NameCensus.

UK surname

Atwood

Derived from a place name meaning "at the wood," referring to someone who lived near a forest.

In the 1881 census there were 547 people recorded with the Atwood surname, ranking it #6,313 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 204, ranked #19,320, down from #6,313 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hollingbourn and Stockbury. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, Mole Valley and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Atwood is 552 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 62.7%.

1881 census count

547

Ranked #6,313

Modern count

204

2016, ranked #19,320

Peak year

1851

552 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Atwood had 547 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,313 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 204 in 2016, ranked #19,320.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 552 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Atwood surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Atwood surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Atwood 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 552 #4,585
1861 historical 434 #5,933
1881 historical 547 #6,313
1891 historical 409 #8,712
1901 historical 341 #10,629
1911 historical 296 #11,569
1997 modern 177 #19,018
1998 modern 178 #19,452
1999 modern 181 #19,380
2000 modern 178 #19,570
2001 modern 176 #19,415
2002 modern 164 #20,687
2003 modern 171 #19,953
2004 modern 164 #20,609
2005 modern 159 #20,983
2006 modern 150 #21,915
2007 modern 148 #22,406
2008 modern 147 #22,720
2009 modern 158 #22,168
2010 modern 167 #21,835
2011 modern 167 #21,642
2012 modern 168 #21,516
2013 modern 179 #21,028
2014 modern 193 #20,159
2015 modern 196 #19,840
2016 modern 204 #19,320

Geography

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Where Atwoods are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hollingbourn, Stockbury and St Pancras. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caerphilly, Mole Valley and Wigan. 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 Hollingbourn Kent
4 Stockbury Kent
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 022 Caerphilly
2 Caerphilly 020 Caerphilly
3 Mole Valley 009 Mole Valley
4 Caerphilly 018 Caerphilly
5 Wigan 019 Wigan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Atwood

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Atwood

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

Baseline UK

Group

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Atwood surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Atwood household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Atwood 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

Atwood is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Atwood falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Atwood

The surname Atwood originates from England and dates back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "aet" meaning "at" and "wudu" meaning "wood," suggesting that the name referred to someone who lived near or worked in a wooded area.

The earliest recorded examples of the surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195, where it appears as "Atte Wode." Over time, the spelling evolved to its current form, Atwood. This name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Wiltshire in southwestern England.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are no direct references to the surname Atwood. However, the book does mention several place names with the word "wood" in them, indicating the presence of wooded areas that may have influenced the development of this surname.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Atwood throughout history include Thomas Atwood (1545-1609), an English clergyman and mathematician who authored several works on arithmetic and surveying. Another prominent figure was Sir Jonathan Atwood (1638-1701), a British politician and Lord Mayor of London in 1692.

In the literary world, George Atwood (1746-1807) was an English mathematician and author known for his work on mechanics and the invention of the Atwood machine, a device used to demonstrate the laws of motion.

Moving into the 19th century, John Atwood (1810-1887) was an English architect responsible for designing several buildings in London, including the Church of St. Bartholomew in Bethnal Green.

Lastly, Margaret Atwood (born 1939) is a renowned Canadian poet, novelist, and literary critic, best known for works such as "The Handmaid's Tale" and "Alias Grace." She is a highly influential figure in contemporary literature and a recipient of numerous awards and honors.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Atwood families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Atwood 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. Kent leads with 104 Atwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.71x.

County Total Index
Kent 104 5.71x
Middlesex 79 1.48x
Surrey 63 2.42x
Worcestershire 39 5.60x
Staffordshire 30 1.67x
Gloucestershire 25 2.39x
Yorkshire 25 0.47x
Warwickshire 24 1.78x
Sussex 22 2.45x
Hampshire 18 1.65x
Herefordshire 15 6.86x
Cardiganshire 14 10.76x
Lancashire 13 0.21x
Buckinghamshire 11 3.41x
Devon 9 0.81x
Somerset 9 1.05x
Bedfordshire 7 2.53x
Essex 7 0.66x
Monmouthshire 6 1.56x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.83x
Durham 5 0.32x
Hertfordshire 5 1.36x
Northamptonshire 5 1.00x
Lanarkshire 2 0.12x
Berkshire 1 0.25x
Orkney 1 1.70x
Suffolk 1 0.15x
Wiltshire 1 0.21x

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 20 Atwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.02x.

Place Total Index
St Marylebone London 20 7.02x
Hammersmith London 16 12.17x
Newington In Milton 15 789.47x
Croydon 13 9.01x
St Pancras London 13 3.03x
Margate St John Baptist 12 35.99x
Worcester St Martin 12 127.66x
Kings Norton 11 17.61x
Bishops Itchington 10 769.23x
Holy Trinity 10 7.86x
Lavendon 10 689.66x
Charlton 9 74.44x
Battersea 8 4.07x
Birmingham 8 1.78x
Bristol St Paul In 8 28.69x
Harborne 8 13.86x
Mortlake 8 69.03x
Strood 8 77.00x
Tipton 8 14.51x
Worcester St John 8 96.15x
Aberystwith 7 62.50x
Botley 7 355.33x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 7 36.55x
Lambeth 7 1.50x
Aberystwyth 6 289.86x
Caddington 6 148.15x
Colwall 6 221.40x
Gorton 6 10.08x
Gunthorpe 6 1016.95x
Ramsgate 6 20.19x
Smarden 6 288.46x
Woolhope 6 441.18x
Bilston 5 14.32x
Bitton 5 54.88x
Fulham London 5 6.46x
Hinton In Hedges 5 1785.71x
Horton In Bradford 5 6.06x
Lower Llanvrechva 5 131.93x
Putney 5 20.56x
Sedgefield 5 88.34x
Walsall Foreign 5 5.37x
Waltham Holy Cross 5 50.81x
Borden 4 173.16x
Bowling 4 7.64x
Camberwell 4 1.17x
Dover St Mary Virgin 4 22.70x
Edmonton 4 9.30x
Eythorne 4 470.59x
Farnham 4 19.78x
Horsham 4 22.88x
Kensington London 4 1.35x
Leamington Priors 4 12.08x
Minster In Thanet 4 105.54x
Newington 4 2.03x
Newton Abbot St Nicholas 4 176.21x
Nonington 4 275.86x
Poulton 4 8000.00x
Richmond 4 10.98x
Worcester St Alban 4 888.89x
Barnoldswick 3 40.65x
Battle 3 49.42x
Brighton 3 1.65x
Broadwater 3 14.53x
Bury 3 4.15x
Deptford St Paul 3 2.14x
Hackney London 3 1.00x
Islington London 3 0.58x
Kingswinford 3 4.59x
Stoke Lacy 3 566.04x
Tottenham 3 3.53x
Wartling 3 272.73x
Blagdon 2 110.50x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 2.03x
Dover St James 2 25.06x
Knayton With Brawith 2 317.46x
Redbourn 2 49.75x
Wadhurst 2 33.84x
West Ham 2 0.86x
Westbury On Trym 2 5.64x
Whistones 2 39.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 24
Sarah 23
Mary 19
Ellen 14
Emma 13
Ann 9
Annie 8
Eliza 8
Emily 8
Rose 7
Caroline 5
Catherine 5
Charlotte 5
Edith 5
Eleanor 5
Florence 5
Jane 5
Anne 4
Clara 4
Fanny 4
Hannah 4
Harriet 4
Harriett 4
Kate 4
Louisa 4
Maria 4
Alice 3
Martha 3
Matilda 3
Ada 2
Adeline 2
Augusta 2
E. 2
Emly 2
Frances 2
Julia 2
Laura 2
Lucy 2
Margret 2
Marian 2
Rebecca 2
Susannah 2
Charles 1
Elizth. 1
Ellinor 1
Elsie 1
Emilia 1
Leila 1
Lizzie 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 45
Thomas 26
George 25
Henry 14
John 14
Albert 11
James 11
Alfred 9
Charles 8
Frederick 8
Richard 8
Arthur 6
Joseph 6
Samuel 6
David 5
Edward 5
Frank 5
Ernest 3
Walter 3
Alexander 2
Amos 2
Benjamin 2
Edgar 2
Edmond 2
Edmund 2
Francis 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Hubert 2
Sydney 2
Wm. 2
Allothen 1
Arther 1
B.H. 1
Benjaman 1
Clifford 1
Ebenezer 1
Edwd.E. 1
Edwin 1
Elizabeth 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
H. 1
Harold 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
Josiah 1
Levi 1
Mark 1
Peter 1

FAQ

Atwood surname: questions and answers

How common was the Atwood surname in 1881?

In 1881, 547 people were recorded with the Atwood surname. That placed it at #6,313 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Atwood surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 204 in 2016. That gives Atwood a modern rank of #19,320.

What does the Atwood surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "at the wood," referring to someone who lived near a forest.

What does the Atwood map show?

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