NameCensus.

UK surname

Flood

An Irish surname referring to someone who lived near a body of water or on a floodplain.

In the 1881 census there were 2,619 people recorded with the Flood surname, ranking it #1,698 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,267, ranked #1,592, up from #1,698 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hyndburn, Liverpool and Isle of Wight.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Flood is 4,388 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.9%.

1881 census count

2,619

Ranked #1,698

Modern count

4,267

2016, ranked #1,592

Peak year

2010

4,388 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Flood had 2,619 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,698 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 3,232 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Flood surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Flood surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Flood 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 1,852 #1,559
1861 historical 1,579 #1,806
1881 historical 2,619 #1,698
1891 historical 2,692 #1,765
1901 historical 3,232 #1,733
1911 historical 2,945 #1,764
1997 modern 4,252 #1,530
1998 modern 4,343 #1,548
1999 modern 4,377 #1,549
2000 modern 4,363 #1,547
2001 modern 4,239 #1,552
2002 modern 4,292 #1,564
2003 modern 4,208 #1,566
2004 modern 4,213 #1,566
2005 modern 4,125 #1,580
2006 modern 4,143 #1,577
2007 modern 4,181 #1,577
2008 modern 4,185 #1,587
2009 modern 4,295 #1,585
2010 modern 4,388 #1,587
2011 modern 4,312 #1,588
2012 modern 4,191 #1,600
2013 modern 4,317 #1,589
2014 modern 4,321 #1,596
2015 modern 4,293 #1,588
2016 modern 4,267 #1,592

Geography

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Where Floods are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Hyndburn, Liverpool, Isle of Wight, Linlathen and Midcraigie and Swale. 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 Manchester Lancashire
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hyndburn 004 Hyndburn
2 Liverpool 022 Liverpool
3 Isle of Wight 018 Isle of Wight
4 Linlathen and Midcraigie Dundee City
5 Swale 017 Swale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Flood

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Flood

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Flood surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Flood household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Flood 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

Flood 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

Flood 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 Flood 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Flood

The surname FLOOD has its origins in England and is derived from the Old English word 'flod', meaning a stream or river. It likely originated as a topographic name for someone who lived near a body of water, such as a river or stream.

The name FLOOD first appeared in historical records in the late 12th century. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Richard de la Flode, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199.

During the Middle Ages, the name FLOOD was found in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Suffolk. It was also recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as a surname in the counties of Cambridgeshire and Suffolk.

In the 13th and 14th centuries, the name FLOOD was often spelled with varying forms, such as Flud, Flude, and Fludd. These variations were likely due to the inconsistencies in spelling and pronunciation during that time period.

Notable individuals with the surname FLOOD throughout history include:

1. Robert Fludd (1574-1637), an English philosopher, doctor, and prominent member of the Rosicrucian movement. 2. Thomas Flood (c. 1585-1616), an English Catholic priest and martyr who was executed during the reign of James I. 3. John Flood (1743-1792), an Irish-born American soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. 4. Sir Frederick Flood (1741-1825), an Irish politician and member of the Irish House of Commons. 5. Henry D. Flood (1865-1921), an American lawyer and politician who served as governor of Virginia from 1914 to 1918.

The FLOOD surname has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Floodgate Street in Birmingham and Flood's Ferry in Yorkshire, which likely derived their names from individuals bearing the FLOOD surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Flood families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Flood 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 501 Floods recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.65x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 501 1.65x
Middlesex 407 1.59x
Devon 185 3.47x
Kent 180 2.06x
Surrey 147 1.18x
Norfolk 142 3.60x
Cheshire 107 1.89x
Yorkshire 103 0.41x
Lanarkshire 83 1.00x
Hampshire 70 1.33x
Angus 59 2.48x
Somerset 57 1.38x
Warwickshire 56 0.87x
Renfrewshire 50 2.52x
Staffordshire 39 0.45x
Durham 38 0.50x
Suffolk 31 0.99x
Monmouthshire 29 1.56x
Gloucestershire 21 0.42x
Bedfordshire 19 1.43x
Lincolnshire 19 0.46x
Northumberland 17 0.45x
Essex 16 0.32x
Fife 15 0.99x
Cumberland 14 0.63x
Leicestershire 13 0.46x
Dorset 12 0.71x
Hertfordshire 12 0.68x
Kincardineshire 12 3.84x
Aberdeenshire 11 0.46x
Berkshire 11 0.57x
Cambridgeshire 11 0.68x
Stirlingshire 11 1.16x
Derbyshire 10 0.25x
Morayshire 10 2.51x
Midlothian 9 0.26x
Northamptonshire 9 0.37x
Inverness-shire 8 1.04x
West Lothian 8 2.07x
Worcestershire 8 0.24x
Ayrshire 7 0.36x
Caernarfonshire 7 0.68x
Channel Islands 7 0.92x
Royal Navy 7 2.29x
Perthshire 5 0.43x
Sussex 5 0.12x
Wiltshire 4 0.18x
Glamorgan 3 0.07x
Oxfordshire 3 0.19x
Banffshire 2 0.38x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.13x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.39x
Orkney 2 0.71x
Wigtownshire 2 0.59x
Argyllshire 1 0.14x
Brecknockshire 1 0.20x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.09x
Cornwall 1 0.03x
Denbighshire 1 0.10x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.15x
Flintshire 1 0.15x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.27x
Merionethshire 1 0.21x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.03x
Selkirkshire 1 0.43x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 134 Floods recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.25x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 134 7.25x
Islington London 54 2.17x
Battersea 51 5.40x
Chatham 42 17.45x
Manchester 41 3.00x
St Pancras London 41 1.99x
Kensington London 38 2.67x
Chelsea London 32 4.14x
Hackney London 32 2.23x
Dundee 30 3.38x
Southampton St Mary 30 9.08x
West Derby 29 3.26x
Macclesfield 28 11.13x
St Marylebone London 28 2.04x
Hockering 27 825.69x
Crediton 26 51.40x
Birmingham 24 1.11x
Govan 23 1.12x
Leeds 21 1.46x
West Greenock 21 5.89x
Bradford 20 3.25x
Exeter St Sidwell 19 15.54x
Gillingham 19 10.53x
Liff Benvie 19 5.27x
Beerferris 18 173.08x
Glasgow 18 1.22x
Preston 18 2.21x
Bethnal Green London 17 1.53x
Paddington London 17 1.80x
Stoke Damerel 17 4.55x
Stoke Upon Trent 17 1.85x
Sutton In Macclesfield 17 28.94x
Toxteth Park 17 1.65x
Newington 16 1.69x
Ashton Under Lyne 15 2.26x
Birkenhead 15 3.32x
Deptford St Paul 15 2.22x
Lambeth 15 0.67x
St George Hanover Square 15 3.32x
Croydon 14 2.02x
Parr 14 12.86x
Salford 14 1.56x
Leicester St Margaret 13 1.87x
Monks Coppenhall 13 6.09x
Southwark Christchurch 13 10.82x
St Luke London 13 3.16x
Widnes 13 5.92x
Barony 12 0.57x
Fettercairn 12 90.36x
Lee 12 9.45x
Lewisham 12 2.57x
Plymouth St Andrew 12 2.92x
Shoreditch London 12 1.08x
Aldershot 11 6.25x
Blackburn 11 1.36x
Camberwell 11 0.67x
Combe St Nicholas 11 110.22x
Dover St Mary Virgin 11 12.99x
Everton 11 1.13x
Newton 11 4.69x
Portsea 11 1.07x
Taunton St Mary 11 14.52x
Warrington 11 3.05x
Bootle Cum Linacre 10 4.14x
Great Neston 10 53.50x
Bearsted 9 170.45x
Bothwell 9 4.00x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 9 1.90x
Bromley London 9 1.60x
Bury St Edmunds St James 9 10.79x
Eaglesham 9 73.89x
Eccleston In Prescot 9 5.89x
Maidstone 9 3.45x
Reading St Giles 9 4.77x
Wolverhampton 9 1.35x
Woodton 9 214.29x
Edgbaston 8 3.99x
Norwich St Stephen 8 22.11x
Soothill 8 8.71x
South Shields 8 11.77x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 145
William 119
James 89
Thomas 77
George 72
Henry 54
Charles 34
Joseph 31
Frederick 30
Edward 28
Samuel 24
Alfred 23
Patrick 23
Robert 22
Michael 20
Peter 18
Richard 17
Arthur 16
Walter 15
Albert 11
Harry 10
Andrew 8
Edwin 8
Edmund 7
Frank 7
Wm. 7
Benjamin 6
Daniel 5
Francis 5
Fredk. 5
Herbert 5
Lawrence 5
Christopher 4
Luke 4
Matthew 4
David 3
Ernest 3
Fred 3
Jas. 3
Jesse 3
Mark 3
Thos. 3
Anthony 2
C. 2
Chas. 2
Cornelius 2
Frances 2
Martin 2
Noah 2
Percy 2

FAQ

Flood surname: questions and answers

How common was the Flood surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,619 people were recorded with the Flood surname. That placed it at #1,698 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Flood surname today?

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

What does the Flood surname mean?

An Irish surname referring to someone who lived near a body of water or on a floodplain.

What does the Flood map show?

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