NameCensus.

UK surname

Littlewood

A habitational surname derived from a small village or "little wood".

In the 1881 census there were 3,859 people recorded with the Littlewood surname, ranking it #1,186 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,463, ranked #1,526, down from #1,186 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Almondbury and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees, Stockport and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Littlewood is 5,332 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.7%.

1881 census count

3,859

Ranked #1,186

Modern count

4,463

2016, ranked #1,526

Peak year

1911

5,332 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Littlewood had 3,859 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,186 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,463 in 2016, ranked #1,526.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,332 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Littlewood surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Littlewood surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Littlewood 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 2,405 #1,237
1861 historical 2,665 #1,101
1881 historical 3,859 #1,186
1891 historical 4,249 #1,128
1901 historical 4,806 #1,175
1911 historical 5,332 #980
1997 modern 4,713 #1,385
1998 modern 4,803 #1,411
1999 modern 4,868 #1,405
2000 modern 4,792 #1,419
2001 modern 4,709 #1,412
2002 modern 4,840 #1,404
2003 modern 4,683 #1,417
2004 modern 4,650 #1,423
2005 modern 4,517 #1,450
2006 modern 4,541 #1,442
2007 modern 4,530 #1,455
2008 modern 4,586 #1,449
2009 modern 4,696 #1,450
2010 modern 4,729 #1,476
2011 modern 4,645 #1,482
2012 modern 4,475 #1,509
2013 modern 4,521 #1,519
2014 modern 4,567 #1,511
2015 modern 4,497 #1,521
2016 modern 4,463 #1,526

Geography

Back to top

Where Littlewoods are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Almondbury, Sheffield, Huddersfield and Kirkburton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees, Stockport and Barnsley. 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 Almondbury Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Huddersfield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Kirkburton Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 059 Kirklees
2 Kirklees 057 Kirklees
3 Stockport 004 Stockport
4 Barnsley 021 Barnsley
5 Kirklees 017 Kirklees

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Littlewood

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Littlewood

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

Littlewood is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Littlewood

The surname Littlewood is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "lytul" meaning little and "wudu" meaning wood. It is a locational surname, indicating that the original bearer lived near or in a small wooded area.

The name first emerged in the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire and Lancashire, during the late 12th or early 13th century. It was initially spelled in various ways, such as Littelwode, Lytylwode, and Lytylwood, reflecting the regional dialects of the time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Littlewood can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297, where a William de Littelwode is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the end of the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appears in several historical records, including the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, which lists a John Littelwod. The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain the surname Littlewood, but it does mention several places with similar names, such as Littelwode in Worcestershire and Litelwode in Staffordshire, indicating the presence of small wooded areas in those locations.

Among the notable individuals bearing the surname Littlewood throughout history are:

1. John Littlewood (1885-1977), a renowned English mathematician known for his contributions to number theory and analysis. 2. Edward Littlewood (1784-1855), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in Liverpool, including the Town Hall and St. George's Hall. 3. William Littlewood (1831-1903), an English painter and illustrator, best known for his depictions of rural life and landscapes. 4. Cyril Littlewood (1902-1987), an English cricketer who played for Somerset County Cricket Club in the 1920s and 1930s. 5. Reginald Littlewood (1910-1989), an English actor and stage director, known for his roles in various Shakespeare productions.

The Littlewood surname has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Littlewood in Staffordshire, Littlewood in Shropshire, and Littlewood Common in Lancashire. These locations may have influenced the surname's development or provided a connection to the original bearers of the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Littlewood families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Littlewood 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. Yorkshire leads with 1,964 Littlewoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.26x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,964 5.26x
Lancashire 405 0.91x
Derbyshire 277 4.70x
Middlesex 172 0.46x
Norfolk 116 2.00x
Cheshire 114 1.37x
Surrey 107 0.58x
Nottinghamshire 106 2.09x
Staffordshire 93 0.73x
Kent 72 0.56x
Worcestershire 64 1.30x
Warwickshire 63 0.66x
Leicestershire 39 0.93x
Essex 35 0.47x
Durham 28 0.25x
Gloucestershire 21 0.28x
Lincolnshire 20 0.33x
Suffolk 18 0.39x
Glamorgan 16 0.24x
Berkshire 14 0.50x
Northamptonshire 13 0.37x
Buckinghamshire 12 0.53x
Westmorland 12 1.45x
Hampshire 9 0.12x
Lanarkshire 8 0.07x
Somerset 8 0.13x
Cambridgeshire 7 0.29x
Sussex 7 0.11x
Oxfordshire 6 0.26x
Ayrshire 5 0.18x
Devon 4 0.05x
Flintshire 4 0.40x
Dorset 3 0.12x
Anglesey 2 0.30x
Northumberland 2 0.04x
Renfrewshire 2 0.07x
Wiltshire 2 0.06x
Bedfordshire 1 0.05x
Brecknockshire 1 0.13x
Caithness 1 0.19x
East Lothian 1 0.20x
Hertfordshire 1 0.04x
Midlothian 1 0.02x
Monmouthshire 1 0.04x
Roxburghshire 1 0.15x
Royal Navy 1 0.22x
Shropshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 126 Littlewoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.98x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 126 5.98x
Huddersfield 114 20.97x
Almondbury 104 57.64x
Honley 100 153.12x
Sheffield 81 6.82x
Dodworth 56 144.48x
Brightside Bierlow 55 7.52x
Warrington 55 10.38x
Batley 51 14.38x
Eckington 43 30.03x
South Crosland 42 106.90x
Wooldale 42 66.36x
Great Yarmouth 39 8.13x
Dewsbury 38 9.93x
Nether Hallam 38 7.53x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 37 10.64x
Oldham 36 2.50x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 33 35.06x
Ecclesall Bierlow 30 3.95x
Aston 29 1.11x
Kirkburton 27 61.38x
Hunslet 26 4.47x
Saddleworth 26 9.03x
Shitlington 26 67.36x
Hulme 24 2.57x
Ashton Under Lyne 23 2.36x
Darton 23 60.18x
Feltham 23 61.17x
Everton 22 1.54x
Cheadle 21 13.23x
Dalton In Huddersfield 21 25.12x
Dudley 21 3.51x
Heeley 21 18.52x
Skelmanthorpe 21 52.14x
Stockport 21 4.91x
Wombwell 21 19.30x
Birmingham 20 0.63x
Cartworth 20 64.81x
Kimberworth 20 9.66x
Liversedge 20 12.04x
West Bromwich 20 2.75x
Austonley 19 89.92x
Islington London 19 0.52x
Lambeth 19 0.58x
Thurlstone 19 51.63x
Bradfield 18 12.51x
Flockton 18 118.27x
Kingswinford 18 3.90x
Oldbury 18 7.44x
Rochester St Margaret 18 13.29x
Stockton On Tees 18 3.33x
Lockwood 17 12.66x
Mirfield 17 8.30x
Monk Bretton 17 45.00x
Aston 16 186.70x
Cheetham 16 4.80x
Croydon 16 1.57x
Melton Mowbray 16 21.31x
Nottingham St Mary 16 1.22x
Tankersley 16 57.53x
Blackburn 15 1.26x
Clarborough 15 39.52x
Doncaster 15 5.50x
Fulstone 15 54.95x
Glossop Dale 15 5.43x
Linthwaite 15 19.13x
Mansfield 15 8.54x
Stainbrough 15 217.08x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 15 8.65x
Wakefield 14 4.89x
Castleton 13 2.91x
East Markham 13 134.16x
Hathersage 13 78.69x
St Luke London 13 2.15x
Hackney London 12 0.57x
Hornsey 12 2.52x
Kingston On Thames 12 2.72x
Manchester 12 0.60x
Sculcoates 12 2.03x
Sedgley 12 2.54x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 245
Sarah 166
Elizabeth 121
Ann 93
Annie 70
Hannah 70
Alice 65
Emma 62
Ellen 57
Jane 56
Eliza 51
Emily 49
Martha 40
Ada 27
Edith 27
Harriet 27
Clara 25
Maria 22
Florence 21
Anne 20
Caroline 19
Lydia 18
Agnes 17
Fanny 16
Louisa 15
Margaret 15
Ruth 14
Charlotte 13
Frances 13
Amy 12
Harriett 12
Ethel 11
Lucy 11
Esther 10
Julia 10
Amelia 9
Eleanor 9
Matilda 9
Susan 9
Betty 8
Rose 8
Gertrude 7
Laura 7
Bertha 6
Catherine 6
Grace 6
Isabella 6
Kate 6
Marian 6
Sophia 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 225
William 154
George 138
Thomas 96
James 92
Joseph 80
Charles 71
Henry 62
Robert 53
Arthur 48
Alfred 42
Samuel 39
Walter 37
Edward 36
Benjamin 32
Albert 29
Harry 29
Frederick 27
Fred 26
Herbert 26
Frank 22
Tom 20
Ernest 18
Richard 18
David 15
Joshua 15
Thos. 15
Geo. 13
Joe 12
Edwin 11
Wm. 10
Ben 8
Francis 8
Jonathan 8
Mark 8
Allen 7
Chas. 7
Daniel 7
Willie 7
Jesse 6
Oliver 6
Percy 6
Wright 6
Edgar 5
Fredk. 5
Jeremiah 5
Jno. 5
Leonard 5
Sam 5
Saml. 4

FAQ

Littlewood surname: questions and answers

How common was the Littlewood surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,859 people were recorded with the Littlewood surname. That placed it at #1,186 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Littlewood surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,463 in 2016. That gives Littlewood a modern rank of #1,526.

What does the Littlewood surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a small village or "little wood".

What does the Littlewood map show?

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