NameCensus.

UK surname

Eady

Derived from the Old English word "eadig," meaning "rich, blessed, or prosperous."

In the 1881 census there were 681 people recorded with the Eady surname, ranking it #5,291 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 902, ranked #6,292, down from #5,291 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lavenham and Burton Latimer. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kettering and East Northamptonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Eady is 1,041 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.5%.

1881 census count

681

Ranked #5,291

Modern count

902

2016, ranked #6,292

Peak year

1911

1,041 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Eady had 681 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,291 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 902 in 2016, ranked #6,292.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,041 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Eady surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Eady surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Eady 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 458 #5,402
1861 historical 445 #5,811
1881 historical 681 #5,291
1891 historical 820 #4,941
1901 historical 977 #4,845
1911 historical 1,041 #4,409
1997 modern 985 #5,570
1998 modern 1,019 #5,597
1999 modern 1,015 #5,649
2000 modern 987 #5,754
2001 modern 978 #5,679
2002 modern 971 #5,822
2003 modern 965 #5,762
2004 modern 941 #5,883
2005 modern 925 #5,899
2006 modern 921 #5,931
2007 modern 946 #5,873
2008 modern 955 #5,855
2009 modern 964 #5,938
2010 modern 971 #6,015
2011 modern 956 #6,047
2012 modern 929 #6,098
2013 modern 932 #6,181
2014 modern 933 #6,218
2015 modern 920 #6,228
2016 modern 902 #6,292

Geography

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Where Eadys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lavenham, Burton Latimer and Harrowden, Little. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kettering and East Northamptonshire. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Lavenham Suffolk
3 Burton Latimer Northamptonshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Harrowden, Little Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kettering 005 Kettering
2 Kettering 011 Kettering
3 East Northamptonshire 008 East Northamptonshire
4 Kettering 006 Kettering
5 Kettering 009 Kettering

Forenames

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First names often paired with Eady

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Eady

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Eady is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Eady 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

Eady falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Eady

The surname Eady is an English surname that originated in the county of Buckinghamshire, England in the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "ead" which means prosperity or fortune. The name likely referred to someone who was prosperous or fortunate.

The earliest recorded spelling of the surname is found in the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1273, where it appears as Ede. Other early spellings include Eddy, Edye, and Eddye. The name is also found in various medieval records and manuscripts such as the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1311, where it appears as Edy.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was John Eady, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1344. Another early bearer was William Eady, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.

The surname Eady is also associated with several place names in England, such as Eady Green in Staffordshire and Eady Hill in Buckinghamshire. These place names likely derived from the surname itself.

Some notable historical figures who bore the surname Eady include:

1. Sir John Eady (1572-1628), an English merchant and Member of Parliament for the City of London. 2. Richard Eady (1617-1672), an English Puritan minister and author. 3. Mary Eady (c. 1650-1705), an English Quaker preacher and writer. 4. John Eady (1762-1840), an English artist and engraver. 5. Samuel Eady (1824-1908), an English geologist and paleontologist.

The surname Eady has a long and rich history in England, dating back to the medieval period. Its origins are rooted in the Old English language and its meaning is associated with prosperity and fortune. The name has been recorded in various historical records and has been borne by notable individuals throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Eady families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Eady 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. Northamptonshire leads with 134 Eadys recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.45x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 134 21.45x
Essex 119 9.07x
Middlesex 109 1.64x
Suffolk 82 10.13x
Surrey 54 1.67x
Kent 29 1.28x
Yorkshire 20 0.30x
Huntingdonshire 17 12.89x
Warwickshire 17 1.01x
Lancashire 16 0.20x
Berkshire 14 2.81x
Hampshire 12 0.88x
Sussex 12 1.07x
Buckinghamshire 8 1.99x
Leicestershire 6 0.81x
Oxfordshire 6 1.46x
Cambridgeshire 5 1.19x
Lincolnshire 5 0.47x
Staffordshire 4 0.18x
Devon 2 0.14x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.95x
Cheshire 1 0.07x
Cornwall 1 0.13x
Derbyshire 1 0.10x
Gloucestershire 1 0.08x
Kincardineshire 1 1.24x
Northumberland 1 0.10x
Royal Navy 1 1.26x
Worcestershire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Burton Latimer in Northamptonshire leads with 34 Eadys recorded in 1881 and an index of 901.86x.

Place Total Index
Burton Latimer 34 901.86x
Long Melford 23 305.85x
Rainham 19 666.67x
Woolwich 17 20.30x
Great Cornard 15 819.67x
Guilsborough 15 903.61x
Birmingham 14 2.51x
Little Harrowden 14 744.68x
Shoreditch London 14 4.86x
Tendring 14 725.39x
Buckden 13 548.52x
Chilton 12 1846.15x
St Pancras London 12 2.24x
Tottenham 12 11.34x
Willesden 12 19.16x
Bethnal Green London 10 3.47x
Liston 10 3571.43x
Little Bowden 10 458.72x
Camberwell 9 2.12x
Great Tey 9 566.04x
Lambeth 9 1.55x
Rochester St Nicholas 9 127.66x
Brightlingsea 8 106.81x
Lavenham 8 189.13x
Newington 8 3.26x
Castleford 7 29.20x
Chertsey 7 33.46x
Great Coggeshall 7 102.64x
Hackney London 7 1.88x
Kensington London 7 1.90x
Mile End Old Town London 7 4.95x
Raunds 7 110.06x
Walthamstow 7 14.83x
Wolverton 7 84.24x
Brixworth 6 224.72x
Chelveston Cum Caldecott 6 625.00x
Fetcham 6 555.56x
Foxearth 6 659.34x
Hartshead 6 203.39x
Teddington London 6 39.87x
Wellingborough 6 19.10x
Ardington 5 574.71x
Brightside Bierlow 5 3.87x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 5 59.38x
Heene 5 259.07x
Hulme 5 3.04x
Inworth 5 344.83x
Irchester 5 128.87x
Newchurch 5 7.75x
Portsea 5 1.87x
Stoke By Nayland 5 191.57x
Belchamp St Paul 4 248.45x
Bulmer 4 253.16x
Christchurch 4 13.55x
Colchester St Mary At 4 86.02x
Deeping St Nicholas 4 128.62x
Farcett 4 246.91x
Grafton Underwood 4 645.16x
Ham Kingston On Thames 4 281.69x
Ipswich St Mathew 4 17.64x
Little Cornard 4 454.55x
Reading St Lawrence 4 37.49x
Shenfield 4 117.65x
Subdeanery 4 47.06x
Wicken 4 207.25x
Wilby 4 430.11x
Wolstanton 4 5.87x
Bow London 3 3.55x
Brington 3 159.57x
Chelsea London 3 1.50x
Colchester St James 3 56.50x
Leicester St Margaret 3 1.67x
Millbrook 3 8.75x
Oundle 3 42.92x
Reading St Giles 3 6.13x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 2.24x
Sudbury All Sts 3 121.95x
Warwick St Mary 3 20.63x
West Ham 3 1.04x
Wymondham 3 200.00x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 35
William 33
Charles 21
George 20
James 18
Thomas 17
Joseph 15
Henry 12
Walter 12
Alfred 10
Ernest 10
Edward 7
Arthur 6
Frank 6
Frederick 6
Harry 6
Robert 5
Albert 4
Amos 4
Samuel 4
Chas. 3
Edgar 3
Eli 3
Francis 3
Fred 3
Reuben 3
Richard 3
Alexander 2
Edmund 2
Fredk. 2
G. 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Simeon 2
Archibald 1
Bryan 1
Daniel 1
Dennis 1
Emney 1
Harold 1
Jno.S. 1
Kenneth 1
Lester 1
Levy 1
Libert 1
Mathew 1
Nicholas 1
Osborn 1
Percy 1
R. 1

FAQ

Eady surname: questions and answers

How common was the Eady surname in 1881?

In 1881, 681 people were recorded with the Eady surname. That placed it at #5,291 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Eady surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 902 in 2016. That gives Eady a modern rank of #6,292.

What does the Eady surname mean?

Derived from the Old English word "eadig," meaning "rich, blessed, or prosperous."

What does the Eady map show?

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