NameCensus.

UK surname

Biddulph

A locational surname derived from the place name Biddulph in Staffordshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 672 people recorded with the Biddulph surname, ranking it #5,371 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,142, ranked #5,164, up from #5,371 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Biddulph, Leek and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Telford and Wrekin, Cheshire East and Cotswold.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Biddulph is 1,217 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 69.9%.

1881 census count

672

Ranked #5,371

Modern count

1,142

2016, ranked #5,164

Peak year

2010

1,217 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Biddulph had 672 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,371 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,142 in 2016, ranked #5,164.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 979 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Biddulph surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Biddulph surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Biddulph 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 430 #5,692
1861 historical 396 #6,476
1881 historical 672 #5,371
1891 historical 745 #5,342
1901 historical 862 #5,308
1911 historical 979 #4,621
1997 modern 1,022 #5,385
1998 modern 1,190 #4,918
1999 modern 1,203 #4,923
2000 modern 1,182 #4,972
2001 modern 1,158 #4,963
2002 modern 1,211 #4,864
2003 modern 1,168 #4,916
2004 modern 1,148 #5,006
2005 modern 1,135 #5,000
2006 modern 1,154 #4,920
2007 modern 1,164 #4,934
2008 modern 1,191 #4,867
2009 modern 1,184 #4,989
2010 modern 1,217 #4,981
2011 modern 1,200 #4,978
2012 modern 1,186 #4,959
2013 modern 1,217 #4,930
2014 modern 1,199 #5,023
2015 modern 1,163 #5,103
2016 modern 1,142 #5,164

Geography

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Where Biddulphs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Biddulph, Leek, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Shiffnal and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Telford and Wrekin, Cheshire East, Cotswold and Staffordshire Moorlands. 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 Biddulph Cheshire
2 Leek Staffordshire
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Shiffnal Shropshire
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Telford and Wrekin 005 Telford and Wrekin
2 Cheshire East 033 Cheshire East
3 Cotswold 011 Cotswold
4 Telford and Wrekin 013 Telford and Wrekin
5 Staffordshire Moorlands 002 Staffordshire Moorlands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Biddulph

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Biddulph

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

Biddulph 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

Biddulph 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 Biddulph is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Biddulph

The surname Biddulph originated in England and can be traced back to the late 11th century. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon words "bydel" meaning "beadle" or messenger, and "feld" meaning field or open land. The name likely referred to someone who lived near or worked on the open fields belonging to a local lord or manor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Bydelfelde" in the county of Staffordshire. This suggests that the name was already well-established in that region by the time of the Norman Conquest.

During the Middle Ages, the name evolved into various spellings such as Biddulph, Biddulfe, and Bydulphe. It was also associated with certain place names in Staffordshire, such as Biddulph Moor and Biddulph Valley, which further reinforced the connection between the surname and that geographic area.

Notable individuals with the surname Biddulph include John Biddulph (1619-1694), an English politician who served as a member of parliament for Lichfield during the English Civil War. Another prominent figure was Michael Biddulph (1834-1923), a British soldier and administrator who served as the Chief Commissioner of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from 1899 to 1904.

In the literary world, Violet Biddulph (1877-1966) was an English novelist and poet who wrote several works of fiction, including the novel "The Upkeep" in 1929. Thomas Biddulph (1763-1838) was a noted English gardener and horticulturist who introduced several plant species to Britain from his travels abroad.

Lastly, Robert Biddulph (1835-1918) was a British Army officer and artist who is known for his sketches and watercolors depicting scenes from the Second Anglo-Afghan War, in which he participated as a soldier.

Throughout its history, the surname Biddulph has maintained a strong association with the English county of Staffordshire, where it likely originated and first gained prominence.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Biddulph families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Biddulph 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. Staffordshire leads with 271 Biddulphs recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.25x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 271 12.25x
Warwickshire 84 5.08x
Lancashire 59 0.76x
Shropshire 53 9.36x
Cheshire 47 3.25x
Middlesex 24 0.37x
Nottinghamshire 23 2.60x
Surrey 21 0.66x
Derbyshire 20 1.95x
Yorkshire 13 0.20x
Durham 9 0.46x
Hampshire 7 0.52x
Cardiganshire 6 3.75x
Leicestershire 5 0.69x
Denbighshire 4 1.62x
Gloucestershire 4 0.31x
Berkshire 3 0.61x
Essex 3 0.23x
Worcestershire 3 0.35x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.50x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.48x
Devon 2 0.15x
Herefordshire 2 0.74x
Dorset 1 0.23x
Hertfordshire 1 0.22x
Kent 1 0.04x
Somerset 1 0.09x
Sussex 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 57 Biddulphs recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.35x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 57 10.35x
Stoke Upon Trent 37 15.77x
Leek Lowe 24 81.52x
Stafford St Mary 24 76.63x
Aston 22 4.83x
Wrockwardine 22 176.71x
Horton 21 774.91x
Biddulph 19 152.12x
Shifnal 18 117.04x
West Bromwich 18 14.21x
Radford 12 26.73x
Nottingham St Mary 11 4.81x
Salford 11 4.81x
Harborne 10 14.10x
Aldridge 9 211.76x
Willenhall 9 21.72x
Bilston 8 18.66x
Burton Upon Trent 8 15.45x
Church Lawton 8 432.43x
Walsall Foreign 8 7.00x
Audley 7 31.98x
Cromford 7 290.46x
Croydon 7 3.95x
Horninglow 7 67.18x
Manchester 7 2.00x
Rainow 7 243.06x
Rushton James 7 1166.67x
Tipton 7 10.33x
Aberystwith 6 43.60x
Barrow In Furness 6 5.67x
Broughton In Salford 6 8.44x
Chester St John Baptist 6 23.07x
Congleton 6 24.00x
Dawley 6 29.11x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 4.55x
Streatham 6 12.34x
Trentham 6 31.88x
Yoxall 6 205.48x
Bollington In 5 38.82x
Colwich 5 95.06x
Conside Knitsley 5 32.98x
Madeley 5 24.07x
Matlock 5 36.28x
Newcastle Under Lyme 5 12.77x
Openshaw 5 13.73x
Penkridge 5 87.57x
St George Hanover Square 5 4.33x
Wolstanton 5 7.44x
Worsley 5 10.43x
Chirk 4 81.97x
Christchurch 4 13.73x
Gateshead 4 2.74x
Islington London 4 0.63x
Nether Alderley 4 310.08x
Ogley Hay 4 87.15x
Stayley 4 24.18x
Westminster St Margaret 4 12.65x
Ashton Under Lyne 3 1.76x
Barnsley 3 4.48x
Darton 3 45.11x
Hanwell 3 25.82x
Leeds 3 0.82x
Leyton Low 3 11.41x
Willesden 3 4.86x
Windsor Castle 3 681.82x
Burton Extra 2 15.76x
Castleford 2 8.45x
Castleton 2 2.57x
Darley 2 48.19x
Edmonton 2 3.79x
Great Malvern 2 11.20x
Heap 2 4.85x
Hulme 2 1.23x
Leckhampton 2 25.25x
Ledbury 2 21.67x
Lichfield St Michael 2 28.82x
Narborough 2 100.50x
Royton 2 8.41x
St Andrewthe Less 2 4.22x
Sutton Coldfield 2 11.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 42
Sarah 31
Elizabeth 26
Ann 14
Harriet 10
Annie 9
Eliza 9
Emma 9
Jane 9
Martha 9
Hannah 8
Lucy 8
Frances 7
Caroline 6
Ellen 6
Agnes 5
Catherine 5
Ada 4
Charlotte 4
Clara 4
Edith 4
Alice 3
Beatrice 3
Maria 3
Rebecca 3
Amy 2
Anna 2
Dora 2
Henrietta 2
Laura 2
Lizzie 2
Louisa 2
Matilda 2
Minnie 2
Priscilla 2
Ruth 2
Selina 2
Amelia 1
Bertha 1
Bessy 1
Elisa 1
Elizth. 1
Ella 1
Ellenor 1
Elzbth.H. 1
Gertrude 1
H.J. 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 46
Thomas 33
John 31
James 21
George 18
Joseph 13
Charles 9
Albert 8
Alfred 8
Arthur 8
Henry 8
Frederick 7
Samuel 7
Edward 6
Thos. 5
Walter 5
David 4
Enoch 4
Harry 4
Herbert 4
Edwin 3
Francis 3
Fred 3
Isiah 3
Richard 3
Elijah 2
Ernest 2
Geo. 2
Isaac 2
Jno. 2
Michael 2
Robert 2
Theophilus 2
W.H. 2
Benjamin 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Esther 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Godfrey 1
Job 1
Jonathan 1
Joshua 1
Josiah 1
Lester 1
Lewis 1
Lionel 1
Mark 1
Ormus 1

FAQ

Biddulph surname: questions and answers

How common was the Biddulph surname in 1881?

In 1881, 672 people were recorded with the Biddulph surname. That placed it at #5,371 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Biddulph surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,142 in 2016. That gives Biddulph a modern rank of #5,164.

What does the Biddulph surname mean?

A locational surname derived from the place name Biddulph in Staffordshire, England.

What does the Biddulph map show?

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