NameCensus.

UK surname

Liddon

An English surname derived from a place name, likely indicating origins from a location once called "Liddon".

In the 1881 census there were 123 people recorded with the Liddon surname, ranking it #17,506 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 186, ranked #20,575, down from #17,506 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Greenwich, London parishes and Curry, North. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rhondda Cynon Taf, New Forest and Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Liddon is 217 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.2%.

1881 census count

123

Ranked #17,506

Modern count

186

2016, ranked #20,575

Peak year

2010

217 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Liddon had 123 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,506 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 186 in 2016, ranked #20,575.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 159 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Liddon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Liddon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Liddon 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 106 #16,512
1861 historical 104 #20,477
1881 historical 123 #17,506
1891 historical 159 #17,636
1901 historical 111 #21,492
1911 historical 133 #19,214
1997 modern 191 #18,150
1998 modern 194 #18,451
1999 modern 194 #18,579
2000 modern 196 #18,431
2001 modern 192 #18,388
2002 modern 197 #18,474
2003 modern 192 #18,568
2004 modern 186 #19,059
2005 modern 190 #18,753
2006 modern 189 #18,961
2007 modern 185 #19,402
2008 modern 188 #19,387
2009 modern 202 #18,896
2010 modern 217 #18,443
2011 modern 206 #18,907
2012 modern 202 #19,084
2013 modern 198 #19,657
2014 modern 198 #19,841
2015 modern 184 #20,719
2016 modern 186 #20,575

Geography

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Where Liddons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Greenwich, London parishes, Curry, North, St James Clerkenwell and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rhondda Cynon Taf, New Forest, Bradford and Spelthorne. 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 Greenwich London (South Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 Curry, North Somerset
4 St James Clerkenwell London (Central Districts)
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rhondda Cynon Taf 028 Rhondda Cynon Taf
2 New Forest 011 New Forest
3 Bradford 021 Bradford
4 Spelthorne 001 Spelthorne
5 Rhondda Cynon Taf 009 Rhondda Cynon Taf

Forenames

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First names often paired with Liddon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Liddon

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Liddon is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Liddon 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

Liddon falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Liddon

The surname Liddon is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "hlidd" meaning a hill or gate, and "dun" meaning a hill or down. The name is topographical, referring to someone who lived near a gate or hill.

The earliest recorded instance of the Liddon surname dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was spelled as "Lidun." This suggests that the name was already in use in England before the Norman Conquest.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it was spelled "Liddone." This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the surname over time.

In the 14th century, the Liddon surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire, where it was recorded as "Lyddon." This indicates the presence of the family in the county of Staffordshire during that period.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the Liddon surname was John Liddon, who was born in England around 1490. He served as a member of the Privy Council under King Henry VIII.

Another prominent individual was Sir Ralph Liddon (1516-1587), an English merchant and diplomat during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He played a significant role in establishing trade relations with Russia.

In the 17th century, William Liddon (1630-1689) was a notable English clergyman and author. He served as the Vicar of St. Giles, Cripplegate, in London and wrote several theological works.

During the 18th century, Humphrey Liddon (1749-1823) was a renowned English architect responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in Bath and Bristol.

In the 19th century, Henry Parry Liddon (1829-1890) was a prominent English theologian and preacher. He served as the Canon of St. Paul's Cathedral and was a leading figure in the Oxford Movement within the Church of England.

The Liddon surname has been associated with various place names in England, such as Liddon Hill in Cheshire and Liddon Farm in Buckinghamshire. These place names further reinforce the topographical origins of the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Liddon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Liddon 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. Middlesex leads with 31 Liddons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.58x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 31 2.58x
Somerset 26 13.46x
Surrey 16 2.74x
Gloucestershire 15 6.37x
Kent 12 2.93x
Devon 8 3.20x
Glamorgan 4 1.91x
Dorset 2 2.54x
Staffordshire 2 0.49x
Warwickshire 2 0.66x
Buckinghamshire 1 1.38x
Fife 1 1.41x
Lancashire 1 0.07x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.62x
Pembrokeshire 1 2.62x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 12 Liddons recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.32x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 12 10.32x
North Curry 10 1515.15x
Taunton St Mary 10 281.69x
Greenwich 8 41.88x
Wimbledon 8 121.95x
Iron Acton 7 1458.33x
Hornsey 5 32.96x
Lambeth 5 4.78x
Newton Abbot St Nicholas 5 980.39x
Bedminster 4 22.04x
Bristol St Paul In 4 63.80x
Hackney London 4 5.95x
Lewisham 4 18.32x
Roath 4 42.15x
Clerkenwell London 3 10.59x
St Pancras London 3 3.11x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 9.03x
Clifton 2 16.81x
Edgbaston 2 21.32x
Harborne 2 15.41x
Newington 2 4.51x
Yetminster 2 689.66x
Abbotshall 1 37.74x
Barnes 1 40.49x
Bridgewater 1 19.08x
Huntsham 1 1250.00x
Kensington London 1 1.50x
Manchester 1 1.56x
Mile End Old Town London 1 3.92x
Pembroke St Mary 1 20.37x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 1 58.82x
St Martin Ludgate London 1 1666.67x
Sutton In Ashfield 1 28.49x
Tolland 1 1666.67x
West Alvington 1 285.71x
Winkleigh 1 200.00x
Wolverton 1 66.67x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Liddon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Liddon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 123 people were recorded with the Liddon surname. That placed it at #17,506 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Liddon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 186 in 2016. That gives Liddon a modern rank of #20,575.

What does the Liddon surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name, likely indicating origins from a location once called "Liddon".

What does the Liddon map show?

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