NameCensus.

UK surname

Moulden

A locational surname referring to an area of moldy ground or soil.

In the 1881 census there were 371 people recorded with the Moulden surname, ranking it #8,417 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 406, ranked #11,754, down from #8,417 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Hitchin. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rhondda Cynon Taf, North Tyneside and Central Bedfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Moulden is 510 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.4%.

1881 census count

371

Ranked #8,417

Modern count

406

2016, ranked #11,754

Peak year

1911

510 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Moulden had 371 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,417 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 406 in 2016, ranked #11,754.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 510 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Moulden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Moulden surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Moulden 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 259 #8,550
1861 historical 292 #8,626
1881 historical 371 #8,417
1891 historical 406 #8,765
1901 historical 414 #9,254
1911 historical 510 #7,718
1997 modern 401 #10,989
1998 modern 405 #11,241
1999 modern 412 #11,203
2000 modern 417 #11,068
2001 modern 404 #11,142
2002 modern 397 #11,497
2003 modern 389 #11,490
2004 modern 382 #11,672
2005 modern 387 #11,463
2006 modern 366 #12,042
2007 modern 376 #11,925
2008 modern 387 #11,767
2009 modern 394 #11,859
2010 modern 399 #12,018
2011 modern 392 #12,038
2012 modern 390 #11,946
2013 modern 394 #12,064
2014 modern 398 #12,048
2015 modern 401 #11,889
2016 modern 406 #11,754

Geography

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Where Mouldens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Hitchin and Stevenage. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rhondda Cynon Taf, North Tyneside, Central Bedfordshire, Bradford and Ribble Valley. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 Hitchin Hertfordshire
5 Stevenage Hertfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rhondda Cynon Taf 012 Rhondda Cynon Taf
2 North Tyneside 028 North Tyneside
3 Central Bedfordshire 010 Central Bedfordshire
4 Bradford 019 Bradford
5 Ribble Valley 008 Ribble Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Moulden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Moulden

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

Baseline UK

Group

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

Nationally, the Moulden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Moulden household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Moulden is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Moulden is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Moulden

The surname Moulden is of English origin and dates back to the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "moul" and "dun," meaning "hill" and "hill or down," respectively. This suggests that the name may have been a locational surname, referring to someone who lived near or on a particular hill or down.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable reference is in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, which mentions a Richard de Mouldene. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, listing a John de Mouldene.

In the 16th century, the name was sometimes spelled as "Moulton" or "Moulton," which may have been influenced by the place name of Moulton in various counties across England. This includes the village of Moulton in Lincolnshire, which is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Muletone."

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Moulden was Thomas Moulden, who was born around 1520 in Warwickshire, England. He was a prominent merchant and landowner during the Tudor period.

Another notable figure was Sir John Moulden (1575-1637), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Taunton during the reign of King James I. He was also a successful businessman and owned several estates in Somerset.

In the 17th century, the name Moulden can be found in various parish records and legal documents across England. One example is William Moulden (1642-1718), a wealthy landowner and magistrate from Oxfordshire.

During the 18th century, the Moulden surname continued to be present in various parts of England. A notable individual from this period was Edward Moulden (1712-1789), a prominent clergyman who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Warwickshire for over four decades.

In the 19th century, the name Moulden was still in use, though it remained relatively uncommon. One noteworthy individual was John Moulden (1822-1903), a British explorer and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of fauna in South America.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Moulden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Moulden 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 79 Mouldens recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.83x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 79 1.83x
Middlesex 63 1.74x
Wiltshire 41 12.78x
Hertfordshire 31 12.39x
Berkshire 26 9.55x
Kent 19 1.53x
Surrey 16 0.90x
Derbyshire 15 2.64x
Yorkshire 11 0.31x
Northamptonshire 9 2.64x
Oxfordshire 9 4.02x
Sussex 9 1.47x
Bedfordshire 7 3.73x
Durham 7 0.65x
Somerset 6 1.03x
Gloucestershire 5 0.70x
Denbighshire 3 2.19x
Herefordshire 3 2.02x
Northumberland 3 0.56x
Essex 2 0.28x
Hampshire 2 0.27x
Worcestershire 2 0.42x
Cheshire 1 0.12x
Leicestershire 1 0.25x
Royal Navy 1 2.31x
Rutland 1 3.75x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 32 Mouldens recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.93x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 32 27.93x
Highworth 18 439.02x
Shoreditch London 15 9.54x
Litchurch 14 61.24x
Hitchin 13 115.15x
Chelsea London 12 10.97x
Stevenage 12 309.28x
Stratton St Margaret 12 243.90x
Reading St Giles 11 41.17x
St Pancras London 11 3.77x
Great Bolton 10 17.53x
Camberwell 9 3.88x
Kensington London 9 4.46x
Peterborough 9 36.42x
Hoghton 8 733.95x
Liddiard Tregooze 8 975.61x
Broughton In Salford 7 17.78x
Chislehurst 7 105.42x
Eversholt 7 736.84x
Winlaton 7 67.57x
Greenwich 6 10.39x
Horton In Bradford 6 10.69x
Lyncombe Widcombe 6 39.24x
Sunninghill 6 158.73x
Westleigh 6 61.35x
Clewer 5 44.80x
Lechlade 5 342.47x
North Meols 5 11.86x
Croydon 4 4.08x
St Marylebone London 4 2.06x
Sunbury 4 91.74x
Byker 3 11.24x
Dinckley 3 2000.00x
Fittleworth 3 348.84x
Hove 3 11.18x
Paddington London 3 2.25x
Purton 3 104.90x
Ruabon 3 15.92x
S Stoke 3 285.71x
Watford 3 15.47x
Woolwich 3 6.56x
Bicester Market End 2 48.54x
Brighton 2 1.62x
Castleton 2 4.65x
Huddersfield 2 3.82x
Kirkdale 2 2.76x
Moss Side 2 8.83x
Much Marcle 2 186.92x
New Windsor 2 256.41x
Spelsbury 2 294.12x
Welwyn 2 92.17x
Withnell 2 75.76x
Bingley 1 4.37x
Bishop Stortford 1 11.98x
Burford 1 51.55x
Burghill 1 59.17x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.05x
Edmonton 1 3.42x
Great Faringdon 1 25.58x
Hampstead London 1 1.77x
Hampton London 1 16.78x
Hoyland Nether 1 11.34x
Leicester St Mary 1 3.08x
Mickleover 1 56.82x
Minster In Sheppey 1 4.88x
New Windsor 1 10.92x
Oxford St Giles 1 9.35x
Reading St Mary 1 4.58x
Redditch 1 10.41x
Royal Navy 1 2.71x
Ryde 1 6.26x
St George Hanover 1 2.11x
St Martin In Fields 1 4.60x
St Mary Cray 1 42.19x
St Mary Kalendar 1 64.52x
Tinwell 1 357.14x
West Ham 1 0.63x
Wichenford 1 212.77x
Winkfield 1 22.12x
Yapton 1 144.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 31
John 22
Henry 16
Thomas 15
George 14
Joseph 13
James 9
Charles 7
Albert 5
Richard 5
Arthur 4
Alfred 3
Robert 3
Edward 2
Frank 2
Harry 2
Moses 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Aaron 1
Atholl 1
Beaumont 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
Herbert 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Mark 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Thos.Wilfred 1
Tylor 1
W. 1
Warwick 1

FAQ

Moulden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Moulden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 371 people were recorded with the Moulden surname. That placed it at #8,417 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Moulden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 406 in 2016. That gives Moulden a modern rank of #11,754.

What does the Moulden surname mean?

A locational surname referring to an area of moldy ground or soil.

What does the Moulden map show?

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