NameCensus.

UK surname

Carden

Derived from a place name meaning "the fort or enclosure" in Anglo-Saxon, or from the Welsh word "carreg" meaning "stone."

In the 1881 census there were 660 people recorded with the Carden surname, ranking it #5,439 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,318, ranked #4,552, up from #5,439 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Davenham, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Paisley North, Liverpool and Ipswich.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Carden is 1,398 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 99.7%.

1881 census count

660

Ranked #5,439

Modern count

1,318

2016, ranked #4,552

Peak year

2010

1,398 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Carden had 660 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,439 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,318 in 2016, ranked #4,552.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 969 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Carden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Carden surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Carden 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 559 #4,537
1861 historical 587 #4,504
1881 historical 660 #5,439
1891 historical 903 #4,563
1901 historical 950 #4,934
1911 historical 969 #4,667
1997 modern 1,289 #4,421
1998 modern 1,323 #4,488
1999 modern 1,324 #4,525
2000 modern 1,338 #4,453
2001 modern 1,313 #4,450
2002 modern 1,366 #4,378
2003 modern 1,349 #4,351
2004 modern 1,349 #4,355
2005 modern 1,361 #4,285
2006 modern 1,343 #4,333
2007 modern 1,352 #4,349
2008 modern 1,370 #4,328
2009 modern 1,382 #4,374
2010 modern 1,398 #4,407
2011 modern 1,353 #4,484
2012 modern 1,293 #4,594
2013 modern 1,325 #4,570
2014 modern 1,348 #4,529
2015 modern 1,327 #4,554
2016 modern 1,318 #4,552

Geography

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Where Cardens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Davenham, London parishes, Manchester and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Paisley North, Liverpool, Ipswich, Rochdale and Cheshire West and Chester. 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 Davenham Cheshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Paisley North Renfrewshire
2 Liverpool 044 Liverpool
3 Ipswich 016 Ipswich
4 Rochdale 018 Rochdale
5 Cheshire West and Chester 046 Cheshire West and Chester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Carden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Carden

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Carden, 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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Carden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Carden household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Carden 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

Carden is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Carden

The surname Carden is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest known mentions dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "cærde" meaning "cared for" or "tended," and "denu" meaning "valley," suggesting a potential association with someone who cared for or tended to a particular valley or area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273, which mentions a "Roger de Caredene." This suggests that the name may have initially been spelled with variations such as "Caredene" or "Caradene" before evolving into its modern form of "Carden."

The name is also linked to various place names in England, such as Carden in Cheshire and Cardenham in Cornwall. These locations may have served as the birthplaces or residences of individuals who later adopted the surname Carden.

Notable figures throughout history who bore the surname Carden include Sir Robert Carden (1540-1622), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was Sir John Carden (1552-1618), a military officer who served in the Spanish Army of Flanders and later became Governor of the Brill in the Netherlands.

In the 18th century, Sir John Craven Carden (1715-1785) was a British naval officer who achieved the rank of Vice Admiral and served during the Seven Years' War. His son, John Carden (1753-1830), followed in his footsteps and became a notable Royal Navy officer, serving in various campaigns during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

During the Victorian era, Sir Robert Walter Carden (1801-1888) was a prominent British Army officer who served in the Crimean War and was appointed Governor of Gibraltar from 1859 to 1865. He was also a recipient of the Order of the Bath, a prestigious British order of chivalry.

These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who carried the surname Carden, highlighting its longstanding presence and potential significance in various contexts, particularly within the military and political spheres of Britain.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Carden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Carden 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. Kent leads with 114 Cardens recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.17x.

County Total Index
Kent 114 5.17x
Lancashire 73 0.95x
Sussex 49 4.50x
Hampshire 48 3.63x
Middlesex 47 0.73x
Surrey 43 1.37x
Cheshire 41 2.88x
Lincolnshire 39 3.78x
Yorkshire 24 0.38x
Denbighshire 18 7.38x
Devon 14 1.04x
Northamptonshire 13 2.14x
Buckinghamshire 12 3.07x
Essex 12 0.94x
Northumberland 10 1.04x
Dorset 9 2.12x
Lanarkshire 9 0.43x
Derbyshire 8 0.79x
Glamorgan 8 0.71x
Cornwall 7 0.96x
Leicestershire 7 0.98x
Wiltshire 7 1.23x
Shropshire 6 1.08x
Berwickshire 5 6.39x
Midlothian 5 0.58x
Warwickshire 5 0.31x
Aberdeenshire 4 0.67x
Caernarfonshire 4 1.53x
Staffordshire 4 0.18x
Worcestershire 4 0.47x
Durham 3 0.16x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.97x
Somerset 2 0.19x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.24x
Channel Islands 1 0.52x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.58x
Fife 1 0.26x
Gloucestershire 1 0.08x
Oxfordshire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wharton in Cheshire leads with 23 Cardens recorded in 1881 and an index of 296.39x.

Place Total Index
Wharton 23 296.39x
Liverpool 21 4.51x
Brighton 20 9.11x
Speldhurst 17 151.52x
Whitstable 16 148.01x
Islington London 14 2.24x
Pilkington 13 44.66x
Romsey Extra 13 165.18x
Plumstead 12 16.34x
Hove 11 23.03x
Titchfield 11 110.22x
Bermondsey 10 5.20x
Friskney 10 304.88x
Hooe 10 961.54x
Barony 9 1.70x
Deptford St Paul 9 5.30x
Dorchester Holy Trinity 9 262.39x
Hoath 9 1200.00x
Ruabon 9 26.83x
Southwark St George Martyr 9 6.93x
St Lawrence 9 59.41x
Chalfont St Giles 8 285.71x
Horbury 8 71.49x
Nether Heyford 8 446.93x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 8 13.94x
Prittlewell 8 45.27x
Westminster St Margaret 8 25.68x
Cardiff St John 7 19.06x
Hareby 7 7777.78x
Leicester St Martin 7 145.53x
Over 7 48.31x
Paddington London 7 2.95x
Preston 7 36.82x
Romsey Infra 7 155.90x
Runcorn 7 21.30x
Antony 6 84.99x
Leeds 6 1.66x
Northfleet 6 30.91x
Openshaw 6 16.72x
Swindon 6 13.54x
Binbrooke 5 194.55x
Coldstream 5 88.34x
Crawley 5 495.05x
East Woodhay 5 147.93x
Fulwood 5 60.39x
Manchester 5 1.45x
Northampton St Giles 5 21.61x
Ramsgate 5 13.90x
Southwark St Saviour 5 15.06x
St George Hanover Square 5 4.39x
Stoke Damerel 5 5.31x
Swanscombe 5 50.51x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 4 3.57x
Bethnal Green London 4 1.43x
Birmingham 4 0.74x
Claylane 4 28.47x
Eyton Royton 4 588.24x
Llandudno 4 42.96x
Marchwiel 4 320.00x
Oldham 4 1.62x
Penge 4 9.70x
South Leith 4 4.11x
Tormoham 4 7.03x
Windle 4 9.28x
Ashton Under Lyne 3 1.79x
Buckland 3 157.07x
Cannock 3 7.89x
Canterbury St Mary 3 20.28x
Canterbury St Peter 3 120.97x
Milton In Gravesend 3 9.08x
Northolme 3 681.82x
Shrewsbury St Julian 3 21.74x
Spotland 3 3.52x
Toxteth Park 3 1.16x
Wainfleet All Sts 3 99.67x
Canterbury St Gregory 2 68.97x
Ellesmere 2 20.88x
Limehouse London 2 2.82x
St Marylebone London 2 0.58x
Woolwich 2 2.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 40
Elizabeth 22
Sarah 15
Alice 12
Annie 11
Ann 10
Catherine 7
Clara 7
Edith 7
Eliza 7
Ellen 7
Emma 7
Jane 7
Margaret 7
Ada 6
Florence 6
Hannah 6
Rebecca 6
Fanny 5
Harriet 5
Louisa 5
Maria 5
Martha 5
Caroline 4
Rose 4
Amy 3
Anne 3
Bridget 3
Emily 3
Kate 3
Agnes 2
Celia 2
Esther 2
Frances 2
Lilian 2
Lucy 2
Lydia 2
Margret 2
May 2
Minnie 2
Rowena 2
Sophia 2
Susannah 2
Betsy 1
Elleanor 1
Eveline 1
Jannett 1
Jenifer 1
Jenny 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 41
William 36
George 23
Henry 21
James 20
Thomas 14
Charles 13
Edward 11
Arthur 8
Richard 8
Walter 8
Harry 7
Robert 7
Samuel 6
Alfred 5
Frederick 5
Patrick 5
Albert 4
Francis 4
Frank 4
Ernest 3
Joseph 3
Percy 3
Alexander 2
Herbert 2
Leonard 2
Lionel 2
Michael 2
Stephen 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Anthony 1
Bryan 1
Charlie 1
Chs. 1
Cyril 1
David 1
Evan 1
Fk. 1
Fred 1
Fredk.Chas. 1
Geo 1
Geo. 1
Hugh 1
Jos. 1
Lewis 1
Lional 1
Nathan 1
Norman 1
Patric 1

FAQ

Carden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Carden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 660 people were recorded with the Carden surname. That placed it at #5,439 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Carden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,318 in 2016. That gives Carden a modern rank of #4,552.

What does the Carden surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "the fort or enclosure" in Anglo-Saxon, or from the Welsh word "carreg" meaning "stone."

What does the Carden map show?

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