NameCensus.

UK surname

Meadowcroft

Surname derived from a dwelling located in a meadow or secluded valley.

In the 1881 census there were 1,089 people recorded with the Meadowcroft surname, ranking it #3,653 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 842, ranked #6,635, down from #3,653 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Bury and Wolstanton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blackburn with Darwen, Hambleton and Salford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Meadowcroft is 1,346 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 22.7%.

1881 census count

1,089

Ranked #3,653

Modern count

842

2016, ranked #6,635

Peak year

1911

1,346 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Meadowcroft had 1,089 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,653 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 842 in 2016, ranked #6,635.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,346 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Meadowcroft surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Meadowcroft surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Meadowcroft 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 674 #3,852
1861 historical 749 #3,649
1881 historical 1,089 #3,653
1891 historical 1,154 #3,699
1901 historical 1,259 #3,936
1911 historical 1,346 #3,560
1997 modern 890 #6,012
1998 modern 947 #5,920
1999 modern 931 #6,043
2000 modern 939 #5,983
2001 modern 934 #5,894
2002 modern 922 #6,085
2003 modern 899 #6,094
2004 modern 890 #6,155
2005 modern 881 #6,115
2006 modern 900 #6,041
2007 modern 882 #6,186
2008 modern 889 #6,186
2009 modern 941 #6,040
2010 modern 925 #6,245
2011 modern 927 #6,184
2012 modern 880 #6,349
2013 modern 884 #6,435
2014 modern 893 #6,408
2015 modern 858 #6,548
2016 modern 842 #6,635

Geography

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Where Meadowcrofts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Bury, Wolstanton, Eccles and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blackburn with Darwen, Hambleton and Salford. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Bury Lancashire
3 Wolstanton Staffordshire
4 Eccles Lancashire
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blackburn with Darwen 008 Blackburn with Darwen
2 Hambleton 010 Hambleton
3 Blackburn with Darwen 009 Blackburn with Darwen
4 Salford 013 Salford
5 Blackburn with Darwen 016 Blackburn with Darwen

Forenames

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First names often paired with Meadowcroft

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Meadowcroft

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Meadowcroft, 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 Meadowcroft surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Meadowcroft 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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Meadowcroft 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

Meadowcroft is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Meadowcroft

The surname Meadowcroft has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational name, derived from a place name that referred to a meadow or clearing in a woodland area. The prefix "Meadow" comes from the Old English word "maed," meaning meadow or hayfield, while the suffix "croft" is from the Old Norse word "kroft," meaning a small enclosed field or pasture.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Meadowcroft can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1170, where it appears as "de Medecroft." This suggests that the name was initially used to identify someone who lived near or owned land in a place called Meadowcroft or a similar variation.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1327, where it is spelled "Medecrof." The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also mention a "William de Medecroft" in Lincolnshire, indicating the widespread use of the name across different regions of England.

Historically, the surname Meadowcroft was particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire, where many settlements and hamlets bore variations of the name, such as Meadowcroft, Meadowcroft Lees, and Meadowcroft Fold.

Notable individuals with the surname Meadowcroft include:

1. Richard Meadowcroft (c. 1497 - 1556), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Gloucester from 1554 until his death. 2. John Meadowcroft (1597 - 1673), a prominent English Puritan minister and author who wrote several theological works. 3. Sarah Meadowcroft (1744 - 1818), an English author and poet known for her religious and moral writings. 4. William Meadowcroft (1819 - 1898), a British industrialist and inventor who patented several innovations in textile manufacturing. 5. Thomas Meadowcroft (1856 - 1937), an English architect and designer who contributed to the Arts and Crafts movement in the late 19th century.

While the surname Meadowcroft has endured for centuries, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in England, where it was used to identify individuals who lived or owned land near meadows or woodland clearings.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Meadowcroft families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Meadowcroft 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 794 Meadowcrofts recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.30x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 794 6.30x
Yorkshire 82 0.78x
Staffordshire 79 2.21x
Essex 46 2.20x
Cheshire 38 1.62x
Middlesex 10 0.09x
Warwickshire 9 0.34x
Surrey 7 0.14x
Durham 6 0.19x
Hampshire 5 0.23x
Derbyshire 4 0.24x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.30x
Northumberland 2 0.13x
Oxfordshire 2 0.31x
Sussex 1 0.06x
Wiltshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bury in Lancashire leads with 70 Meadowcrofts recorded in 1881 and an index of 48.66x.

Place Total Index
Bury 70 48.66x
Spotland 57 40.71x
Oldham 56 13.78x
Heap 50 74.85x
Manchester 49 8.65x
Castleton 43 34.19x
Sowerby In Halifax 36 104.68x
Worsley 34 43.80x
Wolstanton 33 30.33x
Barton Upon Irwell 27 28.48x
Elton 26 59.76x
Ardwick 23 20.25x
Butterworth 23 74.97x
Little Bolton 23 14.20x
Pendleton In Salford 20 13.33x
Tottington Lower End 19 31.75x
Hulme 18 6.85x
Newchurch 18 17.47x
Wardleworth 18 25.01x
Ashton Under Lyne 15 5.45x
Blackburn 15 4.48x
Newton 14 14.42x
Chigwell 13 65.76x
Hyde 11 15.91x
Windle 11 15.52x
Cheetham 10 10.65x
Leyton 10 27.71x
Openshaw 10 16.95x
West Ham 10 2.16x
Aston 9 1.22x
Crompton 9 25.10x
Crumpsall 9 30.32x
Gorton 9 7.60x
Salford 9 2.43x
Smallthorne 9 67.67x
Stoke Upon Trent 9 2.37x
Bradford 8 3.14x
Dukinfield 8 7.39x
Elland Cum Greetland 8 16.88x
Lancaster 8 10.68x
Little Hulton 8 38.37x
Runcorn 8 14.81x
Ainsworth 7 143.44x
Brightside Bierlow 7 3.39x
Leeds 7 1.18x
Chadderton 6 9.75x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 6 44.58x
Crook Billy Row 6 14.84x
Newcastle Under Lyme 6 9.47x
Parr 6 13.32x
Wolstanton Oldcott 6 46.23x
Accrington 5 4.37x
Eccleston In Prescot 5 7.91x
Haughton 5 27.22x
Wolstanton Knutton 5 22.86x
Astley 4 41.19x
Boxted 4 133.33x
Brentwood 4 31.32x
Camberwell 4 0.59x
Flixton 4 62.02x
Fordham 4 156.25x
Great Bolton 4 2.40x
Haydock 4 18.43x
Northowram 4 5.42x
Rusholme 4 11.91x
Wortley In Bramley 4 4.80x
Biddulph 3 14.84x
Bradford 3 5.09x
Bredbury 3 22.12x
Brinnington 3 13.70x
Congleton 3 7.41x
Glossop Dale 3 3.86x
Islington London 3 0.29x
Preston 3 0.89x
St Helens 3 18.98x
Wolstanton Chatterly 3 81.52x
Wolstanton Ranscliffe 3 238.10x
Didsbury 2 11.96x
Newton In Ashton Under 2 8.65x
Pemberton 2 3.98x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 96
Sarah 55
Elizabeth 40
Alice 36
Jane 27
Hannah 26
Ellen 23
Annie 22
Ann 20
Emma 15
Martha 15
Margaret 14
Eliza 13
Emily 8
Harriet 6
Nancy 6
Betty 5
Esther 5
Lydia 5
Bertha 4
Clara 4
Eleanor 4
Fanny 4
Kate 4
Rebecca 4
Ruth 4
Susan 4
Ada 3
Agnes 3
Amy 3
Edith 3
Elizth. 3
Florence 3
Isabella 3
Minnie 3
Rachael 3
Sophia 3
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Catherine 2
Leah 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Phoebe 2
Rachel 2
Rose 2
Susannah 2
Edna 1
Elener 1
Winnifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 79
James 59
Thomas 42
William 39
Joseph 30
Richard 17
Robert 16
Samuel 15
George 14
Walter 9
Alfred 7
Charles 7
Albert 6
Frederick 6
Herbert 6
Arthur 5
Edward 5
Fred 5
Harry 5
Thos. 5
Edwin 4
Ben 3
Chas. 3
Daniel 3
Edmund 3
Ernest 3
Henry 3
Jesse 3
Peter 3
Ralph 3
Roger 3
W. 3
Aaron 2
Abel 2
Adam 2
Albt. 2
Benjamin 2
Crispin 2
David 2
Elijah 2
Enoch 2
Frank 2
Geo. 2
Lewis 2
Martha 2
Miles 2
Moses 2
Saml. 2
Spencer 2
Young 2

FAQ

Meadowcroft surname: questions and answers

How common was the Meadowcroft surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,089 people were recorded with the Meadowcroft surname. That placed it at #3,653 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Meadowcroft surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 842 in 2016. That gives Meadowcroft a modern rank of #6,635.

What does the Meadowcroft surname mean?

Surname derived from a dwelling located in a meadow or secluded valley.

What does the Meadowcroft map show?

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