NameCensus.

UK surname

Bardwell

A locational surname referring to someone from any of several places named Bardwell in England.

In the 1881 census there were 318 people recorded with the Bardwell surname, ranking it #9,342 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 549, ranked #9,292, up from #9,342 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sheffield, Ipswich St Mary Stoke and Hormead, Great. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Broadland, Maldon and South Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bardwell is 586 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 72.6%.

1881 census count

318

Ranked #9,342

Modern count

549

2016, ranked #9,292

Peak year

1999

586 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bardwell had 318 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,342 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 549 in 2016, ranked #9,292.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 456 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bardwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bardwell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bardwell 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 210 #10,030
1861 historical 220 #11,076
1881 historical 318 #9,342
1891 historical 388 #9,104
1901 historical 411 #9,300
1911 historical 456 #8,409
1997 modern 566 #8,486
1998 modern 571 #8,675
1999 modern 586 #8,580
2000 modern 574 #8,662
2001 modern 569 #8,596
2002 modern 565 #8,802
2003 modern 568 #8,637
2004 modern 565 #8,697
2005 modern 556 #8,720
2006 modern 529 #9,084
2007 modern 516 #9,343
2008 modern 520 #9,358
2009 modern 540 #9,294
2010 modern 538 #9,523
2011 modern 525 #9,609
2012 modern 509 #9,734
2013 modern 545 #9,410
2014 modern 553 #9,343
2015 modern 546 #9,370
2016 modern 549 #9,292

Geography

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Where Bardwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sheffield, Ipswich St Mary Stoke, Hormead, Great, Ipswich St Margaret, Cold Dunghills, George Street 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 Broadland, Maldon, South Norfolk, Suffolk Coastal and Derbyshire Dales. 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 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Ipswich St Mary Stoke Suffolk
3 Hormead, Great Hertfordshire
4 Ipswich St Margaret, Cold Dunghills, George Street Suffolk
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Broadland 006 Broadland
2 Maldon 007 Maldon
3 South Norfolk 001 South Norfolk
4 Suffolk Coastal 004 Suffolk Coastal
5 Derbyshire Dales 001 Derbyshire Dales

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bardwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bardwell

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Bardwell is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Bardwell is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bardwell falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bardwell

The surname Bardwell originated in England and dates back to the 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the place name Bardwell, which is a parish in the county of Suffolk. The name likely comes from the Old English words "beorg" meaning hill or barrow, and "well" meaning a spring or stream, thus suggesting the name refers to a hill near a spring or stream.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Bardwell can be found in the Feet of Fines for Suffolk in 1197, where a Robert de Bardwelle is mentioned. The Domesday Book, a great survey of England completed in 1086, does not include the name Bardwell, suggesting the name arose after the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various spellings, such as Bardewelle, Bardwelle, and Baredwelle, reflecting the lack of standardized spelling at the time. The earliest known bearer of the name was William de Bardwell, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Suffolk in 1230.

One of the notable individuals bearing the Bardwell surname was Sir Thomas Bardwell, who was born in 1349 and served as a knight and landowner in Suffolk. He was involved in several military campaigns during the Hundred Years' War and was knighted for his service in 1372.

Another prominent figure was John Bardwell, born in 1567 in Dedham, Essex. He was a Puritan minister and one of the founders of the town of Andover, Massachusetts, where he served as the first minister of the church from 1645 until his death in 1654.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Bardwell family settled in the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded members was Robert Bardwell, born in 1607 in Suffolk, England, who immigrated to Massachusetts in 1635 and became a prominent landowner and freeman in the town of Andover.

William Bardwell, born in 1692 in Andover, Massachusetts, was a notable figure in the American Revolutionary War. He served as a captain in the Continental Army and fought in several battles, including the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775.

Another individual of note was James Woodbridge Bardwell, born in 1856 in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts. He was a prominent lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and as a judge in the Massachusetts Superior Court.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bardwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bardwell 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. Suffolk leads with 114 Bardwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.27x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 114 30.27x
Middlesex 43 1.39x
Hertfordshire 31 14.54x
Norfolk 30 6.31x
Yorkshire 24 0.78x
Essex 20 3.28x
Hampshire 10 1.58x
Herefordshire 9 7.10x
Surrey 9 0.60x
Sussex 8 1.53x
Lincolnshire 6 1.21x
Kent 3 0.28x
Wiltshire 3 1.10x
Lancashire 2 0.05x
Monmouthshire 2 0.89x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.48x
Royal Navy 1 2.71x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ipswich St Margaret in Suffolk leads with 25 Bardwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 195.62x.

Place Total Index
Ipswich St Margaret 25 195.62x
Ipswich St Mathew 22 208.33x
Great Hormead 16 2909.09x
Ecclesall Bierlow 14 22.46x
Wilby 14 2800.00x
Heigham 11 43.10x
Poplar London 10 17.14x
Beccles 9 148.51x
Bethnal Green London 9 6.70x
Ledbury 9 206.90x
Poringland 9 1800.00x
Portsea 9 7.25x
Wangford 9 1267.61x
Braughing 8 733.95x
Lambeth 8 2.97x
Barking 7 39.19x
Heeley 7 75.19x
Islington London 7 2.34x
Leyton Low 7 56.41x
West Wittering 7 1000.00x
Ashfield 6 2500.00x
Bishop Stortford 5 70.22x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 5 142.86x
Pinchbeck 5 157.73x
Romford 5 51.81x
Bromley London 4 5.88x
Saxstead 4 1111.11x
Stradbroke 4 314.96x
Woodbridge 4 82.99x
Chippenham 3 52.36x
Clerkenwell London 3 4.11x
Hammersmith London 3 3.94x
Hindringham 3 483.87x
Bolton In Pocklington 2 1538.46x
Hackney London 2 1.15x
Hucknall Torkard 2 18.92x
Ipswich St Nicholas 2 96.62x
Layham 2 350.88x
Liverpool 2 0.90x
Newmarket St Mary 2 69.20x
Norwich St George Colegate 2 115.61x
Pakefield 2 212.77x
St Woollos 2 8.02x
Westminster St Margaret 2 13.40x
Alburgh 1 151.52x
Basingstoke 1 13.72x
Brundish 1 256.41x
Croydon 1 1.20x
East Barnet 1 23.64x
Eye 1 41.15x
Great Bealings 1 333.33x
Great Yarmouth 1 2.54x
Greenwich 1 2.03x
Hastings St Leonards 1 13.05x
Hatfield Peverel 1 75.76x
Holbeach 1 18.15x
Ipswich St Clement 1 10.45x
Kensington London 1 0.58x
Marsden In Almondbury 1 35.84x
Milton In Gravesend 1 6.32x
Norwich St Peter Mancroft 1 41.84x
Norwich St Stephen 1 22.94x
Paddington London 1 0.88x
Royal Navy 1 3.17x
St Mary At Hill London 1 454.55x
Ware 1 16.37x
Wighton 1 185.19x
Woolwich 1 2.57x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 18
John 17
William 15
Henry 8
James 8
Frederick 7
Thomas 6
Edward 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Charles 3
David 3
Harry 3
Samuel 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Daniel 2
Edmund 2
Foster 2
Marcus 2
Nathan 2
Philip 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Archibald 1
Edwin 1
Elmer 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.N. 1
Fredrick 1
Hamer 1
Horace 1
Jacob 1
Joseph 1
Leonard 1
Luther 1
Matthew 1
Phillip 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Wallace 1
Willm. 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Bardwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bardwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 318 people were recorded with the Bardwell surname. That placed it at #9,342 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bardwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 549 in 2016. That gives Bardwell a modern rank of #9,292.

What does the Bardwell surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from any of several places named Bardwell in England.

What does the Bardwell map show?

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