NameCensus.

UK surname

Boardman

An occupational surname referring to a woodworker specializing in making boards or a dweller by a plank bridge.

In the 1881 census there were 4,810 people recorded with the Boardman surname, ranking it #924 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,881, ranked #1,145, down from #924 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Eccles and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolton, Wigan and Salford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boardman is 6,659 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22.3%.

1881 census count

4,810

Ranked #924

Modern count

5,881

2016, ranked #1,145

Peak year

1911

6,659 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Boardman had 4,810 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #924 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,881 in 2016, ranked #1,145.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,659 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Boardman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boardman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Boardman 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 3,167 #914
1861 historical 3,003 #959
1881 historical 4,810 #924
1891 historical 5,351 #875
1901 historical 6,111 #912
1911 historical 6,659 #777
1997 modern 5,816 #1,128
1998 modern 6,053 #1,125
1999 modern 6,183 #1,110
2000 modern 6,181 #1,099
2001 modern 6,138 #1,084
2002 modern 6,187 #1,100
2003 modern 6,095 #1,092
2004 modern 6,011 #1,104
2005 modern 5,876 #1,108
2006 modern 5,846 #1,118
2007 modern 5,863 #1,126
2008 modern 5,858 #1,133
2009 modern 5,942 #1,135
2010 modern 6,061 #1,140
2011 modern 5,972 #1,139
2012 modern 5,816 #1,143
2013 modern 5,968 #1,135
2014 modern 5,994 #1,142
2015 modern 5,899 #1,148
2016 modern 5,881 #1,145

Geography

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Where Boardmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Eccles, Manchester, Blackburn and Bolton-le-Moors. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolton, Wigan and Salford. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Eccles Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Blackburn Lancashire
5 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolton 017 Bolton
2 Wigan 034 Wigan
3 Bolton 033 Bolton
4 Salford 007 Salford
5 Wigan 027 Wigan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Boardman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Boardman

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

Boardman 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

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

Meaning and origin of Boardman

The surname Boardman is of English origin and can be traced back to the early medieval period in Britain. It is a locational surname derived from various place names that include the Old English word "bord" meaning a plank or board, combined with the word "mann" meaning a man or person.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Boardman appears in the Domesday Book, a survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. In this record, the name is spelled as "Bordeman" and refers to individuals residing in areas such as Boardman near Oldham, Lancashire, or Boardman in Cheshire.

The name Boardman can also be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries, including the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1230 and the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire from 1332. These records provide insights into the geographical distribution of the name during that period.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Boardman was John Boardman, born in Cheshire around 1350. He was a merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the local community. Another notable figure was Thomas Boardman (c. 1505-1572), a clergyman who served as the Rector of Buxton in Derbyshire.

In the 16th century, the Boardman family established itself in Warwickshire, where they held estates and positions of influence. Sir John Boardman (1545-1623) was a prominent member of this family, serving as a Justice of the Peace and a member of the English Parliament.

Moving forward to the 17th century, Richard Boardman (1621-1689) was a celebrated Puritan minister and author who played a significant role in the religious life of England during the turbulent period of the English Civil War and the Restoration.

Other notable individuals with the surname Boardman include John Boardman (1758-1840), a British botanist and plant collector who made significant contributions to the study of flora in Australia, and Thomas Boardman (1784-1864), an American clergyman and author who was actively involved in the anti-slavery movement.

Throughout the centuries, variations in the spelling of the surname have been observed, including Boardeman, Bordeman, and Burdman, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal practices of different areas where the name was common.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Boardman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boardman 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 3,727 Boardmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.70x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 3,727 6.70x
Yorkshire 259 0.56x
Cheshire 200 1.93x
Staffordshire 116 0.73x
Derbyshire 88 1.20x
Lincolnshire 66 0.88x
Middlesex 61 0.13x
Kent 55 0.34x
Essex 28 0.30x
Nottinghamshire 28 0.44x
Warwickshire 24 0.20x
Surrey 23 0.10x
Durham 21 0.15x
Hertfordshire 17 0.53x
Norfolk 15 0.21x
Gloucestershire 11 0.12x
Caernarfonshire 8 0.42x
Lanarkshire 7 0.05x
Northumberland 7 0.10x
Sussex 6 0.08x
Worcestershire 6 0.10x
Suffolk 5 0.09x
Hampshire 4 0.04x
Isle of Man 4 0.46x
Royal Navy 3 0.54x
Shropshire 3 0.07x
Montgomeryshire 2 0.19x
Northamptonshire 2 0.05x
Berkshire 1 0.03x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.03x
Cumberland 1 0.02x
Devon 1 0.01x
Flintshire 1 0.08x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.11x
Merionethshire 1 0.12x
Somerset 1 0.01x
Westmorland 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Bolton in Lancashire leads with 190 Boardmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.79x.

Place Total Index
Great Bolton 190 25.79x
Manchester 130 5.20x
Salford 125 7.64x
Oldham 116 6.46x
Blackburn 111 7.50x
Wigan 99 12.74x
Little Bolton 98 13.70x
West Derby 84 5.16x
Warrington 83 12.59x
Farnworth 74 22.21x
Radcliffe 74 27.60x
Rumworth 73 91.85x
Middleton In Oldham 72 43.17x
Westhoughton 68 45.81x
Worsley 65 18.96x
Everton 59 3.33x
Pennington In Leigh 58 54.35x
Windle 57 18.21x
Pendleton In Salford 54 8.15x
Pendlebury 53 45.13x
Chadderton 51 18.76x
Liverpool 51 1.51x
Tonge 51 43.71x
Preston 50 3.36x
Bedford 49 42.12x
Marton 46 124.39x
Little Hulton 44 47.77x
Kearsley 42 35.89x
Eccleston In Prescot 39 13.97x
Newton 39 9.10x
Newton In Makerfield 39 22.90x
Parr 37 18.59x
Barton Upon Irwell 36 8.60x
Chorlton On Medlock 36 4.07x
Ashton Under Lyne 35 2.88x
Hulme 35 3.01x
Atherton 34 16.79x
Little Lever 34 47.80x
Bradford 33 12.68x
Heeley 33 23.38x
Hindley 32 13.49x
Burslem 31 6.84x
Widnes 31 7.73x
Clifton 30 71.89x
Dukinfield 30 6.27x
Bury 29 4.56x
Haydock 27 28.17x
Gorton 26 4.97x
Blackley 25 25.64x
Glossop Dale 25 7.27x
Altrincham 24 13.28x
Halliwell 24 11.86x
Rishton 24 36.79x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 24 14.99x
Kirkdale 23 2.46x
Urmston 23 63.75x
Ardwick 22 4.39x
Cheetham 22 5.30x
Greenwich 22 2.95x
North Meols 22 4.04x
Stoke Upon Trent 22 1.31x
Failsworth 21 16.50x
Sheffield 21 1.42x
Ashton In Makerfield 20 12.63x
Aspull 20 15.29x
Blackrod 20 28.94x
Holbrook 20 121.29x
Crompton 19 12.00x
Ince In Makerfield 19 7.34x
Latchford 19 27.64x
Monks Coppenhall 19 4.87x
Openshaw 19 7.29x
Tottington Lower End 19 7.19x
Leeds 18 0.69x
Newchurch 18 3.96x
Oswaldtwistle 17 8.65x
Over Hulton 17 107.59x
Wavertree 17 9.55x
Broughton In Salford 16 3.15x
Layton With Warbreck 16 7.84x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 412
Elizabeth 234
Sarah 201
Alice 162
Ann 124
Ellen 108
Jane 94
Margaret 83
Hannah 71
Martha 66
Annie 61
Emma 46
Eliza 45
Maria 26
Harriet 25
Catherine 24
Betty 23
Charlotte 22
Emily 22
Esther 21
Betsy 19
Ada 17
Clara 17
Frances 17
Louisa 15
Amelia 14
Fanny 14
Florence 13
Agnes 12
Edith 12
Elizth. 12
Nancy 12
Eleanor 11
Lucy 11
Grace 10
Kate 10
Anne 9
Isabella 9
Rachel 9
Rose 9
Susannah 9
Bertha 8
Caroline 8
Sophia 8
Amy 7
Harriett 7
Maud 7
Rebecca 7
Gertrude 6
Lydia 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 332
William 286
James 237
Thomas 227
Joseph 113
George 89
Richard 87
Peter 81
Henry 70
Robert 69
Edward 50
Samuel 47
Charles 44
Alfred 33
Walter 31
Arthur 24
Frederick 24
Harry 24
Albert 22
Wm. 18
Frank 17
Thos. 16
David 13
Ellis 13
Herbert 12
Ralph 12
Edwin 10
Fred 9
Robt. 9
Abraham 8
Matthew 8
Adam 7
Isaac 7
Jno. 7
Philip 7
Ashton 6
Benjamin 6
Edmund 6
Jas. 6
Andrew 5
Christopher 5
Daniel 5
Ernest 5
Geo. 5
Jabez 5
Jonathan 5
Major 5
Mathew 5
Elias 4
Saml. 4

FAQ

Boardman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Boardman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,810 people were recorded with the Boardman surname. That placed it at #924 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Boardman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,881 in 2016. That gives Boardman a modern rank of #1,145.

What does the Boardman surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a woodworker specializing in making boards or a dweller by a plank bridge.

What does the Boardman map show?

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