NameCensus.

UK surname

Maddox

A Welsh patronymic surname meaning "son of Madoc," derived from the Welsh personal name meaning "fortunate" or "good."

In the 1881 census there were 1,526 people recorded with the Maddox surname, ranking it #2,756 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,530, ranked #2,615, up from #2,756 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Telford and Wrekin and Shropshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Maddox is 2,633 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.8%.

1881 census count

1,526

Ranked #2,756

Modern count

2,530

2016, ranked #2,615

Peak year

2002

2,633 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Maddox had 1,526 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,756 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,530 in 2016, ranked #2,615.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,114 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Maddox surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Maddox surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Maddox 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 1,424 #2,019
1861 historical 966 #2,885
1881 historical 1,526 #2,756
1891 historical 1,527 #2,891
1901 historical 1,948 #2,712
1911 historical 2,114 #2,365
1997 modern 2,362 #2,644
1998 modern 2,591 #2,523
1999 modern 2,590 #2,542
2000 modern 2,600 #2,524
2001 modern 2,530 #2,532
2002 modern 2,633 #2,501
2003 modern 2,554 #2,514
2004 modern 2,519 #2,554
2005 modern 2,487 #2,548
2006 modern 2,480 #2,561
2007 modern 2,473 #2,590
2008 modern 2,492 #2,590
2009 modern 2,559 #2,592
2010 modern 2,572 #2,634
2011 modern 2,515 #2,661
2012 modern 2,490 #2,631
2013 modern 2,538 #2,632
2014 modern 2,567 #2,622
2015 modern 2,568 #2,590
2016 modern 2,530 #2,615

Geography

Back to top

Where Maddox' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Liverpool and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Telford and Wrekin and Shropshire. 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 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 London parishes London 2
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Telford and Wrekin 002 Telford and Wrekin
2 Shropshire 030 Shropshire
3 Shropshire 038 Shropshire
4 Shropshire 029 Shropshire
5 Shropshire 024 Shropshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Maddox

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Maddox

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

Maddox 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

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

Meaning and origin of Maddox

The surname Maddox has its origins in England, where it emerged during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English personal name Maddoc, itself a Brythonic name meaning "fortunate" or "having good omen." The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the 13th century, with variations in spelling such as Madoc, Madoke, and Madox.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Madoc ap Meredith, a Welsh prince who purportedly led an expedition to the Americas in the late 12th century, several centuries before Christopher Columbus. While the veracity of this claim is debated, it remains a notable part of the name's history.

In the Domesday Book, a survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, there are several entries for individuals with the name Madoc, suggesting the name's presence in the region at that time.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Maddox was particularly prevalent in the counties of Shropshire and Herefordshire, where it is believed to have originated. These areas were once part of the Welsh Marches, a region with strong Welsh influence, which may explain the name's Brythonic roots.

One notable bearer of the name was Sir John Maddox (1570-1650), a prominent English soldier and politician who served as Governor of the Isle of Man and as a Member of Parliament during the reign of Charles I.

Another historically significant individual was William Maddox (1604-1653), an English Puritan clergyman and author who played a role in the religious conflicts of the English Civil War.

In the literary world, John Maddox (1759-1833) was a Welsh historian and writer who authored several works on the history of Wales and its people.

During the 19th century, Isaac Maddox (1813-1887) was a notable American minister and educator who served as the president of several colleges in the southern United States.

More recently, John Maddox (1925-2009) was a renowned British science writer and editor who served as the editor of the prestigious scientific journal Nature from 1966 to 1973.

These examples demonstrate the widespread presence of the surname Maddox throughout history, spanning various fields and regions, all tracing their origins back to the medieval Welsh Marches of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Maddox families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Maddox 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. Shropshire leads with 211 Maddox' recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.41x.

County Total Index
Shropshire 211 16.41x
Staffordshire 199 3.96x
Lancashire 163 0.92x
Middlesex 150 1.01x
Warwickshire 109 2.90x
Herefordshire 101 16.55x
Surrey 84 1.16x
Glamorgan 68 2.62x
Kent 56 1.10x
Gloucestershire 43 1.47x
Cheshire 37 1.13x
Montgomeryshire 30 8.79x
Northumberland 30 1.35x
Devon 25 0.81x
Hertfordshire 23 2.24x
Monmouthshire 23 2.14x
Carmarthenshire 22 3.51x
Oxfordshire 21 2.28x
Worcestershire 21 1.08x
Yorkshire 19 0.13x
Essex 13 0.44x
Derbyshire 10 0.43x
Hampshire 10 0.33x
Huntingdonshire 9 3.05x
Bedfordshire 7 0.91x
Somerset 5 0.21x
Sussex 5 0.20x
Norfolk 4 0.17x
Pembrokeshire 4 0.85x
Northamptonshire 3 0.21x
Suffolk 3 0.17x
Wiltshire 3 0.23x
Flintshire 2 0.50x
Lanarkshire 2 0.04x
Lincolnshire 2 0.08x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.10x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.11x
Cornwall 1 0.06x
Denbighshire 1 0.18x
Leicestershire 1 0.06x
Midlothian 1 0.05x
Royal Navy 1 0.56x
Westmorland 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 63 Maddox' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.09x.

Place Total Index
Aston 63 6.09x
Liverpool 43 4.01x
Birmingham 40 3.20x
St Pancras London 29 2.42x
Everton 24 4.26x
Wednesbury 24 19.11x
Llansamlet Lower 23 98.04x
Trentham 21 49.13x
Rotherhithe 20 10.87x
West Bromwich 19 6.61x
Camberwell 18 1.89x
Greenwich 18 7.60x
Stoke Upon Trent 18 3.38x
Battersea 17 3.10x
St Briavels 17 450.93x
Burradon In Tynemouth 16 282.69x
Ealing 16 12.03x
Kirkdale 16 5.38x
Peterchurch 15 460.12x
Hackney London 14 1.68x
Ledbury 14 66.79x
Madeley 14 29.69x
St George Hanover 14 7.21x
Prees 13 83.01x
Shrewsbury St Chad 13 28.80x
Westbury 13 195.78x
Willenhall 13 13.81x
Bethnal Green London 12 1.86x
Deptford St Paul 12 3.06x
Great Neston 12 110.60x
Llannon 12 139.53x
Montgomery 12 197.37x
Vowchurch 12 722.89x
Longbenton 11 11.73x
Shrewsbury St Julian 11 34.57x
Bilston 10 10.27x
Birkenhead 10 3.82x
Bootle Cum Linacre 10 7.13x
Chirbury 10 131.93x
Hampstead London 10 4.31x
Hereford All Sts 10 35.77x
Honiton 10 58.31x
Kings Norton 10 5.74x
Llanarthney 10 105.71x
Walsall Foreign 10 3.85x
Aberavon 9 37.74x
Cannock 9 10.26x
Chorlton On Medlock 9 3.21x
Newington 9 1.64x
Shenstone 9 70.48x
Shipton Under Wychwood 9 152.03x
St Albans 9 42.82x
Walton On Hill 9 9.41x
Worfield 9 100.78x
Cadoxton 8 516.13x
Ludlow St Lawrence 8 31.27x
Southoe 8 575.54x
Worthen 8 58.57x
Burghill 7 101.16x
Clerkenwell London 7 1.99x
Dorstone 7 307.02x
Eccleshall 7 36.75x
Ellesmere 7 31.70x
Harborne 7 4.35x
Lichfield St Mary 7 48.31x
Middle 7 199.43x
Norton Canes 7 38.23x
Oswestry Town 7 17.00x
Rochester St Margaret 7 13.07x
St Marylebone London 7 0.88x
West Derby 7 1.35x
Aldridge 6 62.11x
Chester St Mary On Hill 6 21.28x
Childs Ercall 6 267.86x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 6 11.23x
Iffley 6 77.32x
Kings Pyon 6 260.87x
Toxteth Park 6 1.00x
Widnes 6 4.71x
Wolverhampton 6 1.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 113
Sarah 79
Elizabeth 54
Jane 39
Eliza 33
Ann 25
Martha 24
Alice 23
Annie 19
Emma 17
Ellen 15
Hannah 15
Fanny 14
Emily 13
Margaret 13
Caroline 12
Edith 11
Louisa 11
Maria 10
Florence 9
Catherine 8
Susan 7
Anne 6
Charlotte 6
Clara 6
Agnes 5
Elizth. 5
Harriet 5
Harriett 5
Jessie 5
Kate 5
Ada 4
Eleanor 4
Ethel 4
Julia 4
Rhoda 4
Esther 3
Frances 3
Matilda 3
Maud 3
Minnie 3
Selina 3
Amelia 2
Bertha 2
E. 2
Eliz. 2
Flora 2
Francis 2
Jessy 2
Lydia 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 114
John 105
Thomas 77
George 57
Henry 47
Charles 38
James 31
Joseph 29
Richard 28
Alfred 19
Robert 15
Edward 14
Samuel 11
Arthur 10
Frederick 10
Frank 9
Harry 7
Walter 7
David 6
Ernest 5
Isaac 5
Reuben 5
Thos. 5
Albert 4
Benjamin 4
Herbert 3
Horatio 3
Ishmael 3
Jacob 3
Percy 3
Peter 3
Francis 2
Fred. 2
Phillip 2
Rees 2
Richd. 2
Spencer 2
Willm. 2
Wm. 2
Allen 1
Bob. 1
Caleb 1
Charley 1
Edwin 1
Ellidge 1
Ely 1
Ephraim 1
Evan 1
Eveleigh 1
Hugh 1

FAQ

Maddox surname: questions and answers

How common was the Maddox surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,526 people were recorded with the Maddox surname. That placed it at #2,756 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Maddox surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,530 in 2016. That gives Maddox a modern rank of #2,615.

What does the Maddox surname mean?

A Welsh patronymic surname meaning "son of Madoc," derived from the Welsh personal name meaning "fortunate" or "good."

What does the Maddox map show?

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