NameCensus.

UK surname

Densham

In the 1881 census there were 348 people recorded with the Densham surname, ranking it #8,791 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 461, ranked #10,625, down from #8,791 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) and Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Exeter and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Densham is 463 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.5%.

1881 census count

348

Ranked #8,791

Modern count

461

2016, ranked #10,625

Peak year

2014

463 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Densham had 348 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,791 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 461 in 2016, ranked #10,625.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 425 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Densham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Densham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Densham 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 149 #12,967
1861 historical 159 #14,553
1881 historical 348 #8,791
1891 historical 326 #10,405
1901 historical 360 #10,212
1911 historical 425 #8,877
1997 modern 397 #11,068
1998 modern 428 #10,810
1999 modern 420 #11,035
2000 modern 420 #10,998
2001 modern 409 #11,032
2002 modern 449 #10,465
2003 modern 434 #10,588
2004 modern 432 #10,658
2005 modern 414 #10,899
2006 modern 405 #11,131
2007 modern 412 #11,116
2008 modern 432 #10,792
2009 modern 440 #10,888
2010 modern 434 #11,223
2011 modern 438 #11,017
2012 modern 439 #10,873
2013 modern 450 #10,831
2014 modern 463 #10,659
2015 modern 460 #10,652
2016 modern 461 #10,625

Geography

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Where Denshams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Mary Tavy and Kenn, Ide, Ashton, Exminster. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Exeter and County Durham. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
3 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
4 Mary Tavy Devon
5 Kenn, Ide, Ashton, Exminster Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Exeter 013 Exeter
2 Exeter 007 Exeter
3 County Durham 004 County Durham
4 Exeter 001 Exeter
5 Exeter 014 Exeter

Forenames

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First names often paired with Densham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Densham

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Densham, 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 Densham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Densham household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Densham 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

Densham 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

Densham falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Densham is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Densham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Densham 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 189 Denshams recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.75x.

County Total Index
Devon 189 26.75x
Surrey 36 2.18x
Middlesex 33 0.97x
Somerset 20 3.66x
Gloucestershire 19 2.85x
Wiltshire 15 5.00x
Durham 11 1.09x
Dorset 6 2.69x
Warwickshire 6 0.70x
Sussex 3 0.52x
Worcestershire 2 0.45x
Channel Islands 1 0.99x
Hampshire 1 0.14x
Hertfordshire 1 0.43x
Kent 1 0.09x
Lincolnshire 1 0.18x
Oxfordshire 1 0.48x
Royal Navy 1 2.47x
Suffolk 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Marytavy in Devon leads with 28 Denshams recorded in 1881 and an index of 2692.31x.

Place Total Index
Marytavy 28 2692.31x
St Marylebone London 19 10.48x
Coulsdon 17 564.78x
Exminster 17 669.29x
Tormoham 14 46.82x
West Teignmouth 13 240.30x
Exeter St Sidwell 11 67.99x
Westbury On Trym 11 48.76x
Croydon 10 10.89x
Ide 10 1298.70x
Morchard Bishop 10 680.27x
Witton Gilbert 10 250.63x
Exeter St Thomas The 9 125.00x
Coldridge 8 1481.48x
Easton In Gordano 8 363.64x
Exeter St Mary Steps 8 503.14x
Hackney London 8 4.20x
Winkfield With Rowley 8 1904.76x
Exeter St David 7 115.89x
Plymouth St Andrew 7 12.86x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 6 99.01x
Lapford 6 869.57x
Wareham Lady St Mary 6 348.84x
Birmingham 5 1.75x
Plymouth Charles The 5 16.06x
Battersea 4 3.20x
Bradford On Avon 4 41.62x
Lambeth 4 1.35x
North Tawton 4 184.33x
Stoke 4 139.86x
Wells St Cuthbert 4 107.24x
Brighton 3 2.60x
East Teignmouth 3 103.81x
Kings Brompton Brompton 3 1034.48x
Powderham 3 909.09x
Sandford 3 173.41x
St Pancras London 3 1.10x
Topsham 3 90.09x
Bedminster 2 3.89x
Bristol St James St Paul 2 9.01x
Exeter Allhallows On The 2 172.41x
Kings Norton 2 5.03x
Tottenham 2 3.70x
Trowbridge 2 15.07x
Withycombe Rawleigh 2 54.35x
Woodbury 2 95.24x
Aston 1 0.42x
Beckenham 1 6.61x
Bovey Tracey 1 40.49x
Christow 1 147.06x
Devonport 1 12.32x
East Bergholt 1 72.46x
Edmondsley 1 92.59x
Evercreech 1 75.76x
Exeter St Mary Major 1 23.47x
Goring 1 83.33x
Hatherleigh 1 56.82x
Holdenhurst 1 5.48x
Holsworthy 1 50.25x
Lyncombe Widcombe 1 6.99x
North Bovey 1 196.08x
North Mimms 1 68.03x
Reigate Foreign 1 5.58x
Royal Navy 1 2.89x
Salisbury St Thomas 1 42.02x
St Budeaux 1 45.45x
St Helier 1 3.05x
Stamford St Michael 1 64.94x
Standerwick 1 1111.11x
Stokeinteignhead 1 131.58x
Westminster St Margaret 1 6.11x
Whitchurch 1 80.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Elizabeth 14
Sarah 10
Eliza 9
Emily 8
Jane 7
Alice 6
Charlotte 6
Annie 5
Ellen 5
Emma 5
Martha 5
Ann 4
Ada 3
Edith 3
Jessie 3
Susan 3
Amy 2
Clara 2
Fanny 2
Harriet 2
Jeursha 2
Kate 2
Laura 2
Maria 2
Marion 2
Rose 2
Anna 1
Augusta 1
Caroline 1
Constance 1
Daisy 1
Elizth.A. 1
Ella 1
Ena 1
Eva 1
Evelina 1
Evelyn 1
Flora 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Isabella 1
Jessica 1
Lavina 1
Lavinia 1
Letitia 1
Lucy 1
Malinda 1
Margaret 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 22
Charles 15
John 15
George 9
Thomas 9
Robert 8
Henry 7
Albert 6
James 6
Alfred 4
Arthur 4
Richard 4
Roger 4
Walter 4
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Samuel 3
Edward 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Absalom 1
Adolphus 1
Alec 1
Archabald 1
Ashley 1
Benjamin 1
Bessie 1
Daniel 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Elijah 1
Emanuel 1
Emmanuel 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.W. 1
Harold 1
Henery 1
Hugh 1
Joshua 1
Leigh 1
Mark 1
Reginald 1
Sidney 1
Sydney 1
Theophilus 1
Willm.Richd. 1

FAQ

Densham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Densham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 348 people were recorded with the Densham surname. That placed it at #8,791 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Densham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 461 in 2016. That gives Densham a modern rank of #10,625.

What does the Densham map show?

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