NameCensus.

UK surname

Earnshaw

A surname originating from an English place name meaning "eagle's nook" or "eagle's ridge".

In the 1881 census there were 3,698 people recorded with the Earnshaw surname, ranking it #1,236 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,279, ranked #2,069, down from #1,236 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Halifax and Almondbury. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees, Leeds and Rossendale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Earnshaw is 4,585 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.3%.

1881 census count

3,698

Ranked #1,236

Modern count

3,279

2016, ranked #2,069

Peak year

1911

4,585 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Earnshaw had 3,698 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,236 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,279 in 2016, ranked #2,069.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,585 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Earnshaw surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Earnshaw surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Earnshaw 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 2,244 #1,307
1861 historical 2,388 #1,231
1881 historical 3,698 #1,236
1891 historical 3,980 #1,203
1901 historical 4,407 #1,289
1911 historical 4,585 #1,125
1997 modern 3,379 #1,916
1998 modern 3,485 #1,929
1999 modern 3,510 #1,936
2000 modern 3,477 #1,944
2001 modern 3,427 #1,931
2002 modern 3,429 #1,974
2003 modern 3,361 #1,969
2004 modern 3,382 #1,959
2005 modern 3,325 #1,966
2006 modern 3,306 #1,981
2007 modern 3,328 #1,986
2008 modern 3,346 #1,998
2009 modern 3,393 #2,020
2010 modern 3,419 #2,040
2011 modern 3,406 #2,024
2012 modern 3,301 #2,043
2013 modern 3,359 #2,042
2014 modern 3,349 #2,059
2015 modern 3,300 #2,066
2016 modern 3,279 #2,069

Geography

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Where Earnshaws are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Halifax, Almondbury, Sheffield and Keighley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees, Leeds and Rossendale. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Almondbury Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Keighley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 059 Kirklees
2 Leeds 095 Leeds
3 Rossendale 003 Rossendale
4 Kirklees 055 Kirklees
5 Rossendale 010 Rossendale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Earnshaw

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Earnshaw

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Earnshaw, 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 Earnshaw surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Earnshaw 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, Earnshaw 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

Earnshaw is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Earnshaw

The surname Earnshaw has its origins in England, tracing back to the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from a combination of two Old English words, "earn" meaning eagle and "sceaga" meaning grove or small wood, indicating that the name originally referred to someone who lived near an eagle's grove or wooded area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Earnshaw can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, where a certain John Erneshawe was listed as a resident of the village of Cawthorne. This suggests that the name was initially concentrated in the Yorkshire region of northern England.

During the medieval period, variations in spelling were common, and the surname appeared in records under different forms such as Erneshawe, Ernshagh, and Earnshay. These variations reflect the evolution of the name over time and the regional dialects in which it was pronounced.

In the 16th century, the Earnshaw family held lands in the parish of Batley, West Yorkshire, as evidenced by the will of John Earnshaw dated 1557. This document provides valuable insight into the family's presence in the area during that period.

Notable individuals bearing the Earnshaw surname include:

1. William Earnshaw (1774-1857), a renowned English mathematician and scientist, best known for his contributions to the study of potential theory and electrostatics.

2. Samuel Earnshaw (1805-1888), an English industrialist and inventor who played a crucial role in the development of the textile industry in the 19th century.

3. Elizabeth Earnshaw (1815-1900), a British author and educator who wrote several influential works on women's education and social reform.

4. James Earnshaw (1860-1932), a prominent English architect known for his designs of public buildings and churches in the Victorian and Edwardian eras.

5. Robert Earnshaw (born 1981), a Welsh professional footballer who has played for various clubs in England and Scotland, as well as the Welsh national team.

As the Earnshaw family dispersed throughout England over the centuries, the name became associated with various place names and locations, further contributing to its historical significance and geographical distribution.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Earnshaw families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Earnshaw 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 2,163 Earnshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.04x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 2,163 6.04x
Lancashire 1,074 2.51x
Derbyshire 81 1.43x
Middlesex 69 0.19x
Durham 55 0.51x
Cheshire 41 0.51x
Surrey 34 0.19x
Kent 33 0.27x
Northumberland 20 0.37x
Sussex 15 0.25x
Gloucestershire 14 0.20x
Essex 13 0.18x
Lincolnshire 13 0.23x
Worcestershire 13 0.28x
Suffolk 10 0.23x
Denbighshire 8 0.59x
Hampshire 7 0.09x
Shropshire 7 0.22x
Glamorgan 6 0.10x
Clackmannanshire 5 1.68x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.08x
Roxburghshire 4 0.61x
Somerset 3 0.05x
Devon 2 0.03x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 0.38x
Monmouthshire 2 0.08x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.05x
Channel Islands 1 0.09x
Leicestershire 1 0.03x
Royal Navy 1 0.23x
Warwickshire 1 0.01x

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 151 Earnshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.24x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 151 13.24x
Spotland 130 27.28x
Huddersfield 121 23.20x
Meltham 106 190.41x
Bingley 99 43.43x
Bradfield 64 46.38x
Castleton 61 14.25x
Ovenden 61 38.29x
Todmorden Walsden 60 52.25x
Shitlington 56 151.23x
Ashton Under Lyne 52 5.55x
Cleckheaton 46 34.89x
Oldham 46 3.33x
Halifax 39 7.42x
Heanor 38 44.93x
Kirkburton 37 87.68x
Livesey 34 45.19x
Salford 34 2.70x
Tottington Lower End 34 16.69x
Lockwood 32 24.85x
Rotherham 31 15.36x
Ecclesall Bierlow 30 4.12x
Northowram 29 11.55x
Kimberworth 27 13.59x
Knottingley 27 42.92x
Blatchinworth 26 26.64x
Honley 26 41.50x
Manningham 26 5.90x
Shipley 26 14.00x
St Pancras London 25 0.86x
Wardleworth 25 10.21x
Cartworth 24 81.08x
Leeds 24 1.19x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 24 26.58x
Broughton In Salford 23 5.87x
Keighley 23 6.03x
Nether Hallam 23 4.75x
Sheffield 23 2.02x
Skelmanthorpe 23 59.52x
Southowram 23 21.05x
Brightside Bierlow 22 3.13x
Ecclesfield 22 8.38x
Haworth 21 24.68x
Horbury 21 33.54x
Hunslet 21 3.76x
Thornton In Bradford 21 17.62x
Dalton In Huddersfield 20 24.94x
Dewsbury 20 5.45x
Batley 19 5.59x
Cliviger 19 78.71x
Elland Cum Greetland 19 11.78x
Rastrick 19 19.11x
Wooldale 19 31.30x
Habergham Eaves 18 4.59x
Lancaster 18 7.06x
Newchurch 17 4.85x
Preston 17 1.48x
Shelley 17 81.22x
Witton 17 31.53x
Ardwick 16 4.14x
Doncaster 16 6.12x
Heeley 16 14.71x
Oswaldtwistle 16 10.56x
Warley 16 15.46x
Wuerdle Wardle 16 12.30x
Hipperholme Cum 15 9.54x
Kirkheaton 15 25.84x
Lepton 15 40.12x
Farnley Tyas 14 184.21x
Horton In Bradford 14 2.50x
Easingwold 13 51.44x
Glossop Dale 13 4.91x
Greasbrough 13 27.50x
Lambeth 13 0.41x
Morley 13 6.99x
West Clayton 13 73.16x
Almondbury 12 6.93x
Barnsley 12 3.25x
Bramley In Bramley 12 8.76x
Hook 12 15.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 269
Sarah 183
Elizabeth 140
Ann 85
Jane 77
Hannah 70
Alice 68
Martha 67
Ellen 61
Annie 56
Eliza 53
Emily 47
Emma 46
Margaret 38
Ada 25
Harriet 23
Clara 21
Agnes 18
Maria 18
Fanny 16
Florence 16
Edith 15
Nancy 15
Ruth 15
Betty 14
Louisa 13
Susannah 13
Charlotte 12
Esther 12
Isabella 12
Sophia 11
Caroline 9
Grace 9
Elizth. 8
Kate 8
Lily 8
Amelia 7
Amy 7
Anne 7
Eleanor 7
Laura 7
Lilly 7
Rachel 7
Bertha 6
Lydia 6
Matilda 6
Catherine 5
Frances 5
Harriett 5
Lucy 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 256
William 168
James 115
George 99
Joseph 97
Thomas 97
Charles 50
Robert 44
Henry 42
Arthur 36
Samuel 33
Alfred 31
Abraham 27
Albert 27
Fred 27
Walter 27
Harry 26
Edward 23
Richard 20
Benjamin 19
Tom 17
Edwin 16
David 15
Joe 15
Frank 14
Frederick 14
Herbert 14
Wm. 14
Sam 13
Luke 12
Isaac 10
Jonathan 10
Ben 9
Jonas 9
Geo. 7
Harold 6
Joshua 6
Willie 6
Jacob 5
Jno. 5
Percy 5
Stephen 5
Thos. 5
Timothy 5
Wilson 5
Edmund 4
Ernest 4
Fred. 4
Jesse 4
Smith 4

FAQ

Earnshaw surname: questions and answers

How common was the Earnshaw surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,698 people were recorded with the Earnshaw surname. That placed it at #1,236 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Earnshaw surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,279 in 2016. That gives Earnshaw a modern rank of #2,069.

What does the Earnshaw surname mean?

A surname originating from an English place name meaning "eagle's nook" or "eagle's ridge".

What does the Earnshaw map show?

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