NameCensus.

UK surname

Kerwick

English origin surname indicating someone from a district with a church.

In the 1881 census there were 45 people recorded with the Kerwick surname, ranking it #27,314 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 166, ranked #22,140, up from #27,314 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Warrington, Southwark and Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kerwick is 166 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 268.9%.

1881 census count

45

Ranked #27,314

Modern count

166

2016, ranked #22,140

Peak year

2016

166 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kerwick had 45 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,314 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 166 in 2016, ranked #22,140.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 92 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Kerwick surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kerwick surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kerwick 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 17 #30,267
1861 historical 54 #27,127
1881 historical 45 #27,314
1891 historical 92 #25,109
1901 historical 39 #29,799
1911 historical 45 #28,332
1997 modern 128 #23,238
1998 modern 138 #22,814
1999 modern 128 #24,017
2000 modern 146 #22,170
2001 modern 133 #23,132
2002 modern 137 #23,198
2003 modern 140 #22,634
2004 modern 140 #22,793
2005 modern 130 #23,848
2006 modern 122 #25,010
2007 modern 124 #25,086
2008 modern 117 #26,351
2009 modern 130 #25,176
2010 modern 134 #25,263
2011 modern 127 #25,926
2012 modern 140 #24,376
2013 modern 157 #22,904
2014 modern 157 #23,101
2015 modern 159 #22,796
2016 modern 166 #22,140

Geography

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Where Kerwicks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Warrington, Southwark, Bradford, St. Helens and Islington. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Warrington 013 Warrington
2 Southwark 011 Southwark
3 Bradford 059 Bradford
4 St. Helens 012 St. Helens
5 Islington 007 Islington

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kerwick

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kerwick

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Kerwick surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Kerwick household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Kerwick 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

Kerwick 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

Kerwick falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kerwick is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Kerwick

The surname Kerwick is of Anglo-Saxon origin, stemming from the Old English words "ciere" meaning "church" and "wic" meaning "village" or "dwelling". It is believed to have originated in the region of Cheshire, England, sometime in the 12th or 13th century. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a church or in a village with a prominent church.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kerwick can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire from the year 1211, which mention a person named Richard de Kerewyk. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the early 13th century.

The Kerwick surname has also been recorded in various spellings throughout history, including Kerewyk, Kerewick, and Kerrwick. These variations often reflect regional dialects and the evolution of spelling conventions over time.

In the 14th century, a man named John de Kerewyk is mentioned in the Cheshire Chamberlain's Accounts, suggesting that the name had spread beyond its initial origins in the region.

During the 16th century, a notable figure with the surname Kerwick was William Kerwick, a merchant and alderman in the city of Chester, who lived from approximately 1520 to 1590.

Another individual of note was Thomas Kerwick, an English clergyman and author who lived from 1638 to 1720. He wrote several religious works, including a treatise on the Book of Revelation.

In the 18th century, Mary Kerwick (1719-1796) was a prominent figure in the arts and sciences. She was a skilled painter and a member of the Society of Arts, an organization dedicated to the promotion of arts, manufactures, and commerce.

During the 19th century, John Kerwick (1821-1897) made significant contributions to the field of engineering. He was an accomplished civil engineer and worked on several major infrastructure projects in England.

The surname Kerwick has also been associated with various place names throughout history, such as Kerwick Green in Cheshire and Kerwick Lane in Staffordshire, further reinforcing its geographic origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kerwick families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kerwick 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 14 Kerwicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.69x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 14 2.69x
Rutland 7 217.39x
Surrey 6 2.81x
Angus 5 12.30x
Middlesex 5 1.14x
Durham 4 3.06x
Kent 2 1.34x
Devon 1 1.09x
Glamorgan 1 1.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Uppingham in Rutland leads with 7 Kerwicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 1842.11x.

Place Total Index
Uppingham 7 1842.11x
Camberwell 6 21.41x
Whalley 6 789.47x
Dundee 5 32.94x
Paddington London 4 24.80x
Sherburn 4 1000.00x
Windle 4 136.52x
Birtle Cum Bamford 3 882.35x
Ramsgate 2 81.97x
Aberavon 1 142.86x
Ardwick 1 21.28x
Plymouth Charles The 1 24.88x
Westminster St James 1 22.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Annie 1
Clara 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Eth.Ann 1
Grace 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Lillian 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Margaret 1
Margt. 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
James 2
Angelo 1
Ernest 1
Henry 1
Jno. 1
Joseph 1
Martin 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1
William 1
Wm. 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 Kerwick households.

FAQ

Kerwick surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kerwick surname in 1881?

In 1881, 45 people were recorded with the Kerwick surname. That placed it at #27,314 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kerwick surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 166 in 2016. That gives Kerwick a modern rank of #22,140.

What does the Kerwick surname mean?

English origin surname indicating someone from a district with a church.

What does the Kerwick map show?

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