NameCensus.

UK surname

Eddy

Derived from a medieval given name based on the Old English term "ēad," meaning "prosperity" or "fortune."

In the 1881 census there were 1,788 people recorded with the Eddy surname, ranking it #2,427 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,909, ranked #3,329, down from #2,427 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, St Austell and Madron. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Eddy is 1,970 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6.8%.

1881 census count

1,788

Ranked #2,427

Modern count

1,909

2016, ranked #3,329

Peak year

2010

1,970 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Eddy had 1,788 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,427 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,909 in 2016, ranked #3,329.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,915 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Eddy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Eddy surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Eddy 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 1,547 #1,851
1861 historical 1,606 #1,774
1881 historical 1,788 #2,427
1891 historical 1,821 #2,523
1901 historical 1,848 #2,843
1911 historical 1,915 #2,589
1997 modern 1,801 #3,337
1998 modern 1,877 #3,343
1999 modern 1,926 #3,274
2000 modern 1,943 #3,239
2001 modern 1,923 #3,209
2002 modern 1,944 #3,245
2003 modern 1,894 #3,247
2004 modern 1,884 #3,261
2005 modern 1,834 #3,305
2006 modern 1,864 #3,287
2007 modern 1,867 #3,302
2008 modern 1,909 #3,263
2009 modern 1,960 #3,270
2010 modern 1,970 #3,312
2011 modern 1,909 #3,360
2012 modern 1,855 #3,397
2013 modern 1,918 #3,351
2014 modern 1,947 #3,332
2015 modern 1,913 #3,339
2016 modern 1,909 #3,329

Geography

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Where Eddys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, St Austell, Madron, Camborne and Ludgvan. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall. 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 St Austell Cornwall
3 Madron Cornwall
4 Camborne Cornwall
5 Ludgvan Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 067 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 065 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 061 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 070 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 057 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Eddy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Eddy

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Eddy, 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 Eddy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Eddy 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Eddy 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

Eddy is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Eddy falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Eddy

The surname EDDY originated in England during the medieval period, deriving from the Old English given name Eadwig or Ædwine, meaning "prosperous friend" or "prosperous guardian." The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex in the east of England.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries for individuals with the name Eadwig or similar variations. This suggests that the name was already well-established in parts of the country by the late 11th century.

By the 13th century, the name had evolved into various spellings such as Eddy, Edye, and Eddye. These early forms of the surname were often associated with place names, such as Eddisbury in Cheshire and Eddington in Wiltshire, indicating that some bearers of the name derived their surnames from the locations where they lived or held land.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Eddy was Sir John Eddy, a prominent landowner and military commander who lived in the late 14th century. He served under King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War and was granted lands in Somerset for his service.

During the Tudor period, the name gained further recognition with individuals like Sir William Eddy (c. 1490-1555), a member of the English gentry who served as a Member of Parliament and held estates in Wiltshire.

In the 17th century, Samuel Eddy (1608-1676) was a notable English-born Puritan settler who emigrated to New England and became one of the founders of the town of Watertown, Massachusetts. His descendants went on to become prominent figures in colonial America.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Mary Baker Eddy (1821-1910), the founder of the Christian Science movement. Born Mary Morse Baker in New Hampshire, she adopted the surname Eddy after marrying her third husband, Asa Gilbert Eddy.

Throughout history, the Eddy surname has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including military leaders, politicians, scientists, and religious figures. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the name has since spread across the globe, reflecting the diverse histories and journeys of those who have carried it.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Eddy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Eddy 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. Cornwall leads with 998 Eddys recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.37x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 998 50.37x
Durham 158 3.03x
Devon 142 3.90x
Middlesex 75 0.43x
Cumberland 53 3.52x
Yorkshire 49 0.28x
Glamorgan 41 1.35x
Northumberland 39 1.50x
Lancashire 38 0.18x
Gloucestershire 32 0.93x
Kent 31 0.52x
Surrey 24 0.28x
Bedfordshire 19 2.10x
Hampshire 18 0.50x
Denbighshire 15 2.27x
Somerset 9 0.32x
Cheshire 7 0.18x
Kirkcudbrightshire 7 2.76x
Worcestershire 5 0.22x
Royal Navy 4 1.92x
Berkshire 3 0.23x
Northamptonshire 3 0.18x
Brecknockshire 2 0.57x
Channel Islands 2 0.39x
Essex 2 0.06x
Hertfordshire 2 0.17x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.08x
Shropshire 2 0.13x
Staffordshire 2 0.03x
Sussex 2 0.07x
Buteshire 1 0.94x
Lanarkshire 1 0.02x
Lincolnshire 1 0.04x
Merionethshire 1 0.31x
Midlothian 1 0.04x
Perthshire 1 0.13x
Suffolk 1 0.05x
West Lothian 1 0.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Just In Penwith in Cornwall leads with 249 Eddys recorded in 1881 and an index of 647.76x.

Place Total Index
St Just In Penwith 249 647.76x
Zennor 77 2109.59x
Madron Penzance 72 99.93x
Sithney 61 304.70x
Ludgvan 48 303.99x
Camborne 46 56.34x
St Ives 41 105.75x
St Austell 39 57.59x
Paul 31 86.11x
Madron 28 174.89x
Stoke Damerel 27 10.59x
Hunstonworth 25 830.56x
St Pancras London 25 1.77x
Newfield 24 347.32x
Uny Lelant 24 224.09x
Penrith 22 39.53x
Gulval 19 149.02x
Redruth 16 28.55x
Deptford St Paul 15 3.26x
Helston 15 72.85x
Illogan 15 28.59x
Towednack 15 386.60x
Westbury On Severn East 14 18.04x
Birtley 13 61.18x
Morvah 13 1181.82x
Stockton On Tees 13 5.18x
Wendron 13 47.26x
Constantine 12 104.08x
Fallowfield 12 4285.71x
St Buryan 12 146.70x
St Gluvias Penryn 12 75.61x
St Stithians 12 109.89x
Caldewgate 11 13.33x
Linkinhorne 11 79.71x
Phillack 11 43.02x
St Hilary Marazion 11 204.08x
Tudhoe 11 24.15x
Wrexham Abbot 11 66.19x
Bedford St Paul 10 16.09x
Marazion 10 421.94x
Ouston 10 131.58x
Plymouth Charles The 10 6.23x
Sancreed 10 178.25x
Tavistock 10 24.10x
Cheetham 9 5.81x
Lanlivery 9 108.17x
Llanwonno 9 8.22x
Preston In Tynemouth 9 87.89x
Silsoe 9 221.13x
Barrow In Furness 8 2.83x
Breage 8 44.22x
Brixham 8 18.95x
Chelsea London 8 1.52x
Kenn 8 141.09x
Maker 8 43.72x
Portsea 8 1.14x
Bristol St James In 7 13.87x
Chester St Oswald 7 10.01x
Compton Gifford 7 61.30x
Llantrisant 7 9.11x
Manaccan 7 325.58x
Plymouth St Andrew 7 2.49x
Tormoham 7 4.54x
Barnstaple 6 10.49x
Castleford 6 9.50x
Chester Le Street 6 15.01x
Cleator 6 9.57x
Hampstead London 6 2.20x
Hudswell 6 550.46x
Mickley 6 73.08x
Penistone 6 44.38x
Shildon 6 14.34x
West Derby 6 0.99x
Wolborough 6 13.03x
Ystradyfodwg 6 2.24x
Battersea 5 0.78x
Great Torrington 5 24.21x
Newcastle Higher 5 24.17x
Swansea Town 5 2.00x
Whitworth 5 13.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 155
Elizabeth 130
Jane 51
Ann 35
Sarah 27
Eliza 26
Annie 25
Margaret 24
Catherine 19
Grace 19
Ellen 14
Emily 14
Bessie 12
Martha 12
Caroline 11
Charlotte 10
Elizth. 10
Emma 10
Hannah 10
Isabella 10
Louisa 10
Rebecca 10
Kate 9
Wilmot 9
Fanny 8
Maria 8
Agnes 7
Clara 7
Edith 7
Frances 7
Nanny 7
Sophia 7
Susan 7
Alice 6
Harriet 6
Jessie 6
Amelia 5
Julia 5
Margret 5
Matilda 5
Anne 4
Beatrice 4
Eleanor 4
Lucy 4
Ruth 4
Selina 4
Constance 3
Johanna 3
Kitty 3
Rose 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 147
John 135
James 76
Thomas 61
Richard 55
George 34
Henry 22
Joseph 22
Charles 17
David 16
Robert 16
Alfred 13
Edward 13
Samuel 12
Benjamin 11
Francis 11
Edwin 10
Peter 9
Walter 9
Albert 8
Frederick 8
Matthew 7
Philip 7
Andrew 6
Stephen 6
Arthur 5
Paul 4
Chas. 3
Wm. 3
Ambrose 2
Charlie 2
Eduin 2
Frank 2
Geo. 2
Henery 2
Herbert 2
Jonathan 2
Mark 2
Mathew 2
Richd.B. 2
Sydney 2
Bertie 1
Bruce 1
Edwd. 1
Elizabeth 1
Everett 1
Jacob 1
Jane 1
Jas. 1
Wm.John 1

FAQ

Eddy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Eddy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,788 people were recorded with the Eddy surname. That placed it at #2,427 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Eddy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,909 in 2016. That gives Eddy a modern rank of #3,329.

What does the Eddy surname mean?

Derived from a medieval given name based on the Old English term "ēad," meaning "prosperity" or "fortune."

What does the Eddy map show?

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