NameCensus.

UK surname

Maudsley

From an enclosed meadow or untilled field.

In the 1881 census there were 862 people recorded with the Maudsley surname, ranking it #4,387 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 799, ranked #6,918, down from #4,387 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Skipton, Manchester and Preston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Craven, South Lakeland and Lancaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Maudsley is 862 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 7.3%.

1881 census count

862

Ranked #4,387

Modern count

799

2016, ranked #6,918

Peak year

1881

862 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Maudsley had 862 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,387 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 799 in 2016, ranked #6,918.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 862 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Maudsley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Maudsley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Maudsley 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 475 #5,239
1861 historical 318 #7,999
1881 historical 862 #4,387
1891 historical 687 #5,701
1901 historical 677 #6,444
1911 historical 815 #5,400
1997 modern 799 #6,544
1998 modern 820 #6,632
1999 modern 825 #6,641
2000 modern 832 #6,572
2001 modern 802 #6,642
2002 modern 854 #6,438
2003 modern 814 #6,558
2004 modern 814 #6,572
2005 modern 804 #6,593
2006 modern 808 #6,575
2007 modern 823 #6,540
2008 modern 817 #6,622
2009 modern 826 #6,710
2010 modern 827 #6,838
2011 modern 818 #6,820
2012 modern 777 #7,026
2013 modern 797 #6,985
2014 modern 824 #6,815
2015 modern 811 #6,851
2016 modern 799 #6,918

Geography

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Where Maudsleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Skipton, Manchester, Preston, Blackburn and Whalley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Craven, South Lakeland, Lancaster, Cheshire West and Chester and Blackburn with Darwen. 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 Skipton Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Preston Lancashire
4 Blackburn Lancashire
5 Whalley Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Craven 003 Craven
2 South Lakeland 010 South Lakeland
3 Lancaster 017 Lancaster
4 Cheshire West and Chester 005 Cheshire West and Chester
5 Blackburn with Darwen 009 Blackburn with Darwen

Forenames

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First names often paired with Maudsley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Maudsley

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Maudsley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Maudsley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Maudsley is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Maudsley 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

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

Meaning and origin of Maudsley

The surname Maudsley originated in England and dates back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "maud" meaning "meadow" and "leah" meaning "woodland clearing." The name likely originated in a specific location known for its meadows or clearings in a wooded area.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Maudsley appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled "Maldeslei." This suggests that the name was already well-established by the late 11th century in parts of England.

In the 13th century, various spellings of the name emerged, including Maudeleye, Maudley, and Mawdsley, reflecting regional dialect variations. These early records often referred to individuals living in or originating from a place called Maudsley, likely a small village or hamlet.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John de Maudsley, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire in 1332. This indicates that the name had a strong presence in the northern county of Lancashire during the 14th century.

Over the centuries, the Maudsley surname spread to other parts of England, and various branches of the family emerged. Notable individuals with this surname include Henry Maudsley (1835-1918), a renowned English psychiatrist and pioneer in the study of mental illness, and Reginald Walter Maudsley (1917-1992), a British civil engineer and inventor.

In the 16th century, records show a Maudsley family residing in the village of Rivington, Lancashire. This branch of the family produced several notable figures, including John Maudsley (1576-1644), a prosperous landowner and merchant, and his grandson, also named John Maudsley (1628-1701), who served as a Member of Parliament for Newton, Lancashire.

Another prominent individual with the Maudsley surname was Sir Alfred Percival Maudsley (1850-1909), a British industrialist and engineer who played a significant role in the development of the machine tool industry.

Throughout its history, the Maudsley surname has maintained a strong association with its English origins, particularly in the northern counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Maudsley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Maudsley 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. Lancashire leads with 630 Maudsleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.40x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 630 6.40x
Yorkshire 137 1.67x
Westmorland 14 7.68x
Cheshire 10 0.55x
Gloucestershire 9 0.55x
Surrey 9 0.22x
Cumberland 8 1.12x
Middlesex 8 0.10x
Durham 6 0.24x
Staffordshire 6 0.21x
Kent 5 0.18x
Devon 2 0.12x
Dumfriesshire 2 1.09x
Anglesey 1 0.68x
Dorset 1 0.18x
Midlothian 1 0.09x
Norfolk 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Accrington in Lancashire leads with 57 Maudsleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 63.72x.

Place Total Index
Accrington 57 63.72x
Blackburn 50 19.10x
Bramley In Bramley 26 82.67x
Witton 23 185.78x
Over Darwen 22 27.99x
Manchester 20 4.52x
Crompton 19 67.81x
Skipton 19 73.47x
Liverpool 18 3.01x
Preston 17 6.46x
Everton 14 4.46x
Hulme 14 6.82x
Lancaster 14 23.92x
Clayton Le Moors 13 68.10x
Lower Booths 13 73.74x
Oswaldtwistle 13 37.40x
Gargrave 12 327.87x
Salford 11 3.80x
Toxteth Park 11 3.30x
Garston 10 34.44x
Kirkby 10 251.26x
Livesey 10 57.90x
Castleton 9 9.16x
Parr 9 25.57x
Pendleton In Clitheroe 9 241.94x
Barrow In Furness 8 5.98x
Bentham 8 127.80x
Billinge Chapel End 8 144.93x
Blackrod 8 65.41x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 8 5.23x
Tottington Lower End 8 17.11x
Beswick 7 27.82x
Crosthwaite Lyth 7 319.63x
Cumwhitton 7 492.96x
Gorton 7 7.57x
Grindleton 7 395.48x
Kirkby Lonsdale 7 141.99x
Leeds 7 1.51x
Longton 7 169.08x
Rishton 7 60.66x
Bracewell 6 2000.00x
Chorley 6 10.87x
Elton 6 17.65x
Habergham Eaves 6 6.67x
Little Harwood 6 337.08x
Long Preston 6 300.00x
Newchurch 6 7.45x
Newton 6 7.91x
North Meols 6 6.23x
Ovenden 6 16.41x
Tatham 6 394.74x
Walton On Hill 6 11.26x
Wigan 6 4.36x
Wingate 6 35.48x
Altham 5 446.43x
Ardwick 5 5.63x
Barnsley 5 5.90x
Bury 5 4.45x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 5 47.57x
Dewsbury 5 5.93x
Heap 5 9.58x
Hornby 5 490.20x
Lewisham 5 3.31x
Padiham 5 21.03x
Poulton Barre 5 44.68x
Sharples 5 46.86x
Whittington 5 510.20x
Windle 5 9.03x
Allerton 4 169.49x
Burslem 4 4.99x
Camberwell 4 0.76x
Croydon 4 1.78x
Little Hoole 4 320.00x
Newton In Ashton Under 4 22.15x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 4 19.00x
Spotland 4 3.66x
Stainforth In Settle 4 677.97x
Bowling 3 3.69x
Farnley In Bramley 3 29.24x
Heapey 3 285.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 78
Elizabeth 46
Ann 33
Jane 29
Margaret 28
Alice 25
Ellen 20
Sarah 20
Hannah 9
Martha 8
Annie 7
Betsy 7
Eliza 7
Emma 7
Isabella 6
Ada 5
Catherine 5
Clara 5
Emily 5
Lucy 4
Margt. 4
Maria 4
Agnes 3
Amelia 3
Beatrice 3
Bertha 3
Edith 3
Harriet 3
Kate 3
Margret 3
Anne 2
Betty 2
Caroline 2
Eda 2
Eleanor 2
Elizth. 2
Esther 2
Rose 2
Ruth 2
Barbara 1
Bessie 1
Charlotte 1
Dorothy 1
Druseller 1
Effie 1
Elen 1
Grace 1
Harriot 1
Janet 1
Tryphane 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 54
William 48
James 39
Thomas 38
Richard 28
Henry 20
George 16
Robert 16
Joseph 10
Charles 6
Christopher 5
Joshua 5
Fred 4
Herbert 4
Laurence 4
Stephen 4
Benjamin 3
Daniel 3
Ernest 3
Evan 3
Harry 3
Isaac 3
Thos. 3
Tom 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Edgar 2
Edmund 2
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Geo. 2
Miles 2
Peter 2
Richd. 2
Sam 2
Samuel 2
Arthur 1
Aspin 1
Darius 1
E. 1
Francis 1
Franklin 1
Freddy 1
Issac 1
Ivan 1
Jas. 1
Jonadab 1
Jonathan 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Maudsley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Maudsley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 862 people were recorded with the Maudsley surname. That placed it at #4,387 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Maudsley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 799 in 2016. That gives Maudsley a modern rank of #6,918.

What does the Maudsley surname mean?

From an enclosed meadow or untilled field.

What does the Maudsley map show?

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