NameCensus.

UK surname

Kenworthy

From the English place name Kenworthy, likely meaning "Cyna's enclosure" or "enclosure by the royal manor."

In the 1881 census there were 1,997 people recorded with the Kenworthy surname, ranking it #2,206 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,602, ranked #3,881, down from #2,206 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Manchester and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Oldham and Kirklees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kenworthy is 2,370 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 19.8%.

1881 census count

1,997

Ranked #2,206

Modern count

1,602

2016, ranked #3,881

Peak year

1911

2,370 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kenworthy had 1,997 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,206 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,602 in 2016, ranked #3,881.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,370 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Kenworthy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kenworthy surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kenworthy 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 1,450 #1,985
1861 historical 1,381 #2,075
1881 historical 1,997 #2,206
1891 historical 2,077 #2,230
1901 historical 2,296 #2,369
1911 historical 2,370 #2,162
1997 modern 1,673 #3,556
1998 modern 1,690 #3,648
1999 modern 1,705 #3,649
2000 modern 1,738 #3,575
2001 modern 1,690 #3,597
2002 modern 1,707 #3,639
2003 modern 1,640 #3,681
2004 modern 1,613 #3,751
2005 modern 1,571 #3,792
2006 modern 1,583 #3,763
2007 modern 1,609 #3,749
2008 modern 1,632 #3,734
2009 modern 1,666 #3,750
2010 modern 1,726 #3,697
2011 modern 1,696 #3,709
2012 modern 1,663 #3,718
2013 modern 1,670 #3,762
2014 modern 1,652 #3,826
2015 modern 1,627 #3,845
2016 modern 1,602 #3,881

Geography

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Where Kenworthys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Manchester, Sheffield and Stockport. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Oldham and Kirklees. 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 Manchester Lancashire
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Rochdale Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Stockport Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Oldham 020 Oldham
2 Kirklees 059 Kirklees
3 Kirklees 053 Kirklees
4 Oldham 004 Oldham
5 Oldham 006 Oldham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kenworthy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kenworthy

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kenworthy, 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 Kenworthy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Kenworthy 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, Kenworthy 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

Kenworthy 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

Kenworthy falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Kenworthy

The surname Kenworthy originated in England and dates back to the late 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "cyne" meaning royal or kingly and "worth" meaning an enclosed homestead or settlement. The name likely referred to someone who lived in or near a royal estate or manor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kenworthy can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1194, where it appears as "Kenwordhi". This suggests that the name was well-established in the Yorkshire region by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms such as "Kenewrthe", "Kenewurthe", and "Kenewurthy" in records from Lancashire and Cheshire. These variants reflect the local dialects and spellings of the time.

The Kenworthy name is also mentioned in the Chartulary of Whalley Abbey, a medieval manuscript from Lancashire, dated around 1300. This indicates that families bearing this surname were present in the area during the early medieval period.

One notable individual with the surname Kenworthy was John Kenworthy, a 16th-century English clergyman who served as the Rector of Blackburn in Lancashire from 1558 to 1595.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Kenworthy family resided in Padiham, Lancashire. Richard Kenworthy (1608-1672) was a prominent landowner and yeoman farmer in the area.

During the English Civil War, Captain Thomas Kenworthy (1620-1685) fought on the Parliamentarian side and was involved in the siege of Lathom House in Lancashire in 1644.

Another individual of note was Samuel Kenworthy (1696-1768), a Quaker minister from Yorkshire who traveled extensively preaching and writing on religious matters.

The Kenworthy surname also has a long association with the town of Oldham in Greater Manchester. One of the earliest recorded Kenworthys in Oldham was John Kenworthy (1724-1799), a successful textile merchant and landowner.

In summary, the surname Kenworthy has its origins in medieval England, particularly in the northern counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire. It has a long and storied history, with various individuals bearing the name making their mark in fields such as religion, military service, and commerce over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kenworthy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kenworthy 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 841 Kenworthys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.65x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 841 3.65x
Yorkshire 793 4.12x
Cheshire 175 4.08x
Derbyshire 56 1.84x
Middlesex 26 0.13x
Staffordshire 22 0.34x
Shropshire 13 0.77x
Kent 12 0.18x
Cumberland 8 0.48x
Durham 7 0.12x
Hampshire 6 0.15x
Leicestershire 6 0.28x
Surrey 5 0.05x
Warwickshire 5 0.10x
Lincolnshire 4 0.13x
Sussex 3 0.09x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 0.71x
Royal Navy 2 0.86x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.09x
Cornwall 1 0.05x
Essex 1 0.03x
Glamorgan 1 0.03x
Isle of Man 1 0.28x
Lanarkshire 1 0.02x
Norfolk 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ashton Under Lyne in Lancashire leads with 277 Kenworthys recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.94x.

Place Total Index
Ashton Under Lyne 277 54.94x
Saddleworth 258 173.62x
Oldham 171 22.97x
Dukinfield 66 33.28x
Barnsley 43 21.64x
Huddersfield 30 10.69x
Crompton 27 41.10x
Rishworth 25 338.30x
Worsbrough 25 44.29x
Youlgreave 25 284.09x
Stayley 22 44.85x
Butterworth 19 33.80x
Cheetham 19 11.04x
Lockwood 19 27.41x
Chorlton On Medlock 18 4.91x
Glossop Dale 18 12.63x
Wooldale 18 55.08x
Chadderton 17 15.07x
Bradfield 16 21.54x
Tintwistle 16 69.78x
Ecclesfield 15 10.62x
Golcar 15 29.45x
Leeds 15 1.38x
Royton 15 21.26x
Gorton 14 6.46x
Meltham 14 46.73x
Newton In Ashton Under 14 33.06x
Shelley 14 124.22x
Brightside Bierlow 13 3.44x
Failsworth 13 24.63x
Heaton Norris 13 9.90x
Austonley 12 109.99x
Salford 12 1.77x
Thurlstone 12 63.16x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 11 6.13x
Droylsden 11 14.62x
Hoyland Nether 11 23.28x
Hulme 11 2.28x
Pendlebury 11 22.58x
Stretford 11 8.67x
Wath On Dearne 11 28.62x
Wolstanton 11 5.52x
Wortley In Bramley 11 7.21x
Almondbury 10 10.73x
Castleton 10 4.34x
Macclesfield 10 5.24x
North Meols 10 4.43x
Silkstone 10 104.82x
Wombwell 10 17.80x
Broughton In Salford 9 4.27x
Linthwaite 9 22.23x
Liverpool 9 0.64x
Rastrick 9 16.82x
Sheffield 9 1.47x
Sowerby In Halifax 9 14.29x
Strood 9 23.78x
Manchester 8 0.77x
Newton 8 4.50x
Shifnal 8 17.54x
South Hiendley 8 327.87x
Stockport 8 3.62x
Upperthong 8 48.84x
Walton On Hill 8 6.40x
Ardwick 7 3.36x
Barton Upon Irwell 7 4.03x
Bury 7 2.66x
Headingley Cum Burley 7 5.64x
Hunslet 7 2.33x
Kirkheaton 7 22.41x
Moss Side 7 5.77x
Nether Hallam 7 2.69x
Preston 7 1.13x
Reddish 7 22.03x
St Bees 7 90.44x
Buxton 6 23.29x
Everton 6 0.82x
Horbury 6 17.80x
Portsea 6 0.77x
Spotland 6 2.34x
Swinton In Rotherham 6 11.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 176
Sarah 107
Elizabeth 68
Ann 50
Hannah 47
Alice 43
Jane 42
Martha 38
Emma 34
Ellen 31
Eliza 26
Annie 22
Ada 15
Betty 14
Esther 12
Edith 11
Ruth 11
Harriet 10
Maria 10
Emily 9
Florence 9
Lucy 9
Margaret 9
Clara 8
Amelia 7
Gertrude 7
Sophia 7
Agnes 6
Fanny 6
Lydia 6
Susannah 6
Charlotte 5
Elizth. 4
Ethel 4
Julia 4
Lilly 4
Nancy 4
Rose 4
Amy 3
Anne 3
Bertha 3
Caroline 3
Henrietta 3
Kate 3
Louisa 3
Rebecca 3
Alma 2
Catherine 2
Elsie 2
Lillian 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 157
James 87
William 77
Joseph 59
George 55
Thomas 53
Charles 37
Robert 26
Samuel 23
Albert 18
Edward 17
Harry 16
Herbert 15
Walter 14
Arthur 13
Hugh 13
Henry 12
Benjamin 10
Joshua 10
Alfred 9
Fred 8
Wm. 8
Joe 7
Tom 7
David 6
Ben 5
Edwin 5
Ernest 5
Jonathan 5
Levi 5
Abraham 4
Daniel 4
Frank 4
Frederick 4
Isaac 4
Jas. 4
Richard 4
Geo. 3
Lewis 3
Mark 3
Percy 3
Robt. 3
Will 3
Fred. 2
Lees 2
Luke 2
Matthew 2
Moses 2
Peter 2
Wright 2

FAQ

Kenworthy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kenworthy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,997 people were recorded with the Kenworthy surname. That placed it at #2,206 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kenworthy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,602 in 2016. That gives Kenworthy a modern rank of #3,881.

What does the Kenworthy surname mean?

From the English place name Kenworthy, likely meaning "Cyna's enclosure" or "enclosure by the royal manor."

What does the Kenworthy map show?

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