NameCensus.

UK surname

Kidman

A habitational surname derived from a place name, likely signifying someone who hailed from a farmstead or village.

In the 1881 census there were 605 people recorded with the Kidman surname, ranking it #5,796 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 562, ranked #9,130, down from #5,796 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Battersea and Eltisley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Uttlesford, County Durham and Wealden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kidman is 887 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 7.1%.

1881 census count

605

Ranked #5,796

Modern count

562

2016, ranked #9,130

Peak year

1911

887 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kidman had 605 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,796 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 562 in 2016, ranked #9,130.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 887 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Kidman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kidman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kidman 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 454 #5,427
1861 historical 462 #5,621
1881 historical 605 #5,796
1891 historical 680 #5,752
1901 historical 807 #5,591
1911 historical 887 #5,020
1997 modern 575 #8,388
1998 modern 591 #8,481
1999 modern 600 #8,438
2000 modern 595 #8,473
2001 modern 575 #8,530
2002 modern 593 #8,527
2003 modern 577 #8,555
2004 modern 553 #8,823
2005 modern 537 #8,951
2006 modern 541 #8,930
2007 modern 528 #9,174
2008 modern 538 #9,115
2009 modern 537 #9,341
2010 modern 548 #9,392
2011 modern 541 #9,400
2012 modern 545 #9,230
2013 modern 547 #9,375
2014 modern 555 #9,316
2015 modern 559 #9,180
2016 modern 562 #9,130

Geography

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Where Kidmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Battersea, Eltisley, Linton and Watlington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Uttlesford, County Durham, Wealden and South Cambridgeshire. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Battersea London (South Districts)
3 Eltisley Cambridgeshire
4 Linton Cambridgeshire
5 Watlington Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Uttlesford 001 Uttlesford
2 Uttlesford 002 Uttlesford
3 County Durham 052 County Durham
4 Wealden 017 Wealden
5 South Cambridgeshire 004 South Cambridgeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kidman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kidman

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Kidman 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

Kidman is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Kidman

The surname Kidman is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "cydda" or "cydde," meaning "famous" or "renowned," and "mann," meaning "man." This combination suggests that the name may have initially referred to a well-known or prominent individual.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a survey of landholdings conducted in 1273-1274. The entry mentions a "William Kydeman" from the village of Ickleton. This suggests that the surname was already established in parts of eastern England by the late 13th century.

Throughout the medieval and early modern periods, variations in spelling were common due to inconsistencies in record-keeping and regional dialects. Some alternative spellings of the name included Kidman, Kiddeman, Kiddiman, and Kydeman.

While the Kidman name does not appear in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, it is possible that some of the earliest bearers of the name were landowners or individuals of note in their local communities during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Kidman surname was John Kidman, born in Wymondham, Norfolk, in 1544. He was a prominent merchant and served as a member of the local government.

Another notable figure was William Kidman, born in Lincolnshire in 1632. He was a scholar and clergyman who published several works on religious and philosophical topics.

In the 18th century, Thomas Kidman (1720-1798), a successful businessman from Yorkshire, was instrumental in establishing a thriving textile trade in the region.

During the 19th century, the Kidman name gained recognition through individuals like Sir Sydney Kidman (1857-1935), an Australian pastoralist and businessman who amassed a vast cattle empire across the outback.

Another well-known bearer of the name was Margery Kidman (1876-1958), a pioneering female journalist and author from New Zealand, who wrote extensively on social and political issues.

While the Kidman surname may have originated in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including Australia, New Zealand, and North America, reflecting the migration patterns of its bearers over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kidman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kidman 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 171 Kidmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.90x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 171 45.90x
Middlesex 82 1.39x
Surrey 61 2.13x
Huntingdonshire 54 46.23x
Bedfordshire 50 16.42x
Norfolk 38 4.20x
Hertfordshire 23 5.67x
Kent 17 0.85x
Essex 16 1.38x
Yorkshire 16 0.27x
Gloucestershire 13 1.13x
Lancashire 13 0.19x
Staffordshire 6 0.30x
Buckinghamshire 4 1.12x
Durham 4 0.23x
Lincolnshire 4 0.43x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.50x
Oxfordshire 4 1.10x
Hampshire 3 0.25x
Northamptonshire 3 0.54x
Northumberland 3 0.34x
Sussex 3 0.30x
Berkshire 2 0.45x
Devon 2 0.16x
Derbyshire 1 0.11x
Herefordshire 1 0.41x
Monmouthshire 1 0.24x
Rutland 1 2.32x
Warwickshire 1 0.07x
Wiltshire 1 0.19x
Worcestershire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Linton in Cambridgeshire leads with 55 Kidmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1553.67x.

Place Total Index
Linton 55 1553.67x
Shoreditch London 22 8.63x
Watlington 16 1280.00x
Battersea 15 6.93x
Lambeth 15 2.92x
Camberwell 14 3.73x
Eltisley 14 1489.36x
Luton 14 26.55x
Caxton 13 1140.35x
Girton 13 1340.21x
Barnsley 10 16.63x
Bethnal Green London 10 3.91x
Gamlingay 10 257.73x
St Ives 9 148.51x
Wheatenhurst 9 1232.88x
Hornsey 8 10.76x
Keystone 8 1666.67x
Mautby 8 2857.14x
St Andrewthe Less 8 18.79x
Dunton 7 729.17x
Greenwich 7 7.48x
Repps Cum Bastwick 7 1296.30x
Teversham 7 1372.55x
Bromley London 6 4.64x
Dry Drayton 6 789.47x
Hilton 6 845.07x
Islington London 6 1.05x
Lewisham 6 5.61x
Mile End Old Town London 6 4.79x
Shefford 6 276.50x
Bedford St Peter 5 63.21x
Cottenham 5 101.01x
Fen Stanton 5 232.56x
Great Gransden 5 390.63x
Great Stukeley 5 595.24x
Ickleford 5 442.48x
Leyton 5 25.00x
Oakley 5 847.46x
Pendlebury 5 33.92x
South Walsham St Lawrence 5 1086.96x
St Albans St Peter 5 36.55x
St Neots 5 78.74x
Toxteth Park 5 2.12x
West Ham 5 1.95x
Wimbledon 5 15.54x
Everton 4 930.23x
Hackney London 4 1.21x
Histon 4 205.13x
Holy Trinity Cambridge 4 99.01x
Hucknall Torkard 4 19.90x
Kensington London 4 1.22x
Newington 4 1.84x
Newton 4 275.86x
Pidley Cum Fenton 4 444.44x
Bristol St James St Paul 3 7.80x
Byker 3 6.93x
Chatteris 3 31.55x
Clapham 3 243.90x
Croxton 3 508.47x
Darlaston 3 10.93x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 3 18.46x
Fen Ditton 3 222.22x
Hadstock 3 333.33x
Hardwick 3 750.00x
Harpenden 3 48.54x
Holywell Cum Needingworth 3 205.48x
Mixbury 3 545.45x
Streatley 3 476.19x
Swineshead 3 612.24x
Wednesbury 3 6.05x
Brightside Bierlow 2 1.75x
Cold Brayfield 2 1111.11x
Crondall 2 30.86x
Deptford St Paul 2 1.29x
Hitchin 2 10.93x
Limehouse London 2 3.10x
Liverpool 2 0.47x
St Michael Bassishaw 2 465.12x
Swavesey 2 83.68x
Winkfield 2 27.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 36
Elizabeth 33
Eliza 16
Emma 15
Sarah 15
Ann 12
Jane 9
Louisa 9
Alice 8
Susan 8
Ellen 7
Ada 6
Charlotte 6
Clara 6
Matilda 6
Florence 5
Hannah 5
Annie 4
Edith 4
Emily 4
Fanny 4
Kate 4
Martha 4
Caroline 3
Elizth. 3
Harriet 3
Helen 3
Selina 3
Susannah 3
Bertha 2
Frances 2
Harriett 2
Henrietta 2
Isabel 2
Isabella 2
Julia 2
Laura 2
Lydia 2
Mabel 2
Maria 2
Naomi 2
Rosa 2
Ruth 2
Sophia 2
Susanna 2
Teresa 2
Comilla 1
Flora 1
Grace 1
Lucy 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 36
William 36
George 32
John 28
Charles 13
Thomas 13
Alfred 12
Henry 9
Samuel 9
Frederick 8
Joseph 7
Francis 6
Frank 5
Harry 5
Walter 5
Albert 4
Arthur 3
Benjamin 3
Edward 3
Ernest 3
Richard 3
Robert 3
Fred 2
Frederic 2
Herbert 2
Jeremiah 2
Peter 2
Robt. 2
Coleman 1
Cubitt 1
Ebenezer 1
Edmund 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Geo.Hugh 1
Hugh 1
Isaac 1
Jas. 1
Job 1
Kitson 1
Lawrence 1
Leonard 1
Matthew 1
Mitchell 1
Percy 1
Riffin 1
Saml. 1
Samuell 1
Savann 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Kidman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kidman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 605 people were recorded with the Kidman surname. That placed it at #5,796 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kidman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 562 in 2016. That gives Kidman a modern rank of #9,130.

What does the Kidman surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name, likely signifying someone who hailed from a farmstead or village.

What does the Kidman map show?

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