NameCensus.

UK surname

Mold

A name referring to a person associated with a hill, dwelling, or estate.

In the 1881 census there were 560 people recorded with the Mold surname, ranking it #6,184 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 619, ranked #8,506, down from #6,184 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Banbury and Walsall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Northamptonshire, Daventry and Rugby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mold is 881 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 10.5%.

1881 census count

560

Ranked #6,184

Modern count

619

2016, ranked #8,506

Peak year

1911

881 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mold had 560 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,184 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 619 in 2016, ranked #8,506.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 881 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Mold surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mold surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mold 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 330 #7,062
1861 historical 485 #5,385
1881 historical 560 #6,184
1891 historical 688 #5,693
1901 historical 824 #5,486
1911 historical 881 #5,051
1997 modern 603 #8,110
1998 modern 685 #7,604
1999 modern 702 #7,500
2000 modern 703 #7,463
2001 modern 693 #7,433
2002 modern 688 #7,614
2003 modern 672 #7,634
2004 modern 658 #7,762
2005 modern 642 #7,841
2006 modern 626 #8,029
2007 modern 624 #8,106
2008 modern 624 #8,160
2009 modern 621 #8,376
2010 modern 634 #8,412
2011 modern 616 #8,511
2012 modern 609 #8,508
2013 modern 632 #8,391
2014 modern 636 #8,402
2015 modern 637 #8,326
2016 modern 619 #8,506

Geography

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Where Molds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Banbury, Walsall and Warkworth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Northamptonshire, Daventry, Rugby, Breckland and Slough. 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 Banbury Oxfordshire
3 Walsall Staffordshire
4 London parishes London 2
5 Warkworth Oxfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Northamptonshire 006 South Northamptonshire
2 Daventry 004 Daventry
3 Rugby 001 Rugby
4 Breckland 016 Breckland
5 Slough 003 Slough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mold

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mold

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Mold is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mold is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mold falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mold 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 Mold, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mold

The surname MOLD is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "molde" or "molda," meaning soil or earth. This name likely originated in the medieval period and was initially used as a locational surname, referring to someone who lived near or worked with soil or earth.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname MOLD can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Mold" in Buckinghamshire. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century in England.

In the 13th century, the surname MOLD appeared in various spellings, such as "Moulde" and "Molde," in records from counties like Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. These variations reflect the fluid nature of surname spellings in those early days.

Notable individuals with the surname MOLD throughout history include:

1. John Mold (c. 1610-1676), an English Puritan minister and author who served as the vicar of Newington Butts in London. 2. Richard Mold (1766-1838), a British architect known for designing several notable buildings in Birmingham, including the Town Hall. 3. Mary Mold (1815-1901), a British writer and philanthropist who founded the Society for Promoting the Employment of Women. 4. Thomas Mold (1842-1922), a British engineer and inventor who developed improvements to the steam engine and other industrial machinery. 5. William Mold (1868-1945), a British architect responsible for designing several prominent buildings in London, such as the Royal Opera House.

The surname MOLD has also been associated with various place names in England, including Mold in Flintshire, Wales, and Mold Green in West Yorkshire. These place names may have influenced the use and distribution of the surname in certain regions.

While the surname MOLD has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has persisted as a recognizable English surname with a connection to the earth and soil, reflecting the occupations and locations of its earliest bearers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mold families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mold 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. Northamptonshire leads with 124 Molds recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.05x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 124 24.05x
Oxfordshire 76 22.45x
Warwickshire 75 5.42x
Middlesex 62 1.13x
Staffordshire 42 2.27x
Surrey 32 1.20x
Wiltshire 27 5.57x
Durham 19 1.16x
Hertfordshire 13 3.44x
Lancashire 13 0.20x
Montgomeryshire 11 8.76x
Worcestershire 11 1.54x
Hampshire 10 0.89x
Buckinghamshire 8 2.41x
Yorkshire 7 0.13x
Essex 6 0.55x
Somerset 5 0.57x
Derbyshire 4 0.47x
Kent 3 0.16x
Cheshire 2 0.17x
Devon 2 0.18x
Sussex 2 0.22x
Bedfordshire 1 0.35x
Berkshire 1 0.24x
Channel Islands 1 0.62x
Cumberland 1 0.21x
Leicestershire 1 0.16x
Monmouthshire 1 0.25x
Norfolk 1 0.12x
Royal Navy 1 1.53x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Middleton Cheney in Northamptonshire leads with 60 Molds recorded in 1881 and an index of 2666.67x.

Place Total Index
Middleton Cheney 60 2666.67x
Neithrop 40 351.49x
Warkworth 27 581.90x
Hackney London 24 7.81x
Banbury 17 250.74x
Walsall Foreign 17 17.78x
Birmingham 15 3.26x
Rugby 14 74.87x
Newington 13 6.42x
Salisbury St Edmund 13 167.10x
Fisherton Anger 12 133.78x
Pattishall 12 701.75x
Kerry 11 291.01x
Chipping Barnet 9 625.00x
Hetton Le Hole 9 43.54x
Priors Hardwick 8 1509.43x
Yardley 8 43.67x
Buckingham 7 103.86x
Coleshill 7 158.01x
Pinner 7 145.83x
Upper Boddington 7 1250.00x
Bodicote 6 465.12x
Hertford St John 6 106.57x
Mears Ashby 6 631.58x
Portsea 6 2.72x
St Pancras London 6 1.36x
Stoke Upon Trent 6 3.06x
Bradford 5 3.80x
Claydon 5 793.65x
Langley 5 2083.33x
Sowe 5 200.80x
Yeovil 5 27.89x
Cassop 4 357.14x
Fazeley 4 119.05x
Fenny Compton 4 363.64x
Foleshill 4 27.49x
Lambeth 4 0.84x
Limehouse London 4 6.65x
Nether Whitacre 4 363.64x
Shotteswell 4 869.57x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 3.63x
Walsall Borough 4 27.84x
Wolverhampton 4 2.81x
Bethersden 3 157.89x
Cheshunt 3 22.71x
Hook Norton 3 129.31x
Kensington London 3 0.98x
Northampton St Sepulchre 3 11.44x
Rusholme 3 17.29x
St Marylebone London 3 1.02x
Barford St John 2 1333.33x
Battersea 2 0.99x
Bermondsey 2 1.23x
Bradford 2 6.57x
Cosgrove 2 168.07x
Dovercourt 2 52.49x
Guilsborough 2 145.99x
Islington London 2 0.38x
Kingswinford 2 2.98x
North Meols 2 3.14x
Northampton St Peter 2 63.90x
Rushall 2 18.37x
Southam 2 59.52x
Southampton All Sts 2 10.37x
Stoke Newington London 2 4.68x
Tiverton 2 10.17x
West Ham 2 0.84x
Withington 2 9.54x
Dunchurch 1 52.91x
Dunham Massey 1 26.95x
Holdenhurst 1 3.39x
Kingsbury 1 33.78x
Newport Pagnell 1 14.43x
Old Stratford 1 12.77x
Oldham 1 0.48x
Reading St Lawrence 1 11.36x
Salisbury St Martin 1 19.80x
Tendring St Nicolas 1 90.91x
Ware 1 9.23x
Wormleighton 1 232.56x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 35
William 32
George 26
Thomas 24
Charles 18
Henry 12
Edward 10
Joseph 10
Alfred 8
James 6
Richard 6
Albert 5
Arthur 5
Edwin 5
Frederick 5
Ernest 3
Samuel 3
Benjamin 2
David 2
Edmund 2
Frederic 2
Herbert 2
Percy 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Baby 1
Charley 1
Clarence 1
Clement 1
Daniel 1
Earnest 1
Elijah 1
Emanuel 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Jerry 1
Jesse 1
Jno 1
Joshua 1
Josiah 1
Leonard 1
Martin 1
Nicholas 1
Phillip 1
Ramoth 1
Richd. 1
Robert 1
Sidney 1

FAQ

Mold surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mold surname in 1881?

In 1881, 560 people were recorded with the Mold surname. That placed it at #6,184 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mold surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 619 in 2016. That gives Mold a modern rank of #8,506.

What does the Mold surname mean?

A name referring to a person associated with a hill, dwelling, or estate.

What does the Mold map show?

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