NameCensus.

UK surname

Fozard

A geographic surname derived from a place name referring to someone from Foizard.

In the 1881 census there were 247 people recorded with the Fozard surname, ranking it #11,173 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 258, ranked #16,449, down from #11,173 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Batley, Ardsley, West and St Marylebone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees, Wakefield and Lancaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fozard is 389 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.5%.

1881 census count

247

Ranked #11,173

Modern count

258

2016, ranked #16,449

Peak year

1911

389 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fozard had 247 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,173 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 258 in 2016, ranked #16,449.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 389 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Fozard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fozard surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fozard 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 254 #8,683
1861 historical 195 #12,263
1881 historical 247 #11,173
1891 historical 262 #12,297
1901 historical 341 #10,629
1911 historical 389 #9,470
1997 modern 305 #13,377
1998 modern 305 #13,753
1999 modern 299 #14,000
2000 modern 304 #13,791
2001 modern 299 #13,758
2002 modern 299 #14,017
2003 modern 291 #14,100
2004 modern 291 #14,138
2005 modern 293 #14,030
2006 modern 282 #14,459
2007 modern 279 #14,732
2008 modern 275 #15,036
2009 modern 283 #15,020
2010 modern 281 #15,441
2011 modern 270 #15,754
2012 modern 266 #15,828
2013 modern 280 #15,530
2014 modern 271 #15,986
2015 modern 265 #16,139
2016 modern 258 #16,449

Geography

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Where Fozards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Batley, Ardsley, West, St Marylebone, Dewsbury and Leeds. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees, Wakefield, Lancaster, Southend-on-Sea and Harrogate. 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 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Ardsley, West Yorkshire, West Riding
3 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
4 Dewsbury Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 006 Kirklees
2 Wakefield 025 Wakefield
3 Lancaster 005 Lancaster
4 Southend-on-Sea 012 Southend-on-Sea
5 Harrogate 017 Harrogate

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fozard

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fozard

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

Fozard is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fozard falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Fozard

The surname Fozard is of English origin, with its earliest known roots tracing back to the county of Derbyshire in the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "fosgard" or "fosgerd," which referred to an enclosure or a yard for livestock.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a John de Fosgard is mentioned as a landowner in the village of Repton, Derbyshire. This historical document suggests that the name may have initially been a locative surname, denoting someone who resided near or owned a fosgard.

In the 14th century, variations of the spelling began to emerge, such as Fosseyard, Fossegarth, and Fozyard. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling conventions of the time.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Fozard. However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as Foss in Yorkshire and Fossard in Leicestershire.

One notable bearer of the Fozard name was Thomas Fozard, a prominent lawyer and judge who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Born in Derbyshire around 1560, he served as a justice of the peace and is recorded as presiding over legal cases in the county.

Another individual of historical significance was William Fozard, a successful merchant and landowner who lived in the 18th century. Records show that he owned substantial property in Derbyshire and was involved in local governance and community affairs.

In the 19th century, the Fozard surname gained prominence with the birth of John Fozard (1821-1895), a renowned English architect and civil engineer. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings and infrastructure projects in the Midlands region.

The name also has literary connections, with the novelist and playwright Edith Fozard (1872-1946) being a distinguished bearer of the surname. Her works, which often explored themes of social justice and women's rights, were widely acclaimed during her lifetime.

Lastly, Sir Henry Fozard (1891-1968) was a highly respected British diplomat and civil servant who served in various important roles, including Ambassador to Yugoslavia and Deputy Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fozard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fozard 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. Yorkshire leads with 208 Fozards recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.78x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 208 8.78x
Lancashire 18 0.63x
Middlesex 12 0.50x
Warwickshire 5 0.83x
Northamptonshire 1 0.44x
Surrey 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ossett Cum Gawthorpe in Yorkshire leads with 45 Fozards recorded in 1881 and an index of 531.91x.

Place Total Index
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 45 531.91x
Batley 44 195.56x
Hunslet 19 51.45x
Dewsbury 16 65.87x
Dewsbury Ossett Cum 15 2884.62x
Leeds 13 9.72x
Pannal 13 572.69x
West Ardsley 10 350.88x
Kirkdale 8 16.77x
Manchester 8 6.27x
Soothill 7 81.87x
Headingley Cum Burley 6 39.37x
Armley 5 47.89x
Birmingham 5 2.49x
Holbeck 5 31.87x
St Marylebone London 5 3.92x
Mirfield 4 30.77x
Paddington London 4 4.55x
Holy Trinity 3 5.27x
Ashton Under Lyne 2 3.23x
Thornhill 2 28.94x
Willesden 2 8.88x
Lambeth 1 0.48x
Roundhay 1 151.52x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.38x
Weston Favell 1 222.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Sarah 9
Emily 7
Hannah 6
Eliza 4
Elizabeth 4
Martha 4
Alice 3
Ann 3
Charlotte 3
Emma 3
Maria 3
Sophia 3
Susan 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Annie 2
Elizth. 2
Ellen 2
Florence 2
Jane 2
Rachel 2
Amelia 1
Annabella 1
Anney 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Elizbeth 1
Emoniah 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Flory 1
Grace 1
Hanah 1
Hetty 1
Infant 1
Jessie 1
Letty 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Maggie 1
Margret 1
Mercy 1
Nancy 1
Polly 1
Rebecca 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 18
William 10
Joseph 9
George 5
Henry 4
James 4
Leonard 4
Albert 3
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Edwin 3
Fred 3
Harry 3
Charles 2
Chas. 2
Fred. 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Joe 2
Mitchell 2
Samuel 2
Thomas 2
Benjamin 1
Bristowe 1
David 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Ezra 1
Fergust 1
Harrison 1
Isica 1
Israel 1
Jesse 1
Jno 1
Jonathan 1
Joshua 1
Josiah 1
Mark 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Sam 1
Sam. 1
Saml. 1
Seth 1
Squire 1
Susannah 1
Tempest 1
Thos. 1
Titas 1
Titus 1

FAQ

Fozard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fozard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 247 people were recorded with the Fozard surname. That placed it at #11,173 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fozard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 258 in 2016. That gives Fozard a modern rank of #16,449.

What does the Fozard surname mean?

A geographic surname derived from a place name referring to someone from Foizard.

What does the Fozard map show?

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