NameCensus.

UK surname

Edmead

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "prosperous meadow".

In the 1881 census there were 82 people recorded with the Edmead surname, ranking it #21,957 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 363, ranked #12,777, up from #21,957 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Islington, Havering and Tower Hamlets.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Edmead is 369 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 342.7%.

1881 census count

82

Ranked #21,957

Modern count

363

2016, ranked #12,777

Peak year

2010

369 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Edmead had 82 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,957 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 363 in 2016, ranked #12,777.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 131 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Edmead surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Edmead surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Edmead 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 34 #27,194
1861 historical 27 #30,543
1881 historical 82 #21,957
1891 historical 67 #28,424
1901 historical 97 #23,227
1911 historical 131 #19,404
1997 modern 301 #13,492
1998 modern 353 #12,470
1999 modern 356 #12,456
2000 modern 339 #12,857
2001 modern 329 #12,921
2002 modern 341 #12,864
2003 modern 338 #12,735
2004 modern 350 #12,449
2005 modern 345 #12,496
2006 modern 349 #12,473
2007 modern 359 #12,356
2008 modern 356 #12,534
2009 modern 364 #12,584
2010 modern 369 #12,726
2011 modern 357 #12,915
2012 modern 349 #12,993
2013 modern 365 #12,766
2014 modern 358 #13,045
2015 modern 358 #12,942
2016 modern 363 #12,777

Geography

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Where Edmeads are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Manchester, St Marylebone and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Islington, Havering, Tower Hamlets and Barking and Dagenham. 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 3
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Islington 011 Islington
2 Havering 014 Havering
3 Tower Hamlets 018 Tower Hamlets
4 Barking and Dagenham 007 Barking and Dagenham
5 Islington 013 Islington

Forenames

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First names often paired with Edmead

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Edmead

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Edmead surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Edmead 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Edmead is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Edmead is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Edmead falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Edmead is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Edmead, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Edmead

The surname EDMEAD is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from a place name, possibly a hamlet or village that no longer exists. Some scholars suggest it could be a variation of the Old English words "ead" meaning prosperity and "mæd" meaning meadow, indicating the name originated from a prosperous meadow area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname appears in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1273, where a Robert Edmead is mentioned as a landowner. This suggests the name was present in the county of Bedfordshire during the medieval period.

In the 15th century, the EDMEAD surname is found in various records from the county of Wiltshire, such as the Wiltshire Musters of 1539, which lists a Thomas Edmead among the able-bodied men of the county. This indicates the name had spread to other parts of southern England by this time.

Notable individuals with the EDMEAD surname include John Edmead (1640-1719), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Pontesbury in Shropshire. Another notable figure was William Edmead (1673-1737), a Quaker preacher and writer from Westmorland, known for his religious works.

The surname also appears in the records of the East India Company in the 18th century, with James Edmead (1741-1801) serving as a surgeon for the company in Bengal. This suggests some members of the family had ventured to colonial territories during this period.

In the 19th century, the EDMEAD surname can be found in various parish records and census documents across England, particularly in the counties of Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Bedfordshire, indicating the continued presence of the name in its traditional areas.

Other notable individuals bearing the EDMEAD surname include George Edmead (1788-1868), a British military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars, and Henry Edmead (1828-1903), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Gloucestershire who made significant contributions to local charities and educational institutions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Edmead families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Edmead 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. Middlesex leads with 25 Edmeads recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.13x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 25 3.13x
Surrey 23 5.90x
Essex 8 5.07x
Staffordshire 8 2.96x
Cheshire 6 3.40x
Hampshire 5 3.05x
Kent 5 1.83x
Lancashire 2 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Guildford St Nicholas in Surrey leads with 12 Edmeads recorded in 1881 and an index of 1739.13x.

Place Total Index
Guildford St Nicholas 12 1739.13x
Westminster St John 11 112.94x
St Pancras London 8 12.43x
Castle Church 7 432.10x
Altrincham 6 194.17x
Egham 5 209.21x
Newington 5 16.92x
Grays Thurrock 4 272.11x
Northfleet 4 166.67x
South Stoneham 4 112.36x
Walthamstow 4 70.42x
Islington London 2 2.58x
Brewood 1 128.21x
Cheetham 1 14.12x
Chelsea London 1 4.15x
Christ Church Newgate 1 270.27x
Gravesend 1 43.29x
Oldham 1 3.26x
St Andrew Hubbard London 1 10000.00x
St Marylebone London 1 2.34x
St Thomas Winchester 1 86.21x
Stoke 1 54.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 8
Henry 5
Edward 4
Frank 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
James 2
John 2
Richard 2
Albert 1
Charles 1
Edwin 1
Fredrick 1
George 1
Harry 1
Leopold 1
Mr. 1
Robert 1

FAQ

Edmead surname: questions and answers

How common was the Edmead surname in 1881?

In 1881, 82 people were recorded with the Edmead surname. That placed it at #21,957 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Edmead surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 363 in 2016. That gives Edmead a modern rank of #12,777.

What does the Edmead surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "prosperous meadow".

What does the Edmead map show?

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