NameCensus.

UK surname

Cleverdon

A locational surname derived from a place in England, meaning "valley of the skilled people."

In the 1881 census there were 90 people recorded with the Cleverdon surname, ranking it #20,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 226, ranked #18,044, up from #20,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bedminster, Putford, East and Petrockstow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mid Devon, Harlow and Hackney.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cleverdon is 247 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 151.1%.

1881 census count

90

Ranked #20,965

Modern count

226

2016, ranked #18,044

Peak year

2000

247 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cleverdon had 90 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 226 in 2016, ranked #18,044.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 182 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Cleverdon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cleverdon surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cleverdon 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 112 #15,913
1861 historical 86 #22,810
1881 historical 90 #20,965
1891 historical 165 #17,143
1901 historical 178 #16,284
1911 historical 182 #15,859
1997 modern 232 #16,012
1998 modern 245 #15,903
1999 modern 245 #16,012
2000 modern 247 #15,864
2001 modern 239 #15,963
2002 modern 234 #16,543
2003 modern 233 #16,394
2004 modern 230 #16,643
2005 modern 215 #17,334
2006 modern 200 #18,294
2007 modern 208 #18,013
2008 modern 208 #18,171
2009 modern 219 #17,960
2010 modern 221 #18,205
2011 modern 223 #17,940
2012 modern 218 #18,139
2013 modern 216 #18,543
2014 modern 223 #18,279
2015 modern 226 #17,995
2016 modern 226 #18,044

Geography

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Where Cleverdons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bedminster, Putford, East, Petrockstow, Cardiff St John and St Mary and Hartland. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mid Devon, Harlow, Hackney, North Devon and Torfaen. 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 Bedminster Somerset
2 Putford, East Devon
3 Petrockstow Devon
4 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire
5 Hartland Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mid Devon 010 Mid Devon
2 Harlow 002 Harlow
3 Hackney 006 Hackney
4 North Devon 013 North Devon
5 Torfaen 009 Torfaen

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cleverdon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cleverdon

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cleverdon, 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 Cleverdon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Cleverdon 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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Cleverdon 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

Cleverdon is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cleverdon falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cleverdon

The surname Cleverdon is of English origin, originating in the county of Somerset during the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the place name Cloverdon, a small village near the town of Yeovil. The name itself is a compound of the Old English words "clafre" meaning "clover" and "dun" meaning "hill" or "down," thus referring to a hill or down where clover grew abundantly.

The earliest recorded reference to the name Cleverdon dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Clauredone." This suggests that the name and the associated settlement were already well-established by the time of the Norman conquest of England in 1066.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records as "Cloverdon" and "Cloferdon," reflecting the evolution of the spelling over time. One notable early bearer of the name was John de Cloverdon, a landowner mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Somerset in 1230.

During the 16th century, the spelling "Cleverdon" became more commonplace, as seen in the records of the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset in 1523, which list several individuals with this surname.

Among the notable historical figures bearing the Cleverdon surname are:

1. William Cleverdon (c. 1570 - 1637), an English clergyman and author who wrote several theological works. 2. Robert Cleverdon (1635 - 1709), a English merchant and landowner in Bristol, known for his involvement in the local community. 3. Mary Cleverdon (1788 - 1886), a British philanthropist and advocate for women's education, who founded the Cleverdon School for Girls in Somerset. 4. Sir William Cleverdon (1826 - 1899), a British businessman and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset. 5. George Cleverdon (1878 - 1952), a British actor and playwright, known for his roles in West End productions in London.

While the Cleverdon surname has its roots in Somerset, over time it has spread to other parts of England and beyond, with bearers of the name found in various locations around the world. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval village of Cloverdon and the linguistic roots that gave rise to this distinctive English surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cleverdon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cleverdon 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. Devon leads with 48 Cleverdons recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.69x.

County Total Index
Devon 48 25.69x
Middlesex 14 1.56x
Cornwall 8 7.87x
Somerset 5 3.46x
Surrey 5 1.14x
Aberdeenshire 4 4.81x
Glamorgan 3 1.92x
Lancashire 2 0.19x
Royal Navy 2 18.71x
Hampshire 1 0.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. East Putford in Devon leads with 9 Cleverdons recorded in 1881 and an index of 18000.00x.

Place Total Index
East Putford 9 18000.00x
Islington London 8 9.20x
Frithelstock 6 3529.41x
Littleham 6 437.96x
West Putford 6 8571.43x
Battersea 5 15.14x
Bedminster 5 36.85x
Clovelly 5 2083.33x
Parkham 5 2000.00x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 4 25.72x
Linkinhorne 4 563.38x
Cardiff St Mary 3 34.84x
Hartland 3 517.24x
St Pancras London 3 4.15x
Woolfardisworthy 3 1111.11x
Bromley London 2 10.13x
Kilkhampton 2 666.67x
Liverpool 2 3.09x
Royal Navy 2 21.88x
Bideford 1 50.00x
Buckland Brewer 1 434.78x
Exminster 1 149.25x
Landcross 1 3333.33x
Mile End Old Town London 1 5.24x
Morwenstow 1 400.00x
Portsea 1 2.77x
Stoke Damerel 1 7.65x
Trewen 1 2500.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Sarah 4
Ann 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Alice 1
Angalina 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Betsey 1
Caroline 1
Charles 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizeabeth 1
Ethel 1
Grace 1
Leah 1
Lusinna 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Maud 1
Minnie 1
Rosener 1
Rosie 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 10
William 10
John 8
Charles 3
Alfred 1
Baby 1
Emmanuel 1
Frank 1
George 1
Henry 1
James 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Cleverdon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cleverdon surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Cleverdon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 226 in 2016. That gives Cleverdon a modern rank of #18,044.

What does the Cleverdon surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place in England, meaning "valley of the skilled people."

What does the Cleverdon map show?

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