NameCensus.

UK surname

Birds

In the 1881 census there were 154 people recorded with the Birds surname, ranking it #15,259 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 251, ranked #16,744, down from #15,259 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Port Glasgow, Darley and Youlgrave. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derbyshire Dales and Amber Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Birds is 298 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.0%.

1881 census count

154

Ranked #15,259

Modern count

251

2016, ranked #16,744

Peak year

1861

298 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Birds had 154 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,259 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 251 in 2016, ranked #16,744.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 298 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Birds surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Birds surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Birds 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 145 #13,223
1861 historical 298 #8,485
1881 historical 154 #15,259
1891 historical 215 #14,155
1901 historical 201 #15,059
1911 historical 243 #13,163
1997 modern 219 #16,666
1998 modern 230 #16,607
1999 modern 231 #16,646
2000 modern 250 #15,741
2001 modern 238 #16,004
2002 modern 245 #16,041
2003 modern 250 #15,605
2004 modern 246 #15,854
2005 modern 246 #15,802
2006 modern 259 #15,370
2007 modern 258 #15,554
2008 modern 260 #15,648
2009 modern 258 #16,050
2010 modern 271 #15,856
2011 modern 261 #16,145
2012 modern 251 #16,467
2013 modern 261 #16,309
2014 modern 257 #16,598
2015 modern 255 #16,564
2016 modern 251 #16,744

Geography

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Where Birds' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Port Glasgow, Darley, Youlgrave, Manchester and Batley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Derbyshire Dales and Amber Valley. 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 Port Glasgow Renfrew
2 Darley Derbyshire
3 Youlgrave Derbyshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derbyshire Dales 003 Derbyshire Dales
2 Derbyshire Dales 004 Derbyshire Dales
3 Amber Valley 009 Amber Valley
4 Derbyshire Dales 008 Derbyshire Dales
5 Derbyshire Dales 005 Derbyshire Dales

Forenames

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First names often paired with Birds

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Birds

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

Birds is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Birds 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 Birds is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Birds families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Birds 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. Derbyshire leads with 72 Birds' recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.61x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 72 30.61x
Yorkshire 31 2.08x
Lancashire 17 0.95x
Bedfordshire 7 9.00x
Leicestershire 5 3.00x
Middlesex 5 0.33x
Surrey 5 0.68x
Herefordshire 4 6.49x
Berkshire 2 1.77x
Cheshire 1 0.30x
Devon 1 0.32x
Flintshire 1 2.48x
Hampshire 1 0.32x
Sussex 1 0.39x
Warwickshire 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Youlgreave in Derbyshire leads with 59 Birds' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8676.47x.

Place Total Index
Youlgreave 59 8676.47x
Heeley 11 243.36x
Salford 10 19.07x
Ecclesall Bierlow 7 23.12x
Luton 7 52.01x
Elton 6 2222.22x
Morley 6 77.52x
Brightside Bierlow 5 17.12x
Houghton On The Hill 5 2380.95x
Lambeth 4 3.05x
Stauntonon Arrow 4 2222.22x
Wensley Snitterton 4 1142.86x
Ashton Under Lyne 2 5.13x
Monk Bretton 2 132.45x
Paddington London 2 3.62x
St Pancras London 2 1.65x
Bonsall 1 142.86x
Buxton 1 50.25x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 3.53x
Foleshill 1 25.06x
Gorton 1 5.97x
Hove 1 9.00x
Liscard 1 16.75x
Manchester 1 1.25x
Millbrook 1 12.90x
Moss Side 1 10.66x
Newington 1 1.80x
Over Haddon 1 1111.11x
Reading St Giles 1 9.04x
Rhuddlan 1 28.17x
St George Hanover Square 1 3.78x
Tormoham 1 7.56x
Walton On Hill 1 10.35x
Wokingham 1 38.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 10
George 8
William 6
James 4
Joseph 4
Thomas 4
Albert 3
Charles 3
Henry 3
Edward 2
Ellis 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Benjn. 1
Cecil 1
Charley 1
Charlie 1
Daniel 1
Fred 1
Geo 1
Geo.D. 1
Harry 1
Horace 1
Leslie 1
Lorrance 1
Robert 1
Saml. 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Birds surname: questions and answers

How common was the Birds surname in 1881?

In 1881, 154 people were recorded with the Birds surname. That placed it at #15,259 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Birds surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 251 in 2016. That gives Birds a modern rank of #16,744.

What does the Birds map show?

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