NameCensus.

UK surname

Liddle

Derived from a place name meaning "little stream" or from the Old English word "lytel," meaning "little" or "small."

In the 1881 census there were 3,544 people recorded with the Liddle surname, ranking it #1,278 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,081, ranked #1,335, down from #1,278 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Allendale and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Liddle is 5,246 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.4%.

1881 census count

3,544

Ranked #1,278

Modern count

5,081

2016, ranked #1,335

Peak year

2010

5,246 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Liddle had 3,544 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,278 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,081 in 2016, ranked #1,335.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,063 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Liddle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Liddle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Liddle 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 2,624 #1,125
1861 historical 2,366 #1,241
1881 historical 3,544 #1,278
1891 historical 3,583 #1,338
1901 historical 4,063 #1,386
1911 historical 3,204 #1,623
1997 modern 5,045 #1,299
1998 modern 5,169 #1,313
1999 modern 5,228 #1,309
2000 modern 5,107 #1,330
2001 modern 4,995 #1,331
2002 modern 5,086 #1,333
2003 modern 4,996 #1,322
2004 modern 4,967 #1,322
2005 modern 4,862 #1,339
2006 modern 4,907 #1,332
2007 modern 4,941 #1,334
2008 modern 4,954 #1,343
2009 modern 5,047 #1,349
2010 modern 5,246 #1,327
2011 modern 5,189 #1,319
2012 modern 5,080 #1,323
2013 modern 5,109 #1,339
2014 modern 5,121 #1,340
2015 modern 5,097 #1,337
2016 modern 5,081 #1,335

Geography

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Where Liddles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Allendale, London parishes, Gateshead and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland, County Durham, Selby and Northumberland. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Allendale Northumberland
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newcastle upon Tyne 014 Newcastle upon Tyne
2 Sunderland 009 Sunderland
3 County Durham 019 County Durham
4 Selby 004 Selby
5 Northumberland 038 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Liddle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Liddle

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Liddle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Liddle household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Liddle is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Liddle is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Liddle falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Liddle

The surname Liddle originated in England and Scotland during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "lytell" or "lidel," meaning small or little. This name was likely given as a nickname to someone of small stature or as a distinguishing feature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Liddle can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Lidel" and "Lidela." This indicates that the name was already well-established in various parts of England by the 11th century.

The Liddle family was particularly prominent in Northumberland, where they held lands and estates. In the 13th century, records show a Robert de Lidel who owned property in the village of Liddesdale, which may have influenced the spelling of the surname.

During the 16th century, the name Liddle began to spread across Scotland, particularly in the Borders region. This was likely due to the movement of people between the two countries during times of conflict and unrest.

One notable figure bearing the Liddle surname was William Liddle (c. 1530-1589), a Scottish clergyman and writer who served as the minister of St. Michael's Church in Leith. He was known for his religious works and sermons.

In the 17th century, John Liddle (1624-1703) was a prominent English mathematician and astronomer. He made significant contributions to the study of navigation and published works on spherical trigonometry.

Another individual of note was Robert Liddle (1808-1886), a British engineer and inventor who played a crucial role in the development of early steam engines and railway locomotives.

Mary Liddle (1858-1939), a Scottish suffragette and activist, was a prominent figure in the women's suffrage movement in the early 20th century. She campaigned tirelessly for equal rights and representation for women.

During the 19th and 20th centuries, variations of the surname, such as Liddell and Liddle, continued to appear in various parts of the United Kingdom, with families tracing their ancestry back to different regions and periods.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Liddle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Liddle 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. Durham leads with 1,132 Liddles recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.06x.

County Total Index
Durham 1,132 11.06x
Northumberland 426 8.32x
Midlothian 310 6.72x
Yorkshire 297 0.87x
Lanarkshire 175 1.57x
Middlesex 145 0.42x
Lancashire 138 0.34x
Cumberland 89 3.00x
Surrey 83 0.50x
Stirlingshire 78 6.15x
Kent 73 0.62x
West Lothian 71 13.70x
Orkney 60 15.85x
Angus 50 1.57x
Essex 35 0.52x
Fife 35 1.72x
Berwickshire 28 6.72x
Dunbartonshire 28 3.03x
Hampshire 27 0.38x
Selkirkshire 22 7.07x
Westmorland 22 2.91x
East Lothian 17 3.73x
Roxburghshire 16 2.57x
Dumfriesshire 13 1.71x
Shropshire 12 0.40x
Kirkcudbrightshire 10 2.01x
Montgomeryshire 10 1.27x
Renfrewshire 10 0.37x
Ayrshire 9 0.35x
Perthshire 9 0.58x
Sussex 9 0.16x
Aberdeenshire 8 0.25x
Staffordshire 8 0.07x
Channel Islands 7 0.69x
Worcestershire 7 0.16x
Morayshire 6 1.12x
Berkshire 4 0.15x
Devon 4 0.06x
Gloucestershire 4 0.06x
Lincolnshire 4 0.07x
Argyllshire 3 0.31x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.14x
Cheshire 3 0.04x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.06x
Peeblesshire 3 1.85x
Royal Navy 3 0.73x
Warwickshire 3 0.03x
Clackmannanshire 2 0.70x
Dorset 2 0.09x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.29x
Leicestershire 2 0.05x
Ross-shire 2 0.21x
Banffshire 1 0.14x
Buteshire 1 0.48x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.05x
Glamorgan 1 0.02x
Norfolk 1 0.02x
Suffolk 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 92 Liddles recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.96x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 92 4.96x
Bishopwearmouth 87 9.90x
Leeds 64 3.32x
Allendale 58 122.16x
South Leith 58 11.18x
Gateshead 53 6.91x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 51 11.50x
Kirkwall St Ola 38 67.01x
Barony 36 1.28x
Crook Billy Row 35 26.69x
Linlithgow 35 52.66x
Westoe 35 6.03x
Wallsend 34 20.94x
East Rainton 33 166.58x
Stranton 33 9.57x
Winlaton 32 32.58x
Middlesbrough 30 6.76x
Falkirk 29 9.76x
Monkwearmouth Shore 29 14.51x
North Leith 29 13.59x
Pelton 28 57.48x
Elswick 27 6.61x
Hetton Le Hole 27 20.81x
Tynemouth 27 9.85x
Haswell 26 35.43x
Poplar London 26 4.00x
Cockpen 24 44.54x
Bermondsey 23 2.24x
Dundee 23 1.93x
Lynesack Softley 23 83.15x
Cawood 22 168.45x
Galashiels 22 19.11x
Lamesley 22 39.92x
Newburn 22 150.38x
Old Monkland 22 4.98x
Heworth 21 10.41x
St Giles 21 32.86x
Chilton 20 62.58x
Govan 20 0.73x
Tanfield 20 16.43x
Benfieldside 19 28.22x
Byker 19 7.51x
Coundon 19 45.78x
Manchester 19 1.03x
Sherburn 19 60.98x
Tonge 19 22.18x
Bethnal Green London 18 1.20x
Bothwell 18 5.96x
Glasgow 18 0.91x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 18 5.89x
Newcastle On Tyne St 18 6.78x
Orphir 18 149.75x
Whickham 18 19.11x
Boness 17 23.79x
Cockfield 17 119.05x
Esh 17 22.82x
Hamsterley 17 292.60x
Ryton 17 47.25x
Sunderland 17 9.40x
Westgate 17 5.36x
Wolsingham 17 18.22x
Hunslet 16 3.01x
Old Kilpatrick 16 14.64x
Polmont 16 34.14x
Dufton 15 307.38x
Inveresk 15 12.02x
Newburn Hall 15 155.44x
Newington 15 1.18x
Wingate 15 21.37x
Chester Le Street 14 17.81x
Forfar 14 8.11x
Middlestone 14 68.19x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 14 8.84x
Bromley London 13 1.72x
Coldingham 13 34.70x
Gillingham 13 5.37x
Plumstead 13 3.32x
Whitby 13 11.31x
Woolwich 13 3.00x
Escomb 12 25.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 237
Elizabeth 129
Jane 92
Sarah 82
Ann 70
Margaret 68
Isabella 48
Annie 36
Ellen 32
Hannah 31
Alice 27
Emma 19
Catherine 16
Dorothy 16
Eliza 16
Martha 15
Agnes 14
Eleanor 13
Anne 12
Emily 12
Ada 11
Elizth. 11
Maria 10
Frances 9
Margt. 9
Charlotte 8
Florence 7
Amelia 6
Rebecca 6
Helen 5
Lucy 5
Margret 5
Minnie 5
Rachel 5
Susannah 5
Barbara 4
Dinah 4
Esther 4
Ethel 4
Julia 4
Louisa 4
Matilda 4
Sophia 4
Caroline 3
Edith 3
Grace 3
Harriet 3
Harriett 3
Janet 3
Kate 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 195
William 155
George 132
Thomas 129
Robert 79
James 77
Joseph 61
Edward 39
Henry 19
Charles 17
Andrew 16
David 15
Christopher 14
Alfred 13
Matthew 13
Ralph 12
Isaac 10
Richard 9
Walter 9
Wm. 9
Francis 8
Mark 8
Samuel 8
Arthur 7
Ernest 7
Anthony 6
Edwin 6
Frederick 6
Geo. 6
Chas. 5
Jno. 5
Joshua 5
Thos. 5
Alexander 4
Harry 4
Wilson 4
Albert 3
Edmund 3
Jacob 3
Lancelot 3
Mathew 3
Michael 3
Nicholas 3
Percy 3
Stephen 3
Willm. 3
Archbd. 2
Fredk. 2
Robt. 2
Roger 2

FAQ

Liddle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Liddle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,544 people were recorded with the Liddle surname. That placed it at #1,278 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Liddle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,081 in 2016. That gives Liddle a modern rank of #1,335.

What does the Liddle surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "little stream" or from the Old English word "lytel," meaning "little" or "small."

What does the Liddle map show?

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