UK surname
An English surname derived from a location bearing the name "Alwood."
In the 1881 census there were 95 people recorded with the Alwood surname, ranking it #20,349 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 11, ranked #37,501, down from #20,349 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Mells, London parishes and Stockbury. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Alwood is 269 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 88.4%.
1881 census count
95
Ranked #20,349
Modern count
11
2016, ranked #37,501
Peak year
1861
269 bearers
Map years
2
1851 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Alwood surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Alwood surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 154 | #12,668 |
| 1861 | historical | 269 | #9,244 |
| 1881 | historical | 95 | #20,349 |
| 1891 | historical | 89 | #25,542 |
| 1901 | historical | 24 | #31,365 |
| 1911 | historical | 34 | #29,600 |
| 1997 | modern | 14 | #36,528 |
| 1998 | modern | 15 | #36,457 |
| 1999 | modern | 11 | #36,917 |
| 2000 | modern | 16 | #36,316 |
| 2001 | modern | 14 | #36,372 |
| 2002 | modern | 19 | #35,991 |
| 2003 | modern | 19 | #36,011 |
| 2004 | modern | 17 | #36,342 |
| 2005 | modern | 16 | #36,530 |
| 2006 | modern | 19 | #36,323 |
| 2007 | modern | 17 | #36,628 |
| 2008 | modern | 17 | #36,699 |
| 2009 | modern | 17 | #36,753 |
| 2010 | modern | 19 | #36,687 |
| 2011 | modern | 14 | #37,115 |
| 2012 | modern | 14 | #37,078 |
| 2013 | modern | 14 | #37,127 |
| 2014 | modern | 13 | #37,256 |
| 2015 | modern | 14 | #37,157 |
| 2016 | modern | 11 | #37,501 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Mells, London parishes, Stockbury, Gaddesden, Great and Wellingore. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mells | Somerset |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | Stockbury | Kent |
| 4 | Gaddesden, Great | Hertfordshire |
| 5 | Wellingore | Lincolnshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Alwood surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Alwood, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Alwood surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Alwood household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Alwood is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Alwood is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Alwood, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Alwood has its origins in England, tracing back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "ald" meaning old and "wudu" meaning wood, suggesting that the name was originally associated with individuals who resided near or worked in an ancient forest or woodland area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Alwood can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire, dated 1176, where it appears as "Aldewude." This document was a record of financial accounts maintained by the Exchequer of England during the reign of King Henry II.
In the 13th century, the name Alwood was found in various legal and administrative records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which listed individuals bearing the name in counties like Norfolk and Suffolk. The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 also mention an Alwood family in the county of Worcestershire.
The Domesday Book, the great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain direct references to the surname Alwood. However, it does mention several place names that may have contributed to the formation of the surname, such as "Aldeword" in Hampshire and "Aldewurda" in Gloucestershire.
Notable individuals who bore the surname Alwood throughout history include:
1. Richard Alwood (c. 1350 - 1420), a prominent landowner and member of the gentry in Oxfordshire during the late 14th and early 15th centuries.
2. Sir John Alwood (c. 1480 - 1545), a knight and courtier who served under King Henry VIII and was appointed as the Keeper of the King's Wardrobe.
3. Margaret Alwood (c. 1520 - 1585), a wealthy heiress from Berkshire who was known for her charitable donations to various religious institutions.
4. William Alwood (1592 - 1660), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious treatises and sermons during the reign of Charles I.
5. Thomas Alwood (1636 - 1713), a merchant and shipowner from Bristol who played a significant role in the city's thriving maritime trade during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
It is worth noting that the spelling of the surname has undergone various changes over time, with alternative forms such as Aldwood, Auldwood, and Allwood also being recorded in historical documents.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Alwood surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Warwickshire leads with 17 Alwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.35x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Warwickshire | 17 | 7.35x |
| Middlesex | 16 | 1.75x |
| Nottinghamshire | 15 | 12.14x |
| Kent | 12 | 3.84x |
| Surrey | 11 | 2.46x |
| Glamorgan | 7 | 4.39x |
| Somerset | 4 | 2.71x |
| Lincolnshire | 3 | 2.05x |
| Berkshire | 2 | 2.91x |
| Staffordshire | 2 | 0.65x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.09x |
| Norfolk | 1 | 0.71x |
| Oxfordshire | 1 | 1.77x |
| Suffolk | 1 | 0.90x |
| Sussex | 1 | 0.65x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 17 Alwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.06x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | 17 | 22.06x |
| Islington London | 8 | 9.00x |
| West Bridgford | 8 | 6666.67x |
| Swansea Town | 7 | 53.48x |
| Camberwell | 6 | 10.25x |
| Charlton | 5 | 240.38x |
| Chevening | 5 | 1470.59x |
| Mile End Old Town London | 5 | 25.63x |
| Mells | 3 | 967.74x |
| Nottingham St Mary | 3 | 9.39x |
| Holbeach | 2 | 122.70x |
| Kingswinford | 2 | 17.79x |
| Nottingham St Nicholas | 2 | 119.05x |
| St Marylebone London | 2 | 4.09x |
| Ardwick | 1 | 10.19x |
| Blagdon | 1 | 322.58x |
| Blean | 1 | 454.55x |
| Bray | 1 | 49.51x |
| Chertsey | 1 | 34.60x |
| Gonalstone | 1 | 2500.00x |
| Great Witchingham | 1 | 555.56x |
| Hastings St Leonards | 1 | 44.05x |
| Hayes | 1 | 106.38x |
| Leatherhead | 1 | 89.29x |
| Lewisham | 1 | 6.00x |
| Lowestoft | 1 | 18.98x |
| Mortlake | 1 | 50.25x |
| Newington | 1 | 2.95x |
| Oxford St Martin | 1 | 1111.11x |
| Reading St Mary | 1 | 18.15x |
| Snenton | 1 | 20.62x |
| Sutton | 1 | 30.96x |
| Syston | 1 | 1428.57x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Alwood surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Alwood surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Alwood households.
FAQ
In 1881, 95 people were recorded with the Alwood surname. That placed it at #20,349 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 11 in 2016. That gives Alwood a modern rank of #37,501.
An English surname derived from a location bearing the name "Alwood."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Alwood bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.