NameCensus.

UK surname

Entwistle

A surname describing someone who lived near a twisted tree or stream.

In the 1881 census there were 5,210 people recorded with the Entwistle surname, ranking it #853 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,663, ranked #1,859, down from #853 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Bury and Blackburn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolton and Blackburn with Darwen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Entwistle is 5,824 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 29.7%.

1881 census count

5,210

Ranked #853

Modern count

3,663

2016, ranked #1,859

Peak year

1911

5,824 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Entwistle had 5,210 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #853 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,663 in 2016, ranked #1,859.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,824 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Entwistle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Entwistle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Entwistle 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 2,039 #1,422
1861 historical 2,971 #968
1881 historical 5,210 #853
1891 historical 5,116 #919
1901 historical 5,670 #984
1911 historical 5,824 #895
1997 modern 3,858 #1,686
1998 modern 3,940 #1,717
1999 modern 3,998 #1,702
2000 modern 3,982 #1,703
2001 modern 4,005 #1,650
2002 modern 4,047 #1,669
2003 modern 3,859 #1,721
2004 modern 3,750 #1,766
2005 modern 3,688 #1,768
2006 modern 3,672 #1,780
2007 modern 3,659 #1,799
2008 modern 3,627 #1,826
2009 modern 3,691 #1,841
2010 modern 3,808 #1,830
2011 modern 3,742 #1,835
2012 modern 3,653 #1,847
2013 modern 3,747 #1,831
2014 modern 3,760 #1,840
2015 modern 3,694 #1,850
2016 modern 3,663 #1,859

Geography

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Where Entwistles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Bury, Blackburn, Bolton-le-Moors and Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolton and Blackburn with Darwen. 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 Bury Lancashire
3 Blackburn Lancashire
4 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
5 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolton 013 Bolton
2 Bolton 019 Bolton
3 Blackburn with Darwen 018 Blackburn with Darwen
4 Bolton 012 Bolton
5 Bolton 006 Bolton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Entwistle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Entwistle

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

Entwistle is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Entwistle

The surname Entwistle originated in Lancashire, England, during the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "ent," meaning a giant or something massive, and "whistle," referring to a stream or brook, suggesting the name referred to a massive stream or waterway.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to the 13th century, with references found in the Lancashire Pipe Rolls of 1246. These ancient records often mentioned people by their place of origin or notable landmarks near their residence, which could explain the surname's etymology.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are no direct references to the name Entwistle. However, the book does mention several place names in Lancashire that could be related to the surname's origins, such as Windhull and Torboc.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Entwistle was Sir Bertine Entwistle, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in Lancashire during the late 13th century. He was known for his participation in the Wars of Scottish Independence alongside Edward I.

Another notable figure was John Entwistle, born in 1554, who was a renowned Puritan clergyman and author of several religious treatises. He played a significant role in the English Reformation and was a vocal opponent of the established Church of England.

In the 18th century, Sir James Entwistle (1718-1802) was a prominent British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War. He was commended for his bravery and tactical skills in several naval engagements against the French and Spanish fleets.

The 19th century saw the rise of Sir John Entwistle (1832-1912), a successful industrialist and philanthropist from Lancashire. He amassed a considerable fortune through his textile manufacturing business and was known for his generous contributions to various charitable causes in his hometown.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Entwistle was John Entwistle (1944-2002), the legendary bassist and songwriter for the English rock band The Who. His distinctive playing style and innovative use of the bass guitar influenced countless musicians and helped shape the sound of rock music in the latter half of the 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Entwistle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Entwistle 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 4,719 Entwistles recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.82x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 4,719 7.82x
Cheshire 139 1.24x
Yorkshire 88 0.17x
Middlesex 75 0.15x
Surrey 34 0.14x
Derbyshire 28 0.35x
Durham 19 0.13x
Staffordshire 19 0.11x
Hampshire 18 0.17x
Kent 15 0.09x
Cumberland 12 0.27x
Sussex 8 0.09x
Devon 6 0.06x
Roxburghshire 6 0.65x
Channel Islands 5 0.33x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.13x
Shropshire 4 0.09x
Monmouthshire 3 0.08x
Warwickshire 3 0.02x
Northumberland 2 0.03x
Royal Navy 2 0.33x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.02x
Berkshire 1 0.03x
Glamorgan 1 0.01x
Gloucestershire 1 0.01x
Herefordshire 1 0.05x
Norfolk 1 0.01x
Worcestershire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Over Darwen in Lancashire leads with 610 Entwistles recorded in 1881 and an index of 126.49x.

Place Total Index
Over Darwen 610 126.49x
Great Bolton 300 37.51x
Little Bolton 279 35.94x
Blackburn 262 16.31x
Bury 175 25.37x
Tottington Lower End 161 56.12x
Accrington 158 28.78x
Haslingden 134 53.60x
Turton 123 124.42x
Farnworth 82 22.67x
Manchester 82 3.02x
Salford 79 4.45x
Edgeworth 77 237.43x
Elton 72 34.52x
Halliwell 69 31.40x
Pilkington 69 30.09x
Oswaldtwistle 68 31.88x
Radcliffe 62 21.30x
Great Lever 59 92.10x
Oldham 58 2.98x
Hulme 55 4.36x
Preston 52 3.22x
Walmersley Cum 52 53.90x
Kearsley 51 40.14x
Darcy Lever 49 140.97x
Lower Darwen 47 59.31x
Newchurch 46 9.31x
Musbury 45 254.81x
Pendleton In Salford 45 6.26x
Chorley 44 12.99x
Worsley 43 11.55x
Livesey 36 33.97x
Harwood 33 104.63x
Wigan 33 3.91x
Heap 31 9.68x
Quarlton 31 656.78x
Sharples 30 45.81x
Habergham Eaves 29 5.26x
Hindley 29 11.27x
Tonge With Haulgh 29 24.67x
Breightmet 25 94.13x
Cheadle 25 11.65x
Lower Booths 25 23.11x
Droylsden 24 12.18x
Everton 24 1.25x
Ashton Under Lyne 23 1.74x
Eccleston In Prescot 23 7.59x
Ardwick 20 3.67x
Church 20 23.46x
Wuerdle Wardle 20 10.91x
Cheetham 19 4.22x
Entwistle 19 319.87x
Castleton 18 2.99x
Glossop Dale 18 4.83x
Layton With Warbreck 18 8.12x
Liverpool 18 0.49x
Barton Upon Irwell 17 3.74x
Lambeth 17 0.38x
West Derby 17 0.96x
Westhoughton 17 10.55x
Huddersfield 16 2.18x
Middle Hulton 16 44.74x
Stockport 16 2.77x
Bethnal Green London 15 0.68x
Brindle 15 72.08x
Spotland 15 2.23x
Witton 15 19.75x
Darlington 14 2.40x
Dukinfield 14 2.70x
Eccleshill 14 106.30x
Portsea 14 0.68x
Stayley 14 10.91x
Tottington Higher End 14 20.37x
Walton Le Dale 14 8.63x
Bradshaw 13 98.71x
Chadderton 13 4.40x
Little Lever 13 16.84x
Royton 13 7.04x
Birkenhead 12 1.34x
Chorlton On Medlock 12 1.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 436
Elizabeth 242
Alice 203
Sarah 191
Jane 138
Ann 123
Ellen 123
Margaret 92
Hannah 63
Martha 60
Betsy 58
Eliza 57
Emma 55
Annie 54
Nancy 50
Betty 38
Rachel 37
Isabella 25
Esther 23
Catherine 21
Emily 21
Susannah 21
Maria 20
Elizth. 19
Florence 18
Harriet 18
Ada 17
Charlotte 16
Edith 16
Grace 14
Fanny 13
Agnes 12
Amelia 12
Frances 12
Clara 11
Louisa 10
Margt. 10
Caroline 9
Phoebe 9
Bertha 8
Anne 7
Matilda 7
Rachael 7
Betsey 6
Kate 6
Lydia 6
Margret 6
Mgt. 6
Peggy 6
Sophia 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 374
James 283
William 278
Thomas 238
Joseph 113
Richard 86
Robert 66
George 60
Henry 59
Samuel 57
Ralph 50
Edward 38
Albert 35
Charles 32
Alfred 30
Arthur 25
Peter 25
Harry 20
Andrew 19
Wm. 19
Abraham 18
Fred 18
Isaac 18
Herbert 17
Thos. 17
Walter 16
Edmund 14
David 11
Frederick 11
Jonathan 11
Ernest 10
Jacob 10
Jno. 10
Jas. 9
Joshua 9
Levi 9
Richd. 9
Alexander 8
Amos 8
Edwin 8
Eli 8
Mark 8
Saml. 8
Benjamin 7
Frank 7
Francis 6
Geo. 6
Percy 6
Hugh 5
Josiah 5

FAQ

Entwistle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Entwistle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,210 people were recorded with the Entwistle surname. That placed it at #853 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Entwistle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,663 in 2016. That gives Entwistle a modern rank of #1,859.

What does the Entwistle surname mean?

A surname describing someone who lived near a twisted tree or stream.

What does the Entwistle map show?

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