NameCensus.

UK surname

Cardew

Of English origin, a locational surname derived from a place name referring to someone from Cardew.

In the 1881 census there were 254 people recorded with the Cardew surname, ranking it #10,949 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 325, ranked #13,930, down from #10,949 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Breage and Wimbledon. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall and King's Lynn and West Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cardew is 355 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.0%.

1881 census count

254

Ranked #10,949

Modern count

325

2016, ranked #13,930

Peak year

1998

355 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cardew had 254 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,949 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 325 in 2016, ranked #13,930.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 283 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cardew surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cardew surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cardew 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 108 #16,308
1861 historical 95 #21,768
1881 historical 254 #10,949
1891 historical 144 #18,842
1901 historical 204 #14,925
1911 historical 283 #11,883
1997 modern 336 #12,549
1998 modern 355 #12,418
1999 modern 336 #12,969
2000 modern 331 #13,045
2001 modern 319 #13,168
2002 modern 339 #12,911
2003 modern 313 #13,443
2004 modern 322 #13,260
2005 modern 307 #13,625
2006 modern 308 #13,669
2007 modern 310 #13,730
2008 modern 310 #13,834
2009 modern 306 #14,218
2010 modern 324 #13,979
2011 modern 318 #14,023
2012 modern 326 #13,691
2013 modern 333 #13,682
2014 modern 337 #13,659
2015 modern 326 #13,898
2016 modern 325 #13,930

Geography

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Where Cardews are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall and King's Lynn and West Norfolk. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Breage Cornwall
3 London parishes London 3
4 Wimbledon Surrey
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 034 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 013 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 063 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 006 Cornwall
5 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 002 King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cardew

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cardew

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Cardew 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

Cardew is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cardew falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cardew

The surname Cardew is of English origin, originating in the county of Shropshire during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "carde" and "howe," which together translate to "hill where wild teasels or thistles grow." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive term for someone who lived near such a hill.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century, with variations in spelling such as "Cardewe" and "Cardehowe" appearing in historical documents from that era. The Cardew family is thought to have been landowners in the village of Cardington, near Church Stretton, Shropshire, during the Middle Ages.

In the 16th century, the Cardew name is mentioned in the Parish Registers of Burford, Shropshire, where a John Cardew was recorded as having been baptized in 1583. Around the same time, a William Cardew was born in Leighton, Shropshire, in 1591, and later became a prominent figure in the town.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Cardew was Sir Thomas Cardew (c. 1545-1609), a Member of Parliament for Shropshire and a wealthy landowner. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1597 for his services to the Crown.

Another prominent figure was Benjamin Cardew (1674-1744), an English mathematician and astronomer who was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1715. He made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and the calculation of planetary orbits.

In the 19th century, Edward Cardwell (1787-1886) was a British statesman and politician who served as Secretary of State for War from 1868 to 1874. He was responsible for implementing major reforms in the British Army during his tenure.

The Cardew name also appears in literary circles, with the English writer and poet John Cardew (1928-2018) being a notable figure. He was a member of the British Poetry Revival movement and published several collections of poetry throughout his career.

Overall, the surname Cardew has a rich history rooted in the English countryside, with various branches of the family gaining prominence in fields ranging from politics and military service to academia and literature over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cardew families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cardew 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. Cornwall leads with 48 Cardews recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.98x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 48 16.98x
Devon 46 8.85x
Middlesex 40 1.60x
Kent 18 2.11x
Hampshire 14 2.74x
Lancashire 14 0.47x
Somerset 12 2.99x
Surrey 11 0.90x
Cheshire 9 1.63x
Aberdeenshire 8 3.46x
Northumberland 8 2.15x
Berkshire 6 3.20x
Lanarkshire 6 0.74x
Gloucestershire 5 1.02x
Essex 2 0.41x
Leicestershire 2 0.72x
Royal Navy 2 6.72x
Durham 1 0.13x
Glamorgan 1 0.23x
Midlothian 1 0.30x
Staffordshire 1 0.12x
Sussex 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Breage in Cornwall leads with 14 Cardews recorded in 1881 and an index of 542.64x.

Place Total Index
Breage 14 542.64x
Openshaw 12 86.46x
Walcot 12 56.05x
St Germans 11 558.38x
Liss 10 961.54x
Hornsey 9 28.50x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 8 18.49x
Dawlish 8 206.19x
Elswick 8 26.98x
Hampstead London 8 20.57x
Kensington London 8 5.76x
Milton Abbott 8 1066.67x
Chatham 6 25.60x
Glasgow 6 4.18x
Newton In Ashton Under 6 110.29x
Stoke Damerel 6 16.49x
Bermondsey 5 6.73x
Exeter St Leonard 5 352.11x
Greenwich 5 12.58x
Hendon 5 55.68x
North Tawton 5 312.50x
Paul 5 97.28x
Plymouth Charles The 5 21.83x
Reading St Giles 5 27.19x
St Enoder 5 520.83x
St George Hanover Square 5 11.36x
Petrockstow 4 909.09x
Sheviock 4 833.33x
Stratton 4 261.44x
Wandsworth 4 16.64x
Falmouth 3 29.97x
Gillingham 3 17.07x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 7.49x
Barton Upon Irwell 2 8.96x
Castle Donnington 2 86.96x
Cheltenham 2 5.29x
Holdenhurst 2 14.89x
Leckhampton 2 66.23x
Over 2 35.71x
Royal Navy 2 7.86x
St Marylebone London 2 1.50x
Camberwell 1 0.63x
Clifton 1 4.04x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.52x
Dover St James 1 26.81x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.74x
Gravesend 1 13.87x
Hartland 1 61.73x
Hastings St Leonards 1 16.16x
Helston 1 34.01x
Hutton 1 256.41x
Lambeth 1 0.46x
Morwenstow 1 144.93x
Paddington London 1 1.09x
Portsea 1 1.00x
Prittlewell 1 14.64x
Roath 1 5.06x
Sandhurst 1 27.55x
St Budeaux 1 61.73x
St Lawrence 1 17.06x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 1.12x
Stranton 1 4.00x
Ventnor 1 20.53x
Westminster St James 1 3.90x
Willesden 1 4.25x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 1 20.37x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Elizabeth 12
Edith 7
Alice 6
Emma 6
Eliza 4
Emily 4
Amy 3
Ellen 3
Jane 3
Jessie 3
Martha 3
Sarah 3
Ann 2
Bessie 2
Caroline 2
Ethel 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Kate 2
Selina 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Anna 1
Annette 1
Annie 1
Bertha 1
Catherine 1
Christiana 1
Constance 1
Cornelia 1
Dora 1
E. 1
Enid 1
Georgina 1
Henrietta 1
Honnora 1
Lavenia 1
Leila 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Maude 1
Methcas 1
Minnie 1
Naomi 1
Olive 1
Rose 1
Rosemond 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 14
William 13
Henry 10
Thomas 5
Arthur 4
Frederick 4
George 4
James 3
Richard 3
Samuel 3
Stephen 3
Edward 2
Francis 2
Hy. 2
Joseph 2
Nicholas 2
Peter 2
Philip 2
Saml. 2
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Ambrose 1
Bertie 1
Chars. 1
Christopher 1
Claude 1
D. 1
David 1
Edwd.S. 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Jesse 1
Malinel 1
Matthew 1
Maximillan 1
Reginald 1
Richd.H. 1
Robert 1
W.P.D. 1
Walter 1
Warburton 1
Wilfred 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Cardew surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cardew surname in 1881?

In 1881, 254 people were recorded with the Cardew surname. That placed it at #10,949 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cardew surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 325 in 2016. That gives Cardew a modern rank of #13,930.

What does the Cardew surname mean?

Of English origin, a locational surname derived from a place name referring to someone from Cardew.

What does the Cardew map show?

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