UK surname

Mody

A surname derived from the French term "moitié" meaning half or portion.

In the 1881 census there were 9 people recorded with the Mody surname, ranking it #32,416 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 156, ranked #23,098, up from #32,416 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Redbridge, Harrow and Maidstone.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mody is 166 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1633.3%.

1881 census count

Ranked #32,416

Modern count

156

2016, ranked #23,098

Peak year

2010

166 bearers

Map years

1998 to 2016

Key insights

• Mody had 9 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,416 surname in that year.
• The latest modern count shown here is 156 in 2016, ranked #23,098.
• Within the historical census years, the highest count was 46 in 1861.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Map

Mody surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mody surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Mody 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	12	#31,134
1861	historical	46	#28,170
1881	historical	9	#32,416
1891	historical	16	#32,868
1901	historical	21	#31,686
1911	historical	14	#32,045
1997	modern	130	#23,021
1998	modern	133	#23,308
1999	modern	146	#22,202
2000	modern	137	#23,048
2001	modern	126	#23,883
2002	modern	140	#22,876
2003	modern	150	#21,669
2004	modern	153	#21,528
2005	modern	158	#21,052
2006	modern	148	#22,111
2007	modern	151	#22,120
2008	modern	162	#21,350
2009	modern	161	#21,879
2010	modern	166	#21,941
2011	modern	160	#22,282
2012	modern	153	#22,963
2013	modern	159	#22,706
2014	modern	157	#23,101
2015	modern	154	#23,306
2016	modern	156	#23,098

Geography

Where Modys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Redbridge, Harrow, Maidstone, Oadby and Wigston and Ealing. 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	No data	No data

Top modern areas

Rank	Area	District
1	Redbridge 001	Redbridge
2	Harrow 029	Harrow
3	Maidstone 010	Maidstone
4	Oadby and Wigston 009	Oadby and Wigston
5	Ealing 028	Ealing

Forenames

First names often paired with Mody

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Recent female names

Rita Lisa Margaret Nisha Dolly Amisha Anushka Hasumati Pauline Zareena

Recent male names

Nimesh Samir Roger Sohil Cyrus Karl Tushar Robert Amar Sagar

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Mody

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Mody surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Mody household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Mody is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mody is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mody falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mody is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate: Asian - Indian

This describes the area pattern most associated with Mody, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Origin

Meaning and origin of Mody

The surname MODY originates from India and dates back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word "Modak," which means a sweet dumpling or a ball-shaped sweet dish. The name was likely adopted by a family or community involved in the preparation or sale of these traditional Indian sweets.

The earliest recorded instances of the MODY surname can be found in historical documents and records from the Mughal era in the Indian subcontinent. Some references suggest that the name appeared in land ownership records and tax registers during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, who ruled from 1556 to 1605.

One of the notable historical figures bearing the MODY surname was Rao Mody, a wealthy merchant and trader from Gujarat who lived in the late 17th century. He was known for his extensive trade networks and business dealings across the Indian subcontinent and parts of the Middle East.

In the 19th century, the MODY name was associated with several prominent figures in the Indian independence movement. Rustomjee Mody (1825-1891) was a Parsi industrialist and philanthropist who played a significant role in the development of the cotton textile industry in Mumbai (then known as Bombay).

Another notable figure was Homi Mody (1891-1969), an Indian freedom fighter, social reformer, and politician. He actively participated in the Non-Cooperation Movement led by Mahatma Gandhi and was imprisoned several times for his involvement in the Indian independence struggle.

During the 20th century, the MODY surname gained further prominence in various fields, including business, academia, and medicine. Russi Mody (1918-2009) was a renowned Indian industrialist and chairman of the Tata Group, one of the largest conglomerates in India.

In the field of medicine, Dr. Jairam Mody (1920-2014) was a renowned endocrinologist who made significant contributions to the understanding and treatment of diabetes. He is credited with identifying a specific form of diabetes known as "Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young" (MODY), which is now recognized as a distinct genetic subtype of the disease.

Overall, the MODY surname has a rich historical legacy in India, with roots tracing back to the 16th century and associations with various notable figures across different fields and eras.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Mody families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mody 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 5 Modys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.81x.

County	Total	Frequency	Index
Lancashire	5	0.00%	4.81x
Berkshire	1	0.00%	15.20x
Lincolnshire	1	0.00%	7.14x
Middlesex	1	0.00%	1.14x
Surrey	1	0.00%	2.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Toxteth Park in Lancashire leads with 3 Modys recorded in 1881 and an index of 85.23x.

Place	Total	Frequency	Index
Toxteth Park	3	0.00%	85.23x
Bray	1	0.02%	526.32x
Everton	1	0.00%	30.21x
Gainsborough	1	0.01%	303.03x
Lambeth	1	0.00%	13.09x
Liverpool	1	0.00%	15.82x
St Luke London	1	0.00%	70.92x

Top female names

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

Name	Count
Ellen	1
Hannah	1
Henrietta	1

Top male names

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

Name	Count
Bomarjie	1
Fred	1
Nanathoy	1
Tom	1
William	1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Mody households.

Occupation	Count
Scholar	2
Domestic Servt	1
General Labourer	1
General Serv (Domes)	1
Housemaid Domestic Serv	1
Licentiate Of Roy Coll Surgeons Ed Not Practising	1
Traveller	1

FAQ

Mody surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mody surname in 1881?

In 1881, 9 people were recorded with the Mody surname. That placed it at #32,416 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mody surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 156 in 2016. That gives Mody a modern rank of #23,098.

What does the Mody surname mean?