NameCensus.

UK surname

Couldwell

In the 1881 census there were 261 people recorded with the Couldwell surname, ranking it #10,752 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 339, ranked #13,492, down from #10,752 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ecclesfield, Wakefield and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sheffield, Wakefield and Rotherham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Couldwell is 362 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.9%.

1881 census count

261

Ranked #10,752

Modern count

339

2016, ranked #13,492

Peak year

2013

362 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Couldwell had 261 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,752 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 339 in 2016, ranked #13,492.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 327 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Couldwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Couldwell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Couldwell 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 144 #13,277
1861 historical 247 #9,977
1881 historical 261 #10,752
1891 historical 236 #13,278
1901 historical 286 #12,029
1911 historical 327 #10,742
1997 modern 332 #12,645
1998 modern 339 #12,810
1999 modern 341 #12,851
2000 modern 340 #12,824
2001 modern 328 #12,944
2002 modern 330 #13,140
2003 modern 326 #13,076
2004 modern 315 #13,450
2005 modern 321 #13,195
2006 modern 315 #13,440
2007 modern 323 #13,351
2008 modern 332 #13,207
2009 modern 347 #13,044
2010 modern 352 #13,187
2011 modern 347 #13,167
2012 modern 356 #12,784
2013 modern 362 #12,843
2014 modern 360 #13,006
2015 modern 352 #13,109
2016 modern 339 #13,492

Geography

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Where Couldwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ecclesfield, Wakefield, Sheffield, Rotherham and Penistone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sheffield, Wakefield and Rotherham. 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 Ecclesfield Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Rotherham Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Penistone Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sheffield 001 Sheffield
2 Wakefield 007 Wakefield
3 Rotherham 011 Rotherham
4 Rotherham 015 Rotherham
5 Sheffield 068 Sheffield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Couldwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Couldwell

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

Couldwell is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

1881 census detail

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Couldwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Couldwell 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 247 Couldwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.90x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 247 9.90x
Middlesex 4 0.16x
Lancashire 3 0.10x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.59x
Sussex 2 0.47x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brightside Bierlow in Yorkshire leads with 52 Couldwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 106.30x.

Place Total Index
Brightside Bierlow 52 106.30x
Bradfield 44 457.86x
Ecclesfield 21 114.82x
Nether Hallam 20 59.28x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 15 64.57x
Hunshelf 12 983.61x
Ecclesall Bierlow 9 17.74x
Horton In Bradford 8 20.54x
Sandal Magna 8 216.80x
Sheffield 8 10.08x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 7 77.26x
Kimberworth 7 50.58x
Rotherham 5 35.56x
Garforth 4 209.42x
Halifax 4 10.93x
Heeley 4 52.77x
Wentworth 4 259.74x
Barnsley 3 11.66x
Paddington London 3 3.24x
Armthorpe 2 588.24x
Cuckfield 2 46.62x
Harthill Cum Woodall 2 208.33x
Hulme 2 3.21x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 2 22.45x
Sutton In Ashfield 2 27.17x
Swinton In Rotherham 2 30.35x
Wheatley 2 232.56x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 1.53x
Hoyland Nether 1 16.34x
Islington London 1 0.41x
Soothill 1 11.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 19
Mary 11
Elizabeth 8
Hannah 7
Ada 5
Alice 5
Emily 5
Martha 5
Ann 4
Annie 4
Clara 4
Eliza 3
Louisa 3
Amelia 2
Charlotte 2
Ellen 2
Florence 2
Jane 2
Maria 2
Adline 1
Agnes 1
Anne 1
Barbara 1
Beatrice 1
Blanche 1
Catherine 1
Ela. 1
Elizebeth 1
Emma 1
Eva 1
Francis 1
Franciss 1
Harriet 1
Helena 1
Henrietta 1
Keziah 1
Lavinia 1
Lucy 1
Malinda 1
Marie 1
Susannah 1
Winifred 1
Zillah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 18
William 14
John 13
James 8
Joseph 7
Charles 5
Henry 5
Thomas 5
Edmund 4
Frank 4
Albert 3
Arthur 3
Benjamin 3
Herbert 3
Willie 3
Wm. 3
Daniel 2
Edwin 2
Fred 2
Harry 2
Jas. 2
Robert 2
Sam 2
Aaron 1
Alf. 1
Alfred 1
Aurthur 1
Chas.Ed. 1
Earnest 1
Edward 1
Elijah 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Hellwin 1
J. 1
Jno. 1
Mark 1
Oliver 1
Pearson 1
Samuel 1
Seth 1
Thos. 1
Thos.T. 1
Vincent 1
Walter 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Couldwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Couldwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 261 people were recorded with the Couldwell surname. That placed it at #10,752 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Couldwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 339 in 2016. That gives Couldwell a modern rank of #13,492.

What does the Couldwell map show?

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