NameCensus.

UK surname

Bawdon

A locative surname derived from a place name, potentially referring to someone from Bowdon, Cheshire or Bawdon, West Yorkshire.

In the 1881 census there were 85 people recorded with the Bawdon surname, ranking it #21,573 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 96, ranked #31,684, down from #21,573 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bovey Tracey, Hennock, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and North Molton, Highbray. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sedgemoor, Bristol and Teignbridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bawdon is 162 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.9%.

1881 census count

85

Ranked #21,573

Modern count

96

2016, ranked #31,684

Peak year

1861

162 bearers

Map years

5

1861 to 2006

Key insights

  • Bawdon had 85 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,573 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 96 in 2016, ranked #31,684.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 162 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Bawdon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bawdon surname density by area, 2006 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bawdon 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 64 #21,914
1861 historical 162 #14,310
1881 historical 85 #21,573
1891 historical 73 #27,677
1901 historical 107 #21,955
1911 historical 108 #21,736
1997 modern 120 #24,158
1998 modern 123 #24,449
1999 modern 119 #25,095
2000 modern 116 #25,452
2001 modern 116 #25,089
2002 modern 117 #25,494
2003 modern 108 #26,486
2004 modern 105 #27,181
2005 modern 103 #27,531
2006 modern 101 #28,125
2007 modern 100 #28,669
2008 modern 101 #28,825
2009 modern 101 #29,445
2010 modern 107 #29,153
2011 modern 106 #29,157
2012 modern 101 #30,078
2013 modern 99 #30,934
2014 modern 99 #31,186
2015 modern 100 #31,005
2016 modern 96 #31,684

Geography

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Where Bawdons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bovey Tracey, Hennock, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, North Molton, Highbray, Redruth and Middlezoy, Weston Zoyland, Woolavington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sedgemoor, Bristol, Teignbridge and Stevenage. 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 Bovey Tracey, Hennock Devon
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 North Molton, Highbray Devon
4 Redruth Cornwall
5 Middlezoy, Weston Zoyland, Woolavington Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sedgemoor 002 Sedgemoor
2 Sedgemoor 012 Sedgemoor
3 Bristol 041 Bristol, City of
4 Teignbridge 004 Teignbridge
5 Stevenage 002 Stevenage

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bawdon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bawdon

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Bawdon is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bawdon is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bawdon falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bawdon is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Bawdon, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bawdon

The surname Bawdon is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from a place name, potentially derived from the Old English words "bald" and "dun," which together could mean "bold hill" or "bare hill." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with a geographic location characterized by a prominent, sparsely vegetated hill or elevated terrain.

Records indicate that the earliest known instances of the surname Bawdon can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1297, which mentions a John de Baldon, likely an early spelling variation of the name. Additionally, the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire from 1335 reference a William Bawdon, providing further evidence of the surname's usage during that era.

In the 15th century, the name Bawdon appeared in various historical records, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a Thomas Bawdon was mentioned in 1465. This suggests that individuals bearing this surname may have resided in or had connections to the Yorkshire region during that time period.

One notable individual with the surname Bawdon was Sir Henry Bawdon (1545-1612), who served as a Member of Parliament for Aldborough in Yorkshire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was a prominent figure in local politics and held positions of authority in his community.

Another historically significant figure was Thomas Bawdon (1630-1696), a Catholic priest and historian who authored several works on the history of the Catholic Church in England. His contributions to documenting the religious landscape of his era make him a notable individual associated with this surname.

In the 18th century, the name Bawdon appeared in various parish records and legal documents across various counties in England, including Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, and Derbyshire. This suggests that individuals bearing this surname had established themselves in various regions of the country by that time.

One noteworthy individual from this period was John Bawdon (1735-1811), a successful merchant and landowner who amassed considerable wealth through his business ventures. His descendants continued to hold influence and prominence in their local communities, further solidifying the Bawdon name in the historical records.

As the centuries progressed, the surname Bawdon maintained its presence in various regions of England, with individuals bearing this name contributing to various fields and professions. While the exact origins of the name may be subject to scholarly debate, its enduring presence in historical records attests to its significance and longevity as a surname within English society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bawdon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bawdon 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. Somerset leads with 37 Bawdons recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.72x.

County Total Index
Somerset 37 27.72x
Devon 16 9.27x
Middlesex 11 1.33x
Yorkshire 7 0.85x
Lancashire 4 0.41x
Durham 3 1.22x
Warwickshire 3 1.43x
Hampshire 1 0.59x
Pembrokeshire 1 3.80x
Surrey 1 0.25x
Sussex 1 0.72x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Weston Zoyland in Somerset leads with 34 Bawdons recorded in 1881 and an index of 17894.74x.

Place Total Index
Weston Zoyland 34 17894.74x
Guisbrough 6 333.33x
Cornwood 5 1515.15x
Bishops Nympton 4 1212.12x
Bootle Cum Linacre 4 51.22x
Highweek 4 645.16x
Islington London 4 4.98x
Chilton 3 389.61x
Milverton 3 491.80x
Fulham London 2 16.64x
Hackney London 2 4.30x
Stanton Drew 2 1538.46x
Bishopsteignton 1 303.03x
Gate Fulford 1 52.08x
Hennock 1 454.55x
Kensington London 1 2.17x
Molland 1 714.29x
Newick 1 322.58x
Poplar London 1 6.39x
Portsea 1 3.00x
Shoreditch London 1 2.78x
Winscombe 1 277.78x
Woking 1 41.15x
Yerbeston 1 3333.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Eliza 4
Mary 4
Ann 2
Elizabeth 2
Emma 2
Margaret 2
Sarah 2
Agusto 1
Alice 1
Annie 1
Birtha 1
Caroline 1
Cinderella 1
Dorcas 1
Elezebth 1
Elizabth.J. 1
Ellen 1
Emilio 1
Eve 1
Flora 1
Helen 1
Jamima 1
Keturah 1
Kezeah 1
Lillie 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Maria 1
Nannie 1
Rhoda 1
Selina 1
Sevena 1
Wilhemina 1
Winefred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 6
George 4
William 4
Thomas 3
Albert 2
Frederick 2
Robert 2
Alfred 1
Ar 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
H. 1
Herbert 1
Obed 1
R.J. 1
Richard 1
Sidney 1
Walter 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Bawdon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bawdon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 85 people were recorded with the Bawdon surname. That placed it at #21,573 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bawdon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 96 in 2016. That gives Bawdon a modern rank of #31,684.

What does the Bawdon surname mean?

A locative surname derived from a place name, potentially referring to someone from Bowdon, Cheshire or Bawdon, West Yorkshire.

What does the Bawdon map show?

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