NameCensus.

UK surname

Cudworth

A locational surname derived from places named Cudworth or Kidworth in England.

In the 1881 census there were 440 people recorded with the Cudworth surname, ranking it #7,440 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 439, ranked #11,007, down from #7,440 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Fulwood and Dewsbury. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fylde, Rochdale and Derby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cudworth is 588 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.2%.

1881 census count

440

Ranked #7,440

Modern count

439

2016, ranked #11,007

Peak year

1911

588 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cudworth had 440 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,440 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 439 in 2016, ranked #11,007.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 588 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Cudworth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cudworth surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cudworth 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 290 #7,844
1861 historical 326 #7,814
1881 historical 440 #7,440
1891 historical 441 #8,197
1901 historical 537 #7,652
1911 historical 588 #6,942
1997 modern 458 #9,939
1998 modern 484 #9,841
1999 modern 480 #9,971
2000 modern 482 #9,901
2001 modern 477 #9,798
2002 modern 484 #9,869
2003 modern 480 #9,782
2004 modern 463 #10,074
2005 modern 440 #10,382
2006 modern 448 #10,269
2007 modern 441 #10,513
2008 modern 449 #10,447
2009 modern 462 #10,444
2010 modern 446 #10,988
2011 modern 454 #10,707
2012 modern 451 #10,640
2013 modern 443 #10,968
2014 modern 449 #10,926
2015 modern 454 #10,751
2016 modern 439 #11,007

Geography

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Where Cudworths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Fulwood, Dewsbury, Whalley and Leeds. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fylde, Rochdale, Derby and Dover. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Sutton-in-Ashfield, Fulwood Nottinghamshire
3 Dewsbury Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Whalley Lancashire
5 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fylde 006 Fylde
2 Rochdale 006 Rochdale
3 Derby 007 Derby
4 Derby 030 Derby
5 Dover 006 Dover

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cudworth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cudworth

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Cudworth surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Cudworth household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Cudworth is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cudworth is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Cudworth

The surname Cudworth originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period, derived from the Old English words "cud" meaning "famous" and "worth" meaning "enclosure" or "farm." It was initially a locational name for someone who lived near a well-known farm or enclosure.

The earliest recorded spelling of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Cudewurthe." This suggests that the name was already established in various parts of England by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the 12th century, the name was recorded as "Cudewrth" in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, indicating the presence of the Cudworth family in that region. The spelling variations during this period included "Cudwurth," "Cuddeworth," and "Cudeworth."

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was William de Cudworth, who lived in Yorkshire during the 13th century. He was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297.

The Cudworth family had connections to several places in Yorkshire, including the village of Cudworth near Barnsley, which likely took its name from the family. This village was recorded as "Cudewrth" in the Domesday Book.

Ralph Cudworth (1617-1688) was a prominent English philosopher, theologian, and renowned master of Christ's College, Cambridge. He is best known for his work "The True Intellectual System of the Universe," which defended Christian philosophy against atheism and materialism.

Another notable figure was Benjamin Cudworth (1698-1763), an English clergyman and mathematician who served as the Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy at the University of Cambridge.

In the late 17th century, Zachary Cudworth (1660-1725) was a notable English non-juror and theologian who published several works on church history and theology.

William Cudworth (1617-1688), a contemporary of Ralph Cudworth, was an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Rector of Aller in Somerset.

The Cudworth surname also appeared in the United States, with one of the earliest recorded bearers being James Cudworth, who was born in England in 1601 and later settled in Scituate, Massachusetts, in the 1630s.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cudworth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cudworth 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. Lancashire leads with 192 Cudworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.78x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 192 3.78x
Yorkshire 142 3.35x
Nottinghamshire 36 6.24x
Cambridgeshire 14 5.16x
Derbyshire 9 1.34x
Montgomeryshire 8 8.15x
Cheshire 7 0.74x
Denbighshire 7 4.33x
Shropshire 5 1.35x
Durham 4 0.31x
Lanarkshire 3 0.22x
Hertfordshire 2 0.68x
Leicestershire 2 0.42x
Surrey 2 0.10x
Warwickshire 2 0.19x
Brecknockshire 1 1.17x
Middlesex 1 0.02x
Northamptonshire 1 0.25x
Westmorland 1 1.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Spotland in Lancashire leads with 73 Cudworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 129.23x.

Place Total Index
Spotland 73 129.23x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 32 211.08x
Castleton 20 39.41x
Holbeck 20 71.15x
Huddersfield 20 32.35x
Burnley 19 44.40x
Leeds 17 7.09x
Newchurch 14 33.68x
Wardleworth 14 48.21x
Chilwell 13 849.67x
Waterbeach 10 452.49x
Derby St Peter 9 42.15x
Sutton In Ashfield 9 71.83x
Hucknall Under 8 268.46x
Kimberworth 8 33.97x
Machynlleth 8 225.99x
Bradford 7 6.81x
Hopwood 7 105.42x
Hunslet 7 10.58x
Oldham 7 4.27x
Stansty 7 393.26x
Stayley 7 64.81x
Todmorden Walsden 7 51.43x
Wuerdle Wardle 7 45.40x
Almondbury 6 29.24x
Habergham Eaves 5 10.77x
Oswestry Town 5 42.19x
Ashton Under Lyne 4 3.60x
Darlington 4 8.13x
West Clayton 4 189.57x
Blaxton 3 937.50x
Edgeworth 3 109.89x
Glasgow 3 1.22x
Horton In Bradford 3 4.53x
Nottingham St Mary 3 2.01x
Rochdale 3 80.86x
Saddleworth 3 9.17x
Broughton In Salford 2 4.30x
Butterworth 2 16.16x
Haslingden 2 9.51x
Radford 2 6.82x
Reigate Foreign 2 8.85x
Rickmansworth 2 24.60x
Wakefield 2 6.14x
Wortley In Bramley 2 5.95x
Billesdon 1 81.30x
Birmingham 1 0.28x
Bowling 1 2.38x
Brightside Bierlow 1 1.20x
Cheetham 1 2.64x
Conisbrough 1 25.13x
Doncaster 1 3.23x
Kendal 1 5.80x
Leamington Priors 1 3.76x
Leicester St Margaret 1 0.86x
Llangattock 1 14.35x
Lockwood 1 6.55x
Mansfield 1 5.01x
Mile End Old Town London 1 1.10x
Newmarket All Sts 1 50.00x
Peterborough 1 3.43x
Rawmarsh 1 6.67x
Royton 1 6.44x
Sheffield 1 0.74x
Soham 1 17.12x
Soothill 1 6.52x
St Edward Cambridge 1 116.28x
The Holy Sepulchre 1 151.52x
Worsthorne Cum 1 61.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 34
Sarah 20
Ann 14
Elizabeth 13
Martha 11
Jane 10
Eliza 9
Emma 9
Ellen 6
Margaret 6
Alice 4
Annie 4
Hannah 4
Emily 3
Lucy 3
Margret 3
Selina 3
Susannah 3
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Clara 2
Clarah 2
Edith 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Georgina 2
Maria 2
Nancy 2
Rose 2
Barbara 1
Caroline 1
Cathrine 1
Christiana 1
Elizebeth 1
Emmela 1
Faith 1
Fanny 1
Florie 1
Hulb. 1
Isabel 1
Isabell 1
Isabella 1
Jeanie 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Lena 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Mally 1
Wilhelmina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 35
James 26
William 22
George 12
Samuel 10
Thomas 9
Joseph 8
Robert 8
Henry 6
Abraham 5
Arthur 4
Charles 4
Walter 4
Frank 3
Fred 3
Harry 3
Albert 2
Benjamin 2
David 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Richard 2
Timothy 2
Amos 1
Annie 1
Craven 1
Cuthbert 1
Daniel 1
Edgar 1
Edward 1
Eli 1
Ellis 1
Francis 1
Fredrick 1
Gamiell 1
Gamwele 1
Giles 1
Hannah 1
Ivan 1
Jas.Tho. 1
Jhon 1
Jno. 1
Lord 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Moses 1
Nelly 1
Percy 1
Reuben 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Cudworth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cudworth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 440 people were recorded with the Cudworth surname. That placed it at #7,440 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cudworth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 439 in 2016. That gives Cudworth a modern rank of #11,007.

What does the Cudworth surname mean?

A locational surname derived from places named Cudworth or Kidworth in England.

What does the Cudworth map show?

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