NameCensus.

UK surname

Cauldwell

A place name referring to someone who lived near a spring or well of cold water.

In the 1881 census there were 211 people recorded with the Cauldwell surname, ranking it #12,407 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 296, ranked #14,882, down from #12,407 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Werburgh, Eccles and Wirksworth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chesterfield, Amber Valley and Stockton-on-Tees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cauldwell is 333 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.3%.

1881 census count

211

Ranked #12,407

Modern count

296

2016, ranked #14,882

Peak year

2002

333 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cauldwell had 211 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,407 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 296 in 2016, ranked #14,882.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 280 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Cauldwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cauldwell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cauldwell 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 105 #16,618
1861 historical 69 #25,057
1881 historical 211 #12,407
1891 historical 212 #14,318
1901 historical 280 #12,193
1911 historical 207 #14,635
1997 modern 317 #13,053
1998 modern 326 #13,146
1999 modern 320 #13,398
2000 modern 320 #13,360
2001 modern 325 #13,030
2002 modern 333 #13,062
2003 modern 313 #13,443
2004 modern 315 #13,450
2005 modern 325 #13,080
2006 modern 313 #13,517
2007 modern 306 #13,862
2008 modern 296 #14,275
2009 modern 315 #13,960
2010 modern 313 #14,289
2011 modern 307 #14,386
2012 modern 291 #14,806
2013 modern 303 #14,651
2014 modern 296 #14,982
2015 modern 295 #14,935
2016 modern 296 #14,882

Geography

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Where Cauldwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Werburgh, Eccles, Wirksworth, Darfield and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chesterfield, Amber Valley and Stockton-on-Tees. 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 St Werburgh Derbyshire
2 Eccles Lancashire
3 Wirksworth Derbyshire
4 Darfield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chesterfield 002 Chesterfield
2 Amber Valley 006 Amber Valley
3 Amber Valley 003 Amber Valley
4 Stockton-on-Tees 024 Stockton-on-Tees
5 Amber Valley 013 Amber Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cauldwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cauldwell

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Cauldwell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Cauldwell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Cauldwell 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

Cauldwell is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Cauldwell

The surname Cauldwell is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "cald" meaning cold and "well" meaning a spring or stream, suggesting that the name may have referred to a person who lived near a cold water source.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to the 13th century, with a mention of a Richard de Caldewelle in the Norfolk Pipe Rolls of 1275. This suggests that the name was initially associated with the region of Norfolk in eastern England.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Caldewelle, Cauldwell, and Caldwell, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common during that time. One notable reference is from the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1279, which mentions a John de Caldewelle.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Cauldwell family appeared to have been concentrated in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire. Notable individuals from this period include John Cauldwell (1533-1599), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Norwich.

As the name spread across England, it was also associated with various place names. For example, the village of Caldwell in Staffordshire may have derived its name from the Old English words "cald" and "well," suggesting a connection to the surname's origins.

Several individuals with the Cauldwell surname have made significant contributions throughout history. These include Sir Benjamin Cauldwell (1737-1818), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars, and William Cauldwell (1798-1882), a Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Other notable figures bearing the Cauldwell name include John Cauldwell (1639-1707), an English clergyman and author, and Thomas Cauldwell (1813-1895), a British politician who served as a Member of Parliament for South Essex.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cauldwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cauldwell 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 59 Cauldwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.31x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 59 18.31x
Lancashire 46 1.88x
Middlesex 30 1.46x
Cheshire 18 3.96x
Yorkshire 14 0.69x
Nottinghamshire 12 4.33x
Warwickshire 9 1.73x
Cumberland 6 3.39x
Angus 3 1.57x
Glamorgan 3 0.84x
Staffordshire 3 0.43x
Lanarkshire 2 0.30x
Renfrewshire 2 1.25x
Surrey 2 0.20x
Leicestershire 1 0.44x
Northumberland 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Appleton in Cheshire leads with 18 Cauldwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 1747.57x.

Place Total Index
Appleton 18 1747.57x
Alderwasley 17 6296.30x
Worsbrough 9 150.50x
Eccleston In Prescot 8 65.25x
Pendleton In Salford 8 27.49x
Aston 7 4.90x
Crich 7 333.33x
Paddington London 7 9.25x
Derby St Werburgh 6 32.24x
Hornsey 6 23.05x
Barlow 5 769.23x
Cromford 5 657.89x
Crosscanonby 5 85.32x
Newton 5 26.57x
St Pancras London 5 3.02x
Carsington 4 2500.00x
Everton 4 5.14x
Much Woolton 4 120.85x
Shoreditch London 4 4.48x
Widnes 4 22.71x
Bulwell 3 49.75x
Dewsbury 3 14.34x
Kirriemuir 3 63.83x
Oldham 3 3.81x
Roath 3 18.43x
Shadwell London 3 52.08x
Stoke Upon Trent 3 4.07x
Turnditch 3 1428.57x
Worksop 3 36.45x
Allestree 2 487.80x
Birmingham 2 1.16x
Blackley 2 46.73x
East Greenock 2 13.28x
Hackney London 2 1.73x
Hucknall Torkard 2 28.45x
Islington London 2 1.00x
Muggington 2 1428.57x
Nottingham St Mary 2 2.79x
Ripley 2 50.25x
Ashover 1 62.50x
Barony 1 0.59x
Barton Upon Irwell 1 5.44x
Battersea 1 1.32x
Cambusnethan 1 6.77x
Chollerton 1 116.28x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 2.58x
Doveridge 1 204.08x
Drigg Carleton 1 250.00x
Heage 1 58.82x
Hulme 1 1.96x
Liverpool 1 0.67x
Manchester 1 0.91x
Matlock 1 23.09x
Newark Upon Trent 1 10.03x
Nottingham Standard 1 140.85x
Preston 1 1.53x
Quorndon 1 78.13x
Rusholme 1 15.36x
Salford 1 1.39x
Sculcoates 1 3.09x
Sheffield 1 1.54x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 2.41x
St Dunstan In West London 1 156.25x
Whittington 1 22.42x
Windley 1 769.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 11
Mary 10
Sarah 7
Hannah 6
Alice 5
Ann 5
Emma 5
Maria 4
Martha 4
Annie 3
Jane 3
Agnes 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Kate 2
Margaret 2
Millicent 2
Add 1
Bertha 1
Bridget 1
Clara 1
Dora 1
Edith 1
Emmilie 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Harriet 1
Lilly 1
Louisa 1
Matilda 1
Milicent 1
Nancy 1
Oliva 1
Paselia 1
Patience 1
Priscilla 1
Rose 1
Roseannah 1
Rosie 1
Selina 1
Sophia 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 13
Joseph 12
William 11
Thomas 6
George 5
James 5
Samuel 5
Henry 4
Arthur 3
Frederick 3
Robert 3
Wm. 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Edmund 2
Frank 2
Jesse 2
Luke 2
Paul 2
Peter 2
Bertram 1
Charles 1
Christopher 1
David 1
Edward 1
Fredrick 1
Infant 1
Joshua 1
Moses 1
Saml. 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Cauldwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cauldwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 211 people were recorded with the Cauldwell surname. That placed it at #12,407 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cauldwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 296 in 2016. That gives Cauldwell a modern rank of #14,882.

What does the Cauldwell surname mean?

A place name referring to someone who lived near a spring or well of cold water.

What does the Cauldwell map show?

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