NameCensus.

UK surname

Duckworth

One who resides near a duck pond or stream, or a duck farmer.

In the 1881 census there were 5,788 people recorded with the Duckworth surname, ranking it #760 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,518, ranked #1,499, down from #760 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Bury and Preston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Burnley, Hyndburn and Blackburn with Darwen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Duckworth is 7,125 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 21.9%.

1881 census count

5,788

Ranked #760

Modern count

4,518

2016, ranked #1,499

Peak year

1911

7,125 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Duckworth had 5,788 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #760 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,518 in 2016, ranked #1,499.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7,125 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Duckworth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Duckworth surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Duckworth 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 3,824 #741
1861 historical 3,968 #704
1881 historical 5,788 #760
1891 historical 6,255 #742
1901 historical 6,789 #814
1911 historical 7,125 #731
1997 modern 4,955 #1,326
1998 modern 5,055 #1,348
1999 modern 5,111 #1,340
2000 modern 5,017 #1,358
2001 modern 4,931 #1,349
2002 modern 4,974 #1,369
2003 modern 4,817 #1,376
2004 modern 4,714 #1,401
2005 modern 4,643 #1,404
2006 modern 4,625 #1,412
2007 modern 4,634 #1,422
2008 modern 4,682 #1,418
2009 modern 4,757 #1,434
2010 modern 4,846 #1,439
2011 modern 4,683 #1,468
2012 modern 4,521 #1,493
2013 modern 4,623 #1,492
2014 modern 4,662 #1,482
2015 modern 4,565 #1,501
2016 modern 4,518 #1,499

Geography

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Where Duckworths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Bury, Preston, Blackburn and Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Burnley, Hyndburn, Blackburn with Darwen and Ribble Valley. 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 Bury Lancashire
3 Preston Lancashire
4 Blackburn Lancashire
5 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Burnley 014 Burnley
2 Hyndburn 001 Hyndburn
3 Blackburn with Darwen 008 Blackburn with Darwen
4 Ribble Valley 008 Ribble Valley
5 Burnley 004 Burnley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Duckworth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Duckworth

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Duckworth 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

Duckworth 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

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

Meaning and origin of Duckworth

The surname Duckworth has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational name, derived from the place name 'Duckworth' in the county of Lancashire. The name is composed of the Old English words 'ducc' meaning a duck and 'worth' meaning an enclosure or farm.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Duckworth can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire from 1332, where it appears as 'de Duckworth'. This suggests that the name was in use as early as the 14th century, and it likely originated from a family residing in the area known as Duckworth.

The Duckworth surname is also mentioned in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and their holdings commissioned by William the Conquer. However, the spelling in the Domesday Book is slightly different, appearing as 'Ducheworth'.

In the late 16th century, the Duckworth family held considerable influence and owned land in the township of Tottington, near Bury in Lancashire. One notable member of this branch was Sir John Duckworth (1598-1648), who served as a Member of Parliament and played a significant role in the English Civil War.

Another prominent figure with the Duckworth surname was Admiral Sir John Thomas Duckworth (1748-1817), a British naval officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. He is best known for his victory over the French fleet at the Battle of San Domingo in 1806.

The name Duckworth has also been associated with several literary figures throughout history. One such example is Reverend Richard Duckworth (1833-1900), an English clergyman and author who wrote several books on theology and religious topics.

Other notable individuals bearing the Duckworth surname include Sir Dyce Duckworth (1840-1928), a British physician and medical writer, and John Duckworth (1916-2003), an English actor and writer best known for his roles in British television series and films.

The Duckworth surname has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, such as Duckworth, Duckeworth, Duckworthe, and Duckewurth, reflecting the regional dialects and inconsistencies in record-keeping during earlier times.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Duckworth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Duckworth 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 4,531 Duckworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.76x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 4,531 6.76x
Yorkshire 585 1.05x
Cheshire 214 1.72x
Durham 55 0.33x
Staffordshire 53 0.28x
Middlesex 49 0.09x
Derbyshire 40 0.45x
Surrey 37 0.13x
Cumberland 29 0.60x
Flintshire 25 1.65x
Nottinghamshire 19 0.25x
Devon 14 0.12x
Hampshire 14 0.12x
Kent 13 0.07x
Lincolnshire 12 0.13x
Warwickshire 11 0.08x
Worcestershire 11 0.15x
Leicestershire 10 0.16x
Essex 8 0.07x
Hertfordshire 7 0.18x
Midlothian 7 0.09x
Glamorgan 6 0.06x
Somerset 6 0.07x
Sussex 5 0.05x
Aberdeenshire 4 0.08x
Lanarkshire 4 0.02x
Northumberland 4 0.05x
Renfrewshire 4 0.09x
Shropshire 4 0.08x
Westmorland 2 0.16x
Wiltshire 2 0.04x
Channel Islands 1 0.06x
Dorset 1 0.03x
Isle of Man 1 0.10x
Stirlingshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 611 Duckworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.27x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 611 34.27x
Accrington 248 40.71x
Preston 185 10.32x
Bury 181 23.65x
Oswaldtwistle 150 63.36x
Over Darwen 150 28.02x
Habergham Eaves 142 23.18x
Burnley 106 18.78x
Haslingden 97 34.96x
Rishton 95 120.87x
Oldham 84 3.88x
Salford 81 4.11x
Ashton Under Lyne 74 5.05x
Manchester 74 2.46x
Newchurch 71 12.95x
Bradford 68 5.02x
Everton 66 3.09x
Tottington Lower End 64 20.10x
Church 61 64.47x
Heap 57 16.04x
Barrowford Booth 53 71.48x
Little Bolton 52 6.04x
Castleton 50 7.47x
Lower Booths 50 41.65x
Clayton Le Moors 48 36.92x
Padiham 46 28.41x
Spotland 46 6.17x
Lower Darwen 43 48.89x
Wardleworth 43 11.23x
Farnworth 42 10.46x
Great Bolton 42 4.73x
Pendleton In Salford 40 5.01x
Wigan 40 4.27x
Leeds 37 1.17x
Tottington Higher End 36 47.19x
Keighley 35 5.87x
Radcliffe 34 10.53x
Layton With Warbreck 33 13.42x
Great Little Marsden 32 10.42x
Newton 29 5.62x
Parr 29 12.10x
Rumworth 29 30.28x
Livesey 27 22.96x
Royton 27 13.17x
Walmersley Cum 27 25.22x
Chadderton 26 7.94x
Bowling 25 4.51x
Cononley 24 149.44x
Croston 24 69.32x
Barnoldswick 23 29.45x
Manningham 23 3.34x
Middleton In Oldham 23 11.45x
Windle 23 6.10x
Witton 23 27.28x
Higher Booths 22 18.21x
Macclesfield 22 3.97x
Birkenhead 21 2.11x
Great Harwood 21 17.34x
Halifax 21 2.56x
Lambeth 21 0.43x
Warrington 21 2.64x
Eccleshill 20 136.89x
Gateshead 20 1.59x
Whalley 20 20.48x
Chorlton On Medlock 19 1.78x
Glossop Dale 19 4.59x
Higham With West Close 19 130.85x
Sandbach 19 17.87x
Birtle Cum Bamford 18 41.16x
Sharples 18 24.77x
Harborne 17 2.78x
Sutton 17 7.56x
Elton 16 6.91x
Hulme 16 1.14x
Halliwell 15 6.15x
Prestwich 15 8.97x
Rimington 15 202.16x
Edgeworth 14 38.90x
Gorton 14 2.22x
Yate Pickup Bank 14 105.42x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 515
Elizabeth 255
Sarah 189
Alice 186
Ann 147
Ellen 147
Jane 139
Margaret 128
Martha 69
Hannah 65
Eliza 62
Annie 57
Emma 48
Nancy 45
Betty 40
Isabella 39
Emily 36
Betsy 35
Maria 32
Esther 26
Ada 25
Harriet 23
Lucy 22
Susannah 22
Edith 21
Agnes 20
Catherine 19
Clara 17
Rachel 17
Margt. 15
Rebecca 14
Elizth. 13
Frances 13
Eliz. 12
Florence 12
Ruth 12
Fanny 11
Grace 11
Charlotte 10
Margret 9
Sophia 9
Kate 8
Amy 7
Bertha 7
Eleanor 7
Matilda 7
Anne 6
Betsey 6
Louisa 6
Susan 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 424
William 325
James 301
Thomas 197
Henry 124
George 117
Joseph 112
Robert 104
Edward 56
Charles 55
Richard 47
Alfred 40
Samuel 33
Walter 30
Albert 28
Arthur 27
Harry 26
Peter 25
Wm. 24
Fred 23
Herbert 19
Thos. 18
David 16
Benjamin 15
Frederick 15
Jonathan 14
Daniel 13
Joshua 12
Lawrence 11
Christopher 10
Edwin 10
Ernest 10
Frank 10
Geo. 10
Jas. 9
Mark 9
Edmund 8
Francis 8
Ralph 8
Isaac 7
Jacob 7
Levi 7
Nicholas 7
Robinson 7
Willie 7
Abraham 6
Eli 6
Jno. 6
Matthew 6
Timothy 6

FAQ

Duckworth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Duckworth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,788 people were recorded with the Duckworth surname. That placed it at #760 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Duckworth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,518 in 2016. That gives Duckworth a modern rank of #1,499.

What does the Duckworth surname mean?

One who resides near a duck pond or stream, or a duck farmer.

What does the Duckworth map show?

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