NameCensus.

UK surname

Groundwater

A surname derived from living near or having a profession related to groundwater sources.

In the 1881 census there were 241 people recorded with the Groundwater surname, ranking it #11,374 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 211, ranked #18,904, down from #11,374 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkwall and St.Ola, Edinburgh and Aberdeen and Old Machar. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness, West Kirkwall and West Mainland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Groundwater is 259 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 12.4%.

1881 census count

241

Ranked #11,374

Modern count

211

2016, ranked #18,904

Peak year

1891

259 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Groundwater had 241 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,374 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 211 in 2016, ranked #18,904.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 259 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Groundwater surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Groundwater surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Groundwater 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 178 #11,397
1861 historical 199 #12,062
1881 historical 241 #11,374
1891 historical 259 #12,399
1901 historical 253 #13,045
1911 historical 70 #25,853
1997 modern 179 #18,889
1998 modern 205 #17,850
1999 modern 207 #17,855
2000 modern 194 #18,554
2001 modern 192 #18,388
2002 modern 201 #18,236
2003 modern 196 #18,358
2004 modern 201 #18,168
2005 modern 199 #18,198
2006 modern 201 #18,226
2007 modern 201 #18,428
2008 modern 206 #18,300
2009 modern 201 #18,965
2010 modern 209 #18,893
2011 modern 198 #19,410
2012 modern 189 #19,949
2013 modern 198 #19,657
2014 modern 206 #19,318
2015 modern 206 #19,208
2016 modern 211 #18,904

Geography

Back to top

Where Groundwaters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkwall and St.Ola, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Old Machar, Glasgow and Cross and Burness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness, West Kirkwall, West Mainland, East Mainland and East Kirkwall. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Kirkwall and St.Ola Orkney
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Aberdeen and Old Machar Aberdeen
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Cross and Burness Orkney

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness Orkney Islands
2 West Kirkwall Orkney Islands
3 West Mainland Orkney Islands
4 East Mainland Orkney Islands
5 East Kirkwall Orkney Islands

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Groundwater

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Groundwater

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Groundwater surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Groundwater household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Groundwater is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Groundwater is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Groundwater falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Groundwater

The surname Groundwater is of English origin, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is a locational name, derived from a place where there was a natural spring or groundwater source. The name likely originated in the counties of Somerset or Devon in southwestern England, where there are numerous place names containing the element "ground" or "grounde," referring to a tract of land or territory.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Groundwater can be found in the parish records of St. Cuthbert's Church in Wells, Somerset, in the year 1587. The entry mentions a Thomas Groundwater, who was likely born in the late 16th century. Another early reference is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1628, which lists a William Groundwater as a taxpayer in the village of Wotton-under-Edge.

In the 17th century, the Groundwater family appears to have spread to other parts of England. For instance, a John Groundwater was recorded in the parish registers of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, in 1642. Additionally, the 1666 Hearth Tax Rolls for the city of Bristol list a Thomas Groundwater as a householder.

One notable bearer of the surname was Sir Thomas Groundwater (1683-1746), a British military officer and landowner from Gloucestershire. He served in the War of the Spanish Succession and later became a Member of Parliament for the borough of Tewkesbury. Another prominent individual was William Groundwater (1798-1878), a British architect and civil engineer who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Naval College in Greenwich.

In the 19th century, the name Groundwater gained some prominence in the United States. Isaac Groundwater (1812-1891) was an American farmer and politician from Ohio who served as a member of the state legislature. Meanwhile, John Groundwater (1836-1909) was a successful businessman and banker in New York City, known for his philanthropy and support of educational institutions.

Other notable individuals with the surname Groundwater include Alfred Groundwater (1868-1945), a British chemist and author of several scientific textbooks, and Sir Reginald Groundwater (1901-1985), a British diplomat who served as ambassador to several countries, including Argentina and Portugal.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Groundwater families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Groundwater 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. Orkney leads with 98 Groundwaters recorded in 1881 and an index of 378.96x.

County Total Index
Orkney 98 378.96x
Lanarkshire 34 4.47x
Aberdeenshire 30 13.78x
Midlothian 22 6.99x
Angus 9 4.13x
Durham 8 1.14x
Kent 8 1.00x
Northumberland 7 2.00x
Surrey 7 0.61x
Essex 4 0.86x
Middlesex 3 0.13x
Perthshire 3 2.84x
Yorkshire 3 0.13x
Sussex 2 0.50x
Berwickshire 1 3.51x
Hampshire 1 0.21x
Lancashire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Orphir in Orkney leads with 47 Groundwaters recorded in 1881 and an index of 5731.71x.

Place Total Index
Orphir 47 5731.71x
Newhills 19 426.01x
Barony 18 9.36x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 15 11.84x
Kirkwall St Ola 15 387.60x
Aberdeen Old Machar 10 22.00x
Glasgow 10 7.41x
Birsay Harray 8 425.53x
Cross Burness N 8 592.59x
Dundee 8 9.84x
Sandwick 7 721.65x
Evie Rendall 6 550.46x
Woolwich 6 20.25x
Govan 5 2.66x
Richmond 5 31.15x
Westoe 5 12.61x
South Leith 4 11.29x
Walls Flotta 4 330.58x
West Ham 4 3.90x
Wooler 4 325.20x
Bishopwearmouth 3 5.00x
Blairgowrie 3 71.94x
Leyburn 3 384.62x
Stromness 3 154.64x
Westgate 3 13.85x
Hackney London 2 1.52x
Hove 2 11.50x
Plumstead 2 7.48x
Putney 2 18.67x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 1 2.46x
Coldingham 1 39.06x
Edinburgh Greenside 1 24.04x
Edinburgh New 1 40.82x
Edinburgh St Marys 1 16.34x
Maryhill 1 6.72x
Monifieth 1 13.00x
Portsea 1 1.06x
Ratcliffe London 1 7.70x
Withington 1 11.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
James 5
Thomas 3
John 2
William 2
Alfred 1
Edward 1
H. 1
Jas. 1
W. 1
Watson 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Groundwater households.

FAQ

Groundwater surname: questions and answers

How common was the Groundwater surname in 1881?

In 1881, 241 people were recorded with the Groundwater surname. That placed it at #11,374 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Groundwater surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 211 in 2016. That gives Groundwater a modern rank of #18,904.

What does the Groundwater surname mean?

A surname derived from living near or having a profession related to groundwater sources.

What does the Groundwater map show?

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