper 6 16.64x
Brighton 6 1.48x
Coleshill 6 62.44x
Cotham 6 1132.08x
Edgbaston 6 6.46x
Glasgow 6 0.88x
Hackney London 6 0.90x
Lewisham 6 2.78x
Pendleton In Salford 6 3.57x
Radford 6 7.37x
St Pancras London 6 0.63x
Stoke Newington London 6 6.48x
Thurgarton 6 447.76x
Waddington 6 172.91x
Whitehaven 6 11.01x
Whitstable 6 30.18x
Wolverhampton 6 1.95x
Bradnop Cawdry 5 276.24x
Camberwell 5 0.66x
Chelsea London 5 1.40x
Govan 5 0.53x
Newark Upon Trent 5 8.69x
Royton 5 11.59x
St Michael Lincoln 5 97.09x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 85
John 72
Thomas 38
George 37
Joseph 35
James 30
Charles 27
Henry 25
Alfred 16
Robert 14
Samuel 14
Edward 11
Frederick 11
Albert 10
Frank 9
Walter 9
Arthur 8
Herbert 8
Ernest 7
Wm. 6
Benjamin 5
David 5
Edwin 5
Fredrick 5
Thos. 4
Chas. 3
Jno. 3
Percy 3
Philip 3
Richard 3
Stephen 3
Auther 2
Christopher 2
Daniel 2
Edmund 2
Fred 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
Job 2
Lewis 2
Norman 2
Sampson 2
Wm.H. 2
Albt. 1
Augustus 1
Chas 1
Clifford 1
Ezra 1
Frances 1
Jacob 1

FAQ

Allwood surname: questions and answers

How common was the Allwood surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,217 people were recorded with the Allwood surname. That placed it at #3,324 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Allwood surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,577 in 2016. That gives Allwood a modern rank of #3,936.

What does the Allwood surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "all wood" or "old wood".

What does the Allwood map show?

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