NameCensus.

UK surname

Norgrove

A locational surname referring to someone from the northern grove or wood.

In the 1881 census there were 289 people recorded with the Norgrove surname, ranking it #9,968 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 485, ranked #10,205, down from #9,968 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Harborne, Diddlebury, Skirmage, Holdgate, Abdon, Long Stanton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Walsall, Wrexham and Sandwell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Norgrove is 512 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 67.8%.

1881 census count

289

Ranked #9,968

Modern count

485

2016, ranked #10,205

Peak year

1998

512 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Norgrove had 289 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,968 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 485 in 2016, ranked #10,205.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 439 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Norgrove surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Norgrove surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Norgrove 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 198 #10,483
1861 historical 215 #11,316
1881 historical 289 #9,968
1891 historical 307 #10,914
1901 historical 397 #9,521
1911 historical 439 #8,671
1997 modern 474 #9,693
1998 modern 512 #9,414
1999 modern 505 #9,587
2000 modern 497 #9,675
2001 modern 488 #9,645
2002 modern 504 #9,578
2003 modern 495 #9,557
2004 modern 489 #9,652
2005 modern 477 #9,764
2006 modern 473 #9,871
2007 modern 457 #10,205
2008 modern 451 #10,394
2009 modern 471 #10,304
2010 modern 468 #10,550
2011 modern 478 #10,299
2012 modern 486 #10,073
2013 modern 489 #10,195
2014 modern 496 #10,124
2015 modern 497 #10,046
2016 modern 485 #10,205

Geography

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Where Norgroves are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Harborne, Diddlebury, Skirmage, Holdgate, Abdon, Long Stanton, London parishes, Hankerton and Bray, Maidenhead, Cookham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Walsall, Wrexham, Sandwell and West Oxfordshire. 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 Harborne Worcestershire
2 Diddlebury, Skirmage, Holdgate, Abdon, Long Stanton Shropshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Hankerton Wiltshire
5 Bray, Maidenhead, Cookham Berkshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Walsall 002 Walsall
2 Wrexham 014 Wrexham
3 Wrexham 015 Wrexham
4 Sandwell 031 Sandwell
5 West Oxfordshire 014 West Oxfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Norgrove

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Norgrove

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Norgrove is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Norgrove is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Norgrove falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Norgrove is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Norgrove

The surname NORGROVE is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "norþ" (meaning north) and "grāf" (a grove or small wood), indicating that the name may have originated from a family residing in a northern grove or woodland area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the NORGROVE surname can be found in the Feet of Fines records for Essex, dated 1278, where a John de Northgrove is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already established in the region during the medieval period.

The NORGROVE name also appears in the Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire in 1379, where a Thomas Norgrove is listed as a taxpayer. This record provides evidence of the name's presence in other parts of England during the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the NORGROVE surname can be found in the Parish Registers of Oxfordshire, where a William Norgrove was baptized in 1592 in the village of Chipping Norton. This indicates the name's continued use and spread throughout various counties of England.

Notable individuals with the NORGROVE surname include:

1. John Norgrove (1788-1857), an English cricketer who played for Hampshire County Cricket Club in the early 19th century. 2. William Norgrove (1856-1925), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Regent Palace Hotel. 3. Edith Norgrove (1892-1978), an English novelist and children's writer, known for her works such as "The Treasure House" and "The Pirate's Secret." 4. Richard Norgrove (1933-2010), a British diplomat who served as the United Kingdom's ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 1982 to 1986. 5. Linda Norgrove (1974-2010), a Scottish aid worker who was tragically killed in Afghanistan while being held captive by insurgents.

While the NORGROVE surname originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and family connections. However, its roots can be traced back to the medieval period, with the name likely originating from a geographical location or description of a northern grove or woodland area.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Norgrove families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Norgrove 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. Shropshire leads with 78 Norgroves recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.70x.

County Total Index
Shropshire 78 31.70x
Warwickshire 39 5.43x
Staffordshire 37 3.85x
Middlesex 21 0.74x
Wiltshire 20 7.94x
Herefordshire 15 12.84x
Berkshire 11 5.15x
Gloucestershire 11 1.97x
Oxfordshire 11 6.25x
Radnorshire 11 47.87x
Surrey 10 0.72x
Kent 9 0.93x
Devon 7 1.18x
Cheshire 4 0.64x
Royal Navy 3 8.84x
Cornwall 2 0.62x
Flintshire 2 2.61x
Essex 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Harborne in Staffordshire leads with 19 Norgroves recorded in 1881 and an index of 61.67x.

Place Total Index
Harborne 19 61.67x
Aston 15 7.58x
Clee St Margaret 15 5769.23x
Sutton Coldfield 14 185.43x
Bray 11 175.16x
Shipton Under Wychwood 10 884.96x
Stanton Lacy 10 469.48x
Birmingham 9 3.76x
Crudwell 9 1232.88x
Worfield 9 526.32x
Hankerton 8 2424.24x
New Radnor 8 1739.13x
Shoreditch London 8 6.48x
Tettenhall 8 136.05x
Abdon 7 4666.67x
Astley Abbotts 6 983.61x
Stottesdon 6 535.71x
Broseley 5 114.42x
Camberwell 5 2.75x
East Stonehouse 5 42.81x
Lewisham 5 9.65x
Lyonshall 5 588.24x
Winterbourne 5 161.81x
Aston Botterell 4 2500.00x
Diddlebury 4 493.83x
Drayton Bassett 4 930.23x
Hyde 4 21.56x
Kington 4 138.41x
Meole Brace 4 314.96x
Plumstead 4 12.35x
Westbury On Trym 4 21.13x
Chippenham 3 56.82x
Ditton Priors 3 508.47x
Eardisley 3 357.14x
Goodrich 3 410.96x
Hammersmith London 3 4.28x
Islington London 3 1.09x
Kensington London 3 1.89x
Knighton 3 161.29x
Royal Navy 3 10.34x
Tottenham 3 6.61x
Battersea 2 1.91x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 3.80x
Farnham 2 18.54x
Overton 2 246.91x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 4.38x
St Gluvias Penryn 2 77.52x
West Bromwich 2 3.63x
Colchester St Botolph 1 20.92x
Edgbaston 1 4.49x
Lichfield St Michael 1 33.11x
Ludlow St Lawrence 1 20.41x
Newington 1 0.95x
Oswestry Rural 1 26.53x
Oxford St Clement 1 22.52x
Pattingham 1 250.00x
Pattingham 1 666.67x
St Andrew Holborn 1 10.35x
Stanton Long 1 384.62x
Stoke St Milborough 1 196.08x
Swinfen Packington 1 256.41x
Whittington 1 50.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 16
William 16
Thomas 15
Charles 9
George 8
Henry 8
James 8
Frank 5
Alfred 4
Edwin 4
Richard 4
Walter 4
Arthur 3
Harry 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Theophilus 2
David 1
Edward 1
Edwen 1
Emmanuel 1
Enoch 1
Enock 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Henery 1
Herbert 1
Jacob 1
Jno.Wm. 1
Martin 1
Philip 1
T.Thomas 1
Timothy 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Norgrove surname: questions and answers

How common was the Norgrove surname in 1881?

In 1881, 289 people were recorded with the Norgrove surname. That placed it at #9,968 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Norgrove surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 485 in 2016. That gives Norgrove a modern rank of #10,205.

What does the Norgrove surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from the northern grove or wood.

What does the Norgrove map show?

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