NameCensus.

UK surname

Kiddy

A surname derived from a nickname or term of endearment for a child.

In the 1881 census there were 256 people recorded with the Kiddy surname, ranking it #10,885 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 282, ranked #15,406, down from #10,885 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Withersfield, Duffield and Haverhill, Little Wratting. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Cambridgeshire, East Riding of Yorkshire and St Edmundsbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kiddy is 346 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 10.2%.

1881 census count

256

Ranked #10,885

Modern count

282

2016, ranked #15,406

Peak year

1911

346 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kiddy had 256 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,885 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 282 in 2016, ranked #15,406.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 346 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Kiddy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kiddy surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kiddy 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 167 #11,936
1861 historical 117 #18,635
1881 historical 256 #10,885
1891 historical 275 #11,847
1901 historical 315 #11,263
1911 historical 346 #10,341
1997 modern 291 #13,792
1998 modern 300 #13,877
1999 modern 299 #14,000
2000 modern 298 #13,981
2001 modern 285 #14,191
2002 modern 291 #14,275
2003 modern 293 #14,037
2004 modern 286 #14,312
2005 modern 270 #14,822
2006 modern 266 #15,076
2007 modern 275 #14,888
2008 modern 267 #15,349
2009 modern 271 #15,511
2010 modern 273 #15,764
2011 modern 270 #15,754
2012 modern 263 #15,954
2013 modern 281 #15,487
2014 modern 288 #15,285
2015 modern 279 #15,527
2016 modern 282 #15,406

Geography

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Where Kiddys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Withersfield, Duffield, Haverhill, Little Wratting, Hucknall Torkard and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Cambridgeshire, East Riding of Yorkshire, St Edmundsbury, Doncaster and Rotherham. 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 Withersfield Suffolk
2 Duffield Derbyshire
3 Haverhill, Little Wratting Suffolk
4 Hucknall Torkard Nottinghamshire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Cambridgeshire 016 South Cambridgeshire
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 042 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 St Edmundsbury 011 St Edmundsbury
4 Doncaster 002 Doncaster
5 Rotherham 031 Rotherham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kiddy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kiddy

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Kiddy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Kiddy 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Kiddy 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

Kiddy 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

Kiddy 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 Kiddy is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Kiddy

The surname Kiddy is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "cydde," meaning "a kid" or young goat. The name may have initially been a nickname given to someone who resembled a kid, or it could have been an occupational surname for a goatherd.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Kiddy surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire from 1195, where a person named Godwin Kiddi is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the Kiddy surname appears in various records from across England. For instance, a Richard Kiddy is recorded in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1268, and a John Kiddy is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls for Warwickshire in 1275.

During the 14th century, the name continued to be found in various parts of England. One notable example is Robert Kiddy, who is recorded as being a member of the Guild of Corpus Christi in York in 1389.

The 15th century saw the Kiddy surname spread to other parts of the British Isles. In 1457, a John Kiddy is recorded as being a resident of the town of Ayr in Scotland.

One of the most notable individuals with the Kiddy surname was Sir Walter Kiddy (1444-1518), who served as a member of the English parliament and was also a prominent landowner in Hertfordshire.

As the centuries progressed, the Kiddy surname continued to be found throughout England, with various spellings such as Kiddie, Kyddie, and Kiddye being used. Some individuals of note include Thomas Kiddy (1674-1743), a renowned clockmaker from London, and William Kiddy (1795-1867), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Yorkshire.

While the Kiddy surname may not have been as widespread as some others, it has a long and rich history that can be traced back to the Middle Ages in England. The name's origins as a nickname or occupational surname related to goats provide an interesting glimpse into the lives of those who first bore this name centuries ago.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kiddy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kiddy 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. Derbyshire leads with 75 Kiddys recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.18x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 75 19.18x
Suffolk 71 23.34x
Essex 21 4.26x
Nottinghamshire 20 5.94x
Yorkshire 17 0.69x
Middlesex 14 0.56x
Staffordshire 8 0.95x
Cambridgeshire 7 4.43x
Surrey 7 0.58x
Cheshire 6 1.09x
Northumberland 2 0.54x
Bedfordshire 1 0.77x
Berkshire 1 0.53x
Devon 1 0.19x
Fife 1 0.68x
Lanarkshire 1 0.12x
Midlothian 1 0.30x
Northamptonshire 1 0.43x
West Lothian 1 2.66x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Withersfield in Suffolk leads with 29 Kiddys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5918.37x.

Place Total Index
Withersfield 29 5918.37x
Haverhill 27 1000.00x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 16 69.41x
Duffield 16 519.48x
Matlock 12 228.57x
Helion Bumpstead 10 1515.15x
Haverhill 9 2000.00x
Hucknall Torkard 9 105.39x
Litchurch 9 57.22x
Stoke Upon Trent 7 7.83x
Beighton 6 338.98x
Dronfield 6 119.76x
Dukinfield 6 23.56x
Horseheath 6 1276.60x
Nottingham St Mary 6 6.89x
Great Thurlow 5 1515.15x
Radford 5 29.24x
Staveley 5 72.05x
Belper 4 52.77x
Blackwell 4 208.33x
Colchester St Giles 4 82.14x
Rotherhithe 4 12.97x
Brimington 3 101.01x
Hulland Ward 3 909.09x
Panfield 3 1071.43x
St Pancras London 3 1.49x
Tottenham 3 7.54x
Wessington 3 576.92x
Chirton 2 23.78x
Clerkenwell London 2 3.39x
Colchester St Peter 2 101.52x
Shoreditch London 2 1.85x
Wethersfield 2 161.29x
Abercorn 1 135.14x
Bedford St Mary 1 30.03x
Bermondsey 1 1.35x
Brightside Bierlow 1 2.06x
Castle Camps 1 131.58x
Chapel 1 322.58x
Chelsea London 1 1.33x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.74x
Fulham London 1 2.76x
Glasgow 1 0.70x
Hackney London 1 0.71x
Heage 1 48.31x
Holloway 1 208.33x
Kensington London 1 0.72x
Lidford 1 42.92x
Markinch 1 19.92x
North Wingfield 1 57.14x
Putney 1 8.79x
Reading St Mary 1 6.66x
Richmond 1 5.87x
Tutbury 1 48.78x
Welford 1 126.58x
Wirksworth 1 28.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 18
Sarah 12
Elizabeth 8
Alice 7
Emma 7
Ann 4
Eliza 4
Jane 4
Clara 3
Hannah 3
Kate 3
Lydia 3
Maria 3
Matilda 3
Priscilla 3
Anna 2
Annie 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Esther 2
Harriet 2
Isabella 2
Martha 2
Selina 2
Beatrice 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Dinah 1
Elizbth 1
Elizbth. 1
Elizth. 1
Ella 1
Ethel 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Grorgeina 1
Harriett 1
Hester 1
Hesther 1
Husla 1
Laura 1
Lilly 1
Louisa 1
Lucretia 1
Lucy 1
M.A. 1
Minnie 1
Rachael 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 24
William 17
George 11
Joseph 7
Charles 6
Edward 6
James 5
Thomas 5
Arthur 3
Frederick 3
Henry 3
Samuel 3
Herbert 2
Jacob 2
Stephen 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
David 1
Eligah 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 1
Gilbert 1
Hannah 1
Job 1
Joe 1
Jon. 1
Matthew 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Robert 1
Saml. 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Kiddy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kiddy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 256 people were recorded with the Kiddy surname. That placed it at #10,885 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kiddy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 282 in 2016. That gives Kiddy a modern rank of #15,406.

What does the Kiddy surname mean?

A surname derived from a nickname or term of endearment for a child.

What does the Kiddy map show?

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