NameCensus.

UK surname

Ashworth

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near an ash tree enclosure or ash wood.

In the 1881 census there were 11,942 people recorded with the Ashworth surname, ranking it #359 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 9,067, ranked #722, down from #359 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Bury and Halifax. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rossendale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ashworth is 14,149 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 24.1%.

1881 census count

11,942

Ranked #359

Modern count

9,067

2016, ranked #722

Peak year

1911

14,149 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ashworth had 11,942 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #359 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 9,067 in 2016, ranked #722.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 14,149 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Ashworth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ashworth surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ashworth 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 8,435 #318
1861 historical 9,331 #288
1881 historical 11,942 #359
1891 historical 12,665 #346
1901 historical 13,311 #393
1911 historical 14,149 #345
1997 modern 9,466 #665
1998 modern 9,776 #666
1999 modern 9,831 #667
2000 modern 9,768 #667
2001 modern 9,531 #669
2002 modern 9,700 #673
2003 modern 9,461 #673
2004 modern 9,449 #675
2005 modern 9,354 #669
2006 modern 9,262 #674
2007 modern 9,285 #679
2008 modern 9,324 #682
2009 modern 9,501 #689
2010 modern 9,613 #695
2011 modern 9,373 #706
2012 modern 9,103 #714
2013 modern 9,260 #712
2014 modern 9,304 #715
2015 modern 9,178 #715
2016 modern 9,067 #722

Geography

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Where Ashworths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Bury, Halifax, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) and Whalley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rossendale. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Bury Lancashire
3 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire
5 Whalley Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rossendale 010 Rossendale
2 Rossendale 004 Rossendale
3 Rossendale 001 Rossendale
4 Rossendale 003 Rossendale
5 Rossendale 009 Rossendale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ashworth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ashworth

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Ashworth 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

Ashworth 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

Ashworth falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Ashworth

The surname Ashworth has its origins in the region of Lancashire, England, and dates back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "æsc" meaning ash tree, and "worth" meaning an enclosed homestead or farm. Thus, the name suggests that the original bearer lived near an ash tree-lined enclosure or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Lancashire Inquests of 1311, which mentions a Thomas de Asshewrth. The Domesday Book of 1086 does not contain any direct references to the surname, but it does list several places named Ashworth, such as Ashworth in Rochdale and Ashworth in Wigan, indicating that the name was likely derived from a place name.

During the Middle Ages, the surname was often spelled in various ways, including Asshewrth, Asseworth, and Asshworth, reflecting the regional dialects and the inconsistencies in spelling conventions of the time. The modern spelling of Ashworth became more standardized by the 17th century.

Notable individuals with the surname Ashworth throughout history include:

1. John Ashworth (c. 1530-1590), an English Catholic martyr who was executed for his faith during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

2. Henry Ashworth (1794-1880), an English industrialist and philanthropist who played a significant role in the development of the textile industry in Lancashire.

3. Henrietta Ashworth (1851-1938), an English women's rights activist and suffragette, who campaigned for women's suffrage in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

4. Caleb Ashworth (1722-1775), an English Puritan minister and theologian, known for his influential sermons and writings on practical divinity.

5. John Ashworth (1915-1995), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Lancashire and represented England in Test matches during the 1940s and 1950s.

The Ashworth surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Ashworth Valley in West Yorkshire, Ashworth Moor in Greater Manchester, and Ashworth Town in Lancashire, further reinforcing its connection to the region's geography and history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ashworth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ashworth 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. Lancashire leads with 9,551 Ashworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.91x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 9,551 6.91x
Yorkshire 1,142 0.99x
Cheshire 439 1.71x
Middlesex 155 0.13x
Derbyshire 78 0.43x
Staffordshire 71 0.18x
Surrey 68 0.12x
Nottinghamshire 50 0.32x
Durham 44 0.13x
Devon 37 0.15x
Lincolnshire 34 0.18x
Cambridgeshire 28 0.38x
Hampshire 23 0.10x
Cumberland 22 0.22x
Westmorland 18 0.70x
Kent 17 0.04x
Shropshire 17 0.17x
Gloucestershire 15 0.07x
Essex 13 0.06x
Lanarkshire 13 0.03x
Northamptonshire 12 0.11x
Northumberland 10 0.06x
Sussex 10 0.05x
Hertfordshire 8 0.10x
Norfolk 8 0.04x
Berkshire 7 0.08x
Warwickshire 7 0.02x
Somerset 5 0.03x
Cornwall 4 0.03x
Denbighshire 4 0.09x
Worcestershire 4 0.03x
Ayrshire 3 0.03x
Flintshire 3 0.10x
Glamorgan 3 0.01x
Leicestershire 3 0.02x
Montgomeryshire 3 0.11x
Royal Navy 3 0.22x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.03x
Channel Islands 2 0.06x
Merionethshire 2 0.09x
Midlothian 2 0.01x
Argyllshire 1 0.03x
Bedfordshire 1 0.02x
Dorset 1 0.01x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.04x
Inverness-shire 1 0.03x
Isle of Man 1 0.05x
Monmouthshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newchurch in Lancashire leads with 1,044 Ashworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 92.27x.

Place Total Index
Newchurch 1,044 92.27x
Spotland 784 50.99x
Castleton 387 28.02x
Bury 351 22.22x
Oldham 305 6.83x
Heap 290 39.53x
Accrington 287 22.83x
Ashton Under Lyne 225 7.44x
Haslingden 224 39.12x
Habergham Eaves 213 16.85x
Higher Booths 211 84.63x
Manchester 208 3.34x
Lower Booths 206 83.13x
Radcliffe 190 28.50x
Wardleworth 189 23.91x
Blackburn 188 5.11x
Salford 164 4.03x
Wuerdle Wardle 164 39.06x
Burnley 155 13.31x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 153 103.53x
Preston 138 3.73x
Tottington Lower End 133 20.24x
Hulme 115 3.98x
Rochdale 114 113.03x
Wadsworth 104 55.32x
Little Bolton 102 5.74x
Stansfield 100 23.53x
Chadderton 93 13.76x
Horton In Bradford 91 5.05x
Over Darwen 90 8.15x
Butterworth 89 26.41x
Tottington Higher End 89 56.53x
Halifax 88 5.19x
Elton 87 18.21x
Dukinfield 80 6.73x
Pilkington 79 15.04x
Todmorden Walsden 78 21.05x
Great Little Marsden 77 12.15x
Halliwell 77 15.30x
Hopwood 74 40.93x
Newton 74 6.94x
Cheetham 73 7.08x
Walmersley Cum 65 29.41x
Leeds 57 0.87x
Pendleton In Salford 56 3.40x
Royton 55 13.00x
Birtle Cum Bamford 54 59.83x
Barton Upon Irwell 50 4.80x
Hyde 50 6.59x
Broughton In Salford 49 3.87x
Ovenden 49 9.53x
Farnworth 47 5.67x
Colne 46 11.16x
Bradford 43 1.54x
Great Bolton 41 2.24x
Layton With Warbreck 41 8.08x
Blatchinworth 40 12.70x
Langfield 39 19.30x
Northowram 39 4.82x
Barrowford Booth 37 24.18x
Middleton In Oldham 37 8.92x
North Meols 37 2.73x
Chorlton On Medlock 36 1.64x
Nottingham St Mary 35 0.86x
Worsley 35 4.11x
Turton 33 14.57x
Whalley 33 16.37x
Crompton 32 8.12x
Church 31 15.87x
Ardwick 30 2.40x
Tonge 30 10.34x
Everton 29 0.66x
Stoke Upon Trent 29 0.70x
Manningham 28 1.97x
Prestwich 28 8.12x
Beswick 27 7.63x
Heaton Norris 27 3.43x
Padiham 27 8.08x
Stockport 27 2.04x
Oswaldtwistle 26 5.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,034
Sarah 622
Elizabeth 508
Alice 416
Ann 258
Jane 241
Margaret 190
Hannah 189
Martha 185
Ellen 170
Emma 155
Eliza 120
Annie 109
Betty 107
Emily 95
Betsy 84
Clara 56
Nancy 53
Harriet 50
Ada 49
Susannah 47
Maria 46
Fanny 45
Lucy 44
Esther 43
Isabella 41
Edith 37
Susan 32
Elizth. 31
Florence 31
Rachel 31
Grace 30
Agnes 29
Catherine 29
Frances 28
Louisa 28
Bertha 27
Anne 24
Charlotte 24
Ruth 24
Amelia 19
Rebecca 17
Amy 16
Selina 16
Caroline 15
Matilda 15
Margret 14
Rose 14
Harriett 13
Margt. 12

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 926
James 692
William 448
Thomas 341
George 269
Robert 240
Richard 212
Joseph 209
Henry 171
Samuel 137
Charles 103
Edward 103
Walter 69
Albert 68
Alfred 64
Arthur 62
Abraham 61
Edmund 61
Fred 53
Frank 52
Herbert 52
Harry 48
David 47
Wm. 43
Edwin 40
Frederick 31
Joshua 31
Benjamin 28
Thos. 28
Ernest 27
Jas. 22
Robt. 19
Tom 19
Lawrence 18
Peter 17
Miles 15
Caleb 14
Francis 14
Daniel 13
Jno. 13
Squire 13
Adam 12
Andrew 11
Harold 11
Jordan 11
Fredrick 10
Jonathan 10
Moses 10
Isaac 9
Enoch 8

FAQ

Ashworth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ashworth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 11,942 people were recorded with the Ashworth surname. That placed it at #359 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ashworth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 9,067 in 2016. That gives Ashworth a modern rank of #722.

What does the Ashworth surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near an ash tree enclosure or ash wood.

What does the Ashworth map show?

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