NameCensus.

UK surname

Aspden

A surname derived from a place name in Yorkshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,322 people recorded with the Aspden surname, ranking it #3,105 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,046, ranked #5,577, down from #3,105 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Preston and Blackburn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blackburn with Darwen and Hyndburn.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Aspden is 1,618 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 20.9%.

1881 census count

1,322

Ranked #3,105

Modern count

1,046

2016, ranked #5,577

Peak year

1911

1,618 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Aspden had 1,322 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,105 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,046 in 2016, ranked #5,577.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,618 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Aspden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Aspden surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Aspden 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 1,003 #2,785
1861 historical 859 #3,222
1881 historical 1,322 #3,105
1891 historical 1,369 #3,169
1901 historical 1,450 #3,509
1911 historical 1,618 #3,001
1997 modern 1,113 #5,016
1998 modern 1,156 #5,032
1999 modern 1,175 #5,018
2000 modern 1,154 #5,066
2001 modern 1,141 #5,024
2002 modern 1,150 #5,091
2003 modern 1,111 #5,132
2004 modern 1,101 #5,179
2005 modern 1,078 #5,219
2006 modern 1,065 #5,273
2007 modern 1,080 #5,260
2008 modern 1,066 #5,348
2009 modern 1,085 #5,379
2010 modern 1,088 #5,490
2011 modern 1,075 #5,477
2012 modern 1,071 #5,404
2013 modern 1,082 #5,448
2014 modern 1,090 #5,446
2015 modern 1,073 #5,462
2016 modern 1,046 #5,577

Geography

Back to top

Where Aspdens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Preston, Blackburn, Bolton-le-Moors and Whalley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blackburn with Darwen and Hyndburn. 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 Preston Lancashire
3 Blackburn Lancashire
4 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
5 Whalley Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blackburn with Darwen 017 Blackburn with Darwen
2 Blackburn with Darwen 001 Blackburn with Darwen
3 Blackburn with Darwen 014 Blackburn with Darwen
4 Hyndburn 001 Hyndburn
5 Hyndburn 003 Hyndburn

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Aspden

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Aspden

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Aspden, 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 Aspden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Aspden 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, Aspden 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

Aspden 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

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

Meaning and origin of Aspden

The surname Aspden is of English origin, specifically rooted in the West Riding of Yorkshire. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, derived from a habitation site near the River Aire. The earliest known spelling of the name was "de Aspeden" or "de Aspdene," dating back to the 13th century.

The name is thought to be a combination of the Old English words "aesp" (meaning aspen tree) and "dene" (a valley or hollow). This suggests that the original bearers of the name may have lived in a valley where aspen trees grew abundantly. Alternatively, it could also be a reference to a specific place called "Aspden" or a similar name.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, where a John de Aspeden is mentioned. This suggests that the surname had already established itself by the late 14th century in the region.

The Aspden surname has a notable presence in the historical records of Yorkshire. In the 16th century, a Thomas Aspden is listed as a landowner in the Wakefield Manor Rolls of 1537. Additionally, the Yorkshire Feet of Fines from 1585 mentions a John Aspden in connection with land transactions.

Over the centuries, the name has been subject to various spelling variations, including Aspden, Aspdene, Aspedene, and Aspedyne. These variations reflect the changes in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time.

Notable individuals bearing the Aspden surname include:

1. John Aspden (c. 1545 - 1620), an English yeoman farmer from Yorkshire. 2. William Aspden (1721 - 1799), a prominent landowner and businessman in the West Riding of Yorkshire. 3. Mary Aspden (1778 - 1857), a philanthropist and benefactor of several charitable institutions in Leeds. 4. Samuel Aspden (1831 - 1903), an English industrialist and entrepreneur who founded the Aspden Textile Mills in Lancashire. 5. Emily Aspden (1885 - 1968), a British novelist and writer known for her works set in the Yorkshire countryside.

While the Aspden surname has its roots in Yorkshire, it has since spread to other parts of England and beyond, carried by generations of individuals with ties to the original bearers of the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Aspden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Aspden 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 1,224 Aspdens recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.02x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,224 8.02x
Yorkshire 46 0.36x
Cheshire 22 0.78x
Essex 8 0.32x
Durham 7 0.18x
Middlesex 3 0.02x
Lanarkshire 2 0.05x
Derbyshire 1 0.05x
Kent 1 0.02x
Northumberland 1 0.05x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.06x
Staffordshire 1 0.02x
Surrey 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Over Darwen in Lancashire leads with 291 Aspdens recorded in 1881 and an index of 238.80x.

Place Total Index
Over Darwen 291 238.80x
Blackburn 178 43.85x
Preston 75 18.37x
Accrington 47 33.89x
Burnley 38 29.58x
Livesey 32 119.49x
Clitheroe 28 62.36x
Chorley 23 26.87x
Mellor 23 476.19x
Hulme 21 6.59x
Little Bolton 21 10.71x
Pendlebury 19 58.99x
Habergham Eaves 17 12.19x
Clayton Le Moors 16 54.05x
Drighlington 16 86.21x
Newchurch 16 12.82x
Great Bolton 14 6.93x
Tockholes 14 645.16x
Balderstone 12 560.75x
Eccleshill 12 360.36x
Gorton 12 8.37x
Church 11 51.07x
Great Harwood 11 39.88x
Oswaldtwistle 11 20.41x
Billington 10 160.51x
Stockport 10 6.85x
Whalley 10 44.98x
Worsley 10 10.63x
Ardwick 9 6.54x
Heaton Norris 9 10.36x
Rishton 9 50.31x
Turton 9 36.03x
Walton Le Dale 9 21.95x
Barrowford Booth 8 47.39x
Elton 8 15.18x
Lower Booths 8 29.27x
Walthamstow 8 8.76x
Crompton 7 16.11x
Dukinfield 7 5.34x
Kirkham 7 34.71x
Layton With Warbreck 7 12.50x
Little Hulton 7 27.71x
Poulton Barre 7 40.32x
Barton Upon Irwell 6 5.22x
Cheetham 6 5.27x
Doncaster 6 6.45x
Hardhorn With Newton 6 320.86x
Royton 6 12.86x
Salford 6 1.34x
Spotland 6 3.54x
Westhoughton 6 14.74x
Whittle Le Woods 6 118.58x
Witton 6 31.27x
Anglezarke 5 1136.36x
Ashton Under Lyne 5 1.50x
Blackley 5 18.70x
Bradford 5 1.62x
Breightmet 5 74.52x
Castleton 5 3.28x
Fishwick 5 52.97x
Padiham 5 13.56x
Samlesbury 5 149.25x
Altrincham 4 8.07x
Dewsbury 4 3.06x
Horwich 4 24.04x
Morley 4 6.04x
Openshaw 4 5.60x
Stansfield 4 8.53x
West Derby 4 0.90x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 1.24x
Higher Booths 3 10.91x
Leeds 3 0.42x
Manchester 3 0.44x
North Meols 3 2.01x
Shotton 3 31.71x
Barrow In Furness 2 0.96x
Osbaldeston 2 294.12x
Thornton In Fylde 2 5.99x
Todmorden Walsden 2 4.89x
West Witton 2 90.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 114
Elizabeth 53
Alice 49
Sarah 46
Margaret 42
Jane 34
Ellen 33
Ann 23
Martha 18
Hannah 17
Nancy 15
Betty 12
Isabella 9
Betsy 8
Clara 8
Eliza 8
Annie 7
Emily 7
Emma 7
Maria 7
Ruth 7
Esther 6
Susannah 6
Agnes 5
Catherine 5
Charlotte 5
Elizth. 5
Fanny 5
Rose 5
Easter 4
Grace 4
Anne 3
Caroline 3
Dorothy 3
Eleanor 3
Frances 3
Kate 3
Louisa 3
Lucy 3
Margt. 3
Phoebe 3
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Bertha 2
Christiana 2
Dinah 2
Matilda 2
Nanny 2
Pamela 2
Rachael 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 101
William 73
James 69
Thomas 58
George 29
Henry 24
Richard 22
Robert 20
Joseph 18
Wm. 10
Alfred 9
Charles 7
David 7
Edward 7
Arthur 6
Benjamin 6
Ralph 6
Daniel 5
Peter 5
Albert 4
Christopher 4
Thos. 4
Walter 4
Abraham 3
Aspden 3
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Richd. 3
Samuel 3
Clayton 2
Edgar 2
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Fredrick 2
Isaac 2
Isaiah 2
Jacob 2
Lawrence 2
Martin 2
Morris 2
Nathaniel 2
Newton 2
Noah 2
Stephen 2
Emile 1
Enoch 1
Yates 1

FAQ

Aspden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Aspden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,322 people were recorded with the Aspden surname. That placed it at #3,105 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Aspden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,046 in 2016. That gives Aspden a modern rank of #5,577.

What does the Aspden surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name in Yorkshire, England.

What does the Aspden map show?

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