NameCensus.

UK surname

Baxendale

A locative surname referring to someone from a valley or lowland.

In the 1881 census there were 1,527 people recorded with the Baxendale surname, ranking it #2,752 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,554, ranked #3,987, down from #2,752 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Halifax, Manchester and Preston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chorley, West Lancashire and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Baxendale is 2,065 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.8%.

1881 census count

1,527

Ranked #2,752

Modern count

1,554

2016, ranked #3,987

Peak year

1911

2,065 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Baxendale had 1,527 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,752 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,554 in 2016, ranked #3,987.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,065 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Baxendale surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Baxendale surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Baxendale 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 930 #2,972
1861 historical 710 #3,820
1881 historical 1,527 #2,752
1891 historical 1,639 #2,732
1901 historical 1,930 #2,736
1911 historical 2,065 #2,418
1997 modern 1,701 #3,507
1998 modern 1,746 #3,552
1999 modern 1,788 #3,500
2000 modern 1,719 #3,605
2001 modern 1,723 #3,532
2002 modern 1,720 #3,619
2003 modern 1,691 #3,595
2004 modern 1,666 #3,643
2005 modern 1,607 #3,726
2006 modern 1,619 #3,704
2007 modern 1,626 #3,719
2008 modern 1,653 #3,692
2009 modern 1,659 #3,765
2010 modern 1,665 #3,828
2011 modern 1,630 #3,851
2012 modern 1,563 #3,929
2013 modern 1,599 #3,918
2014 modern 1,612 #3,916
2015 modern 1,579 #3,943
2016 modern 1,554 #3,987

Geography

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Where Baxendales are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Halifax, Manchester, Preston, Leigh and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chorley, West Lancashire, Wigan and Calderdale. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Preston Lancashire
4 Leigh Lancashire
5 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chorley 013 Chorley
2 West Lancashire 001 West Lancashire
3 Wigan 014 Wigan
4 Wigan 001 Wigan
5 Calderdale 021 Calderdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Baxendale

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Baxendale

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

Baxendale is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Baxendale

The surname Baxendale is of English origin, derived from a place name in Lancashire. The name is believed to have originated in the 12th or 13th century. It is composed of two Old English elements: "bæcc" meaning "back" or "ridge" and "ændæl" meaning "valley" or "open space."

The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears to be de Baccendene, found in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire in 1176. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a ridge or valley. Over time, the spelling evolved to Baxenden, Baxinden, and eventually Baxendale.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there is a mention of a place called "Bachenade" in Lancashire, which is likely to be the origin of the Baxendale surname. This entry provides evidence of the name's antiquity and its connection to a specific geographic location.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Baxendale was John Baxendale, who was born in Lancashire around 1450. Another notable bearer of the name was Thomas Baxendale, a merchant and landowner who lived in Bury, Lancashire, in the 16th century.

In the 17th century, the Baxendale family had a presence in the parish of Rochdale, Lancashire. One prominent member was James Baxendale (1628-1691), a wealthy yeoman farmer and landowner.

Later, in the 18th century, Joseph Baxendale (1719-1805) was a successful businessman and philanthropist from Wigan, Lancashire. He established several schools and charitable institutions in the area.

During the Industrial Revolution, the Baxendale family played a significant role in the textile industry. One notable figure was Sir Joseph Baxendale (1785-1872), a cotton manufacturer and philanthropist from Woodplumpton, Lancashire.

Throughout its history, the Baxendale surname has been closely associated with the county of Lancashire, particularly the areas around Rochdale, Bury, and Wigan. The name's origins can be traced back to a specific place name, reflecting the family's deep roots in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Baxendale families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Baxendale 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 1,151 Baxendales recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.52x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,151 6.52x
Yorkshire 290 1.97x
Cheshire 21 0.64x
Middlesex 11 0.07x
Durham 8 0.18x
Berkshire 7 0.63x
Surrey 7 0.10x
Glamorgan 6 0.23x
Kent 5 0.10x
Northumberland 5 0.23x
Warwickshire 4 0.11x
Sussex 3 0.12x
Hertfordshire 2 0.19x
Ayrshire 1 0.09x
Dorset 1 0.10x
Lincolnshire 1 0.04x
Selkirkshire 1 0.74x
Somerset 1 0.04x
Westmorland 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chorley in Lancashire leads with 180 Baxendales recorded in 1881 and an index of 181.60x.

Place Total Index
Chorley 180 181.60x
Wigan 61 24.71x
Manchester 59 7.43x
Great Bolton 52 22.23x
Little Bolton 52 22.90x
Preston 45 9.52x
Blackburn 35 7.45x
Halifax 33 15.24x
Hindley 30 39.84x
Northowram 29 28.04x
Over Darwen 29 20.55x
Leyland 26 84.61x
Salford 24 4.62x
Hulme 23 6.24x
Bradford 21 5.88x
Wheelton 21 265.82x
Keighley 20 12.72x
Wortley In Bramley 20 17.12x
Coppull 19 201.91x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 19 37.36x
Wrightington 17 220.49x
Southowram 16 35.54x
Farington 14 136.19x
Liverpool 14 1.31x
Skircoat 14 24.07x
Accrington 13 8.10x
Aspull 13 31.29x
Atherton 13 20.22x
North Meols 13 7.52x
Warley 13 30.50x
Worsley 13 11.94x
Astley 12 88.04x
Gomersal 12 17.43x
Haslingden 12 16.41x
Kirkdale 12 4.04x
Pendleton In Clitheroe 12 179.37x
Standish With Langtree 12 55.17x
Ardwick 11 6.90x
Blackley 11 35.52x
Castleton 11 6.24x
Halliwell 11 17.11x
Elton 10 16.39x
Sowerby In Halifax 10 20.73x
Ashton Under Lyne 9 2.33x
Beswick 9 19.92x
Chorlton On Medlock 9 3.21x
Farnley In Bramley 9 48.86x
Linthwaite 9 29.03x
Reddish 9 36.99x
Skelmersdale 9 30.57x
Bowling 8 5.48x
Edgeworth 8 84.30x
Huddersfield 8 3.72x
Wakefield 8 7.06x
Adlington 7 42.32x
Birkenhead 7 2.67x
Bury 7 3.47x
Church 7 28.07x
Habergham Eaves 7 4.34x
Little Hoole 7 312.50x
Walton Le Dale 7 14.75x
Brindle 6 98.52x
Broughton In Salford 6 3.71x
Clayton Le Moors 6 17.51x
Harwood 6 65.01x
Haswell 6 18.90x
Lambeth 6 0.46x
Newington 6 14.77x
Norland 6 59.29x
Pemberton 6 8.52x
Shitlington 6 39.32x
Spotland 6 3.06x
Thornton In Bradford 6 12.22x
Beverley Parks 5 285.71x
Bootle Cum Linacre 5 3.56x
Greenham 5 89.77x
Lancaster 5 4.76x
Monks Coppenhall 5 4.03x
Roath 5 4.25x
Scarisbrick 5 24.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 119
Elizabeth 84
Sarah 52
Ellen 49
Jane 44
Ann 33
Margaret 33
Alice 32
Martha 24
Annie 20
Emma 19
Hannah 18
Maria 12
Clara 10
Emily 10
Eliza 9
Ada 8
Edith 8
Nancy 8
Betsy 7
Elizth. 7
Harriet 6
Louisa 6
Margt. 6
Anne 5
Lucy 5
Rachel 5
Ruth 5
Susannah 5
Agnes 4
Charlotte 4
Eliz. 4
Harriett 4
Helen 4
Isabella 4
Bertha 3
Betty 3
Bridget 3
Deborah 3
Eleanor 3
Florence 3
Lydia 3
Margret 3
Susan 3
Violet 3
Easter 2
Gertrude 2
Grace 2
Margery 2
Marth 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 108
William 83
James 80
Thomas 76
Richard 32
Robert 29
Joseph 24
Henry 23
George 20
Edward 11
Walter 10
Harry 9
Wm. 9
Charles 8
Herbert 8
Samuel 8
Frederick 7
Peter 7
Arthur 6
David 6
Joshua 6
Alfred 5
Jesse 5
Albert 4
Daniel 4
Ernest 4
Francis 4
Giles 4
Roger 4
Thos. 4
Tom 4
Ellis 3
Frank 3
Jno. 3
Lloyd 3
Mathew 3
Richd. 3
Alex. 2
Alexander 2
Amos 2
Andrew 2
Geo. 2
Gilbert 2
Josiah 2
Leigh 2
Robt. 2
Salisbury 2
Sam 2
Smith 2
Stephen 2

FAQ

Baxendale surname: questions and answers

How common was the Baxendale surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,527 people were recorded with the Baxendale surname. That placed it at #2,752 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Baxendale surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,554 in 2016. That gives Baxendale a modern rank of #3,987.

What does the Baxendale surname mean?

A locative surname referring to someone from a valley or lowland.

What does the Baxendale map show?

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