NameCensus.

UK surname

Eden

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a pleasant place, such as a garden or valley.

In the 1881 census there were 3,042 people recorded with the Eden surname, ranking it #1,474 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,267, ranked #1,592, down from #1,474 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Birmingham Town: Birmingham and Birmingham Town: Aston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Flintshire and St. Helens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Eden is 4,476 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.3%.

1881 census count

3,042

Ranked #1,474

Modern count

4,267

2016, ranked #1,592

Peak year

1999

4,476 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Eden had 3,042 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,474 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,267 in 2016, ranked #1,592.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,267 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Eden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Eden surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Eden 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 1,981 #1,462
1861 historical 2,098 #1,381
1881 historical 3,042 #1,474
1891 historical 3,412 #1,397
1901 historical 3,886 #1,451
1911 historical 4,267 #1,215
1997 modern 4,300 #1,518
1998 modern 4,465 #1,513
1999 modern 4,476 #1,526
2000 modern 4,461 #1,521
2001 modern 4,351 #1,521
2002 modern 4,422 #1,525
2003 modern 4,277 #1,544
2004 modern 4,275 #1,546
2005 modern 4,170 #1,560
2006 modern 4,123 #1,584
2007 modern 4,160 #1,583
2008 modern 4,185 #1,587
2009 modern 4,280 #1,588
2010 modern 4,358 #1,595
2011 modern 4,366 #1,569
2012 modern 4,304 #1,562
2013 modern 4,360 #1,573
2014 modern 4,396 #1,573
2015 modern 4,322 #1,580
2016 modern 4,267 #1,592

Geography

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Where Edens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Birmingham Town: Birmingham and Birmingham Town: Aston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Flintshire and St. Helens. 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 London parishes London 3
3 London parishes London 2
4 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
5 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Flintshire 006 Flintshire
2 St. Helens 006 St. Helens
3 St. Helens 014 St. Helens
4 St. Helens 020 St. Helens
5 St. Helens 008 St. Helens

Forenames

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First names often paired with Eden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Eden

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

Eden 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

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

Meaning and origin of Eden

The surname Eden is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "eden" meaning a "region of no man's land, open ground, or pasture." It likely originated as a topographic name, given to someone living in an unsettled or uncultivated area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Edene." This suggests that the name was already in use in England by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name was often associated with place names containing the element "eden," such as Eden Hall in Westmorland and Eden Valley in Cumbria. These places likely derived their names from the Old English word, indicating their locations in open or uncultivated areas.

A notable early bearer of the surname was Sir Robert Eden (1521-1576), an English politician and landowner from County Durham. He served as a Member of Parliament and held the position of Sheriff of Northumberland.

Another prominent figure was Sir Ashley Eden (1831-1887), a British colonial administrator who served as the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal from 1877 to 1882. He played a crucial role in the development of colonial policies in India.

In the literary world, the name Eden is associated with Robert Eden (1741-1784), an English clergyman and author known for his work "The Principles of Penal Law." He contributed to the debate on criminal justice reform in the 18th century.

The surname also has a connection to the Eden family, a prominent English aristocratic family that traced their roots to County Durham. One notable member was Sir William Eden (1744-1814), a politician and diplomat who served as the British ambassador to several European courts.

Another individual worth mentioning is Charles Eden (1673-1722), an English clergyman and author who wrote on theological and philosophical subjects. His works, such as "The State of the Dead," were influential in their time.

While the surname Eden has English origins, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, carried by immigrants and settlers from Britain.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Eden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Eden 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 518 Edens recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.47x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 518 1.47x
Middlesex 356 1.20x
Yorkshire 345 1.17x
Warwickshire 281 3.75x
Durham 200 2.27x
Oxfordshire 151 8.24x
Surrey 130 0.90x
Devon 114 1.85x
Cheshire 113 1.73x
Staffordshire 99 0.99x
Worcestershire 94 2.43x
Northamptonshire 60 2.15x
Derbyshire 55 1.18x
Gloucestershire 55 0.95x
Sussex 47 0.94x
Hampshire 43 0.71x
Kent 41 0.40x
Essex 38 0.65x
Nottinghamshire 38 0.95x
Wiltshire 28 1.07x
Northumberland 24 0.54x
Norfolk 23 0.50x
Buckinghamshire 20 1.11x
Lanarkshire 20 0.21x
Bedfordshire 16 1.04x
Lincolnshire 16 0.34x
Leicestershire 15 0.46x
Cambridgeshire 14 0.74x
Cumberland 14 0.55x
Hertfordshire 13 0.64x
Midlothian 11 0.28x
Aberdeenshire 9 0.33x
Somerset 9 0.19x
Berkshire 7 0.31x
Denbighshire 5 0.45x
Suffolk 4 0.11x
Glamorgan 3 0.06x
Cornwall 2 0.06x
Royal Navy 2 0.57x
Shropshire 2 0.08x
Channel Islands 1 0.11x
Fife 1 0.06x
Inverness-shire 1 0.11x
Monmouthshire 1 0.05x
Rutland 1 0.46x
Selkirkshire 1 0.37x
Westmorland 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Parr in Lancashire leads with 69 Edens recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.77x.

Place Total Index
Parr 69 54.77x
Birmingham 67 2.69x
Stockton On Tees 51 11.98x
Islington London 44 1.53x
Aston 42 2.04x
Blockley 37 168.87x
Darlington 36 10.56x
Worsley 36 16.59x
Harberton 33 234.54x
Windle 31 15.65x
Grendon 30 544.46x
Tormoham 29 11.10x
Hammersmith London 28 3.83x
Liverpool 28 1.31x
Kensington London 27 1.64x
Nottingham St Mary 27 2.61x
Mobberley 26 173.91x
Warrington 25 5.99x
Hook Norton 24 191.39x
Barrow In Furness 22 4.59x
Harrow On The Hill 22 37.11x
Hackney London 21 1.26x
West Derby 20 1.94x
Chipping Norton 19 44.84x
West Ham 19 1.47x
Everton 18 1.60x
Hutton Rudby 18 204.78x
St Marylebone London 18 1.14x
Battersea 17 1.56x
Eccleston In Prescot 17 9.62x
Plymouth Charles The 17 6.25x
Warwick St Mary 17 26.17x
Haydock 16 26.37x
Northallerton 16 42.63x
Scarborough 16 5.99x
St Pancras London 16 0.67x
Bishopwearmouth 15 1.98x
Camberwell 15 0.79x
Charlbury 15 72.92x
Leamington 15 30.25x
Leeds 15 0.90x
Shoreditch London 15 1.17x
Sutton 15 12.70x
Derby St Alkmund 14 10.06x
St George Hanover Square 14 2.68x
Brighton 13 1.29x
Ealing 13 4.90x
Lambeth 13 0.50x
Swalcliffe 13 204.40x
Thirsk 13 38.31x
Buckfastleigh 12 42.11x
Gateshead 12 1.82x
Greenwich 12 2.54x
Knutsford Nether 12 30.31x
Little Compton 12 235.29x
Manchester 12 0.76x
Norton In Malton 12 33.67x
Soham 12 29.67x
Westleigh 12 15.01x
Worcester St Martin 12 22.95x
Allesley 11 111.79x
Bermondsey 11 1.25x
Elswick 11 3.12x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 11 2.88x
Kingston On Thames 11 3.17x
Kirkdale 11 1.86x
Knutsford Over 11 264.42x
Oxford St Thomas 11 12.86x
Richmond 11 5.43x
Shildon 11 15.51x
Southwark St George Martyr 11 1.84x
Wolverhampton 11 1.43x
Wortley In Bramley 11 4.72x
Ashton Under Lyne 10 1.30x
Bethnal Green London 10 0.78x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 10 0.63x
Runcorn 10 6.62x
Soothill 10 9.41x
St Luke London 10 2.10x
Ticehurst 10 32.66x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 216
Elizabeth 133
Sarah 104
Ann 65
Jane 58
Ellen 52
Annie 49
Eliza 45
Margaret 43
Alice 41
Emma 40
Hannah 40
Emily 31
Martha 30
Louisa 22
Fanny 21
Florence 21
Charlotte 18
Harriet 18
Catherine 17
Maria 17
Anne 16
Caroline 16
Clara 15
Harriett 15
Ada 14
Esther 13
Susan 13
Edith 12
Lucy 11
Agnes 10
Rose 10
Jessie 8
Lizzie 8
Rachel 8
Rebecca 8
Amy 7
Elizth. 7
Isabella 7
Kate 7
Ethel 6
Gertrude 6
Laura 6
Matilda 6
Sophia 6
Susannah 6
Bertha 5
Frances 5
Henrietta 5
Lydia 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 193
William 186
Thomas 126
George 109
James 80
Charles 62
Robert 60
Henry 57
Joseph 47
Arthur 32
Alfred 27
Richard 26
Edward 23
Frederick 23
Walter 17
Peter 15
Albert 14
Edwin 14
Francis 14
Ernest 13
Samuel 13
Thos. 13
Frank 12
Harry 12
Wm. 10
Herbert 8
Christopher 7
Matthew 6
Caleb 5
Geo. 5
Isaac 5
Mathew 5
Reuben 5
Daniel 4
Edwd. 4
Jacob 4
Jonathan 4
Percy 4
Ralph 4
Robt. 4
Amos 3
Benjamin 3
Chas. 3
Jas. 3
Jno. 3
Joshua 3
Morton 3
Tom 3
Alexander 2
Oliver 2

FAQ

Eden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Eden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,042 people were recorded with the Eden surname. That placed it at #1,474 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Eden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,267 in 2016. That gives Eden a modern rank of #1,592.

What does the Eden surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a pleasant place, such as a garden or valley.

What does the Eden map show?

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