NameCensus.

UK surname

Ashman

An English occupational surname for someone who burned ash wood or lived near an ash tree.

In the 1881 census there were 1,934 people recorded with the Ashman surname, ranking it #2,259 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,268, ranked #2,080, up from #2,259 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Dudley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rhondda Cynon Taf, Bath and North East Somerset and East Cambridgeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ashman is 3,526 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 69.0%.

1881 census count

1,934

Ranked #2,259

Modern count

3,268

2016, ranked #2,080

Peak year

2010

3,526 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ashman had 1,934 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,259 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,268 in 2016, ranked #2,080.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,077 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ashman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ashman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ashman 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 1,276 #2,240
1861 historical 1,478 #1,914
1881 historical 1,934 #2,259
1891 historical 2,174 #2,148
1901 historical 2,553 #2,155
1911 historical 3,077 #1,693
1997 modern 3,317 #1,943
1998 modern 3,433 #1,949
1999 modern 3,498 #1,943
2000 modern 3,457 #1,954
2001 modern 3,364 #1,965
2002 modern 3,493 #1,943
2003 modern 3,434 #1,929
2004 modern 3,411 #1,938
2005 modern 3,315 #1,967
2006 modern 3,335 #1,961
2007 modern 3,320 #1,994
2008 modern 3,352 #1,993
2009 modern 3,486 #1,952
2010 modern 3,526 #1,974
2011 modern 3,469 #1,981
2012 modern 3,270 #2,061
2013 modern 3,358 #2,043
2014 modern 3,341 #2,065
2015 modern 3,306 #2,065
2016 modern 3,268 #2,080

Geography

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Where Ashmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Dudley, London parishes and Midsomer Norton, Paulton, Chilcompton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rhondda Cynon Taf, Bath and North East Somerset, East Cambridgeshire and Mendip. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Dudley Staffordshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Midsomer Norton, Paulton, Chilcompton Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rhondda Cynon Taf 016 Rhondda Cynon Taf
2 Bath and North East Somerset 026 Bath and North East Somerset
3 Bath and North East Somerset 023 Bath and North East Somerset
4 East Cambridgeshire 005 East Cambridgeshire
5 Mendip 002 Mendip

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ashman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ashman

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Ashman 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

Ashman is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Ashman

The surname Ashman has its origins in England, where it first appeared in the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "æsc" and "mann," meaning "ash man" or someone who lived near an ash tree or worked with ash wood. The name was initially found in areas with large ash forests, such as Kent, Surrey, and Sussex.

One of the earliest recorded references to the Ashman name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1199, where it was spelled "Asceman." This spelling variation highlights the fluidity of surnames during the Middle Ages before they became standardized.

In the 13th century, the Ashman surname appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, a record of landowners and their properties. This suggests that some Ashmans were landowners or tenants during this period.

During the 14th century, the name was found in various records across England, including the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where it was spelled "Ascheman." This variation likely reflects regional dialects and scribal variations in spelling.

Notable individuals with the Ashman surname include John Ashman (c. 1545-1623), an English merchant and Member of Parliament for Taunton in 1597. Another prominent figure was William Ashman (1629-1704), a British Army officer who served during the English Civil War and later became Governor of the Isle of Wight.

In the 18th century, the Ashman name appeared in the records of the Society of Friends (Quakers) in England, indicating that some members of the family were part of this religious movement.

Other individuals of note include Richard Ashman (1775-1845), an English architect known for his work on Blenheim Palace and other notable buildings, and Thomas Ashman (1819-1894), a British artist and illustrator who specialized in depicting rural life.

Throughout history, variations of the Ashman name have included Ascheman, Asheman, and Assheman, among others. These variations reflect regional dialects, scribal errors, and the evolution of spelling over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ashman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ashman 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. Somerset leads with 635 Ashmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.80x.

County Total Index
Somerset 635 20.80x
Middlesex 144 0.76x
Suffolk 134 5.80x
Kent 128 1.98x
Cambridgeshire 108 8.99x
Monmouthshire 95 6.93x
Gloucestershire 79 2.12x
Yorkshire 69 0.37x
Surrey 68 0.74x
Durham 63 1.12x
Worcestershire 49 1.98x
Glamorgan 46 1.39x
Staffordshire 41 0.64x
Norfolk 40 1.37x
Lancashire 38 0.17x
Devon 28 0.71x
Hertfordshire 22 1.68x
Wiltshire 22 1.31x
Essex 20 0.53x
Sussex 17 0.53x
Northumberland 16 0.57x
Berkshire 13 0.91x
Brecknockshire 13 3.43x
Warwickshire 13 0.27x
Derbyshire 6 0.20x
Hampshire 6 0.15x
Pembrokeshire 6 1.00x
Isle of Man 5 1.42x
Lincolnshire 4 0.13x
Royal Navy 4 1.77x
Bedfordshire 2 0.20x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.09x
Cardiganshire 1 0.22x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.13x
Cheshire 1 0.02x
Cornwall 1 0.05x
Herefordshire 1 0.13x
Leicestershire 1 0.05x
Midlothian 1 0.04x
Northamptonshire 1 0.06x
Oxfordshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Midsomer Norton in Somerset leads with 110 Ashmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 382.48x.

Place Total Index
Midsomer Norton 110 382.48x
Kilmersdon 66 437.67x
Leigh On Mendip 54 1806.02x
Dudley 36 11.96x
Weston 33 140.61x
Wickhambrook 32 368.66x
Rowley Regis 31 17.38x
Radstock 29 144.49x
Walcot 27 16.61x
Mildenhall 23 93.72x
Whatley 21 750.00x
Frome 20 27.39x
Trevethin 20 15.45x
St Pancras London 19 1.24x
Bedwellty 18 7.44x
Farmborough 18 327.87x
Risca 18 69.66x
Chesterton 17 45.91x
Farrington Gurney 16 458.45x
St Marylebone London 16 1.58x
Wood Ditton 16 159.36x
Allendale 15 57.34x
Depden 15 1020.41x
Deptford St Paul 15 3.01x
Mangotsfield 15 40.46x
Camberwell 14 1.16x
Newmarket St Mary 14 78.96x
Smeeth 14 347.39x
Battersea 13 1.86x
Clerkenwell London 13 2.90x
Llangunider 13 55.04x
Necton 13 252.43x
Paulton 13 92.99x
Bathford 12 191.39x
Bathwick 12 35.52x
Camerton 12 134.98x
Mells 12 190.17x
Stoke Lane 12 274.60x
Thornaby 12 17.09x
Dunster 11 150.48x
Houghton Le Spring 11 28.21x
Lewisham 11 3.19x
Lyncombe Widcombe 11 13.76x
Mynyddyslwyn 11 20.34x
Shoreditch London 11 1.34x
Bishopwearmouth 10 2.07x
Brabourne 10 205.76x
Bristol St Augustine 10 16.66x
Bristol St James St Paul 10 8.06x
Hougham 10 25.99x
Plymouth Charles The 10 5.75x
Twerton 10 31.77x
Westminster St John 10 4.33x
Aberystruth 9 7.45x
Bath St James 9 28.27x
Cheetham 9 5.36x
Croydon 9 1.75x
Folkestone 9 7.17x
Guston 9 350.19x
Halifax 9 3.26x
Hertford St John 9 46.20x
Kirtling 9 168.86x
Littleport 9 39.22x
Middlesbrough 9 3.68x
Ousden 9 450.00x
West Derby 9 1.37x
Westbury On Trym 9 7.14x
Westoe 9 2.81x
Chedburgh 8 484.85x
Clifton 8 4.25x
Evercreech 8 108.84x
Greenwich 8 2.65x
High Littleton 8 159.05x
Horningsea 8 299.63x
Hunshelf 8 86.86x
Kensington London 8 0.76x
North Curry 8 77.00x
St Martin In Fields 8 7.05x
Yardley 8 12.63x
Bristol St James In 7 12.80x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 110
Elizabeth 75
Sarah 69
Eliza 44
Alice 38
Ann 32
Ellen 32
Jane 30
Annie 29
Emily 26
Emma 25
Martha 24
Harriet 14
Charlotte 13
Louisa 13
Maria 13
Fanny 12
Ada 11
Caroline 11
Susan 11
Agnes 10
Hannah 9
Kate 9
Lucy 9
Margaret 9
Ruth 9
Edith 8
Lydia 7
Rose 7
Susannah 7
Elizth. 6
Florence 5
Frances 5
Maud 5
Rosa 5
Susanah 5
Anne 4
Esther 4
Georgina 4
Gertrude 4
Clara 3
Harriett 3
Lavinia 3
Leah 3
Lilly 3
Mabel 3
Melinda 3
Minnie 3
Patience 3
Rhoda 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 110
George 96
John 79
Charles 58
James 53
Thomas 50
Henry 43
Joseph 34
Edward 26
Richard 24
Alfred 23
Frederick 23
Walter 20
Albert 18
Arthur 16
Robert 14
Frank 10
Herbert 10
Edwin 9
Benjamin 8
Ernest 8
Samuel 8
Daniel 7
Mark 7
Francis 6
Harry 6
Isaac 6
Jacob 6
Simon 6
Wm. 6
Edgar 5
David 4
Edmund 4
Elijah 4
Fredk. 4
Fredrick 4
Giles 4
Sidney 4
Abel 3
Abraham 3
Cornelius 3
Dixon 3
Fred 3
Gilbert 3
Jas. 3
Jonathan 3
Levi 3
Michael 3
Willm. 3
Leonard 2

FAQ

Ashman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ashman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,934 people were recorded with the Ashman surname. That placed it at #2,259 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ashman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,268 in 2016. That gives Ashman a modern rank of #2,080.

What does the Ashman surname mean?

An English occupational surname for someone who burned ash wood or lived near an ash tree.

What does the Ashman map show?

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