UK surname
A surname derived from a place name meaning "royal wood" or "king's forest".
In the 1881 census there were 20 people recorded with the Kingwood surname, ranking it #30,738 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8, ranked #37,829, down from #30,738 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gressenhall, Longham and Leeds. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kingwood is 126 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 60.0%.
1881 census count
20
Ranked #30,738
Modern count
8
2016, ranked #37,829
Peak year
1861
126 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Kingwood surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Kingwood surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 7 | #32,070 |
| 1861 | historical | 126 | #17,569 |
| 1881 | historical | 20 | #30,738 |
| 1891 | historical | 55 | #29,744 |
| 1901 | historical | 31 | #30,616 |
| 1911 | historical | 36 | #29,370 |
| 1997 | modern | 4 | #38,094 |
| 1998 | modern | 4 | #38,082 |
| 1999 | modern | 5 | #37,872 |
| 2000 | modern | 4 | #38,004 |
| 2001 | modern | 5 | #37,652 |
| 2002 | modern | 6 | #37,532 |
| 2003 | modern | 4 | #37,951 |
| 2004 | modern | 3 | #38,241 |
| 2005 | modern | 2 | #38,532 |
| 2006 | modern | 5 | #37,956 |
| 2007 | modern | 5 | #38,004 |
| 2008 | modern | 5 | #38,027 |
| 2009 | modern | 5 | #38,122 |
| 2010 | modern | 7 | #37,904 |
| 2011 | modern | 5 | #38,168 |
| 2012 | modern | 9 | #37,614 |
| 2013 | modern | 10 | #37,539 |
| 2014 | modern | 8 | #37,806 |
| 2015 | modern | 7 | #37,920 |
| 2016 | modern | 8 | #37,829 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gressenhall, Longham, Leeds and St Leonard Bromley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | London parishes | London 1 |
| 2 | Gressenhall, Longham | Norfolk |
| 3 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 4 | Leeds | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 5 | St Leonard Bromley | London (East Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Kingwood surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kingwood, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Kingwood surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Kingwood household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Kingwood is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kingwood is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Kingwood, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Kingwood has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "cyning" and "wudu," meaning "king" and "wood" respectively. This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived in or near a royal forest or wooded area associated with a king.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various medieval records and chronicles. For instance, a certain Roger de Kingwode is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Wiltshire, dated 1194. This indicates that the name was already in use by the late 12th century.
During the 13th century, the name appears to have been particularly prevalent in the counties of Wiltshire and Gloucestershire. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 record a William de Kyngwode residing in Wiltshire, while the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 mention a John de Kyngwode from Gloucestershire.
One notable early bearer of the name was Sir John Kingwood, a knight who fought in the Wars of the Roses during the mid-15th century. He was born around 1420 and died in 1475, having served under the Yorkist banner.
In the 16th century, the surname was often spelled as "Kyngwode" or "Kyngwoode." Records from this period include a John Kyngwode, born in 1510, who was a prominent merchant in Bristol.
As the name spread across England, variations in spelling became more common. In the 17th century, a William Kingwood, born in 1612, was a noted scholar and clergyman who served as the Dean of Canterbury Cathedral.
Another significant figure was Sir Thomas Kingwood, a military officer and Member of Parliament born in 1678. He played a crucial role in the War of the Spanish Succession and was knighted for his service in 1704.
Throughout its history, the surname Kingwood has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including military leaders, clergymen, merchants, and scholars. While the exact origins of the name may be shrouded in time, it remains a testament to the rich tapestry of English history and language.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kingwood surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 8 Kingwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.14x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire | 8 | 4.14x |
| Middlesex | 5 | 2.57x |
| Berkshire | 2 | 13.67x |
| Kent | 2 | 3.01x |
| Cambridgeshire | 1 | 8.10x |
| Leicestershire | 1 | 4.63x |
| Sussex | 1 | 3.04x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brightside Bierlow in Yorkshire leads with 8 Kingwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 211.08x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Brightside Bierlow | 8 | 211.08x |
| Islington London | 4 | 21.18x |
| Mortimer | 2 | 2857.14x |
| Beckenham | 1 | 114.94x |
| Doddington | 1 | 1111.11x |
| Hugglescote | 1 | 312.50x |
| Lewisham | 1 | 28.17x |
| Rotherfield | 1 | 344.83x |
| St Martin In Fields | 1 | 85.47x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Kingwood surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Kingwood surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Kingwood households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 4 |
| Agricultural Laborer | 1 |
| Carman | 1 |
| General Labourer | 1 |
| Gentleman | 1 |
| Hoop Maker Journeyman | 1 |
| Potman | 1 |
| Schoolmaster | 1 |
| Shoe Maker | 1 |
| Taylor | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 20 people were recorded with the Kingwood surname. That placed it at #30,738 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 8 in 2016. That gives Kingwood a modern rank of #37,829.
A surname derived from a place name meaning "royal wood" or "king's forest".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Kingwood bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.