NameCensus.

UK surname

Cavendish

A surname derived from a place name in Derbyshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 162 people recorded with the Cavendish surname, ranking it #14,746 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 350, ranked #13,152, up from #14,746 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Kingston-on-Thames and St George, Hanover Square, Buckingham Palace. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire West and Chester, Windsor and Maidenhead and Derbyshire Dales.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cavendish is 351 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 116.0%.

1881 census count

162

Ranked #14,746

Modern count

350

2016, ranked #13,152

Peak year

2014

351 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cavendish had 162 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,746 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 350 in 2016, ranked #13,152.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 186 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cavendish surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cavendish surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cavendish 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 107 #16,402
1861 historical 108 #19,856
1881 historical 162 #14,746
1891 historical 161 #17,473
1901 historical 186 #15,839
1911 historical 167 #16,692
1997 modern 294 #13,707
1998 modern 296 #13,997
1999 modern 299 #14,000
2000 modern 297 #14,008
2001 modern 293 #13,933
2002 modern 295 #14,146
2003 modern 290 #14,134
2004 modern 294 #14,055
2005 modern 304 #13,724
2006 modern 306 #13,724
2007 modern 310 #13,730
2008 modern 299 #14,177
2009 modern 314 #13,985
2010 modern 335 #13,645
2011 modern 337 #13,463
2012 modern 348 #13,020
2013 modern 345 #13,326
2014 modern 351 #13,227
2015 modern 350 #13,159
2016 modern 350 #13,152

Geography

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Where Cavendishs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Kingston-on-Thames, St George, Hanover Square, Buckingham Palace and Thornton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire West and Chester, Windsor and Maidenhead, Derbyshire Dales, Shropshire and Wiltshire. 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 Kingston-on-Thames Surrey
3 London parishes London 3
4 St George, Hanover Square, Buckingham Palace London (West Districts)
5 Thornton Buckinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire West and Chester 043 Cheshire West and Chester
2 Windsor and Maidenhead 009 Windsor and Maidenhead
3 Derbyshire Dales 003 Derbyshire Dales
4 Shropshire 028 Shropshire
5 Wiltshire 002 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cavendish

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cavendish

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Cavendish is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cavendish is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Cavendish

The surname Cavendish originated in England during the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "cadfand" which means "at the head" and "isic" meaning a small stream or waterway. The name refers to a homestead situated at the source or head of a stream.

The earliest known record of the Cavendish name dates back to the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1199, where it was spelled as "Cavendishe." This suggests that the family's ancestral lands were located in or near the village of Cavendish in Suffolk.

In the 13th century, the Cavendish family acquired estates in the counties of Suffolk and Derbyshire. They were prominent landowners and played influential roles in local affairs. The name can be found in various historical documents from this period, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273.

One of the earliest notable figures with the Cavendish surname was Sir John Cavendish (c.1346-1381), who served as Chief Justice of the King's Bench during the reign of Edward III. He was involved in the trial and condemnation of John Wycliffe, the famous religious reformer.

In the 15th century, the Cavendish family gained further prominence when William Cavendish (c.1505-1557) became a prominent courtier and supporter of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. His grandson, also named William Cavendish (1552-1625), was created the first Earl of Devonshire in 1618 by King James I.

Another significant figure was Thomas Cavendish (1555-1592), an English navigator and explorer who circumnavigated the globe between 1586 and 1588. He was the third person to accomplish this feat after Ferdinand Magellan and Sir Francis Drake.

During the English Civil War, the Cavendish family remained loyal to the Royalist cause. William Cavendish (1592-1676), the 3rd Earl of Devonshire, was a prominent Royalist commander and fought in several battles against the Parliamentarians.

The Cavendish surname has also been associated with scientific achievements. Henry Cavendish (1731-1810) was a renowned British natural philosopher who made important contributions to the study of electricity, heat, and gravity. He is credited with the discovery of hydrogen and the calculation of the gravitational constant known as the Cavendish experiment.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cavendish families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cavendish 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. Middlesex leads with 47 Cavendishs recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.52x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 47 2.52x
Isle of Man 30 86.71x
Lancashire 27 1.22x
Surrey 25 2.75x
Yorkshire 9 0.49x
Kent 8 1.26x
Staffordshire 8 1.27x
Hampshire 7 1.83x
Sussex 7 2.23x
Leicestershire 5 2.42x
Shropshire 4 2.49x
Dorset 3 2.45x
Cheshire 2 0.49x
Lanarkshire 2 0.33x
Bedfordshire 1 1.04x
Derbyshire 1 0.34x
Durham 1 0.18x
Hertfordshire 1 0.78x
Lincolnshire 1 0.34x
Northamptonshire 1 0.57x
Renfrewshire 1 0.69x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Onchan in Isle of Man leads with 16 Cavendishs recorded in 1881 and an index of 160.48x.

Place Total Index
Onchan 16 160.48x
St George Hanover Square 15 45.70x
Ballaugh 10 1612.90x
Liverpool 10 7.45x
Bermondsey 9 16.23x
Cheetham 7 42.45x
Newington 6 8.72x
Burton Upon Trent 5 33.99x
Greenwich 5 16.86x
Kensington London 5 4.83x
Leicester St Margaret 5 9.93x
Teddington London 5 118.48x
Bradford 4 8.95x
Claverley 4 366.97x
East Molesey 4 189.57x
Eastbourne 4 27.68x
Ryde 4 48.78x
German 3 158.73x
Layton With Warbreck 3 36.99x
St Anne Soho London 3 28.20x
St Martin In Fields 3 26.91x
Uttoxeter 3 93.17x
York Minster Yard W 3 697.67x
Chelsea London 2 3.56x
Govan 2 1.34x
Hammersmith London 2 4.36x
Hove 2 14.51x
Islington London 2 1.11x
Kinson 2 83.68x
Kirkdale 2 5.38x
Lambeth 2 1.23x
Nether Hallam 2 8.01x
Putney 2 23.56x
South Stoneham 2 24.15x
St George Bloomsbury 2 18.71x
St Marylebone London 2 2.01x
Allington 1 476.19x
Ashford 1 232.56x
Barrow In Furness 1 3.33x
Bedford St Peter 1 39.84x
Berkhampstead 1 34.60x
Birkenhead 1 3.05x
Braddan 1 52.91x
Bradwall 1 238.10x
Cathcart 1 12.80x
Chertsey 1 17.04x
Chiswick 1 9.82x
Didsbury 1 34.01x
Farnborough 1 24.94x
Harrow On The Hill 1 26.88x
Kingston On Thames 1 4.59x
Maidstone 1 5.28x
Milton In Gravesend 1 10.49x
Minster In Sheppey 1 9.50x
Northampton All Sts 1 16.81x
Oldham 1 1.40x
Paddington London 1 1.46x
Parkstone 1 69.93x
Rusholme 1 16.95x
St Pancras London 1 0.67x
Storrington 1 116.28x
Walton On Hill 1 8.35x
Westminster St James 1 5.22x
Westminster St Margaret 1 11.12x
Willington 1 31.25x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 8
William 8
George 7
John 7
Charles 6
Edward 5
Thomas 5
Arthur 4
James 4
Frederick 3
Richard 3
Albert 2
H. 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
Spencer 2
Alfred 1
Benjamin 1
Cecil 1
Daniel 1
Edith 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
F. 1
France 1
Frances 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Hugh 1
Louis 1
Nigel 1
Oscar 1
Patrick 1
R. 1
Richd.J. 1
Sydney 1
Tom 1
Tyrrell 1
Victor 1
Willie 1
Wm.H.A.G.D. 1

FAQ

Cavendish surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cavendish surname in 1881?

In 1881, 162 people were recorded with the Cavendish surname. That placed it at #14,746 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cavendish surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 350 in 2016. That gives Cavendish a modern rank of #13,152.

What does the Cavendish surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name in Derbyshire, England.

What does the Cavendish map show?

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