NameCensus.

UK surname

Holdforth

In the 1881 census there were 81 people recorded with the Holdforth surname, ranking it #22,082 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 120, ranked #27,563, down from #22,082 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Woking, St Pancras and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stoke-on-Trent, Test Valley and New Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Holdforth is 120 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 48.1%.

1881 census count

81

Ranked #22,082

Modern count

120

2016, ranked #27,563

Peak year

2016

120 bearers

Map years

3

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Holdforth had 81 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,082 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 120 in 2016, ranked #27,563.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 100 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Holdforth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Holdforth surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Holdforth 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 80 #19,558
1861 historical 79 #23,702
1881 historical 81 #22,082
1891 historical 93 #24,965
1901 historical 94 #23,588
1911 historical 100 #22,717
1997 modern 91 #28,215
1998 modern 111 #25,990
1999 modern 108 #26,602
2000 modern 107 #26,700
2001 modern 110 #25,900
2002 modern 105 #27,123
2003 modern 102 #27,383
2004 modern 102 #27,637
2005 modern 101 #27,854
2006 modern 94 #29,264
2007 modern 98 #29,019
2008 modern 97 #29,527
2009 modern 100 #29,597
2010 modern 98 #30,540
2011 modern 101 #29,938
2012 modern 109 #28,689
2013 modern 115 #28,176
2014 modern 115 #28,439
2015 modern 116 #28,151
2016 modern 120 #27,563

Geography

Back to top

Where Holdforths are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Stoke-on-Trent, Test Valley, New Forest, Oxford and Barrow-in-Furness. 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 Woking Surrey
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 Stranton Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stoke-on-Trent 031 Stoke-on-Trent
2 Test Valley 015 Test Valley
3 New Forest 014 New Forest
4 Oxford 007 Oxford
5 Barrow-in-Furness 004 Barrow-in-Furness

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Holdforth

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Holdforth

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Holdforth surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Holdforth household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Holdforth is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Holdforth 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

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Holdforth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Holdforth 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. Surrey leads with 38 Holdforths recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.87x.

County Total Index
Surrey 38 9.87x
Durham 16 6.81x
Middlesex 10 1.27x
Kent 9 3.34x
Yorkshire 7 0.89x
Hertfordshire 1 1.84x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Woking in Surrey leads with 36 Holdforths recorded in 1881 and an index of 1551.72x.

Place Total Index
Woking 36 1551.72x
Stranton 13 164.35x
Lewisham 6 41.75x
Horton In Bradford 4 32.73x
St Marylebone London 4 9.48x
Green Hammerton 2 2500.00x
Lanchester 2 465.12x
St Pancras London 2 3.15x
Adel Cum Eccup 1 312.50x
Battersea 1 3.44x
Chatham 1 13.50x
Chertsey 1 40.16x
Deptford St Paul 1 4.81x
Ealing 1 14.16x
Edmonton 1 15.72x
Hampstead London 1 8.13x
Southwick 1 44.84x
St Luke London 1 7.89x
Tonbridge 1 10.29x
Watford 1 23.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 5
Elizabeth 5
Ellen 3
Ada 2
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Jane 2
Mary 2
Alice 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Annie. 1
Ella 1
Fanny 1
Georgina 1
Harriet 1
Henrietta 1
Isabel 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Margt. 1
Mercy 1
Nellie 1
Rose 1
Selina 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 5
John 4
George 3
James 3
Thomas 3
Arthur 2
William 2
Barton 1
Charles 1
Chas. 1
Cuthbert 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Hosea 1
Isaac 1
Jesse 1
Jessie 1
Joseph 1
R. 1
Robert 1
Walter 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Holdforth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Holdforth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 81 people were recorded with the Holdforth surname. That placed it at #22,082 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Holdforth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 120 in 2016. That gives Holdforth a modern rank of #27,563.

What does the Holdforth map show?

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