NameCensus.

UK surname

Bodle

A locational surname derived from Bodle, an English placename.

In the 1881 census there were 330 people recorded with the Bodle surname, ranking it #9,088 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 400, ranked #11,879, down from #9,088 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, Ibstock and Alfriston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North West Leicestershire, Brighton and Hove and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bodle is 461 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.2%.

1881 census count

330

Ranked #9,088

Modern count

400

2016, ranked #11,879

Peak year

1901

461 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bodle had 330 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,088 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 400 in 2016, ranked #11,879.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 461 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Bodle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bodle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bodle 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 210 #10,030
1861 historical 209 #11,596
1881 historical 330 #9,088
1891 historical 409 #8,712
1901 historical 461 #8,554
1911 historical 458 #8,376
1997 modern 353 #12,096
1998 modern 359 #12,321
1999 modern 375 #12,004
2000 modern 388 #11,664
2001 modern 369 #11,928
2002 modern 398 #11,478
2003 modern 388 #11,508
2004 modern 389 #11,516
2005 modern 392 #11,355
2006 modern 409 #11,032
2007 modern 404 #11,290
2008 modern 402 #11,419
2009 modern 414 #11,407
2010 modern 434 #11,223
2011 modern 425 #11,285
2012 modern 414 #11,431
2013 modern 431 #11,231
2014 modern 420 #11,567
2015 modern 409 #11,713
2016 modern 400 #11,879

Geography

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Where Bodles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, Ibstock, Alfriston, Brighton and Battle. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North West Leicestershire, Brighton and Hove, Doncaster and Hastings. 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 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
2 Ibstock Leicestershire
3 Alfriston Sussex
4 Brighton Sussex
5 Battle Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North West Leicestershire 007 North West Leicestershire
2 North West Leicestershire 009 North West Leicestershire
3 Brighton and Hove 023 Brighton and Hove
4 Doncaster 002 Doncaster
5 Hastings 010 Hastings

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bodle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bodle

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Bodle is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Bodle is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bodle falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bodle 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 Bodle, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bodle

The surname BODLE is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "bodele," meaning a dwelling or small hamlet. This suggests that the name may have initially been used to identify someone who lived in a particular dwelling or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Bodele" in reference to a landowner in Oxfordshire. This provides evidence that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

Throughout the medieval period, the name appears to have been concentrated primarily in the counties of Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire, possibly indicating its place of origin. Variations in spelling were common, with forms such as "Bodele," "Bodle," and "Bodelay" appearing in various records.

One notable individual bearing the BODLE surname was John Bodle, a 14th-century landowner and member of the gentry in Oxfordshire. His name is mentioned in several legal documents and property records from the late 1300s.

In the 16th century, the name is found in parish records from the village of Brill in Buckinghamshire, where a family of Bodles resided for several generations. One member, Thomas Bodle (c. 1520-1589), was a prominent landowner and served as a churchwarden in the local parish.

Another historical figure of note is William Bodle (1654-1712), a successful merchant and alderman in the city of London. He was involved in the East India trade and amassed considerable wealth, which he used to support various charitable causes.

Moving into the 18th century, the BODLE surname appears to have spread more widely across England, with records showing families in counties such as Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Lancashire. One individual of interest from this period is Samuel Bodle (1738-1805), a renowned clockmaker and inventor from Wolverhampton.

In the 19th century, the name BODLE continued to be found across various regions of England, with several individuals achieving notable accomplishments. These include Joseph Bodle (1812-1890), a renowned architect who designed several prominent buildings in London, and Henry Bodle (1845-1918), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Manchester.

While the BODLE surname has its origins in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and settlement, with families bearing the name now found in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bodle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bodle 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. Sussex leads with 183 Bodles recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.72x.

County Total Index
Sussex 183 33.72x
Middlesex 33 1.03x
Kent 22 2.00x
Leicestershire 22 6.16x
Wigtownshire 16 37.44x
Lancashire 11 0.29x
Hampshire 9 1.36x
Derbyshire 8 1.59x
Essex 7 1.10x
Berkshire 6 2.48x
Staffordshire 5 0.46x
Bedfordshire 2 1.20x
Lanarkshire 2 0.19x
Surrey 2 0.13x
Durham 1 0.10x
Yorkshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brighton in Sussex leads with 44 Bodles recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.18x.

Place Total Index
Brighton 44 40.18x
Ibstock 22 849.42x
Eastbourne 21 84.10x
Hove 14 58.80x
Glasserton 13 977.44x
Battle 10 273.22x
Bexhill 10 369.00x
Ringmer 9 588.24x
Westmeston 9 2500.00x
Alfriston 8 1230.77x
Beard Ollerset Whitle 8 240.96x
Buxted 8 377.36x
Hastings St Mary In The 8 69.08x
Swanscombe 8 162.27x
Warrington 8 17.67x
Broadwater 7 56.22x
Hastings St Clement 7 136.99x
Bromley London 6 8.47x
Lewisham 6 10.24x
Reading St Giles 6 25.31x
Beddingham 5 1020.41x
Burton Upon Trent 5 19.67x
Littlehampton 5 115.47x
Shoreditch London 5 3.58x
Tottenham 5 9.75x
Chigwell 4 66.67x
Millbrook 4 24.07x
St George In East London 4 13.21x
Wisborough Green 4 219.78x
Bethnal Green London 3 2.15x
Hastings All Sts 3 58.71x
Islington London 3 0.96x
Southampton St Mary 3 7.23x
Wanstead 3 26.95x
Aldingbourn 2 243.90x
Bedford St Paul 2 17.50x
Hastings St Leonards 2 25.06x
Keymer 2 52.22x
Mile End Old Town London 2 2.92x
Mochrum 2 78.43x
Nackington 2 1538.46x
Newhaven 2 45.35x
Portsmouth 2 13.17x
Southfleet 2 196.08x
Speldhurst 2 35.78x
Toxteth Park 2 1.55x
Whitechapel London 2 6.30x
Arlington 1 153.85x
Bishopwearmouth 1 1.22x
Chelsea London 1 1.03x
Croydon 1 1.15x
Glasgow 1 0.54x
Hawkhurst 1 29.33x
Lambeth 1 0.36x
Liverpool 1 0.43x
Plumstead 1 2.73x
Rutherglen 1 6.55x
Sheffield 1 0.98x
St Marylebone London 1 0.58x
Subdeanary 1 68.49x
Subdeanery 1 24.27x
Westminster St James 1 3.02x
Whithorn 1 30.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Elizabeth 14
Ann 9
Emily 9
Alice 8
Sarah 8
Emma 7
Annie 6
Eliza 5
Fanny 5
Margaret 5
Caroline 4
Charlotte 4
Jane 4
Frances 3
Louisa 3
Ellen 2
Harriett 2
Kate 2
Lydia 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Rose 2
Betssy 1
Dorcas 1
Drussilla 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Elzth. 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Gift 1
Grace 1
Hannie 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Helena 1
Hellen 1
Isabell 1
Lilian 1
Lousie 1
Marion 1
Marry 1
Matilda 1
May 1
Mildred 1
Milicent 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 27
George 17
Thomas 14
Joseph 7
Richard 7
Charles 6
Edward 6
Henry 6
Albert 5
Harry 5
James 5
John 5
Alfred 4
Herbert 3
Arthur 2
Chas. 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Fredrick 2
Robert 2
Robt. 2
Walter 2
Andrew 1
Carles 1
Charley 1
Edgar 1
Edw. 1
Fredric 1
Geo.R. 1
Moses 1
Samuel 1
Solomon 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
Talbot 1
Walker 1

FAQ

Bodle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bodle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 330 people were recorded with the Bodle surname. That placed it at #9,088 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bodle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 400 in 2016. That gives Bodle a modern rank of #11,879.

What does the Bodle surname mean?

A locational surname derived from Bodle, an English placename.

What does the Bodle map show?

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