NameCensus.

UK surname

Ashwood

An English surname referring to someone living near an ash wood or forest.

In the 1881 census there were 379 people recorded with the Ashwood surname, ranking it #8,268 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 637, ranked #8,304, down from #8,268 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Monkland, Willesden and Tamworth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lewes, Ardler and St Marys and Tamworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ashwood is 682 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 68.1%.

1881 census count

379

Ranked #8,268

Modern count

637

2016, ranked #8,304

Peak year

1998

682 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ashwood had 379 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,268 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 637 in 2016, ranked #8,304.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 467 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Ashwood surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ashwood surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ashwood 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 261 #8,490
1861 historical 383 #6,680
1881 historical 379 #8,268
1891 historical 440 #8,216
1901 historical 467 #8,471
1911 historical 458 #8,376
1997 modern 664 #7,545
1998 modern 682 #7,628
1999 modern 669 #7,773
2000 modern 668 #7,767
2001 modern 646 #7,837
2002 modern 649 #7,959
2003 modern 639 #7,921
2004 modern 645 #7,884
2005 modern 616 #8,102
2006 modern 629 #8,005
2007 modern 655 #7,815
2008 modern 661 #7,805
2009 modern 651 #8,057
2010 modern 647 #8,273
2011 modern 657 #8,088
2012 modern 652 #8,057
2013 modern 655 #8,163
2014 modern 648 #8,274
2015 modern 645 #8,249
2016 modern 637 #8,304

Geography

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Where Ashwoods are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around New Monkland, Willesden, Tamworth and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lewes, Ardler and St Marys, Tamworth, Rushmoor and IZ06. 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 New Monkland Lanark
2 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 Tamworth Staffordshire
4 London parishes London 1
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lewes 003 Lewes
2 Ardler and St Marys Dundee City
3 Tamworth 004 Tamworth
4 Rushmoor 002 Rushmoor
5 IZ06 West Dunbartonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ashwood

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ashwood

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ashwood, 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 Ashwood surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Ashwood 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, Ashwood 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

Ashwood is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ashwood falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ashwood is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Ashwood, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ashwood

The surname ASHWOOD is of English origin and dates back to the late 12th century. It is a locational name derived from a place called Ashwood, which was located in the county of Staffordshire. The name is composed of two Old English words, "æsc" meaning ash tree, and "wudu" meaning wood or forest.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the ASHWOOD name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1195, referring to a Robert de Aschwude. This suggests that the ASHWOOD family may have had roots in or connections to the area around Worcestershire during that time period.

In the 13th century, the ASHWOOD name appears in various records from Norfolk, including the Feet of Fines for Norfolk in 1248, which mentions a William de Aschwode. This indicates that the family had begun to spread and establish themselves in other parts of England by that point.

The ASHWOOD name can also be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296, where a John de Asshewode is listed. This provides evidence of the name's presence in the southern counties of England during the late 13th century.

One notable individual with the ASHWOOD surname was Sir Robert Ashwood, a member of the English gentry who lived in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. He served as a Member of Parliament for Wiltshire in 1491 and was knighted by King Henry VII.

Another historical figure was Thomas Ashwood, born in 1661, who was a prominent English clergyman and author. He served as the Rector of Hanwell in Middlesex and published several works on theology and religious topics during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, William Ashwood, born in 1714, was a notable English architect who designed several churches and country houses in the Palladian style. Some of his notable works include St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds and Holdenby House in Northamptonshire.

The ASHWOOD name has also been associated with various places and locations throughout England, such as Ashwood in Somerset, Ashwood Dale in Derbyshire, and the village of Ashwood in Staffordshire, which is likely the original place from which the surname derived.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ashwood families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ashwood 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 53 Ashwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.43x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 53 1.43x
Lanarkshire 46 3.84x
Shropshire 42 13.12x
Staffordshire 37 2.96x
Surrey 37 2.05x
Yorkshire 24 0.65x
Hertfordshire 19 7.44x
Stirlingshire 15 10.97x
Lancashire 13 0.30x
Essex 11 1.50x
Ayrshire 9 3.24x
Kent 9 0.71x
Warwickshire 9 0.96x
Angus 7 2.04x
Hampshire 6 0.79x
Cheshire 5 0.61x
Cumberland 5 1.57x
Nottinghamshire 5 1.00x
Derbyshire 4 0.69x
Devon 4 0.52x
Durham 3 0.27x
Glamorgan 3 0.46x
Gloucestershire 2 0.28x
West Lothian 2 3.58x
Anglesey 1 1.52x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.67x
Denbighshire 1 0.71x
Herefordshire 1 0.66x
Leicestershire 1 0.24x
Lincolnshire 1 0.17x
Midlothian 1 0.20x
Northamptonshire 1 0.29x
Royal Navy 1 2.26x
Somerset 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. New Monkland in Lanarkshire leads with 18 Ashwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.79x.

Place Total Index
New Monkland 18 50.79x
Tamworth 18 269.06x
Much Wenlock 17 576.27x
Willesden 15 42.93x
Dunipace 14 585.77x
Lambeth 11 3.40x
Tipton 11 28.71x
Billingley 9 3600.00x
Chingford 9 511.36x
Islington London 9 2.51x
Old Monkland 9 18.92x
Shettleston 8 74.56x
Wombwell 8 74.70x
Birmingham 7 2.25x
Dundee 7 5.46x
Rotherhithe 7 15.28x
Broseley 6 105.45x
Deptford St Paul 6 6.15x
Graveley 6 1250.00x
Portsea 6 4.03x
Shrewsbury St Mary 6 47.47x
St Pancras London 6 2.01x
Ardwick 5 12.60x
Battersea 5 3.67x
Camberwell 5 2.11x
Kilwinning 5 55.80x
Papcastle 5 561.80x
Selston 5 89.61x
Shoreditch London 5 3.11x
St Marylebone London 5 2.53x
Stockton 5 735.29x
Streatham 5 18.18x
Bengeo 4 134.68x
Hamilton 4 11.97x
Hanwell 4 60.88x
Paddington London 4 2.93x
Werneth 4 156.25x
Derby St Werburgh 3 8.95x
Doncaster 3 11.18x
Goudhurst 3 85.71x
Kilbirnie 3 45.05x
Newington 3 2.19x
Swansea Town 3 5.67x
Tettenhall 3 39.22x
Tewin 3 447.76x
Bilston 2 8.25x
Cambuslang 2 16.54x
Clifton 2 5.44x
Exeter St David 2 30.35x
Hackney London 2 0.96x
Ince In Makerfield 2 9.77x
Kelloe 2 168.07x
Lanark 2 20.73x
Stevenage 2 50.51x
Uphall 2 32.57x
Welwyn 2 90.50x
West Ham 2 1.24x
Willenhall 2 8.54x
Wrockwardine 2 28.41x
Belper 1 8.89x
Chirk 1 36.23x
Codsall 1 56.18x
Conside Knitsley 1 11.67x
Coventry St Michael 1 3.33x
Dalry 1 7.66x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.50x
Great Creaton 1 250.00x
Harley 1 434.78x
Holbeck 1 4.11x
Llandegfan 1 74.63x
Loughborough 1 5.36x
Orleton 1 136.99x
Richmond 1 3.95x
Ripon 1 11.74x
Rutherglen 1 5.69x
Shrewsbury St Alkmond 1 56.18x
St Botolph Lincoln 1 23.47x
Stirling 1 5.80x
Walcot 1 3.15x
Warwick St Mary 1 12.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Emma 10
Elizabeth 9
Sarah 8
Jane 7
Ann 6
Eliza 6
Ellen 4
Harriet 4
Susan 4
Annie 3
Hannah 3
Louisa 3
Martha 3
Minnie 3
Sophia 3
Alice 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Hanh. 2
Jessie 2
Lilian 2
Lydia 2
Margaret 2
Margt. 2
Pricella 2
Rebecca 2
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Anne 1
Annn 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Elizth. 1
Esther 1
Fairlop 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Gertrude 1
Harrit 1
Horres 1
Jenny 1
Katie 1
Louie 1
Maria 1
Rosanna 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 21
William 17
George 12
Henry 12
Thomas 12
James 10
Charles 6
Joseph 6
Edward 5
Frederick 5
Edwin 4
Richard 4
Alfred 3
Samuel 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Chas. 2
Eli 2
Robert 2
Willm. 2
Benjamin 1
Benjamine 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fred.S. 1
Fredrick 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Jonis 1
Manuel 1
Moses 1
Nathaniel 1
Richd.Hy. 1
Sydney 1
T. 1
Thos. 1
Wallace 1
Walter 1
Willm.N. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Ashwood surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ashwood surname in 1881?

In 1881, 379 people were recorded with the Ashwood surname. That placed it at #8,268 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ashwood surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 637 in 2016. That gives Ashwood a modern rank of #8,304.

What does the Ashwood surname mean?

An English surname referring to someone living near an ash wood or forest.

What does the Ashwood map show?

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