NameCensus.

UK surname

Cawthray

In the 1881 census there were 90 people recorded with the Cawthray surname, ranking it #20,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 180, ranked #21,022, down from #20,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Leeds, Birstall and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Denbighshire, Leeds and Conwy.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cawthray is 180 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 100.0%.

1881 census count

90

Ranked #20,965

Modern count

180

2016, ranked #21,022

Peak year

2016

180 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cawthray had 90 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 180 in 2016, ranked #21,022.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 121 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Cawthray surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cawthray surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cawthray 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 42 #25,706
1861 historical 59 #26,466
1881 historical 90 #20,965
1891 historical 92 #25,109
1901 historical 92 #23,800
1911 historical 121 #20,336
1997 modern 147 #21,393
1998 modern 157 #21,058
1999 modern 149 #21,924
2000 modern 150 #21,781
2001 modern 142 #22,234
2002 modern 146 #22,302
2003 modern 148 #21,866
2004 modern 157 #21,168
2005 modern 158 #21,052
2006 modern 154 #21,576
2007 modern 151 #22,120
2008 modern 151 #22,323
2009 modern 159 #22,072
2010 modern 165 #22,026
2011 modern 167 #21,642
2012 modern 171 #21,303
2013 modern 173 #21,486
2014 modern 178 #21,259
2015 modern 175 #21,372
2016 modern 180 #21,022

Geography

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Where Cawthrays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Leeds, Birstall, Bradford and Guiseley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Denbighshire, Leeds and Conwy. 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 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Guiseley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Denbighshire 012 Denbighshire
2 Leeds 039 Leeds
3 Conwy 007 Conwy
4 Conwy 008 Conwy
5 Leeds 070 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cawthray

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cawthray

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Cawthray surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Cawthray household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Cawthray 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

Cawthray 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

Cawthray 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 Cawthray is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Cawthray, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Cawthray families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cawthray 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. Yorkshire leads with 87 Cawthrays recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.00x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 87 10.00x
Surrey 2 0.47x
Sussex 1 0.68x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tong in Yorkshire leads with 30 Cawthrays recorded in 1881 and an index of 1785.71x.

Place Total Index
Tong 30 1785.71x
Yeadon 16 816.33x
Drighlington 8 629.92x
Bowling 7 81.21x
Huddersfield 7 55.25x
Farnley In Bramley 4 366.97x
Ledsham 4 5000.00x
Leeds 4 8.14x
Kelfield 3 3000.00x
Croydon 2 8.42x
Brighton 1 3.35x
Cliff Cum Lund 1 526.32x
Drax 1 909.09x
Manningham 1 9.33x
Pudsey 1 21.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Sarah 5
Hannah 4
Ann 3
Jane 3
Martha 3
Annie 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Angelica 1
Betty 1
Clara 1
Elizabeth 1
Emma 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Henrietta 1
Issabella 1
Louisa 1
Maggie 1
Rachel 1
Rebena 1
Rosina 1
Susannah 1
Tamor 1
Zilla 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Cawthray surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cawthray surname in 1881?

In 1881, 90 people were recorded with the Cawthray surname. That placed it at #20,965 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cawthray surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 180 in 2016. That gives Cawthray a modern rank of #21,022.

What does the Cawthray map show?

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