NameCensus.

UK surname

Needham

From the Old English "newe" meaning new and "ham" meaning home, referring to someone living at a new house.

In the 1881 census there were 6,368 people recorded with the Needham surname, ranking it #673 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8,238, ranked #797, down from #673 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chesterfield, Bassetlaw and Cheshire East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Needham is 8,851 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.4%.

1881 census count

6,368

Ranked #673

Modern count

8,238

2016, ranked #797

Peak year

2000

8,851 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Needham had 6,368 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #673 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 8,238 in 2016, ranked #797.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8,352 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Needham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Needham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Needham 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 4,028 #705
1861 historical 3,821 #733
1881 historical 6,368 #673
1891 historical 6,473 #705
1901 historical 7,744 #693
1911 historical 8,352 #597
1997 modern 8,563 #736
1998 modern 8,822 #746
1999 modern 8,830 #752
2000 modern 8,851 #745
2001 modern 8,645 #746
2002 modern 8,739 #752
2003 modern 8,567 #752
2004 modern 8,494 #754
2005 modern 8,305 #766
2006 modern 8,264 #773
2007 modern 8,208 #782
2008 modern 8,214 #789
2009 modern 8,435 #787
2010 modern 8,585 #787
2011 modern 8,453 #789
2012 modern 8,274 #791
2013 modern 8,410 #789
2014 modern 8,415 #793
2015 modern 8,294 #797
2016 modern 8,238 #797

Geography

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Where Needhams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chesterfield, Bassetlaw and Cheshire East. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chesterfield 012 Chesterfield
2 Bassetlaw 001 Bassetlaw
3 Chesterfield 010 Chesterfield
4 Cheshire East 013 Cheshire East
5 Chesterfield 009 Chesterfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Needham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Needham

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Needham 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

Needham is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Needham

The surname Needham has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "nedre" and "ham," meaning "a valley where nettles grow."

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of English landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appeared as "Nedreham" and referred to various settlements located in nettle-filled valleys.

During the medieval period, the surname was associated with several notable figures. One such individual was Sir Robert Needham, a prominent English soldier and landowner who lived in the late 14th century. He served as a knight under King Edward III and participated in the Hundred Years' War against France.

Another historical figure bearing the Needham name was John Needham, a 17th-century English naturalist and microscopist. Born in 1638, he is best known for his pioneering work in the field of microscopy and his observations of microorganisms, which he termed "little living creatures."

In the 18th century, the Needham family established itself as a prominent landowning family in Derbyshire, England. One notable member was Robert Needham, 1st Earl of Kilmorey (1711-1786), a British peer and politician who served as the Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire.

The 19th century saw the rise of the Needham family in the literary and academic spheres. Alfred Needham (1825-1892) was a renowned English historian and writer, best known for his works on the history of the English Reformation.

Another notable figure from this period was Walter Needham (1847-1924), a distinguished English chemist and professor at the University of Cambridge. He made significant contributions to the field of organic chemistry and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1900.

While the Needham surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and colonization. However, this historical account focuses solely on the surname's origins and notable individuals from its early years in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Needham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Needham 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 1,271 Needhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.72x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,271 1.72x
Yorkshire 1,254 2.04x
Derbyshire 801 8.23x
Lincolnshire 570 5.73x
Leicestershire 452 6.56x
Nottinghamshire 367 4.38x
Middlesex 325 0.52x
Cheshire 295 2.15x
Staffordshire 158 0.75x
Kent 131 0.62x
Surrey 89 0.29x
Warwickshire 77 0.49x
Rutland 60 13.14x
Durham 59 0.32x
Worcestershire 54 0.67x
Norfolk 43 0.45x
Gloucestershire 32 0.26x
Flintshire 29 1.74x
Northamptonshire 26 0.44x
Essex 21 0.17x
Monmouthshire 20 0.45x
Shropshire 20 0.37x
Denbighshire 19 0.81x
Lanarkshire 19 0.09x
Midlothian 17 0.20x
Northumberland 17 0.18x
Sussex 15 0.14x
Cambridgeshire 13 0.33x
Hampshire 11 0.09x
Somerset 11 0.11x
Caernarfonshire 10 0.40x
Buckinghamshire 9 0.24x
Renfrewshire 8 0.17x
Wiltshire 8 0.15x
Ayrshire 7 0.15x
Cumberland 7 0.13x
Glamorgan 6 0.06x
Stirlingshire 5 0.22x
Berkshire 4 0.09x
Channel Islands 4 0.22x
Cornwall 4 0.06x
Devon 4 0.03x
Dorset 4 0.10x
Herefordshire 4 0.16x
Hertfordshire 3 0.07x
Royal Navy 3 0.41x
Brecknockshire 2 0.16x
Dunbartonshire 2 0.12x
Bedfordshire 1 0.03x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.08x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oldham in Lancashire leads with 328 Needhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.78x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 328 13.78x
Ecclesall Bierlow 156 12.45x
Sheffield 139 7.09x
Nottingham St Mary 106 4.89x
Brightside Bierlow 80 6.62x
Ashton Under Lyne 73 4.53x
Liverpool 73 1.63x
Chadderton 61 16.91x
Leeds 60 1.72x
Nether Hallam 58 6.96x
Manchester 56 1.69x
Stockport 54 7.65x
Bethnal Green London 49 1.81x
Brampton 48 35.28x
Great Grimsby 45 7.13x
Leicester St Margaret 44 2.62x
Norton 44 54.86x
Flagg 42 1034.48x
Salford 42 1.94x
Sheepshed 41 43.40x
Barlow 40 204.29x
Barnsley 39 6.14x
St Pancras London 39 0.78x
Ashover 36 74.33x
Chorlton On Medlock 35 2.99x
Barwell 32 87.79x
Whetstone 31 122.82x
Kings Norton 30 4.12x
Belper 29 15.37x
Buxton 28 33.99x
Everton 28 1.19x
Gorton 28 4.04x
Plumstead 28 3.96x
Derby St Werburgh 26 4.63x
Heaton Norris 26 6.19x
Dronfield 25 20.04x
Dukinfield 25 3.94x
Ecclesfield 24 5.31x
Gainsborough 24 10.24x
Leicester St Mary 24 4.31x
Bakewell 23 43.20x
Hackney London 23 0.66x
Oakham Lordshold 23 48.15x
Burton Upon Trent 22 4.48x
Rothley 22 98.17x
Whitwick 22 25.11x
Bennington By Boston 21 179.79x
Eckington 21 8.88x
Gringley On Hill 21 118.58x
Poynton 21 45.51x
Radcliffe 21 5.91x
Radford 21 4.93x
Shoreditch London 21 0.78x
Syston 21 32.55x
Loughborough 20 6.39x
Snenton 20 6.07x
Tinsley 20 92.76x
Tudhoe 20 12.36x
Castleton 19 2.58x
Eastoft 19 147.29x
Mile End Old Town 19 1.94x
Toxteth Park 19 0.76x
Battersea 18 0.79x
Hammersmith London 18 1.18x
Longnor 18 158.03x
Spotland 18 2.19x
St Luke London 18 1.81x
Aston 17 0.39x
Birmingham 17 0.33x
Chapel En Le Frith 17 19.13x
Darfield 17 30.32x
Deptford St Paul 17 1.04x
Droylsden 17 7.06x
Halifax 17 1.88x
Hulme 17 1.10x
Kensington London 17 0.49x
Saddleworth 17 3.58x
Alford 16 25.97x
Deptford St Nicholas 16 9.51x
Paddington London 16 0.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 508
Sarah 284
Elizabeth 245
Ann 160
Jane 106
Annie 104
Hannah 101
Ellen 99
Alice 84
Emma 83
Eliza 77
Martha 68
Emily 56
Margaret 48
Harriet 46
Clara 41
Florence 37
Fanny 36
Maria 35
Ada 34
Charlotte 34
Edith 31
Frances 31
Harriett 30
Catherine 25
Louisa 24
Anne 23
Kate 22
Lucy 22
Agnes 20
Susan 19
Bridget 18
Rebecca 18
Elizth. 17
Selina 17
Caroline 15
Eleanor 14
Gertrude 14
Lydia 14
Rose 14
Esther 12
Isabella 12
Minnie 12
Betsy 11
Matilda 11
Susannah 11
Bertha 10
Betty 10
Julia 10
Lily 10

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 439
William 339
George 242
Thomas 213
James 204
Joseph 189
Charles 111
Samuel 77
Henry 76
Robert 69
Edward 53
Arthur 50
Alfred 49
Herbert 44
Walter 43
Albert 40
Harry 35
Frederick 34
Richard 34
Frank 33
Wm. 30
Ernest 27
Isaac 27
Francis 20
Thos. 20
Fred 18
Michael 18
Patrick 17
Tom 16
David 15
Edwin 14
Fredrick 12
Benjamin 11
Geo. 11
Alexander 10
Peter 10
Chas. 8
Rowland 8
Luke 7
Stephen 7
Willm. 7
Ellis 6
Enoch 6
Jas. 6
Jno. 6
Matthew 6
Saml. 6
Edwd. 5
Lewis 5
Robt. 5

FAQ

Needham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Needham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,368 people were recorded with the Needham surname. That placed it at #673 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Needham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 8,238 in 2016. That gives Needham a modern rank of #797.

What does the Needham surname mean?

From the Old English "newe" meaning new and "ham" meaning home, referring to someone living at a new house.

What does the Needham map show?

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