NameCensus.

UK surname

Bardon

A nickname surname derived from a pet-form of the male given name Bartholomew.

In the 1881 census there were 115 people recorded with the Bardon surname, ranking it #18,230 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 196, ranked #19,848, down from #18,230 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Birstall, Coxwold and Goudhurst. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harrogate, Hambleton and Kirklees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bardon is 276 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 70.4%.

1881 census count

115

Ranked #18,230

Modern count

196

2016, ranked #19,848

Peak year

1861

276 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bardon had 115 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,230 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 196 in 2016, ranked #19,848.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 276 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bardon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bardon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bardon 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 73 #20,581
1861 historical 276 #9,052
1881 historical 115 #18,230
1891 historical 173 #16,600
1901 historical 137 #19,032
1911 historical 86 #24,243
1997 modern 200 #17,618
1998 modern 200 #18,114
1999 modern 204 #18,021
2000 modern 223 #16,978
2001 modern 209 #17,469
2002 modern 202 #18,189
2003 modern 198 #18,252
2004 modern 189 #18,855
2005 modern 178 #19,535
2006 modern 187 #19,079
2007 modern 196 #18,737
2008 modern 200 #18,640
2009 modern 212 #18,328
2010 modern 218 #18,375
2011 modern 213 #18,502
2012 modern 210 #18,604
2013 modern 201 #19,454
2014 modern 201 #19,641
2015 modern 200 #19,567
2016 modern 196 #19,848

Geography

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Where Bardons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Birstall, Coxwold, Goudhurst, St Marylebone and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harrogate, Hambleton and Kirklees. 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 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Coxwold Yorkshire, North Riding
3 Goudhurst Kent
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harrogate 018 Harrogate
2 Hambleton 009 Hambleton
3 Hambleton 008 Hambleton
4 Harrogate 009 Harrogate
5 Kirklees 018 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bardon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bardon

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

Bardon 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

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

Meaning and origin of Bardon

The surname BARDON is believed to have originated in France, specifically in the region of Normandy, during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "barde," which means "bard" or "poet." This suggests that the name may have initially been given to someone who practiced the profession of a bard or storyteller.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BARDON can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a certain "Bardo" who held lands in Lincolnshire.

During the 12th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Bardun," "Bardoun," and "Bardone," in various records and charters from across Normandy and northern France. These variations likely reflect the regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the name BARDON was Roger Bardon, a French trouvère (a poet and composer of secular songs) who was active in the court of King Henry III of England. His works are considered important examples of early French poetry and music.

Another historical figure with the surname BARDON was Jean Bardon, a French philosopher and theologian who lived in the 15th century. He was known for his writings on metaphysics and his contributions to the understanding of the works of Aristotle.

In the 16th century, the name BARDON gained prominence in England with the birth of John Bardon (1528-1595), an English Protestant reformer and theologian who played a significant role in the Reformation movement.

Moving into the 17th century, a notable BARDON was Philippe Bardon (1605-1672), a French painter and engraver who was known for his religious and mythological works. His paintings and engravings can be found in various museums and collections across Europe.

As the name spread across Europe, it also appeared in other regions, such as Italy, where a prominent figure was Girolamo Bardon (1712-1785), an Italian architect and engineer who designed several notable buildings in and around Venice.

Throughout history, the surname BARDON has been associated with various professions, including poets, philosophers, theologians, artists, and architects, reflecting its potential origins as a name given to those involved in creative and intellectual pursuits.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bardon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bardon 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. Yorkshire leads with 39 Bardons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.51x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 39 3.51x
Lancashire 21 1.58x
Hampshire 12 5.22x
Middlesex 10 0.89x
Warwickshire 10 3.53x
Buckinghamshire 3 4.42x
Devon 3 1.28x
Durham 2 0.60x
Kent 2 0.52x
Staffordshire 2 0.53x
Surrey 2 0.37x
Sussex 2 1.06x
Derbyshire 1 0.57x
Glamorgan 1 0.51x
Hertfordshire 1 1.29x
Lanarkshire 1 0.28x
Monmouthshire 1 1.23x
Northamptonshire 1 0.95x
Northumberland 1 0.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liversedge in Yorkshire leads with 11 Bardons recorded in 1881 and an index of 222.22x.

Place Total Index
Liversedge 11 222.22x
Oulston 10 14285.71x
Aston 9 11.55x
Portsmouth 9 170.13x
Liverpool 6 7.42x
York St George 5 568.18x
Barton Upon Irwell 4 39.92x
Normanby In 4 134.68x
Shepley 4 655.74x
Shoreditch London 4 8.23x
Ashton Under Lyne 3 10.31x
Bow Brickhill 3 1666.67x
Millbrook 3 51.81x
North Meols 3 23.02x
Goudhurst 2 188.68x
Lustleigh 2 1428.57x
Spotland 2 13.51x
Streatham 2 24.04x
Wigan 2 10.75x
Worsbrough 2 61.35x
Ashburnham 1 333.33x
Bradfield 1 23.31x
Brandon Byshottles 1 23.92x
Cardiff St John 1 15.67x
Chelsea London 1 2.96x
Daventry 1 67.11x
Dixton Hadnock 1 476.19x
Ealing 1 9.97x
Fulham London 1 6.15x
Govan 1 1.11x
Hale 1 454.55x
Islington London 1 0.92x
Jesmond 1 42.55x
Kensington London 1 1.60x
Leamington Priors 1 14.37x
Mexborough 1 45.25x
Paddington London 1 2.42x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 5.56x
Sheffield 1 2.83x
St Albans St Peter 1 38.31x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 2.49x
Tupton 1 188.68x
Westham 1 256.41x
Westoe 1 5.29x
Whittington 1 129.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Sarah 5
Eliza 4
Elizabeth 3
Ellen 3
Emma 3
Jane 3
Margaret 3
Annie 2
Esther 2
Alice 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Barbara 1
Bridget 1
Carole 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Florance 1
Francis 1
Helena 1
Kate 1
M. 1
Maria 1
Marie 1
Selina 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 9
John 5
Joseph 5
Robert 5
Thomas 5
George 4
Richard 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Dan 1
David 1
Edward 1
Elias 1
Frank 1
Henry 1
Patrick 1
Reuben 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
Wright 1

FAQ

Bardon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bardon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 115 people were recorded with the Bardon surname. That placed it at #18,230 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bardon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 196 in 2016. That gives Bardon a modern rank of #19,848.

What does the Bardon surname mean?

A nickname surname derived from a pet-form of the male given name Bartholomew.

What does the Bardon map show?

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