NameCensus.

UK surname

Ambridge

From a place name meaning "dweller by the ridge."

In the 1881 census there were 338 people recorded with the Ambridge surname, ranking it #8,962 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 439, ranked #11,007, down from #8,962 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Ealing, Chiswick and St James Clerkenwell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Lindsey, The Vale of Glamorgan and South Oxfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ambridge is 584 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.9%.

1881 census count

338

Ranked #8,962

Modern count

439

2016, ranked #11,007

Peak year

1911

584 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ambridge had 338 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,962 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 439 in 2016, ranked #11,007.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 584 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Ambridge surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ambridge surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ambridge 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 263 #8,439
1861 historical 276 #9,052
1881 historical 338 #8,962
1891 historical 438 #8,234
1901 historical 474 #8,382
1911 historical 584 #6,977
1997 modern 520 #9,043
1998 modern 527 #9,222
1999 modern 529 #9,245
2000 modern 532 #9,181
2001 modern 527 #9,097
2002 modern 536 #9,163
2003 modern 512 #9,328
2004 modern 504 #9,468
2005 modern 492 #9,553
2006 modern 490 #9,613
2007 modern 496 #9,626
2008 modern 487 #9,840
2009 modern 496 #9,929
2010 modern 502 #10,029
2011 modern 490 #10,114
2012 modern 455 #10,574
2013 modern 461 #10,634
2014 modern 465 #10,628
2015 modern 449 #10,836
2016 modern 439 #11,007

Geography

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Where Ambridges are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Ealing, Chiswick, St James Clerkenwell and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Lindsey, The Vale of Glamorgan, South Oxfordshire, Tameside and Lewes. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Ealing, Chiswick Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
4 St James Clerkenwell London (Central Districts)
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Lindsey 013 East Lindsey
2 The Vale of Glamorgan 007 Vale of Glamorgan
3 South Oxfordshire 005 South Oxfordshire
4 Tameside 026 Tameside
5 Lewes 011 Lewes

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ambridge

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ambridge

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Ambridge surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Ambridge household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Ambridge is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ambridge is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Ambridge

The surname Ambridge is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "ām" meaning "stream" and "brycg" meaning "bridge." The name likely originated in the medieval period, referring to individuals who lived near a stream or bridge.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the 13th century, where a person named Richard de Aumbregg is listed. This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a record of landowners and tenants in England, there is an entry for a John de Aumbrugge, suggesting the name's presence in various parts of the country during that era.

The name Ambridge is also associated with several place names in England, such as Ambridge in Somerset and Ambridge in Wiltshire. These locations may have influenced the surname or vice versa, as place names and surnames often had a reciprocal relationship.

Notable individuals with the surname Ambridge throughout history include:

1. Thomas Ambridge (c. 1588 - 1640), an English clergyman and author known for his theological works. 2. John Ambridge (1692 - 1768), a British civil servant who served as a Commissioner of Excise during the reign of King George II. 3. Elizabeth Ambridge (1718 - 1801), a prominent philanthropist and benefactor in Gloucestershire, who funded the construction of several schools and almshouses. 4. William Ambridge (1824 - 1892), a renowned architect from Yorkshire, known for designing several notable buildings in the Victorian era. 5. Harriet Ambridge (1867 - 1945), a pioneering female author and journalist, who wrote extensively on women's rights and social issues of her time.

While these historical references provide insights into the origins and evolution of the surname Ambridge, it is important to note that the name's significance and prevalence may have varied across different regions and time periods.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ambridge families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ambridge 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. Middlesex leads with 171 Ambridges recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.17x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 171 5.17x
Surrey 29 1.80x
Buckinghamshire 18 9.00x
Bedfordshire 17 9.93x
Essex 16 2.45x
Hertfordshire 12 5.26x
Northamptonshire 12 3.86x
Yorkshire 12 0.37x
Sussex 10 1.79x
Kent 9 0.80x
Berkshire 6 2.42x
Cheshire 6 0.82x
Nottinghamshire 5 1.12x
Lancashire 4 0.10x
Warwickshire 4 0.48x
Derbyshire 3 0.58x
Hampshire 2 0.30x
Dunbartonshire 1 1.13x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.52x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.95x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Marylebone London in Middlesex leads with 32 Ambridges recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.13x.

Place Total Index
St Marylebone London 32 18.13x
Hackney London 19 10.25x
Clerkenwell London 14 17.94x
Ealing 13 43.99x
Fulham London 13 27.11x
Pinner 12 413.79x
Hunslet 11 21.53x
Bushey 10 184.16x
Islington London 9 2.81x
Lambeth 9 3.12x
Shoreditch London 8 5.58x
Wavendon 8 720.72x
Beckenham 7 47.46x
Leyton Low 7 52.75x
Marston Moretaine 7 526.32x
Newington 7 5.73x
St Luke London 7 13.20x
Tottenham 7 13.29x
Edmonton 6 22.52x
Higham Gobion 6 4285.71x
Radley 6 967.74x
St George In East London 6 19.29x
Battersea 5 4.11x
Carlton 5 98.23x
Fenny Stratford 5 264.55x
Great Wakering 5 342.47x
Wellingborough 5 31.97x
Woughton On Green 5 1923.08x
Aston 4 1.74x
Harrow 4 79.21x
Hoole 4 144.93x
Little Stanmore 4 408.16x
Newhaven 4 88.30x
West Ham 4 2.78x
Chesterfield 3 15.46x
East Grinstead 3 38.02x
Hindley 3 17.93x
Newton Bromshold 3 2307.69x
St Andrew Undershaft 3 810.81x
St Pancras London 3 1.13x
Streatham 3 12.23x
Alverstoke 2 8.15x
Kensington London 2 1.09x
Luton 2 6.75x
Rushden 2 48.08x
Silsoe 2 259.74x
South Mimms 2 44.15x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 3.01x
Southwick 2 67.80x
Tranmere 2 7.45x
Barnsley 1 2.96x
Barton Upon Irwell 1 3.39x
Brighton 1 0.89x
Camberwell 1 0.47x
Canterbury All Sts 1 243.90x
Hayes 1 29.67x
Isleworth 1 6.80x
Kings Walden 1 77.52x
Kirkintilloch 1 8.29x
Mile End New Town London 1 15.31x
Northampton All Sts 1 9.48x
Norwood 1 13.23x
Orton Longville 1 333.33x
Pembroke St Mary 1 7.39x
Peterborough 1 4.44x
Poplar London 1 1.60x
Putney 1 6.64x
St Alban Wood Street 1 500.00x
St Albans St Peter 1 13.00x
Teddington London 1 13.35x
Wandsworth 1 3.14x
Woolwich 1 2.40x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Elizabeth 17
Sarah 15
Eliza 8
Emma 7
Jane 7
Lucy 7
Martha 7
Emily 5
Charlotte 4
Maria 4
Anne 3
Clara 3
Edith 3
Frances 3
Julia 3
Louisa 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Ann 2
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Eunice 2
Florence 2
Francis 2
Harriet 2
Matilda 2
Susan 2
Agnes 1
Amy 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Camellia 1
Catherine 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Evelyn 1
Ferbina 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Hester 1
Jessamin 1
Josephine 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Maryann 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 20
William 18
James 14
Charles 11
George 11
Thomas 10
Henry 7
Joseph 7
Frederick 6
Francis 4
Robert 4
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Walter 3
Willm. 3
Albert 2
Benjamin 2
Christopher 2
Harry 2
Alfd. 1
Arthur 1
Benjamine 1
David 1
E.A. 1
Edgar 1
F.G.A. 1
Frank 1
Frederek 1
Fredrick 1
Jas.Edd. 1
Jonathan 1
Jonquil 1
Jos. 1
Michael 1
Richard 1
Septimus 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Tracy 1
W.C. 1
Watson 1
Willm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Ambridge surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ambridge surname in 1881?

In 1881, 338 people were recorded with the Ambridge surname. That placed it at #8,962 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ambridge surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 439 in 2016. That gives Ambridge a modern rank of #11,007.

What does the Ambridge surname mean?

From a place name meaning "dweller by the ridge."

What does the Ambridge map show?

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